Change In Routine

[Guest greyt_learner]

Not sure if this should be here or in health and medical. Ariel, who has slept through the night, and not been too keen to go out first thing in the morning for 4 years, has suddenly started wanting to go out in the night. For a week now, it's as if an alarm clock goes of at 4.00am. She goes out, pees and poops, then wants to play. I don't play with her, talk to her, or pet her. I just let her out then go back to bed. Appetite is fine, everything else seems fine. We got a new dog (Bonnie) a couple of months ago, and she's more active during the day and in the evening than she used to be, Any ideas?

[mychip1]

Any chance she is hearing, smelling some critter outside in your y ard? With Fall here, our skunks and racoons are wild - though I'm sure it's a bit different in Tenn!!!

Edited October 26, 2010 by mychip1

[TheFullHouse]

How old is she now?

[Guest greyt_learner]

She is almost 7, and she's never bothered about anything in the yard before at night. Maybe it's because her exercise/poop routine is changing with the new pup being here for a couple of months? Just for about a week now, she's been up every night at 4ish. It's not cold - maybe it's been too hot for her - we've had warmer weather than usual for the time of year, and not had the air on like we do in the summer most of the time at night.

[TheFullHouse]

Saint does this to us every once in a while and we've had him for years. When he starts waking us up early, I try to exercise him a little more and tire him out. She may just be off because of the new pup. I'll bet in a few weeks she'll be back on schedule again.

[Guest greyt_learner]

Yay! She pooped on her evening walk last night, and let us sleep until 7.00 this morning. Just as well, I spent yesterday trying to get old lino off the bathroom floor and was so tired I'd probably have killed her if she'd woken me...

[TheFullHouse]

Great news! Sometimes I think they just get a little out of whack and then just as quickly go right back to the normal routine. I think they do it to keep us on our toes.

[cleptogrey]

just went thru this w/ annie. i cut back on her evening meal, she now empties herself thoroughly and is back to her 9 hrs coma every night

 

i guess she is meant to be a thin pup, every time her ribs are almost covered she does this!

[Guest greyt_learner]

Well, Ariel is a bit on the chubby side we've been cutting her food back a little too, but whatever it was seems to have passed. She is now back on her regular poop routine . During the week that she was getting us up, she wasn't pooping on the morning or evening walk as she normally does.