How does she know?

[Oeufman]

Lying in bed with my gorgeous 9 year old boxer girl curled up beside me, dozing peacefully....

Most nights she sleeps on her bed on the floor of our bedroom, follows me up as I go to bed and wanders over to her bed (then spends 10 mins noisily rearranging various stolen kids toy to ensure maximum comfort).

However, when DH away overnight she saunters over to our bed (I do not call her) and by scrapping the side of the bed with her foot she annoys me until I get up and give her a leg up onto the bed. I then have to leap into the bed in an attempt to preserve some space for myself, or my spot is gone.

Now often DH works away until 2 or 3am, on these occasions we retire at our usual time (11ish) but she never demands to come into the bed....

So HOW does she know when DH is not coming home for a whole night and is not just working late?

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Is there anything in your routine that is slightly different when DH is not coming home?

Dogs are creatures of habit and easily pick up on routines. Mine take themselves out to the loo and put themselves to bed when they see me take my red inhaler because they know it's bedtime.

[Oeufman]

Not that I can think of. Go to bed at same time, lock same doors, same glass of water etc... I am just intrigued how she knows.... And tonight I have taken note of my routine and there is no difference

She is a dog that is very in tune with her family.... Produced breast milk when DD2 was born (this was triggered by scent of baby's blanket placed in her dogbed prior to me returning from hospital) and she always knows I am pregnant before I do (and will not leave my side literally or stop bringing me soft toys for the duration of pregnancy - she drives me insane).

We also have a terrier that at the touch of a car key is outside waiting for her spin....

[differentnameforthis]

Very clever dog you have there! Ours hates it when dh isn't home at normal time, paces the hall until he gets in. Unless the girls are in bed (i.e a really late one) and then he will sleep by the front door, with small 'intervals' of pacing & making sure we are all OK.

He became very protective of me while I was pregnant with dd2. Barely left my side, and he isn't 'my' dog, iykwim.

Our dog rests his chin on the lounge window sill (only just over a ft off the floor) when dh is due home at his normal time & also does it if dh is due home early....but never if he is late.

[multipoodles]

We once had a poodle that could tell the time - by the clock! When I was at school every day at 4.10pm she'd get up on the windlow to wait for me, our neighbour would tell us she got up at exactly the same time each day. Then my Mum changed her hours and was home from 3pm every day, she said the dog would look at the clock a few times before she got up on the window, at exactly the same time each day.. and no the clock didn't chime, that's what I thought!

[crazynanna]

There was an interesting article on BBC news this mornig about pets being telepathic! One expert who has done research reckons dogs know when their owner is coming home.

One dog was being cared for in another house whilst his owner was on 2 weeks holiday. On the day she was due home,the dog escaped from the dogsitter's house and ran all the way to it's owner's home and waited on the doorstep!

Another experiment....an owner went out and left the dog at home being filmed. At a given time,the owner was told to head home. At that exact time,her dog went to it's front door and didn't move until she got there!

It was amazing and spooky!

[Oeufman]

Wow crazynanna - think I will start getting her to do the lotto

Not sure she is clever - but very very intuitive.... We love her so much (gives her a big squeeze as she is currently snoozing on the sofa between my legs with her big jowls on my foot).

Hubby away again tonight.... So let's see what she does!

[Elibean]

She sounds gorgeous

[topknob]

I love boxers and really wish we could afford one, we have a very very lovely GSD who is 4 who hears dh's van approaching from two roads away ! She starts whining and pacing so I know he is almost home :) I do love her lots :)

[Oeufman]

Well we are having an early night - me and my boxer! Here's hoping she will not dream much tonight.... Last night I think she was running the grand national in her sleep - legs going like the clappers as she dreamt (hasten to add she is the laziest yoke when awake).

Aren't we so lucky to have these loving dogs to share our lives with... Currently my DD is curled up on the top bunk with her terrier and a psychotic cat - both cat and dog really have fun together and will happily share a bed. She lies between them, reading to them and showing them the pictures in the book.