# Question about night time and housetraining



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

If you are house training a 12 week old puppy do you set your alarm clock and get up during the night after 4 hours to let the puppy eliminate, or do you let the puppy wake you up when it has to go? I plan to use a soft carrier for night time only, in the bed right next to me, and crate train during the day. I will be able to hear the puppy if it cries during the night, but I wasn't sure whether it was better to get up after 4 hours each night during the training to let the puppy pee, or does that teach it to not sleep through the night? As you can see, I'm a little unclear on this and wanted to do the right thing. I don't have the puppy yet, so I have plenty of time to decide.  

Thanks!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

It is up to you. 

I, personally, set the time and wake the puppy up. I like to set the schedule and then it makes it easier for me to change the time (extending it so we sleep through the night).


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> It is up to you.
> 
> I, personally, set the time and wake the puppy up. I like to set the schedule and then it makes it easier for me to change the time (extending it so we sleep through the night).[/B]


Thanks. I agree, because then the puppy isn't being rewarded for fussing. I finally decided that I will train my future puppy to go on potty pads outside on my patio, and hopefully eventually train it to go on command on the potty pad for travel. 

I will still have to train it like an outside dog because I will not be able to have a doggie door so I have to let it out to go. Fortunately I work at home and will be with the puppy all of the time. I still plan to take it out for walks and socialize as much as possible after it has received its shots. But I really want to avoid it being a completely "potty only outside" dog for many reasons. Thanks for your advice JMM. You are very helpful.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

I might be all wrong about this but I do have a 12 1/2 week old Maltese puppy who fortunately sleeps through the night. We have had her for three weeks and she only got me up a few times the first week that we had her. I for one was very fortunate that she did sleep through the night and has been clean and dry when she wakes up around 7 AM. I would not recommend setting your alarm clock but get up if he/she gets up and starts to fuss to go out. This is only my opinion since our puppy has been good with sleeping through the night.

Good luck with your new puppy when you get it!!!

Snuggle's and Chrissy's Mom


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

> If you are house training a 12 week old puppy do you set your alarm clock and get up during the night after 4 hours to let the puppy eliminate, or do you let the puppy wake you up when it has to go? I plan to use a soft carrier for night time only, in the bed right next to me, and crate train during the day. I will be able to hear the puppy if it cries during the night, but I wasn't sure whether it was better to get up after 4 hours each night during the training to let the puppy pee, or does that teach it to not sleep through the night? As you can see, I'm a little unclear on this and wanted to do the right thing. I don't have the puppy yet, so I have plenty of time to decide.
> 
> Thanks![/B]


We did exactly what JMM suggested. We set the schedule. And then we kept to it and slowly changed it.

In the first few weeks we did get up in the am IE: we got to sleep at around 12:00AM ish..we'd get up around 4 or 5:00. And would take him, or made him walk to his pish pad to pee. Moxie was pretty good at holding it in. The breeder did an amazing job. Once we got the right size crate, he went in without a peep, and he can hold it in now at 7 months for almost 8-10 hours...he's amazing. The key is also not to let them drink after 9:00PM, depending on when you go to sleep. Just keep that in mind.


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