# How do others handle middle of the night bathroom needs?



## souffle (Sep 9, 2012)

Just brought our puppy home and wondered how others handle the middle of the night bathroom breaks. She is 8 weeks old. I set the alarm for 3 hours out and when I woke up she was crying so knew it was time to take her out of the crate for the potty. We have 2 stories so I walked downstairs and opened the crate and placed her on the wee wee pad that is located for now on top of the Ugodog. She went, gave her a treat, then back in the crate. I sorta wonder if I should have 2 Ugodogs...one upstairs in the bathroom in addition to the Ugodog that is located in an ex-pen or would that cause too much confusion for her? Or do I just accept going up and down the stairs in the middle of the night with the crate knowing it will be for a little while.

Wonder what others do...

Thanks for the feedback.

Souffle


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

wow, can you bring the ugodog upstairs into your bathroom or something???
I treated middle of the night potty breaks with my hav the exact way I treated them with my human babies. I waited until THEY woke up and alerted me that they needed something (I would NEVER wake them! lol) and then it's straight to potty spot and back in the crate. no talking, no lights. BORING.


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

Make it easy on yourself and get another one for the middle of the night potty calls.


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

If it was me, I'd just bring the Ugodog I already have upstairs at night and then bring it back down in the morning until she starts sleeping through the night. Just curious as to why the wee pad on top of the grates. I put them between the grates and tray where he can't get at them.


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

I think she won't be confused at all. As long as you use the same thing, it is fine. I have many UGOs at home that I used while in training and when they are older i just use two of them. She is very young. She won't need to go during the night when she gets a little older. Good luck.


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## mcc.christina (May 23, 2012)

I have two UgoDogs, it makes things a lot easier!! Eloise is 5 months and still typically wakes up once a night. She uses both during the day.


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## Ewokpup (Nov 3, 2012)

We have two piddle pad holders (at first we used pads without a holder but she just wanted to play with them), one in the family room and one in the kitchen with her crate. 

I'm usually up later than my husband reading, and often used to wake up in the middle of the night, so I would let her go before I went to bed around 1/2, and then if I woke up around 3/4. Then my husband would get up at 6 when she did. We also would wake up if she started making noise and let her out then.


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

I vote for buying another-easier for you.


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## souffle (Sep 9, 2012)

Okay it sounds like at the very least I had better bring the one we have up and probably get another Ugodog! Have the pad on top and then going to start cutting it down so that she eventually uses it. I do have one she peed on though underneath the grate. Maybe I should just go for it!

Thank you!



Pixiesmom said:


> I vote for buying another-easier for you.


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## Anna6 (Oct 21, 2012)

I was up at 3:45 AM because Nina was whining. I am with Thillie's mom, I am matter of fact, let Nina out of the crate, put her on the leash and take her outside to her potty area and then directly inside and back into the crate. She normally sleeps through the night and I wasn't happy standing there in the rain in my robe and slippers but it happens. Can you have your puppy in a play yard with a Ugodog pad in it. I just do not feel like bothering with the clean up of a Ugodog.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Rosie never bothered the pee pad. All other paper was free game. I think it is because they are scented with urine. As to getting up with her in the middle of the night, I just got up and took her outside and right back in--no treat. I wanted her to eventually go outside all the time, so when I knew she had to go, outside it was. But giving a treat might re-inforce the getting up in the middle of the night.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I am very fortunate. My havs very rarely get up to potty during the night. This has been this way since I brought the home. If they do get up, I knowthey really have to go. They aretrained to use pee pads and that's what I keep nearby.


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## Buzzys Mom (Sep 28, 2010)

I get up if Oscar wakes me up- he already knows that if he gets up like that, there is no play time... he goes out, he potties and he runs back up to bed before I can even get there!


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## Lola :) (Nov 20, 2012)

I am also experiencing the nightly wake-up calls with Lola, who is 17 weeks old, but they have decreased a lot since she first came home 8 weeks. I agree not to wake her, wait for her to wake you. Lola sleeps in her cozy crate in the family room, which is located near our back porch. I have a baby monitor so when I hear her I get up, let her out to do business, and put her right back in her crate. I never use treats for bathroom breaks because she usually has to go soon after she eats anything. I hope this helps, the sleep deprivation will get better as she gets older!  By the way, she is ADORABLE!


