Retriever Rescue

Since Bentley came to live with us he's very kindly woken me up around 6 a.m. every morning with one extremely loud bark to let me know he want's to go out for a wee. It's become known as his 'one bark wee'.

For the last week or so he hasn't really been that fussed about a wee when he gets outside, instead he's mooched around the field for a minute or two while I stand there in my dressing gown and walking boots cooing "Go pee', and waiting for him to perform. I'm sure my neighbours think I've gone crazy I can just imaging them saying, "Oooh, look at her wandering round in her nightclothes again."

Once he's had his 'one bark' I crawl back into my nice warm bed for another hour or so.

This week.....a change of routine. No 'one bark'. I went downstairs to check he was ok, it was so unusual.

He's gone all night without needing a wee! for two nights running ( or not running, as the case may be ) He's slept right through till Bob getting up at 7. No more sleep deprivation! No more wandering round a cold and windy field like a zombie at stupid o'clock for me (hopes) !

My baby's growing up fast - rather too fast for my liking. Just stay a puppy for a little bit longer, Bentley.

My words, he is growing up, and a clever little soul to boot.

At this house, 5.45 is the norm. Because David works shifts, the dogs are used to being up early, unfortunately they haven't learnt yet that there are weekends!!! But then again, weekends mean going out somewhere nice, so it's up as normal. Believe me, by teatime I'm usually bog eyed, but then they decide "it's time mum for teatime wees", and for the last 2 weeks the rain as been coming down like stair rods, I just dry out when it's time to go again. Now will someone remind me why I love them so much

5.45? It's making me shiver at the very thought of it. There should only be one 5.45 in a household and that's teatime!

I know what you mean about being bog eyed by teatime. Still, I'm not so fussed about the rain now I have a full set of waterproofs.

Haha, the number of times I used to drive past dog walkers in the pouring rain and howling gales and said sarcastically, "I wish we had a dog so I could go out in this weather".

Now, blow me down - I've joined 'em! I love walking in the rain, not so keen when it's windy though.

Why do you love them so much, Lynn? Because your house wouldn't be a home without them.

It's taken me 50 years to work that out, better late than never!

Lesley

What a clever boy. but then you know that don't you Lesley ??

Did the same with "JB".....'used to keep a sleeping bag in the kitchen!: 4am out for a squirt, ten minutes play time, then curl up for a "kip"......Discovered later,....take 'em up stairs when you go to bed they sleep right through, cushtie

I sure do, he amazes and delights me every single day.

I think my two cats might gang up and kill him if he went upstairs. Either that or they'll pack their bags and leave, they aren't his number one fans. Bless 'em, it's taken them a while to get over the shock of a dog turning up. Don't think they'll ever be bezzie mates.

Emily is a one bark wee girl, ever since she came to us she does things only when she wants too, when its time for bed she wont go on the back for a wee, it could be two or three in the morning, not every night just occasionally the the little madam. Sunday was my lie in day, now its 7am down stairs to feed them then back to bed for an hour before being woken again as its walkies time. They take a day or two to get used to the clock changes, especially Snowy when its feeding time as hes the greedy one . Bently is doing so well for such a young one i'm sure you will have so many more stories to tell in the coming years.

Harvey also barked in the early hours when he first came to us. The first couple of times he went out to wee, after that he just wanted playtime. We would give him a treat and then send him back to his bed. He stopped this for a short while and slept through the night, but then started again. Now Alan goes down to him and gives him a quick cuddle and settles him down, we don't do playtime or treats now. It's so tempting to make a fuss of him cos he's so cute but we have to be strong.
Antonia came in from a night out last week at about 4a.m., she played with him (in other words wound him up) then she went to bed, so he came upstairs and bounced on our bed with a kitchen roll tube in his mouth. He was sent to his bed in no uncertain terms and then came back at 7a.m. with the same kitchen roll tube. How can we resist.
I so understand what you mean about wanting him to stay a puppy for a little longer. how old is Bentley now?

It makes me feel so much better that Bentley isn't the only one wanting dead of night and stupid o'clock cuddles. It's a good job we love them.

He'll be five months old on 3rd May. It's only two minutes since he turned up in our lives looking like a polar bear cub, how did he get to be a handsome big dog in such a short time?

Hi there!
We have had Sam almost 5 years now. He rarely wakes us in the night, but on the odd occasion he puts his head on my side of the bed, and presses hard, and when I open my eyes, he gazes at me with a pleading expression, and that means one thing - quick dash outside, then in again and off to sleep. He does the same in the daytime. He comes and sits in front of me with a certain expression on his face, and I know what it means.
His funniest trick is - he watches when we go in the bedroom, to see what we are putting on, and if heavy shoes or a coat appears, he forms a queue of one at the back door! They have such funny ways, don't they?
Best wishes - Samsmum (Joyce).

how i envy all your stories. i have always had a dog flap for my two.it's bliss. they just go for a wee whenever they feel the need. no need to wake anybody and no need to hold it. now i only have george. she is about to turn 12. and last week we moved house.now we have no dog flap and a dog that is not used to holding it. she is telling us when we are in the living room but there is no warning bark at night. we are getting up every 3-4 hours between us. "just in case". i will give george her do if she needs to go she will. the other night unbeknown to me steve got up at 12.30 to let her out. then i woke up at 2. i thought blimey best let her out so i padded down stairs. there's george in the downstairs bathroom, ears plastered to her head and eyes baggier than mine. did she go out? did she 'eck so i padded back upstairs. moral of this story- don't get a dog flap for 11 years then move 'cause you get no sleep.

I don't know who I feel most sorry for, you or George! While I'm trying to decide, I'm making a mental note to myslef 'don't get a dog flap'.

I really never knew that you could have dog door flaps, especially one big enough for a golden retriever.

yes julia the large door dog flap can accommodate the large breeds. you position it in your back door at the dogs shoulder height and they just walk through.i was a bit dubious at first but george is a tall and thickset lab and milo while not a weighty golden was as tall as her and they both had no problems with it. george was 8 months old when we got it so she adjusted to it within an hour.( one of us either side of the closed back door with some good boy drops each- worked wonders). milo was 18 months when we got him and when we took him in the house he watched george run through it and followed her. he never didn't use it. i think it was the novelty of being in a garden whenever he wanted to.( it was very secure though i might add).
we've had dog flaps in wooden and double glazed back doors and i really recommend one to anybody whose garden is suitable for a dog mooching around alone.

george is adjusting well to life without the dog flap now though and as we have moved next to a large wood with lots of different walks she is in her element and has found a new lease of life ( and a shallow river for paddling).