Now, I normally wouldn't consider putting water in a crate overnight, but I am having a problem with my 5 month old GSD. Specifically, after puppy class nights, she has woken up twice barking in her crate. She did a quick pee both times, but it was water that she was desperate for...I am considering attaching a water bottle/dispenser to her crate on that night only. What do you all think about this? I do not want her to learn that barking in the middle of the night gets her out of her crate, as she sleeps through the night (9 pm to 6:30 am) with no problems except for these 2 occasions. She is allowed water after dog class so I am unsure why she is so thirsty after going to bed. This is not a problem on other nights.

Thanks,
Melissa

Could she be stressing on puppy class nights? Maybe more water during day of class, water breaks at class and a little later bedtime on those nights, to allow plenty of time to relieve after class, would be helpful. I would be afraid if offered water at night she might end up needing to relieve in the wee hours. Also if water spills or drips and she is sleeping on a wet surface that can cause problems too.

Hi. I leave water in my puppies crate and he is only 11 weeks old now. Starting out, after reading all I have read on crate training - I would not leave it in the crate, but my vet said water should always be available....so I started to leave it in there. My puppy has only had 1 accident in his crate, and this was when he was 7 weeks old(at that point we did not leave water in there with him), but I know it was because we were late getting home from work and he was getting used to his schedule - that was mixed up. personally, if you puppy is only having these problems after puppy class, I would say give him time to drink during the class. Also, look at what your routine is with you puppy is on non class days, and try to so some of the same activities with you pup that would would do on any other night. Give him plenty of water and take him out to go to the bathroom before putting him in his crate for the night and see how that goes. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Good Luck

I hope PETA doesn't come charging up to my front door, but
since my pup was 9 weeks, I crated her at night, and during
the day when it wasn't playtime. I gave NO water after 9:00pm
- then moved it to 8:30pm. So, by 12 weeks old, I'd let her
out to relieve herself just before I went to bed (around
11pm/12am). She NEVER had accidents in her crate. I stopped
taking her out about 3 months old - and she slept through
the night w/no problems.

So, long story short, at a very early age, she had no access
to water after 9pm. BTW, now that she's 9 months (and still
a puppy <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> ) she doesn't sleep in her crate anymore. She
prefers to sleep by me. Her crate is in my bedroom, but
she's happier sleeping on the floor on my side of the bed.

I get the "cold nose" at 7am, "Daddy, wake up. I have to pee!" <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Fie on PETA! We didn't offer water after 8 or 9 with any of our puppies. They had plenty during the day. I had a dog owner ask me why their dog had to poop every night at 11PM. I thought a minute and asked what time were they feeding. She told me 8 or 8:30 PM <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> so dog wouldn't get hungry at night. We straightened that out real quick.

I don't know if you are using treats and, if so, what you are using but a lot of prepared stuff is FULL of sodium. That could be why she is thirsty.

 Quote:

......look at what your routine is with you puppy is on non class days, and try to so some of the same activities with you pup that would would do on any other night. Give him plenty of water and take him out to go to the bathroom before putting him in his crate for the night and see how that goes. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.......

And if waking up from thirst happens regularly (which I understand it is not), then I'd be making a vet appointment just to make sure there was no health problem. There are a few that present with increased thirst (like such as diabetes mellitus, liver failure, kidney failure, high blood calcium), but of course it would not be just on certain nights or days.

Nancy made a good suggestion that might apply. Maybe on class nights you're giving extra treats (high sodium treats).....?

YES! I'll bet it is a combo of the treats and being off schedule (as we stick to a pretty rigid schedule around her during the week lol).

Thanks for the brainstorming and ideas!