Blue's early morning singing

bluesmumanddad · Master

Blue's early morning singing

CAROLE ROBINSON · Old Hand

Since it is such a regular event, there may be something which actually rouses him - perhaps a neighbour works shifts and he hears the car door slamming and thinks "well, I'm awake, where's everyone else". Or, it maybe that the central heating system starts up around that time. We have a family nearby who own a newspaper shop and they have an early morning delivery which is quite noisy. If you can discover the "trigger" and perhaps move his bed to another room downstairs you might be able to solve the problem. He may also be waking up because he's hungry - can you adjust the timing of his last meal?

Give me a ring if none of these suggestions help.

bluesmumanddad · Master

Thanks for the suggestions Carole. The heating did make him go crackers when it started up so we have adjusted the time and at the moment we do not have any joined on neighbours as the house next door is empty.

Intresting thought regarding the food I will try delaying his tea by a couple of hours (boy am I going to get some dirty looks from him!)

Thanks again I will let you know how things go.

Amanda

FAJ · Enlightened One

Hi, Amanda - we have this same issue with Pearly. The milkman wakes her up and she then decides that she wants to be loved. It's a tricky one, so I wish you loads of luck with it.

Just an extra wee thought. Watch out that delaying his tea by a couple of hours doesn't affect his toilet habits. If he doesn't have a chance to empty his bowels before he goes to bed then he might not be able to hold on till it's time to get up. How about delaying it by a bit, see how he goes, delay it by a bit more, etc?

Good luck!

Fiona

Leolurcher · Master

Once you rule out hunger etc....Just a thought...was Blue a ex racer and maybe used to getting up early? Just asking as I used to see racing greys doing "roadwork" with their owners very very early in the morning before their owners went to work.

I will just stick this bit in for discussion....If some greys are anything like some lurchers if they have lived to a fairly strict routine they tend to "demand" that things follow that routine otherwise they can get a bit "whiney" i.e. feed them and exercise them at the exactly the same time each day and that is how they want things to be. They seem to have a little clock ticking away in their heads. If I didn't vary my feeding and exercise times a bit my two would be like little "supervisers" demanding to be fed and exercised the minute the clock hit the right time....I know .....I have been there

Hope you get this sorted out as if greys are like lurchers....ignore the "singing" and it just gets louder. That is just a lurcher trait that one has to work around if you have neighbours within a few miles

Eleanorxxx

bluesmumanddad · Master

Hi Eleanor

Yes Blue was an ex racer and rather likes his routine. I am hoping we find some solution to the problem soon as we are expecting new neighbours soon (we live in a semi!) don't think we would be very popular...

I will see what altering his feeding time does and then maybe try breaking his routine so he is not so used to getting things his own way.

I will keep you posted as to how we get on.

Thanks for the advice

Amanda

Carol · Master

Eilidh doesn't whine or sing if she wakes up cold in the morning. However she will have a wee groan and then check to see if our bedroom door is open (usually about 6am). If it is, then she'll plod in and jump up on the bed, slap bang in the middle between me and my hubby. Another couple of groans as she gets herself comfy and then the only sound is her snoring. When I get up for work at ten to seven, she spreads hersely over my side of the bed until I take her out at half past. After that, she has her breakfast and goes back to bed with her dad. Nice life!

Carol.

bluesmumanddad · Master

A quick up date on Blue

Having delayed his tea by 1 hour he is now waking at 6.15 which is a huge improvement!

He, however is sulking with me. When I do feed him takes 1 bite and then goes to his bed. Very strange as he usually just inhales it! Think he is trying a hunger strike in protest of new routines.

Never mind I just have to look as if I'm going to put it in the bin and he wolfs it down.

Thanks for all the advice

Amanda

bluesmumanddad · Master

Shhhhhhhhhh no one tell Blue the clocks have changed. Was almost 7 before he woke up this a.m

Carol · Master

Hasn't it been great getting a lie in? Hope the dogs' body clocks don't catch up too soon.

greyflintstone · Master

How has Blue's singing been recently?!

bluesmumanddad · Master

Hi greyflinstone.

