Quote: Tanya Moyer

I know they are just wanting to go out not needing to go. If they don't get on the bed, then my arse is up. Enzo has started having 3am 'gotta go' moments - I need to break him of it because now I think it's become a habit not a need!

I let this issue get way more complicated than it should have, then I had a "light bulb moment", and have had much more peace since.

Sadie does not have an indicator, unless she gets desperate. At that point, she'll do the "face-licking, climbing in my lap" thing. I can't always pinpoint a regular, gotta-go behavior, so I haven't figured out how to marker train it. Way back, she figured out if she gives a false indication, usually pacing at the front door, staring at the doorknob whining and/or looking back at me, I will be suckered into taking her out when there's no need. Naturally I quit responding to that. Reverse conditioning.
This led to a 3am problem. Old-timers syndrome usually wakes me up around 3 (cursed prostrate!). When she hears me stir, she'll come do the face-licking thing. It didn't take long to figure out that's a lie, too. After a few potty-less 3am trips outside, it dawned on me that she's "Held it" for over twelve hours in the past. Doing the math, if she'd been out at 10pm, she's not desperate at 3am. She's now on a schedule. She's pretty regular, so all is fine so far.