[Zeusy Boy's Mama]

Over the last few months, I have painfully experienced the wrath of Mr. I-am-Starving-And-Never-Fed-Anything Zeus while he methodically worked to move up when breakfast was served. I am now witnessing the epic foodie-dance at 2:00 a.m. ... and this is after he has woken me up at 1:00 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. to pee and poop respectfully. Blinking in disbelief at what the clock is telling me, I rightfully decline his outrageous offer. His retort is a fairly loud grumble followed by nearly running me over to rush back to his bed. You see, he must get a headstart on sleeping so that he may properly reprimand me for not heeding to his wishes.

Now, me and mornings do NOT get along at all, so all future attempts to get me up are met with a growling "Go-lie-down-NOW". Sure, he tip-toes back to his bed, but only for a half hour at a time. We have this back and forth until I finally relent at 4:59 a.m. for my poor husband's sake who is being tortured as well. Zeus gleefully runs around the kitchen, drools a puddle and a half and then hoovers up his breakfast while I am making a mad dash for the bed.

Okay, now the torment would be over, right? Not so fast lady! Zeus knows all too well that there is an exactly one-hour break between eating and playing. Therefore, where is he promptly at 6:00 a.m. but playing machine-gun pokey game on my face, not to go pee, not to poop, but to go play ballie. Amazed my nose is still intact, I am pretty darn close to skinning this dog. A few choice words later and he slinks back to bed. But no worries, he is back again at 7:00 a.m. Oh, you haven't slept a wink yet? How about 7:30 a.m.? Does 7:45 a.m. work better for you? Hell lady, I can do this all morning. And trust you me, he can. Furious and exhausted, I throw myself out of bed, stomp down the stairs, get his harness on and head out into snow (did I mention that I HATE snow?!), all the while he is prancing and spinning with utter joy. What a good human!

Sure, his cuteness kills all my fury within a couple of throws, but it is the principle of the thing. Why do you torture your mother, she loves you! Oh, that's right, because you are Doberman! You found a slight opening in my desire to please you and you ran with it all the way to China and back! Worse yet, I have let you! Well, Master Zeus, that all stops as of now! My shackles are being cast off and the constant waking up of mother will stand no more! You will be allotted one chance at 1:30 a.m. to do your manly business. Breakfast will served at 5:00 a.m., not a second before, and any mention of playing will have to wait until at least 8:00 a.m.!

Yeah, I will believe it when I see it. If I love Zeus so much, I should want to spend every waking moment with him...which means there must be as many "waking moments" as possible. I am doomed.

 

[MsMoppett]

Sounds like it's time to break out the "C-R-A-T-E" word. lol

 

[Jhagman]

Zeus, you better mend your evil ways. As the refrigerator magnet says, "if the mama ain't happy, no one is happy."

 

[Zeusy Boy's Mama]

MsMoppett - LOL. The ridiculous situation is entirely mine in the making, but the crate really isn't necessary. The easiest way to stop his pestering is to put the "Super-Anti-Doberman-Barrier" up in the bedroom doorway: a folded up Lowes cardboard box. Zeus really respects this thing and will leave us alone. Before now I would use this for a day or two and then feel badly that he wasn't sleeping with us. Now I know I need to do it for a week a straight, let him back in and if he starts this craziness again, bring it back out.

But these Dobes, they will walk all over you if you let them, and I am very good at playing a Welcome Mat. If only it paid well...

 

[Patches Mom]

I would break out the crate so he knows you mean business.Patches my Doxie sleeps in my bed she has growled at me twice both times she slept in her crate the rest of the night. Never said a word to her just picked her up off to the crate. Buddy sleeps in his bed a couple of times he has woke me up was lucky it happened in spring he got to sleep in the garage.You have to put your foot down or they will run right over you and even back up over you.You do not have to be mean or say anything just do it.Should work and Dobes are smart so should not take long.

 

[Dobelove]

I would start with the barrier down, then the moment he starts being a pest, put it up. That was he knows he needs to leave you alone.

I'm so glad I have to drag my dogs out of bed in the morning.

 

[sam&macksmom]

how much exercise is he getting? If he's that wired at 1am, I'd up his exercise routine.

 

[saraheg55478]

Ha ha. That's all I can say bc its so spoiled Doberman attitude. Mine would sit on the other Sid elf the gat and do the nasally moan/whine. Mind you he doesn't do this to my spouse.

 

[saraheg55478]

Side of the gate im on my phone sorry

 

[Australdi]

I liked "sid elf the gat" ...it had that certain ring to it

 

[cahtie]

This made me giggle so.. so much. Thank you for entertaining me with your story of profound torture and sleep deprivation! ^_^ :roflmao::sweat:

 

[Sherryh]

I'm a late night person so when I crawl into bed I set my clock for 6:00am..it alarms and out the door Devon goes to do her business. I make her breakfast and she takes her vitamins.......she will jump on the bed to snuggle. Many times I'm out the door before 8:00am on errands and Miss Devon is curled up in bed. Oh the life of a dobe.

 

[pwncakesauce]

The crate ideas everyone has are all very well and good... unless you have the ever-so-rare vocal Dobe!

 

[Zeusy Boy's Mama]

Thank you everyone for your responses and suggestions. I should have said that this was more of a comical rant than a plea for assistance. I thought it was amusing enough to share. However, your points are well taken.

As far as exercise goes, Zeus could always use more. The more I exercise him, the fitter he gets. The approach now is to also exercise his little baby mind to tucker him out that way. I should point out that from Day 1 he was an early riser. Oh, and worry not, he knows all too well how to make some quite ungodly noises when he needs to heard. The way we use the barricade is just as it was suggested: leave it down until he becomes a pest and then put it up. This has to be done consistently in order to work. He is so good about his crate, in that he will actual go and run into it when we have to leave, I would rather not use it in a way which could be construed as a punishment.

Again, this is a situation entirely of my own making and I do know how to fix it. Just like I know how I need to go to bed sooner, wake up earlier, eat better and exercise more. And yet here I am typing this at 11:30 p.m. when I absolutely need to get up by 6:30 a.m, haven't exercised at all in days and ate enough today to choke an elephant. ;P Well, at least Zeus won't let me sleep in past my appointment.

 

[Herb2relax]

Kyrah was doing something similar to that. Thankfully not as early. I started feeding her last meal later in the evening around 8pm. Kyrah still eats 3xs a day. Otherwise she will puke if her tummy gets too empty. Lucky me! Then the first couple mornings I put her out my room and shut the door in her face. She normally sleeps now or is quiet anyway until between 6-6:30am. Very rarely she will sleep until 7:30am!

 

[madmony]

I feel your pain, when we got Oliver he was not a morning dog. I got up at 4 for work and he started to get up to eat. 3 months later I retired. We still get up early, always by 5 and sometimes earlier. He goes back to bed and I stay up. Welcome to the door mat club.