Getting Up at Night

[Cary]

We have a male boxer who turned 1 on April 26th. He is crate-trained for nap time and during dinnertime, but long ago we started letting him sleep with our other boxer at night, not in the crate. Well, he's always had a tendency to want to go out at night to pee, etc. But now it's become a nightly habit. We'll even take him out at 10 or 10:30 at night, but still, in the middle of the night or 4:30 in the morning, he's ringing the bell to go out. I'm assuming that he just feels free to do it, and sees no need to hold it. So, what we're thinking is that we should first try cutting off his access to water at a certain time each evening. Would that be an OK thing to do? Is crating him all night the only option? The other reason I hate to crate him all night is that he has torn to shreds every bed he's ever had. So, we can't put a bed in the crate with him. He sleeps on 2 blankets, which obviously isn't as comfy cozy as a bed. Also, if he protests being in the crate, how would we know when he was actually having a diarrhea emergency? Anyway, your thoughts would be appreciated, especially on the withholding water issue.
Carolyn

 

[kellerboxer]

I take Tanks water away from him about 2-3 hours before he goes to bed, that way he expells most of it on his last trip out to go potty before he goes to sleep. And ive noticed if i do that that even in the morning afer holding it all night that he doesnt have alot of pee left in his system. In my opinion its not going to harm your dogs restricting their water this this way. You could also try crating your dog again at night for a little while till he's used to having to hold it all night again. Good Luck!!