IMO, that's really too long for her to have to hold it during the day. I'm thinking all that holding it may have caused her to get a urinary tract infection and since she's more comfortable with you around, she is waking you up (sometimes UTI's are discovered because of a change in potty habits). Aside from getting that checked out by your vet (the possible UTI), is there a way you could limit how much of the house she has access to so that the dog walker could get her out for a walk with your golden during the day. Maybe give her a treat after she gets her hooked up for the mid day walk? If not, is she potty pad trained at all? I would try to leave something like that down for her during the day if she is unable to get corralled for a walk so she can relieve herself.Lizzie, my retired puppymill breeder, who I have had for three years, has recently begun to wake us up at 4 am to go potty. She usually goes out at night around 10 or 11 pm, and then heads into her crate for bedtime. The crate is something that we had to implement 2 months ago due to her piddling on the floor at my boyfriend's house. I am concerned that she cannot hold her pee for more than 6 hours at night. During the day, she holds it without any issues. She gets a morning walk around 8 am and an afternoon walk at about 5:30, if she wasn't so skiddish the dog walker would also take her out too during the day (she takes out the golden at the house, but Lizzie runs and hides when the dog walker comes over). I know she is a rescue and I'm thankful that she is telling me she has to go outside, but this is now an every evening occurance. I guess I wonder how she can hold it during the day, but at night she doesn't want to hold it. I've tried to take up the water and the food after 8 pm, but she still would want to go out at 4 am. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Potty pads are really the answer for dogs who are left alone all day IMO. I know I couldn't hold it from 8:00 am until 5:30 pm!IMO, that's really too long for her to have to hold it during the day. I'm thinking all that holding it may have caused her to get a urinary tract infection and since she's more comfortable with you around, she is waking you up (sometimes UTI's are discovered because of a change in potty habits). Aside from getting that checked out by your vet (the possible UTI), is there a way you could limit how much of the house she has access to so that the dog walker could get her out for a walk with your golden during the day. Maybe give her a treat after she gets her hooked up for the mid day walk? If not, is she potty pad trained at all? I would try to leave something like that down for her during the day if she is unable to get corralled for a walk so she can relieve herself.
For a little one who spent their life in a cage with no human interaction that was good, she sounds like she is actually doing REALLY WELL. I'm guessing, since you say she only displays this behavior when you are at your boyfriends, she is just going through an adjustment period. Maybe she gets uneasy during the night (new situation) and wakes up earlier than she does in her familiar house (yours) and when you wake up, ya gotta potty! I'm thinking that once she gets more used to being over there, she will get into the same routine she has at your house. She sounds like she's trying to be such a good little girl and only potty outside if you have a pad available for her and she isn't using it. What a sweet little thing! But I would still have her checked for a UTI just in caseI have no idea how many litters she had when she was in the mill, the rescue group did not disclose that information, and after looking over her paperwork with the vet after I got her, they also told me she was 3 years old when I got her, when in reality she was 5.
She does have the piddle pads down as well for her during the day. She just won't use them anymore rather it seems that she just waits until we get home to go potty. She is 8 now, and we have our annual visit coming up with the vet so I'll discuss this with them.
Maybe I should preface that this 4 am behavior happens mainly when I stay over at the boyfriend's house (80% of my time). When she is home, she sleeps through the night no issues (but does not use the piddle pads I have down for her during the day either at my house rather waits for mommy to get home). He also watched her while I was gone taking care of my mom after an operation this past month and said she slept through the night for him.
:thumbsup:
