Please Help!

[Yoladybug]

I have a german shepherd named Abby who is about 11 months old. She's honestly driving me crazy. The past month she's been waking up at 5am. She used to sleep until around 9, even when she was much younger. If she had to go out, she'd always come right back and lay back down. Sometimes I'd hear her wake up, but she'd quietly chew on a toy until I got up. Now she whines, howls, cries and even barks occasionally (she NEVER barks). She paws at me in my bed until I get up. Even after I take her out, she will not go back to sleep like she used to. She carries on until I just give up. Once I'm out of bed, she lays down and goes back to sleep. It's getting so bad that I'm starting to regret getting her. Does anyone have any suggestions or any thoughts on why things have changed? I'll take any help I can get!
Thanks so much.
-Jamie

[Lokipups]

Whenever a dog has a radical behavior change, a vet check should be the first thing done. She may have a possible UTI or kidney infection.

[courtnek]

I would definitely get her checked by a vet..if she turns up negative for urinary or kidney functions, then some retraining is necessary. I suspect retraining because she makes YOU get up, and then goes back to sleep....

If retraining is the choice, then simply lock her out of your room, or if she sleeps in there, close the door and ignore her. This will take a few days. Tell her to lie down, make her do it, and keep the retraining up. It wont help you sleep more at first, but eventually she will get the picture.

They are very intelligent, and because of that, very manipulative. My foxhound does the same thing.

[Yoladybug]

Thank you for all of the suggestions. I think I know what the problem is now. I used to let her sleep on the couch (big mistake on my part). These past few weeks I've been trying to retrain her to not get up on the furniture. I think this is why she's getting up so early -- she's unhappy sleeping on the floor or in her bed. I'm being firm with her, and it's gradually getting better.

I was never implying that her behavior problems weren't my fault. I fully realize that dogs are only as good as their owners. I made a big mistake with the couch thing at the beginning -- she was just so cute and tiny right at first; I let it slip my mind that she'd soon be a large shedding dog! So anyway, thanks again for the suggestions. I guess it's just a long road of retraining for me.

One more question though. In these next few days/weeks when she is unhappily whining at my door in the mornings, what is the best thing to do? I take her out to go to the bathroom the first time she whines, and then I try to go back to sleep. Should I just ignore her whining or should I go out each time and make her lay back down? It seems like giving her no attention and just ignoring it is probably the smartest thing, but you all are much more knowledgable about this than I am, so if I'm wrong, please let me know!

Thanks again for the suggestions! Sorry if I seem ignorant about some things -- I'm a first time dog owner, and while I try to put in the time and effort to do things correctly, it can be confusing at times.

[imported_Kat]

When you have her checked out fully by a vet, a little retraining and firm actions may be an idea. I know it must be hard to ignore her, but perhaps you should try to cordon her off in one room so that she cannot see you or will not be near you at night. Another idea is to get a large cage (crate) and train her so she knows that is her wee den and with training she should become content with her own space. At the moment what you are doing is treating her still as a pup and GSD's can be quite immature but also rather manipulative. You need to totally ignore her. By letting her out, you are rewarding her for her bad behaviour and she is manipulating your input for her satisfactory response. She isn't a young pup now at her age and she can certainly hold her bladder through the night providing she isn't coming into season or doesn't have a Urinary trat infection.

Good luck and let us know how you get on and welcome to the group :wink:

[courtnek]

If you are certain she can hold it through the time, then ignore her. If you respond, she will think you will get up whenever she asks you to. I had to do this with the foxhound. She sleeps in my room and would make me nuts wanting up at 4:30. I have slowly been increasing the time from 4:30 on til I want to get up, by closing the door in my room and ignoring her pleas. I;ve got her up to 6:00 now, but you have to be willing to completely ignore them

[Yoladybug]

Thank you so much everyone! I will ignore her...she's a really smart dog and a fast learner, so hopefully we'll get through this quickly.

Thanks again!

[anni's.mom]

she does it because it works, it's that simple. your dog knows her behavior will elicit from you the response she wants, so she continues it.

so? make sure she gets to potty right before bed. then ignore her early rising and whining. within a morning or two at most, she'll stop because she'll discover she can't manipulate you into doing what she wants.