# How to stop him from putting squeaky toys in my face at 3 A.M.



## FlowersGSD (Feb 27, 2011)

I tried letting Ben sleep outside of his crate a while back(he is a year old) and after about 3 A.M. and every hour after that he would put a toy or bone in my face--like "hey wanna play now?".
In his crate (which is downstairs in the dining room) he sleeps hard for 8+ hours and it is so peaceful in the house. When I let him sleep outside the crate he came upstairs with me to my bedroom and went to sleep on the floor - but then he woke up in the middle of the night and i heard him meandering upstairs and downstairs a few times and then he did the toy in the face routine till dawn. I have 2 cats and sometimes they are up and around so he probabley was following them around too. 
They were probably thinking, "sheesh there goes our freedom-the monster is loose".
If i tell him to stop the nonsense get in my bed he is a horrible mover arounder.
Any ideas on how to accomplish a good nights sleep with the transition from crate to someplace else?
thanks--after all I do want him to guard the house and he cant do a great job of that locked in his crate(which he loves by the way).
thanks!


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## KSdogowner (Jun 22, 2011)

FlowersGSD said:


> in the face routine till dawn. I have 2 cats and sometimes they are up and around so he probabley was following them around too.
> They were probably thinking, "sheesh there goes our freedom-the monster is loose".
> If i tell him to stop the nonsense get in my bed he is a horrible mover arounder.
> Any ideas on how to accomplish a good nights sleep with the transition from crate to someplace else?


I would pick up all his toys for the night so he would not be able to get to them. As long as the toys are out, he will have a reason to stay up and play.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

If he's not sleeping all night, he's also telling you he's not tired. 

So I'd also recommend WAY upping his daily exercise and play.

You should also train a 'go lay down' and place his dogbed in your bedroom. That way you just give your command and can see he's doing it. 

Always better to manage a situation so we succeed. ALL our dogs are better behaved when tired, so that will help right away in many ways.

The best way to train is to teach them what we WANT them to do (go to your bed and lay down) rather than just the negatives and 'bad dog' of what we do NOT want them to do (GET OFF MY HEAD WITH THAT TOY!).


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## lafalce (Jan 16, 2001)

Great videos. Really enjoyed them. Thanks for posting.....


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## taylorco (Dec 19, 2011)

We started letting Molly sleep out of her crate about a month ago. We started by blocking an area in our room about the size of her crate (we used a baby gate between the wall and our bed, so she was allowed only that space. After about a week we put the gate up in the door, so she had the whole room. After about 2 weeks of that we are not putting the gate up anymore. We too have cats, and I was afraid she would be up chasing and wanting to play with them all night. So far the only problem we've had is one night when there was a cat or something in the back yard. She must have heard it and went crazy. First time she ever alerted us to anything! Scared the heck out of us at 3am.. but at least we know she'll let us know when somethig is not right.. now just need to get her to stop when we tell her..


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

Because Rocky naps while I go to class, gym, and do homework from 9:30 until 4:30 everyday, he gets a one hour and 15 minute run/walk every single morning unless pouring rain. We run the first 5 minutes to get some exces energy out, then walk a little while then do run/walk/run/walk/run/walk just so not to stress his joints too much. He then sleeps until I get done with homework, at which time We usually is raring to go. We play tug and fetch and train a little then right before bed, around 8:30 I take him on a 45 minute jog/walk and then train for 5 minutes when we get home, then he is DEAD TIRED and ready for bed and I get a good nights rest. 

If I don't walk him before bed, he wakes up at 5AM!!!


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> If he's not sleeping all night, he's also telling you he's not tired.


He might also be telling you that he'd rather sleep in his crate. My Luna is terribly restless when she sleeps outside of her crate... she just doesn't feel comfortable without her "den." Is there a reason why you don't want your dog to sleep in his crate any longer?


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## FlowersGSD (Feb 27, 2011)

i actually love him sleeping in there--i get a good nite's rest and the cats feel more at ease-but- i would like him to be a protection if anything should happen. you never know... a friend was telling me about a friend of hers who woke up one nite to see a man standing next to her bed. this was in a small town nearby. I think the guy got freaked out and ran but if a big German Shepherd was around I dont think he would have gotten near the bedroom in the first place!!

I think it is just restlessness and feeling out of place like another poster said. he is dead to the world after 6pm otherwise.
i think he felt weird not being in his usual spot. he could have chosen to go in at any time but he never thought of that.

i think it was more a case of "hey mom, i dont get it --what do i do rattling around the house all night??"


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i would pick up the toys before going to bed.
make sure your dog has plenty of exercise
both mentally and physically.


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