# Why does he fight sleep every night?



## OhHenry (Sep 9, 2017)

Our 11-week puppy doesn't want to go to bed at night. He wakes up at 6:30am and goes to bed at 10pm. We've got him on a consistent routine. When we take him up at 9pm to our bedroom to get ready for bed, he goes nuts running around the room, pouncing and chewing on things, getting very nippy. 

It doesn't seem to matter if he's had a relaxing or exciting day. We take him out to our yard a lot for potty breaks and to run around. He seems to get plenty of exercise and then quiet time/naps afterwards for which he lies down gladly. But he doesn't want to go to bed at night. 

I've tried taking him out at 8pm and tiring him out with training and running around. He'll come in and flop into his little bed in the den where his play pen is. I then think, "He's sleepy and it's a good time to take him up and get him ready to bed." But as soon as we get into our bedroom, suddenly he comes to life and runs around like a maniac. Then he starts nipping at my feet. I've started giving him a little bully stick to calm him down in the last 20 minutes. Afterwards, I try to put him in the crate and he tries to escape.

I've also tried exercising him and let him calm down for 30 minutes before taking him up to get ready. He springs to life and just wants to play, play, play. He reminds me of my daughter when she was a toddler, fighting sleep. 

I'd love any ideas on how to ease this puppy into bedtime.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Perry gets the 9pm zoomies too  I just try to keep a calm routine. Outside, into the bedroom, one or two soft chew toys on the bed while I read, then quietly pick him up, tell him it's bedtime, and in the crate (with some quiet toys), close it, cover the crate with a towel and lights out. Despite the zoomies, he calms down and settles into his crate at around 10. I don't know if he actually sleeps then, but he's quiet and that's what matters . I also have a towel in the crate because it helps muffle the noise from his toenails on the floor.


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

I think you need to carry him up and put him directly in his crate. This way he doesn't have the opportunity to run around, get wild, and have to be chased down to get him in the crate. I always tried to keep bedtime very calm with Molly. No stimulation, low lighting, quietly saying "let's go in our bed" while putting her in the crate. Her bedtime crate is very cozy and den like. I have bumpers around the sides and a blanket covering the top. Remember too, if your little guy gets up during the night to go potty, to keep things all business and right back in the crate. Good luck!


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## OhHenry (Sep 9, 2017)

Thank you! I've been trying to keep a calm routine. Last night, I took him out at 9pm when it looked like he was starting to fall asleep in his bed in the den. He didn't want to potty so I took him in after 10 minutes. We went upstairs and he got all excited and within 2 minutes peed on the floor. Of course. My daughter took him out of the bedroom while I cleaned up the mess. He went back into the room and zoomed around. I gave him the bully stick at 9:30 and he was calm (obsessed with it really). At 9:50, I took the stick away and he was annoyed. I managed to get him in the crate where he whined and then settled down after lights went out. It seems I shouldn't give him the bully stick before bed because he will then think crate/bedtime interrupts his precious bully stick time?

I'll try carrying him up and putting him straight in the crate tonight. That might just be the trick because I think bringing him up and letting him run around in the bedroom feels like another "new" play area for him (he spends his days downstairs in the den or outside).


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

I also find that certain chew things, like bully sticks cause over excitement and possesive behavior so I would definitely avoid those around bedtime. I would also not bring your puppy up to the bedroom area if he has not done his last potty of the night. Putting him down anywhere on the ground is just an invitation for him to pee. If he is falling asleep in his downstairs pen in the evenings I would leave him there until you are ready to go up for bed and then take him out to pee. If he doesn't go I would stay downstairs and try again in a little while. Most dogs do not like to pee where they sleep so putting him directly into the crate instead of on the floor should eliminate these accidents. At this point in time the upstairs is a place that he has not learned that he can't potty in. Confined areas and constant supervision are key during this potty training phase. The less accidents you allow him to have in the house, the better. All of your hard work will pay off in the long run if you all stick with it and are consistant.:smile2:


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## OhHenry (Sep 9, 2017)

Thanks, Molly, I will try that tonight.



Molly120213 said:


> At this point in time the upstairs is a place that he has not learned that he can't potty in.


How can I teach where he can't potty? I asked the same question in the "Reliable Housebroken" thread. Please feel free to reply there instead.

Thanks so much again for your help.


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

What you are teaching them is where they CAN go potty. If you are not using an indoor potty system then outside it is. When Molly was a puppy I used both a crate and an expen on the lower level of my home and another crate in my bedroom. The only time she was allowed freedom was immediately after she had gone potty outside. Then she would get some supervised free time outside of her confined areas. After a period of time with no accidents in the house I gradually expanded her area of confinement. I did this using gates to keep her in certain rooms. Her first areas of freedom were tiled only. Freedom on the carpeted areas came later. Any time you have accidents you have to take a step back and go back to stricter confinement. Because they are not soiling their crate and you are constantly taking them out to their potty area they will learn the routine and are able to go longer between potty trips as they mature. I also kept a gate at the bottom of my stairs for quite awhile and keep my bedroom doors closed. Any time a puppy is out of sight it might be a time for them to be getting into mischief!


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

I would avoid the bully stick before bed. I prefer to let Perry have toys that he can take into his crate with him before bed (like his skinneeez toys - but only the ones where the squeeker has stopped working are allowed at night/ in the crate) because then it's a little continuity between before bed calm and bed.


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## OhHenry (Sep 9, 2017)

I must thank you ladies for your wonderful advice! I readjusted the schedule a bit, gave him a less stimulating chew toy at night, and put him straight in the crate (rather than let him have "down time" in my bedroom which he interpreted as new room to play in). The last two nights have been much calmer for both of us. 0


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