Cocker spaniel waking up very early

Weeing not seeing…..

Spaniels are generally really clever so there will be an element of human training going on

My daughter gives her Mini Schnauzer a Lily’s kitchen nightime biscuit at bedtime which is very calming. My spaniels never had as strong a bladder as my whippets and were a bit prone to seeing out of excitement. I still adore spaniels but find them very emotionally needy. I’d try dap diffuser, outside for a wee as late as possible, nightime biscuit, radio.

I’ve always had rescue dogs too Coastpath and always older, never puppies or very young dogs which are more easily rehomed and always shepherds. It’s so important to consider what a dog’s needs will be, and how they will fit into your life, before getting one isn’t it? I know nothing of springers but someone upthread said they are very active. So an older person wanting a lie in every morning might have been well advised to consider a dog of a less demanding breed and age and also to have the dog sleeping in their bedroom. Anyone who’s ever had a baby knows they can forget sleeping in for a few years! Dogs are no different and as with babies some are a lot more hassle than others.

We don't even close our bedroom door and she never tries to come in until invited. Different with older dogs I suppose, but it just seems to be the result of a routine formed from day one.

I suppose the difference is that we don't have a gate and our bedroom is on the same floor as the rest of the house to which the dog has complete access - water, all the furniture she cares to crash out on and her basket.

She never wants to get up in the mornings. We are up by 7 and sometimes we have to encourage her out to the garden after we've had our breakfast. She's a lazy toad.

Is the dog well behaved during the day? If so, having to get up at 6.30 is not such a hard price to pay.

What does he do if you want to go back to bed?

I have a section of my garden fenced off and have a dog sized hole in the utility room that my spaniels could get through so they could just let themselves in and out. That worked for years but I now have a whippet that doesn’t quite fit through the hole. She has developed a habit of wanting to go out at three in the morning even though her bladder is so strong she can sleep on the sofa for 12 + hours without moving! I find it very tiring. A lot of dogs do seem to want to join their owners early in the morning. I once looked after someone else’s whippet that happily slept downstairs at night but came upstairs early in the morning for a snuggle. I know how you feel, though. After years of having to get up for work at 7 the last thing I want is to have to get up (I’ve never been a morning person anyway). My spaniels always lived in the kitchen after my first spaniel became blind at an early age and struggled with being kept in the kitchen at night after being used to having access to the whole house (she also became incontinent in later life so I had to keep her where there was a tiled floor and I worried about her falling down the stairs). Spaniels are very energetic little dogs, always on the go and craving attention. That’s why I switched to a breed that slept all the time. Maybe try a dap diffuser ( it’s the first thing I try if there’s a behavioural problem). Have a radio on throughout the night as the dawn chorus might be waking him up?

I think he has learnt that if he gets your attention from the gate, you will appear BUT all dogs ask to be let outside in a morning, whatever their age and if he is going to bed at say 10pm, 6am isn't that early? It's 8 hours. I need a wee in 8 hours I guess. I know I am not a dog

Neither of our dogs have ever had access to water at night and are absolutely fine. The personal trainer we had to help with our cockapoo's separation anxiety also said about no water at night.

Perhaps the difference is GSM that I have always had rescue dogs and so never under a year old. I have no experience of puppies and so bow to your better judgement. My rescue dogs have valued a very predictable routine after often chaotic lives.

The OP is with her dog all day, it gets lots of exercise and she obviously wants to make it happy. I'm sure they will find a happy balance.

We’ll have to disagree there Coastpath. A young dog is like a young child. Would OP want to have to cope with the needs of a young child? I don’t think she really thought this through before getting the dog, who is obviously feeling lonely when it wakes up and wanting company.

Springers do have masses and masses of energy. As working dogs they never seem to wear out.

Sorry, just re-read Smileless' post. Please ignore my water point.

He does want to go outside when he wakes but I dont think he is desperate

I do know how he feels.
If he chews things when he's alone it might mean he's bored too so he seems to need a wee and some company.

Our dogs weren't allowed upstairs but DH has always been an early riser anyway even now he's retired, so would let them out into the garden by 6 or 6.30 am.
It doesn't seem unreasonable - his time clock is just different to yours.

Hello anna. I think your dog just wants company; he's been asleep all night. It is just his natural time to wake up, his internal clock really. I would leave the gate off and let him wander although I think he will still want to get up at that time and want your company.

The dog does have water! It says that in the OP.

Our dog has never slept in our room. It's ok to have boundaries that suit you all.

Oh water? our dog has a water bowl near his upstairs bed and with his food in the kitchen. Dogs bladders are very different to ours and they can contain a huge amount of urine to be released gradually on their walks. Maybe an elderly dog would have more of a problem, but never withdraw water!

Thanks for the responses. I have tried letting him in the bedroom with us but he literally tries to dig me out of the bed. It would be funny if it wasn't 6am! Maybe we should start letting him in the living room again. I did try but he chewed the corners off my cushions. My fault for forgetting to move them. I keep hoping that as he gets older he will get calmer but I'm not convinced.

Agree with GSM…. I would love a dog, but I love my morning lie-ins even more ?

Oh no Germanshepherdsmum I disagree with that. The OP is clearly trying to do her best by this little dog she loves and is trying very hard to help.

You and I both dote on our dogs but I'm sure you'll agree that they have to fit in with the family routine as much as we adopt our routine to accommodate them. Rising so early doesn't seem to be something the OP should have to get used to.

That is his sleeping pattern. Unfortunately it doesn’t coincide with yours. 6.30am would be fine by me, but my dog snoozes until about 8am. So I am often up before our dog who might open an eye then shut it again. If he does follow me downstairs he just climbs into his downstairs bed and goes back to sleep.

Allowing him access to you would probably help. Our dog sleeps on his bed next to our bed. But of course everyone has their own rules and rightly so.

I don’t agree with a dog not having access to water at night, they need it at all times.

I second the suggestion of having her sleep with you. Dogs need company. Ours have always had beds in our bedroom and have never been any trouble. It sounds as if he’s being made to sleep in a dark and lonely place.

I had the same problem with our cockapoo, although she'd grown out of it by the time she was 18 months. She'd wake at 6 to 6.30 and I'd take her outside for a wee and then put her back to bed, where she'd stay for about another hour.

Don't let him have water during the night. If he doesn't drink after his last wee before bedtime, that may enable him to wait longer.