Well I had a wierd morning today. Woke up at normal time and sat on Daddys head to wake him (5.20). He said in a minute, but that minute turned into 30min. Then finally we got up, went out and did my girly business and head breakfast. I always eat breakfast at 6. Then my humans said they wanted another 'hour'. Not sure what that meant until Dad got back into bed. I was not happy so I pushed my nose into daddys face with my toy to tell him 'where is my morning play?'. He tried to ignore me, in the end he went downstairs with me, I thought we where going to play, but no he left me there. I waited until he got back into bed then started to bark. Dad came back down and got me, and I ended up sleeping for another hour on their bed. Not happy, and I made it clear by huffing and puffing... I did get my morning play in the end, just later and I got a bone this morning. Dad must have felt guilty for wanting this 'hour'...don't they understand that is like 7 hours in dog world...way to long....hope this is not a regular thing... Vanilla
That's really interesting about getting up times - my peoples like to get up at 7.15 every day. But I have decided to retrain them as I want to get up earlier. I have started barking loads from about half past six, but all they do is get up, take me for a wee then GO BACK TO BED WITHOUT ME! I am not allowed upstairs and if I bark again they just IGNORE ME until normal getting up time. I am NOT HAPPY! Perhaps you can all give me some training tips. Ripple
Hmm Ripple, that's a toughie. Have you ever been on "their" bed? Have you tried whining rather than barking? Make it really pitiful, and don't give up. Sometimes that can be a way in.. Good luck & let us know how you get on. - Coco
Mine feed me at 5 everyday but I have had them for a while so they know the rules. I've got this old lady deaf partially sighted mad thing going on so i do get away with anything by looking a bit cheeky and wobbly. I bark everyday at 330 I don't want a wee I'm not that hungry I do it because I can and I've got no idea what time it is really .once youve had them for a while you can do what you like Moo the merciless but slightly confused
The best thing to do is sleep on the human bed and get to like lie-ins. Ok, that's not as good as the humans getting up at 5am, but you've got to be realistic about the first step. Once you are firmly established as being on the bed, you can get them up whenever you want, but at first you absolutely have to reward them by giving them lie-ins. It doesn't last forever, you can fade out the lie-ins in time (but not completely otherwise you'll lose the behaviour of course!). You are going about it the right way, it's an ok start, but you need a strategy and a plan. All humans are different, but making sure they get lots of reinforcement when you are in the bedroom (lie-ins), and you bark and whine and carry on in the early hours when you are not, is the basis of it. But mind what I say about not fading the lie-ins too quickly, otherwise you'll be back to square one. image by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr
Mmmm, the getting to be allowed on the bed thing is going to be difficult, apparently "no dog has ever been allowed upstairs" . BUT - Dad is going away for a couple of weeks soon and I reckon it will be easier to work on one at a time . I definitely think whining might be the best way to go. You look so comfy there Charlie - I'm really envious. Ripple
It's definitely easier to get your way around your mum, Ripple. When daddy's not here I'm allowed in the bed then mummy tells daddy the dog hairs must have been stuck to her pyjamas Stanley
Oooh, I've been on ADVENCHURES! I had a wunnerful, wunnerful time staying with Betsee and Charlee. I've told Mum all about it. I had big cuddles on her lap, then decided that the best way to tell her just how much fun I had was to put a hole in her nose. Heheehe!
When your older break a shoulder they never forget that especially in cold weather. She thinks it was an accident the fool. I'm going for a nap I need to be barking at 330. Just think about "accidents"
Ripple, This is what I do. When it is bed time, I jump on the bed and stretch out across the middle. When my humans are ready to get in, I move to Dad's pillow and lay down. Mum gets in and always says that 'I rule the roost'. Dad laughes and I just lick her face. Once they are a sleep I jump down in my bed. Then sometime during the early hours, I jump back up and sleep between them. Then gradually make my way up the bed until I am on Dads head and start to lick him. He asks if I need to get up, and I say yes by a big lick. Mummy alwaya gets another hour or so, as after breakfast and play I go back up to wake her up with a gentle lick. If nothing else works just make some noise. Eventually they will let you, especially if the weather is really bad. Should try that, and let us know how you get on Vanilla
I always manage to get in the bed when Dad's away too. Even better, now it's hot here, Dad's side of the bed is nice and salty so I like to lick the sheets when mum falls asleep
I've just finished training something amazing that I think you should all try. Sometimes I fall asleep on my own bed or in front of the TV and when I get into the bedroom, there is no room on the bed! Plus I'm sleepy, so jumping up onto the bed is so much work. I have started sitting beside the bed in a perfect sit and crying - when mum or dad sees me, I attempt a pathetic fake attempt to jump up like I can't make it. Then one of the gets up to help me up on the bed and BOOM - I steal the warm spot. It's been working amazing for a week now. Try it out - real simple human training technique. Quinn
I have a new bed! It's a big gold crate with the same pretty lilac floor. Mum said she didn't realise it was gold when she bought it and it looks a bit tacky. I think it's fabulous though, and definitely fit for a princess like me! Mum says that this means I can start sleeping in the big bedroom with her and my bro and sis! Do you think this is the first step to being allowed on that amazing comfy looking thing in the room that they all sleep on? I'm sure if mum budged over just a tiny bit more, there would be plenty of room for all of us! Luna
No, Squirt. You're staying in your CAGE forever! The bed is all mine. Nighttime cuddles are all mine! Shadow.
I had a really, really scary time this morning. When mum took me for my on-lead walk to see the ducks - what she really means is to eat the goose poo - I could see a big white heap on the grass. Well, it shouldn't have been there, so I looked again, keeping my distance, but it gave me the shivers. I could feel all the hairs on my back standing up on end as I tried to make myself look as big and scary as I could. Mum insisted on taking me over to see what it was, but I really, REALLY didn't like it and tried to back away. She was saying something like "only the remains of a snowman, silly Tuppy", but whatever it was I didn't like it! I hope I don't have nightmares tonight!
Really, Tuppy, GROW UP! I'm supposed to be the scaredy one, yet I was big and brave and went and checked it out for you when mum took me after you had come home. Of course it shouldn't have been there and of course it needed checking, but when I got close enough to sniff it I knew it was only snow but, better than that, it had all sorts of interesting smells over it too. If only you'd been big and brave like me you would have been able to read all the latest messages from our friends who'd sniffed it this morning! Silly Tuppy indeed!