Waking up too early

Question
My 1 year old chihuahua/pekingese mix has been waking up really early lately.  He usually sleeps until 6 or 7 am, and now he's started waking up at 3 or 4 am.  He sleeps in a crate, but he barks until I let him out.  I know I'm just making him bark whenever he wants to get out, but I can't go back to sleep while he's barking.  I try letting him outside to go to the bathroom, but he never has to go.  How can I get him to go back to sleep?

Answer
Every time he barks to get out of the crate and you let him out, you are teaching him that if he gets obnoxious enough he gets out.  Instead, try buying ear plugs (and maybe ask your neighbors' forebearance while you train him), but IGNORE any noise coming from the crate.  No eye contact, no "shut up", no nothing.  Expect him to get louder (after all, he always got his way before).  But, persist and you may finally get him through that "extinction burst" and get a good night's sleep;-)