[Dailydrool] 4AM barking (Can I get an AMEN!)

[Marie Campbell]

 Christine,
    You know what I think it is???   Their old owners got up and fed them at this time.  They are conditioned --like Pavlov's Dogs--to go out and eat at that time.  I, too, get up at 4AM everyday and feed and out the crew.   So, no matter what day it is, the gang expects to follow the routine.  I just go back to bed after the feeding and outing if it is not a work day.  
    I have a couple of suggestions that may help:
1. throw them a milk bone or something and see if this quiets them and they go back to sleep.
2.  ignore them until they are retrained to sleeping longer (this will be a long and painful process!)
3.  go ahead and give in and feed and out at that time and then recrate them and go back to bed.
 
Dogs are slaves to routine and habit.  Once a pattern is established, they are entrenched in it and so are you for their life time.  It is very hard to establish new routine.  Anyone who has dogs will tell you the going on and off daylight savings time is a BITCH.  Dogs expect every day to be the same.  They want to be fed, walked, and sleeping at the same time everyday.  If  you are a creature of habit this is fine.  If you are spontaneous and like to vary your life and schedule, it will be tough on your dogs--and accidental poopoo may be your burden in life.
 
My Newfs and Bassets get very annoyed if we are not all in our sleeping areas by 10PM every night and a meal served late is not tolerated well by any four footer!!!!  I must say my BASSETS ARE THE WORST!  They know to the minute when dinner is to be served, when nap time is to begin, when out times are, when we should all be in bed!  Fancy will follow me around the house sluggishly until I get in bed if I am not tucked in by 10PM.  Luke will follow me chortling and whining until, we are all in our sleeping spots.  Fancy will sleep in.  LUKE WILL NOT.  He wags his tails and talks to you every morning at the appointed time until you get up and let the crew out and fill the bowls.  He is cheerful about it but persistent.  My boy Newfs are worse, they bark.  My girls will sleep in.
 
My first Newf, Gabriel,would tuck his head into your neck while you were sleeping to wake you every morning.  He was my sweet hearted angel but did not respect holiday or weekend snoozing.  It is hard to calculate what I have lost more of to the dogs--sleep or money???
 
You can try some of the above suggestions; but, I must tell you retraining and resetting their internal clocks may take months.
Marie--who will be thinking of you when I feed and out the crew @ 4AM everyday!
Man Plans ~ God Laughs