To regret getting a dog

[katedan]

I really love our dog and he is a dream in the daytime but he wakes in the morning earlier and earlier and it is now about 6am. We go and let him out for a wee but he then wants company and will woof until someone joins him downstairs. We do not let him upstairs and that is a given. I am Really tired and it us impacting on my ability to work etc, I did sleep deprivation when the kids were young and I don't want to do it for a dog! Really questioning if I can do this for the next 12 years. He is 18 months old.

We have a black cocker and a black & white springer with cream carpets, still allow them upstairs. They will sleep until we do but the minute someone stirs in the morning the cocker is up and about!

I know lots of dogs that aren't allowed upstairs. Ours is and sleeps in on our bed till 11 if we let her. Even though we are usually up and about at 6.30.

If it's a new thing then you might just have to ignore him till he stops and gets the message. So - here's a chew and go back in an hour. It might be an adolescent thing.

Or one of you gets up and he gets an early walk...ours hates early walks and won't go.

Or give a late night biscuit - he might be hungry if he's got bigger...

he is a black lab and sheds hair everywhere so it is not possible for us to have him upstairs

That’s not impossible, it’s just your preference.

It is totally possible to have him upstairs, but if you don’t want to then you’ll need to go downstairs, or spend a good amount of time retraining him by ignoring his barking and providing other distraction for him at 6am that isn’t your company.

My dog is allowed upstairs but what I sometimes do it take him out for the toilet and then bring him back in and put myself to bed on the sofa. I got one long enough to lay properly out and have a duvet and pillow down there so I can be really comfortable. Might that be an option to go back to bed?

I miss my old dog nudging the bottom of my duvet and slinking in during the night. I didn't even notice most of the time!

Yep, hair is a problem but hey, you have a dog, they shed as do you.

Don't leave your dog on his own at night. Have a basket in your bedroom and get a dog flap so he can wander in and out without waking you if need be.

If not, PM me and I'll love him for you!

People are perfectly within their rights not to allow their dogs upstairs. Just because some people do doesn’t make people wrong for not allowing it.

My dogs aren’t allowed upstairs and it’s not negotiable. My older dog is in the early stages of doggy dementia and he barks first thing in the morning and then wants his human to stay with him. So that means I am often up at 6/6:30 and then I just stay downstairs. Equally I stay with him until he settles at night. It’s like having a baby all over again. but during the day he’s fine.

It’s just the nature of having dogs, although given yours is young I might be inclined to see if you can get him to take a frozen kong or similar to keep him occupied until you get up. Alternatively get a nice warm blanket and snuggle up on the sofa and doze for a bit longer.

The nature of having animals means that there will be times when they want to go out, and once they get up they’re wide awake.

My dog has his bed in my bedroom. He will want a wee first thing then goes back to his bed until later on.

@katedan

His last meal is 6pm and he will go to bed when we do at about 11, he sleeps a lot on the day and is very good at being left in the day.

I did not realise how common it was for dogs to be allowed upstairs, he is a black lab and sheds hair everywhere so it is not possible for us to have him upstairs

It’s not common at all op. People just like to jump on you on here even when they’re talking nonsense, especially when it’s a dog thread. The vast majority of dogs are kept downstairs. The only people I know who allow dogs in their bed are people who own very small ones. I’ve got an American bulldog who was originally allowed in my room when I first got him, until he decided to get the zoomies and came flying down the stair case just as dd was coming up. She got knocked down the full flight of stairs and split her cheek open on the door at the bottom. He’s been banned from the stairs since then, which I’m grateful for now because my god does he moult. It’s one thing putting up with the fur and slobber and mud and smell downstairs, but like fuck would I want that in my bed. He always scrapes his feet when he’s had a dump and gets shit all over them, why people who allow dogs in their bed is beyond me 🤢

Don't leave your dog on his own at night. Have a basket in your bedroom and get a dog flap so he can wander in and out without waking you if need be. a dog flap? For a Labrador? Don’t you mean a burglar flap?

