We have the greatest dogs ever EXCEPT for the past 3-4 weeks. Let me give you a little bit of backgroud on our dogs. These dogs were our babies when we first got married as most couples have dogs. We got Dusty (the shepherd/chow chow mix) in December of 1999, therefore, he is 7 years old. Our other dog, Roscoe (black lab), was bought in July of 2000. Roscoe is about 6 1/2 years old. Dusty (our first) is the very BEST dog in the whole wide world. Has not caused one problem. On the other hand, here comes high maintenance Roscoe! This dog is about to get the death of us (especially Jeff)!
First of all- about 3-4 weeks ago we switched food on them because the place we normally go to is so far away and we were too lazy to drive to get dog food when we ran out one evening! So the past several weeks we were getting food from Walmart that didn't have corn meal in it. The corn meal makes Roscoe itch. Another high maintenance thing about him! Anyways- so this has been our routine for the past 3-4 weeks with Roscoe:
1) Jeff makes sure the dogs go and releive themselves before he brings them in for the night
2) Around 9:00pm- we put them in their pet taxi's- they have done this for 5-6 years now- same routine
3) New Routine- Around 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am (it's different every night) Roscoe starts whining- the first couple of times Jeff thought he needed to go to the restroom- so he let him outside and all he would do is stand at the back door and bark! So then- Jeff decides that maybe he is hungry! Jeff starts feeding him a meal in the middle of the night just to shut him up!
4) Jeff kept doing this for 2 weeks (in the middle of the night feedings), then we decided maybe the new food is not filling him up and we are going to switch back to the food that he's been getting for years! We went and bought the old food last week!
5) Roscoe is STILL getting up in the middle of the night barking, crying, whining! Jeff will continue to feed Roscoe and put him in the laundry room and then about an hour later he is crying/whining/barking again!
6) I told Jeff to QUIT feeding him every time he cries. It's kind of like an infant! BUT- Jeff says he can't sleep because of Roscoe crying. It doesn't bother me. He's starting to understand that everytime he whines, he gets food! This is my phylosophy.
Anyways- we don't know what to do! Why is he all of the sudden not sleeping through the night? Also- because we feed him in the middle of the night- he's ready for lunch at 9am so then he doesn't eat the rest of the day because he is only allowed two servings a day! I made him wait until after 1pm to eat today. I think he is starving by bedtime. I think we should feed him at 4 or 5pm, then maybe get him back on a rountine!!! Jeff is ready to get rid of him. We can't even sleep because of this dog of ours. Why now??? Jeff says he never has to go use the restroom when he lets him outside......Oh well- Just thought I would vent about our dog issues these days!! Anyone want a black lab?? I only thought having a newborn was bad! Try having Roscoe!!
2 comments:
What does your vet think? Maybe he has a stomach issue caused by food switch or bladder infection? As a fellow lab owner, I know it only takes 2-3 times of a repeated experience for them to set that as their expectation. Is he getting enough exercise everyday? What about Jeff taking him for a quick walk right before bed at night to burn off a little extra energy? I'm sorry ot hear you are having some doggy issues - hope it gets better! Stacey Cole
Funny, we are having a similar thing going on at our house with Gracie, the Chocolate Lab. She is 7 and has started waking up and insisting that she be let outside in the middle of the night to do her business. We have made sure that she goes out right before bedtime, but that does not seem to matter to her at 2 a.m.. It is getting very old!!! Let me know if you get an answer from a vet.
Sharon
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