STILL Sleepless in Savannah...

[Rae]

OMG this DOG! You know that I adore her. I do. She is my BFF and my heart and she makes me happy.

If she'd SLEEP, she'd be just about perfect. She's only 2 and a half, and I keep thinking she will sleep more... And she does, just not as much as I'd like.

Take today, for instance. It's Sunday morning, I'm home - not in some hotel somewhere for work - and DH doesn't have to work. Church doesn't start until 11. Perfect day to sleep in. I even planned ahead and kept SJ up past normal bedtime.

So the whining to get out of the crate starts at FIVE THIRTY. I get her calmed down and dang if DH's alarm doesn't go off at 'regular tone' which is 5:45. Argh. This sets SJ off again.... Finally at 6:30 I got up, took her out to potty, had puppy breakfast time and hit the couch.

Rationally, I understand that she is high energy and happy and healthy and wants to play and be busy. Rationally, I LOVE this. But on Sunday morning when I could snuggle up and sleep in, and instead I'm in the living room while she watches "Wild Kingdom" out the window, I'm testy at best.

And the barking! I have to give her a hall pass this morning, though, because I swear we live in a Disney movie set. I looked to see what was driving her nuts and there were TWO squirrels AND a bunny on the porch, right outside the window. Poor baby!

/rant over/ thanks for listening. Tonight, we go for at least a three mile walk. A tired pupper is a good pupper... But don't think I've forgotten that she sleeps until he wakes her up when she's home alone with her Daddeh.

[Alex's Mom]

Yup, I feel your pain. Except that mine are a darned sight older than SJ!! Patti especially has been waking me up at 4 am. 4AM!!!!! I ignore him til as close to 5 as I can, but that's usually it for sleeping. I don't know that I've ever had a dog that actually understood the concept of sleeping in . I usually just get up with them and then go back to bed, and it works more or less. Usually less in terms of going back to sleep.

So what is it that Sutton does that you're not doing? Thinking lessons are in order Or earplugs....

[Rae]

I think he simply isn't tuned in like I am, therefore he doesn't hear her when she starts stirring and she gives up. But I could be wrong...

He says when I'm gone she doesn't play with toys or chew on her boney-bones like she does when I'm home. Totally different dog.

And speaking of Captain Hard-Azz, I have had to put two BOBOs and Pinky the Pig on the Disabled List because of de-stuffing. I haven't sewed them back up yet, so they were on top of my dresser for a while. She spotted them and there was whining and crying, so when she was in the kitchen I slipped them into the top drawer so as not to torture her.

She remembered last night that they USED TO BE THERE, and was having a bit of a come-apart. Twice (TWO TIMES!) he gently picked her up so that she could see for herself that they were gone. Is that not the sweetest thing?

[Lisa]

5:00 a.m. here. Rain or Shine :(

On the weekends we do use earplugs, but Pogo has a pitch the can make it through, so we are usually up by 5:30

[Rae]

Lisa... That's not giving me much reassurance that she will grow out of this obnoxious habit!

[lotsadox]

My dogs all sleep in until I'm ready to get up. It could have something to do with how cranky I am when I"m woken earlier than I want to be. I think some of it has to do with the fact that mine never get fed right away. I get up, give them a treat, fix coffee, read email, take a shower and then they get fed. They know the drill and don't bug me to feed them earlier. I'm very blessed

[BeauBuddy]

Oh boy. That's a crazy hour! A big HUG to you!
My dogs, once it starts getting cold in the morning, or it's overcast, just stay under their blankies, not a peep. That's started already and there isn't snow on the ground, just frosty grass.

I have to say 2 squirrels AND a BUNNY. Seriously? No wonder she's raring to start the day! Maybe she needs a brother to wrestle with all day to burn some energy. Just saying.

[LexieLuvr]

More exercise? Wish I could help you. Jack usually sleeps as late as I do, but he's 14. Doggie day care? Could you put her in bed with you.after she does her business?

[Rae]

I'm a loser and we took a nap instead of a walk (I had a pounding headache - better now!) so I'm sure she will be ready to rumble.

Patrice is on to something not feeding when she first gets up. That's a thought.

And if I were to get another I should have taken Savannah's sister Ellie when she was rehomed... (Sigh) I found out last week that she had puppies... I got a picture of the pups today and replied "they're adorable! Better get her spayed so that this doesn't happen again. Do you have any idea how many excess dogs and cats are euthanized every day in shelters across the country because of pet overpopulation? Thousands!"

... So I probably won't hear much out of them in the future....


In bed with us would be fine except she is a restless bed buddy! Always snorgling around under the covers, standing on my head... Lol

[oceangirls]

Wondered what happened to Ellie. I figured it was not the home you would have chosen for her, exactly. Another pup is not a bad idea actually, if you think you can handle two.

I feed my dogs at 4PM and 8PM because when I fed in the morning, Squeak kept starting earlier and earlier . She still squeaks at me pretty early, but I can drown her out with "hush" or a pillow over my head. She mainly just wants out so she can lick the floor a bit, go to the bathroom, wake her daddy up, and then go back to sleep on the couch .