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## dodrop82 (May 21, 2010)

Yogi is 3 and Boo is almost 2. They still wake us in the middle of the night to go outside on occasion. Usually Yogi, but Boo sometimes too. We just get up and go...no big whoop...


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I have been battling my two being out door trained. We have an indoor system that works most of the time. But when one of them wakes me up to go outside I am happy to let them out .At least I know they are somewhat trained.


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## Laci'sMom (Oct 16, 2012)

Lola, what kind of food are you feeding..My Laci is so unpredictable about her poo's. She goes the first thing in the morning, then it's just when ever. This is my first Hav. All my other dogs would always go poo almost immediately after eating...so you knew, but Laci is totally different....Thanks

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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

When Leo first came home he was 8 weeks and i took 2x during the night. Eventually we switched to once a night. We started at 3am and now I wait until 4am. I get at 4:30am Mon-Fri so I'm trying to push him out to that time. When did your guys stop needing to go I'm the middle of the night? Unfortunately my guy won't cry to get taken out. 


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## Lola :) (Nov 20, 2012)

Laci'sMom said:


> Lola, what kind of food are you feeding..My Laci is so unpredictable about her poo's. She goes the first thing in the morning, then it's just when ever. This is my first Hav. All my other dogs would always go poo almost immediately after eating...so you knew, but Laci is totally different....Thanks
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


Hi Laci's Mom! Right now I'm feeding Lola Science Diet for toy breed puppies. I started her on Blue Buffalo but it seemed to be too rich for her. My vet recommended Science Diet because it has less of a protein count than Blue Buffalo. The vet also said it would be okay to switch back to BB once Lola is 6 months old, which I plan to do. Lola, like your other dogs, also goes poo usually shortly after she eats, as well as once or twice more before the next time she eats. Lola is 4 pounds, 12 ounces and eats 1/4 cup three times a day about every 6 hours. I'm not sure how much little Laci weighs, but maybe it's the amount of food she's eating, or it could be the food. What are you currently feeding her? Lola is my first Hav and the smallest dog I've had before, so her feeding was a but of a struggle at first too (amount and type of food). I hope this helps!


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## Laci'sMom (Oct 16, 2012)

Laci is eating Purina Puppie Chow. She eats 1/3rd cup 2 times a day. During the week around 5 am and 5 pm. Sometimes she doesn't eat all of it. But if she does eat it all, if she acts like she want more I will give it to her. But she only gets fed 2 times a day. But knowing when she's gonna want to poo? Just watching her is the only way...sure wish I could feed her then she go poo within 30 min. But I guess not....thanks for answering..

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## ClaireVoyant (Jan 26, 2012)

queryne said:


> Unfortunately my guy won't cry to get taken out.


It's absolutely vital that a puppy's crate not be too large . . .big enough to turn around/sleep, that's it. Dogs don't want to mess the area they sleep . . .but if their crate has enough room, they'll use one corner for the bathroom. Once this begins happening, its next to impossible to halt. If its too big and you'd prefer to avoid the extra expense of a smaller one, you can always partition it off with something


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## Anna6 (Oct 21, 2012)

Thank you for this information. Sofar so good but Nina's crate is a bit big. This makes a lot of sense.



ClaireVoyant said:


> It's absolutely vital that a puppy's crate not be too large . . .big enough to turn around/sleep, that's it. Dogs don't want to mess the area they sleep . . .but if their crate has enough room, they'll use one corner for the bathroom. Once this begins happening, its next to impossible to halt. If its too big and you'd prefer to avoid the extra expense of a smaller one, you can always partition it off with something


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## bjackier (Nov 9, 2012)

My 4 month old was sleeping thru the night in her crate for a month. N0W she wakes at 3:30 to pee and sometimes again at 5:30 to pee & poop. This is following a 11:30 pm pee before we go to sleep. She has no water after 7 pm and she usually poops 3 times during the day. Help. Frustrated after having a good month of solid sleep.


