Alarm clock puppy!

[Fran27]

Do all puppies start yapping when the sun goes up? Please tell me he won't do that at 4am in Summer, lol!

Any way of getting him rid of that bad habit?

[BreakingDaHabit]

Maybe you have a rooster instead of a puppy?

lol. Is he trying to tell you he has to go out maybe? Puppies normally have to go the second they wake up.

Does he sleep with you? He's probably hearing something and going into guard dog mode. I have one of those. lol. Try yelling NO when he does it. And later in the day teach him the word "quiet" (if you start giving treats for it in the morning, he might do it purposely to get a treat) Everytime he barks, say "Quiet" and when he's quiet for a few seconds say goodboy and give a treat. After he learns it, you'll be able to say it at 4am without a treat and then he should just catch on to be quiet at that time.

[Fran27]

No, he sleeps in a crate in the room opposite to the bedroom (both doors are open, though). I don't give him treats in the morning, but I usually take him outside when it happens... The weird thing is that whether we let him out in the evening at 10 or midnight, he will still start yapping at 6.30 or 7. Ugh. Guess I just won't sleep in anymore. Hopefully it will be better when he is trained enough to sleep with the crate open.

[Norman]

Is there anyway that light is getting in to wake him up? We have to leave the blinds shut for our pup but I am still up at 5am walking her every morning. As soon as they are awake they need to go. We found it easier to walk her at 5am and then I come home and crawl back into bed for a few hours beofre getting up for work rather than leaving her else we'd be welcomed with a litte smelly pressie!. Once she has been walked she goes back to sleep too!

[SpiritSong]

Our puppy Niko does the same thing but hers is she needs to go out...after I let her out she goes right back to sleep until she thinks I need to be awake...she usually sleeps a long time if the blinds are closed and no one comes knocking on our door. but if the house phone rings she does not make a sound...just do not let her hear my cell phone she goes totally nuts. I would try to keep light out and try letting her out for a few just in case then getting a little more shut eye...but this may take a little while to get her to do if she is use to waking up going out and staying out of her crate. it is about a schedule more than anything. Good Luck!

[Fran27]

Good advice, the problem is there is no way to go back to sleep after it... If I don't stay with him, he will yap and whine, and then my husband won't be able to sleep more either, lol. If he's awake and we are not in the room with him, he does that...whether he is in his crate or not. Except at night when we go to bed, fortunately. I haven't found a way of getting him to stop yapping though :( Ignoring does nothing so I may have to say 'no' a lot.