A topic I’ve been thinking a lot about.
Ideally our guy would sleep in later, but I’m a sucker and continue to walk/feed him early so he continues to wake me up haha.
Ben crashes for the night at about 8, after our big evening walk. We wake the poor soul up at 10:30 or so for one last pee break before bed. After that he usually has a bite or two to eat as a “midnight snack” of leftover dinner, then takes himself to bed.
In the morning, he’s awake once the sun is up, so these days usually 5:30-6:00. He makes his way up to my face (my husband is a heavy sleeper and thus impervious to his poodley charm) puts his nose an inch from mine and squeaks until I open my eyes (it’s not a bark, not a true whine, not sure how he does it). When my eyes open his tail starts going furiously, then he will position himself for morning pats, first the chest, then flops into me for easier ear access. After a few minutes of petting if I ignore him he will sometimes sleep up by my face for another hour but if he really needs something he will begin using his hands to encourage action. He will paw at my hands, ultimately whacking me in the head if I, as the dumb human I am, continue to not listen.
I’m hesitant to ignore him beyond this, he came to us as an adult 2 months ago and his house training was iffy. If he tells me he’s gotta go, I like to reinforce that positively and listen, even if it’s inconvenient.
Then out we go, 30 minute walk for a pee/poop and back home for breakfast. If it’s a work day, I head to my home office and he will head to his crate or the stairs for his first nap of the day. If it’s a weekend we both go back to bed, and he will stay until either myself or my husband wakes up.
I’m beginning to think it’s actually hunger that makes him want to get up in the morning, the last few weeks he has been more excited about breakfast than the morning walk.