@AlternativePerspective

Don't leave your dog on his own at night. Have a basket in your bedroom and get a dog flap so he can wander in and out without waking you if need be. a dog flap? For a Labrador? Don’t you mean a burglar flap?

😂😂

Get another dog for company 😬

I have a border collie and 3 cats. They all manage to go upstairs. It's not impossible. I'm disabled and still manage to keep on top of the hair!

@Babadook76 Its extremely common. I don't know a single person in my family or friend group (all own at least 1 dog or cat) that don't allow pets upstairs.

In fact I extend that to work colleagues as well. In my team of 10.

[quote AllThingsServeTheBeam]@Babadook76 Its extremely common. I don't know a single person in my family or friend group (all own at least 1 dog or cat) that don't allow pets upstairs.

In fact I extend that to work colleagues as well. In my team of 10.[/quote]
I guess we can only go by personal experience then. I’m the treasurer of a major rescue (one of the ones abroad that everyone on here hates). I do anything up to 30 home checks a week, mainly in the north west. When I’ve asked where the dog/dogs will be sleeping, most people tell me downstairs. It was an exaggeration of me to say it was uncommon, it’s LESS common, but not uncommon. This was in response to all of the pp’s acting like it was somehow bizarre and unreasonable for the op not wanting a big, hairy dog in her bed.

I don't let my dog on the bed all night but he's allowed upstairs. Letting the dog upstairs would literally stop the problem there and then. A basket in the corner of the room. Jobs a good un. They don't need to share pillows

@Aquamarine1029 we won't allow our dogs upstairs, when they become old and are pooing everywhere I'll be very pleased that that isn't happening in my bedroom! Ours never go in the bedroom and never will.

Our spaniel used to wake at this time and we found he was hungry so gave him a snack before bed and it did help a bit. He is now 2 1/2 and sleeps until 7.30 ish most days

Upstairs is not the same as in your bed.

A lot of people say they won't let their dog on the bed (or the cat) but then the animals get their way ...

My sister doesn't let her dogs upstairs and they're perfectly happy. Note the plural though

It is only common on mn to have dogs upstairs

Bare with me but I would set the alarm for 5 mins before he wakes. So it is you that goes down and wakes him up not him that barks for attention. Over time you will be able to set the alarm later and later so it is a more reasonable time to wake up.

@PollyRoulllson

It is only common on mn to have dogs upstairs

Bare with me but I would set the alarm for 5 mins before he wakes. So it is you that goes down and wakes him up not him that barks for attention. Over time you will be able to set the alarm later and later so it is a more reasonable time to wake up.

That's genius!

We had the same issue with our boy, but even earlier some days. We let him sleep upstairs now and we're all much happier, me and DH because we're not being woken at 5am, and ddog because he's near us.

I can understand why you don't want him upstairs. Growing up, none of our dogs were allowed to sleep upstairs and they didn't wake early. In fact my parents dog will often stay in his bed downstairs until 9/10am. I think they do tend to settle down with age. I don't think he'll have you up at 6 for the next 12 years.

My dogs aren't allowed upstairs, they shed like crazy and blow their entire winter coats twice a year. So it's an absolute no way.

OP when one of mine was waking early at 18 months I let him out for a wee and then gave him his breakfast before heading back to bed for an hour or so. That seemed to work. It was more about kibble and less about company for him! Not sure if that's much use to you but my friend's lab loves her food and he's often said she wants breakfast at 6am!

*When I’ve asked where the dog/dogs will be sleeping, most people tell me downstairs. It was an exaggeration of me to say it was uncommon, it’s LESS common, but not uncommon. This was in response to all of the pp’s acting like it was somehow bizarre and unreasonable for the op not wanting a big, hairy dog in her bed."

Yeah, we all say that when we get a dog! Doesn't stay that way though!

My upstairs is a non-negotiable dog free space. They're perfectly happy hounds.

I don't know anyone who lets their dog/dogs upstairs at all!

Thank you so much for all of your responses, really helpful to have some things to try. He is very food led!