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## Buzzys Mom (Sep 28, 2010)

I think they go through phases as their bodies grow and develop. Oscar is now 7 months and sleeps through the night no problem. Once in a while he will wake us up at 6 or 6:30 but today I had to get him up at 7:30 to go out. Last month he went through a week of getting up at 5 am to go to the bathroom and then going back to sleep. Two nights ago we went to bed like normal and had a normal day, but he woke up at midnight to go to the bathroom. 4 months is still really young... she will get there.


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## bjackier (Nov 9, 2012)

Thank you, Buzzys Mom. You make me feel much better. I am a first time dog owner and I think Mitzi is almost perfect but I am concerned with the change in her sleeping habits. Any other thoughts are welcome.


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## Buzzys Mom (Sep 28, 2010)

It's my pleasure. Buzzy is 9, but Oscar is so young. I still have a lot of questions and everyone here is a great resource  Ask away!


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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

My guy is almost at the point where he can keep from going during the night. I'm waking him around 5:30 to go. Some of you have dogs that can hold it all night. I was wondering, how many hours are we talking?

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## Buzzys Mom (Sep 28, 2010)

Buzzy is 9 and will hold it 24 hours if he has too (which he had to about 5 years ago when I had the flu and was unconcious the whole time). Even now he holds it from about 10 pm (their last out of the night) until he feels like going out. This morning it was 10 am. 
Last night Oscar (7 months) went out at 10 pm (their usual last out of the night), and I woke him up at 7:30 to go. He came up and went right back to bed with Buzzy until later though. There are some mornings when he will wake me up at 6 or 6:30 to go (usually weekend mornings  ). He isn't exactly consistent yet but I feel like we are getting there.


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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

Wow!!! I can't believe they can hold it that long. I tried to have Leo (4 months old) sleep through the night but he didn't make it and peed in his crate. We're99% sure he must have peed about an hour and a half before we let him out at 7am. So nowi'm taking him out around 5:30am. I'm going to continue to inch him towards 7am. Wish me luck!

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## Tia (Nov 28, 2012)

Queryne I find Doug will do a wee around 530 - 6 of a morning. He goes to bed around 10pm when we go to bed.

He too did a wee in his crate after being in there overnight as I think he attempted to wake us and we didn't hear him. I got up just before 7 to find he had done a wee. So now we are trying to work out if its best to levee his crate door open so he can get up as his please (which also doesn't encourage him to sleep longer) or get up around 530 to take him. My husband was working this morning so took him at 530 and the. I got up again with him at 7am but he didn't need to go.

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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

No way I'd let Leo go on his own, the way his crate is configured we couldn't really do that. Also I'm sure he get up and start playing... Not good at 5:30am! Then again, I get up pretty early so taking him at 5:30 isnt really a problem. I know not many people want to get up as early so I guess in the end you gotta train him to work with what works best for you. Leo unfortunately doesnt cry to get out of his crate so I just take him at 5:30 and he's fine until 7am when we get him up. I'm happy that he's gotten to the point where he will "go potty" and then get taken back this crate and go back to sleep. There was a short period there where he was confusing middle of the night potty time with playtime. So far our schedule works pretty well, he usually in bed at 9am.

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## ClaireVoyant (Jan 26, 2012)

Both mine are in their crates between 9 & 10 every night and back up at 6am. Isabella only a couple of months ago was allowed free run of the home unsupervised. It will be at least a year before Raider has the same privileges.

Last night was Raider's first night in his new soft crate (he'd been using a hard plastic type). It's the extra small by Precision Pets. Isabella has a larger one that we really like and it collapses and travels well not to mention comfortable. Raider missed his old crate at first, but settled in after a time and returned to it on his own for nap today.

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## mmphelps (Nov 30, 2012)

Thankfully Tino sleeps all night without a potty break, but our little Buster was up a few times in the night for the first couple months we had him. He was the runt, weighing in at 1.5 lbs at 8 weeks. He wasn't fully housebroken until 10 months, whereas Tino is reliable at 16 weeks with regular trips outside. They are all so different. We had doors from our bedroom to our back patio which made middle of the night potty breaks more bearable. Lol, just thinking that the term "wee hours of the night" is so fitting!

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