Dogs won' let me sleep at night: help!! - Page 1

Hello everyone. I have two beautiful German Shepherd puppies. The male is almost 6 months and the female just barely 4 months. They are great. However recently they've become very restless at night. They run and play around the house. If I put them out they bark loudly at any little noise. I can't sleep and I also worry that they will keep my neighbors awake so I bring them in. But then they keep me awake running througt the house, they paw me while I sleep and then I keep getting up to let them out because they are noisy or let them in because they bark. The worst is that my husband is growing impatient from the lack of  sleep and if I cannot fix the problem I will either have an angry husband or I will have to sell the puppies. I am trying to take them for walks so they can use up some of their energy. Any ideas? Has anyone else experienced this problem? Shutting my bedroom door won't work either because my 6 month old male opens doors and if I lock it he will scratch the door. Help!!! 

The solution is easy get a dog crate for each and have them sleep there. 

Best Regards,
Cheryl

Get crates and crate train. It's NOT mean, dogs are den animals and they eventually like their own space and go in to sleep on their own. During training, if they bark in the crate, make sure they have been fed and let out before hand, then either put a blanket over the crate so they can not see out or move them to a different place where you can close the door. It may take a while, but it's well worth it in the end.
The other key is to get them more excersize. Playing fetch is not so hard on you and can be done while you are doing other things too. Like weeding, or sitting in a chair reading etc. Get that energy level down + your life will be much easier.
Debby

I too have young GSDs. Very similar, my male just turned 5 months and the female is 3.5 months. I began crating as soon as they arrived. First couple of days was a little rough (try starting on a Fri ) but after about a week it was all smooth sailing. I tell them it's "time for bed", they go to their respective crates, I give them a treat and that is it. Right now it is pretty hot here, but I give them a tug type toy and let them wear each other out. I also have 2 closer to a yr old which helps too. My 2 older dogs often go to their crates one their own for 'quiet time' and I never have issues unless they hear something outside.

 Just do as dic told you, she is absolutely right. Crate training is the best way, and go to sleep with your husband.

The dogs are running the show. Crate them.  It is safe, secure and dogs are naturally cave dwellers.  I have a 9 mo old GSD bitch and a 4 mo old male.  They are both high drive...but quiet as mice in their crates.  They need that security and structure. 

You just have a case of two dogs with people problems.

Your breeder should be helping you.

Debbie Wade

yup, crates & nice thick knuckle bones.  ;)
pjp

I began crating as soon as they arrived. First couple of days was a little rough (try starting on a Fri ) but after about a week it was all smooth sailing. I tell them it's "time for bed", they go to their respective crates, I give them a treat and that is it.

I agree with srbarabs.  Just crate them and suffer through the first couple of weeks crying.  Eventually they will go to the crate on thier own and be quite all night.  I have done this for around half the dogs I have owned.  When I was younger the family dogs were "free range" and didn't use crates, but in retrospect was handled in a similar fashion.  The dogs had a space where thier beds were and knew when "bedtime" was.  It took significantly longer to train train "bedtime" without the crate then with the crate however.  I say go with the crate and never look back, but be sure to read up on how to crate train properly or ask someone who knows.  You don't want dogs with crate phobia (not the right term, but descriptive enough in laymen speak).

how the hell do you NOT use a crate for 2 young GSD pups????
Sound like a newbie...and then add having 2 GSD pups to the mix......

schedule and crates. An inexperienced person should never take on two puppies at once. Crate train, separate them, and worl a schedule so that they are tired and ready for bed in the vening. Training and excersize more than just two pups romping together is needed as well.