The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: Slimjim on February 04, 2019, 06:01:07 pm
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I have a 6 months old Sprocker bitch. She is crated at 10.30pm after being put out for a wee and/or poo. She then screeches to be let outside at various times during the night. 11.30, 2.30, 4.30 5.30 is fairly common she is fed at 6.am ( and 12.noon and 6pm) When I get up to let her out, she almost always does do something, so I am reluctant to ignore her. She has at least an hour’s vigorous exercise twice a day along with our other sprocker who is 3 yrs old and has never behaved in this way. Is there a solution please? I am exhausted.
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You have to ignore some of the noise otherwise she will never stop as she has you on demand.
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It might be worth just checking there’s nothing wrong - cystitis or something. So maybe have a chat with the vet, and it they think it’s worth it, get her and a pee sample checked.
If there’s no health issue, then she isn’t learning to hold it - she isn’t needing to! You’re going to have to ignore all her screeching, or she will never stop!
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I’ve just seen on another thread that she’s had intractable diarrhoea up until very recently. There could still be some underlying problem, or it could be just that she now has that habit. Having seen about the diarrhoea, though, I do wonder if, although her stools are now improved, she’s still got an issue there.
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How often is she needing to go for a wee during the daytime?
Any sign of pain when she goes?
Any leaking of urine?
Maybe worth a quick check at the vets.
If there is no physical problem, then you could start to ignore her cries. Maybe do it gradually and increase the time she is in the crate without a toilet break in stages.
Do you ever pop her in there in the day? So pop her in for say twenty minutes and ignore her cries to come out. Let her out once quiet. Gradually increase so that she is happy to be in for longer intervals.
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Thank you for those helpful replies. Seems I have to sleep in ear defenders for a while. I sort of suspected that would be the solution, but chickened out of it up until now. Some reinforcement was all I needed.
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I think it's where most dog owners fall down, either not crating, or not ignoring if they use one. Many issues stem from this, toilet training, unwanted chewing/destruction, separation problems, etc...
You have to be strong (if there are non underlying issues)
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It's like babies. If you know they've been fed, burped, nappy changed, clothes comfortable, then they are just expanding their lungs :innocent: :coat: