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.

@Alcoh

We started off with our cavapoo not allowed upstairs. Then not on the bed. Now he sleeps between our and my kids two beds rotating through the night to make sure everyone is safe and in the right place ! But then our dog doesn’t shed or smell. If you are not going to let the dog upstairs then you will need to suck the barking up.

Still walks through his own wee (and every other dogs' on a walk) and licks his own arse though! It's mot really the smell that's the unpleasant bit of dogs on beds. It's the gifts they bring on their feet!

I say this as a dog owner who has given up kicking them off the bed!

I mentioned hair as a reason mine isn’t allowed upstairs but that that mostly tongue in cheek, tbh. There are other reasons,

My cat is allowed the run of the house, he was here first and is entitled to some personal territory away from the dog.

My dog is a large breed, prone to hip & elbow issues. Regular stair use is not advised if it can be avoided.

[quote Fedupsotired]@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 [/quote]
If the dog is so old that its shitting itself, then probably wont be climbing the stairs either and youll probably be more concerned that its close to the end for your darling dog, rather than any gratitude that it has never been allowed upstairs

I dont see how someone has sleep deprivation from their dog wanting a wee at 6am though. Surely if its every day then it becomes routine and you just adjust your bedtime to get enough sleep or you take the tips that others are suggesting about the fact that he needs company and might actually go back to sleep if he gets that. Otherwise just get up and start your day at 6. Its early, but its still quite a normal time to get up. Go to bed at 10pm for a while and see if that helps

Maybe a stuffed kong with peanut butter after he's gone out for a wee? Probably can't stop the needing the wee in the morning but that may keep him occupied for abit? I have a staffy who has just always slept upstairs. She has her own bed on the floor next to ours and then every morning we tell her to get up for a cuddle/bit of a snooze.

I didn’t think 6am was early. That actually sounds ideal to me. We used to get up at 6am to feed our cat who would then come up for snuggles between us for ab hour before we got up for work. Was the best part of the day :)

Although I understand a cat is very different to a dog 😁

Also thinking that 6am doesn't sound unreasonable either -
I fancy trying the alarm trick though if I did have a waking issue but luckily 6-7 is fine for us.

Mine thinks breakfast is 5.00am. 6.00 would be a lie in!
Could you let him out for a wee and give him his breakfast in a kong or treat dispenser toy? Keep him busy for a while.

@Branleuse that wouldn't have been the case with our lab who was quite physically capable but the cancer got him.

Nothing will persuade me to have a dog in my room. You can never clean a spaniel and they smell! I do not want that in my room!

Our dog isnt allowed upstairs, that's the cats territory and we also don't want the risk of him using the stairs.
I'd suggest a covered crate & getting an earlier night yourself.

Op I had this for months with my boy . I lost my job through falling asleep at work ! I was having about 2-3 hours sleep a night for a good 5 months . In the end I was literally on the verge of having a breakdown lol so let him up . He's 7 stone and now takes up half our bed ! But at least I'm getting sleep 😂

Also I forgot to add I was getting up everyday at 4 am for work so it was a nightmare 😂 I tried everything . Heart beat teddy , calming dog songs on Alexa , calming plug in , tablets , thunder jacket . I could of saved my self hundreds by letting him up sooner . He's a golden retriever and he moults so bad but i hoover the bed every morning when we get up and Iv not had a problem x

its absolutely fine If you dont want your dog upstairs.

I was very clear when my DH wanted a dog that he dog wasnt coming upstairs or sleeping on my bed. My dog was crate trained and then he himself loved going off to the cupboard under the stairs in the kitchen. So i put his bed in there. My sisters dogs slept in a crate at the end of her bed and they were happy with that. For me its a personal choice. Not every dog owner allows them free reign over the house but it doesnt mean they are loved any less.

My dog was absolutely fine and in a good routine until he was around 7 and my DH got ill, my dog started whining all night, not sleeping. His routine was all over the place, with relatives arriving and alot of stress in the house. He would pee or poop too and i would hear him whining all night. I was dealing with an already stressful situation and didnt need another.Nothing i did made a difference apart from leaving the door open and him coming up stairs. He now sleeps at the end of our bed and most of the time ends up in the floor. This was certainly not my intention. We are all happier for it.