He is a bit better at the moment. Think a combination of clocks changing and the fact we can get him for a good walk along the beech on an evening now its lighter has helped. He even went for a "swim" although we suspect he was on tippy toes!

He seems to be wakeing between 6.30 and 6.45! We would be normally getting up at 7 so this is great.

Thanks for asking.

Amanda

bluesmumanddad · Master

Well Blue not only starting whinning at silly o'clock in the morning he started to bark too. We have just had new neighbours move in next door (we live in a semi) so thought we better solve the problem asap.

We invested in a water pistol and after a few mornings of giving him a quick blast as soon as he started up the problems seems to have been resolved (for now any way) For the last couple of mornings he has been as good as gold and if he does start singing we just need to show him the water pistol and he goes to his bed and is quiet! He then gets lots of praise.

Long may this last

Steve · Master

Pearly whines every morning for about five mins - starts usually at 5.30am - but then gives up for 15 mins or so then starts up again. I'm usually up to get them walked about 5.45 am so it isn't really a prob for us. Harry just chills out until he hears me walking down the stairs.

If I've had a few beers the night before I usually shout from upstairs and that stops Pearly most times -- but only for a while. If I'm lucky Fiona gets out the sack and sorts them.

Just a wee word of warning on the water pistol - I posted along time back on 'dogpages' forum (or was it this one?) about using a water pistol to stop Harry lunging. Overwhelmingly, other owners advised against it for various reasons saying it could make things worse in the long run. Not sure if it applies to morning singing though!

Good luck.

bluesmumanddad · Master

I guess dogs are like children you never know whether you are doing the right thing. We just try our best! Was hoping this was a less harsh way of dealing with the situation than going and telling him off all the time. Shouting down the stairs is a no go for us I'm afraid with having young children.

Still in a few months revenge will be ours when our new arrival will no doubt be singing at all hours and keeping Blue up.

Steve · Master

Sounds like Blue wants a bedtime story - but in the morning!

The only thing that sort of worked for us is ignoring Pearly. Can be hard as she has a black belt in really pathetic whingy whiney wingle whines. In fact, they are so pathetic I sometime sit at the bottom of the stairs and whine back at her - take it back old gal!

Tried feeding her later on but wasn't sure if that did much and she always gets let/taken out for a pee pee last thing so no idea what esle to try. Suppose I'm used to early mornings so it ain't a problem. (Fiona - if you are reading - it's the weekend so your turn!)

FAJ · Enlightened One

Ach.

Steve wrote:

Suppose I'm used to early mornings so it ain't a problem. (Fiona - if you are reading - it's the weekend so your turn!)

bluesmumanddad · Master

Well we haven't had to use the water pistol on Blue for about a week he has been such a good boy! Woken up by my eldest at 7.30am today. Me thinks we will have to start setting the alarm again - first time for over a year!

Blue was VERY pleased with his little self this morning lots of arfing, big grins and wiggles and loads of praise from us. hope it lasts

BOWGANG · Master

That's great news Manda. Long may it continue! I work shifts so I'm up early most days anyway so thankfully we've never had that problem.

Shirley

Missy · Master

Oh my..... I thought 5 ish in the morning was bad but goodness Maverick has started singing around 2am and then 3am etc etc etc.

Not easy to ignore either as we have 2 kids in the house.

Currently water shooting him and it does help a bit. Hopefully its because he's only just arrived in the house.... god help my sanity if it isn't.

bluesmumanddad · Master

Hi Katrina

Blue was really bad when we first got him waking and crying more than he was sleeping. We have 2 young children (5 and 2) so I send my heart felt sympathies!

On a possitive note he settled down fairly quickly and then just got decided it was time for everyone to be up at 5 am this went on for a year until we invested in a water pistol!

I'm sure Maverick will soon settle down until then

Missy · Master

Oh well NO quick fix..... nevermind

Will just keep water pistoling Maverick til he gets the message that darkness means SLEEP !!!

Cheers
Katz