More Treats Indicated
Brownie is making inconsistent yet potentially meaningful progress on sleeping through the night. Meaning, I actually have no idea if what I’m doing is working or not, but I’m going to keep doing it and pray for success. Noise/take out, potty/treat, no potty/no treat, in crate, treat, repeat.
In a household steeped in improvement science geek talk it’s an uncomfortably variable situation. What kind of noise gets her out? How long do I let her take to make her potty/no potty decision? How can I really tell if she’s going potty or just squatting to con me out of treats (trainer says unlikely but ...) Anyway, I’m gonna keep going with it because I don’t have a better option for the overnight crate training thing.
The next area of attack, I mean focus, is the early morning wake-up routine. And oddly, or now that I think about it, maybe not all that oddly, as Brownie’s overnight performance issues are improving, with less waking up in the middle of the night, her early morning rise times quite possibly are on the downslide. Meaning, it’s not impossible, ie it is possible, that she’s waking up for the day earlier and earlier. Like way too early.
I’m not saying she IS doing that. I’m just saying it’s a possibility.
I‘m not sure I want to know. Yet, I’ve seen the magic of proper data collection and analysis on way thornier issues than this so I am actually logging nighttime info conscientiously in preparation for my beloved husband to identify potential improvement opportunities and AIMs and data data data numerator denominator all that stuff.
Here’s a small selection of my careful Brownie data log so you can see how truly diligent and science-y I am willing to be:
“3:15am back in crate but not having it.” “4:05am settling? still whining. Quiet, foot by crate.” “5am Took out, no potty. Back in, treat, out 5:12am”)
So there’s the overnight improvement project opportunity, the wake up time improvement project opportunity, and, I think this one might really make a big quality of life difference while I’m waiting for Mike to get on those other two:
The post wake-up early morning routine improvement project. I have not been really focusing on how terrible my mornings have been because I’ve just been waking up beaten and then doing whatever she wants. Meaning our little Brownie has been bending me to her will more than the other way around in the 4am-6am post-wake-up timeframe particularly.
The 4-6am timeframe, for me, is a great timeframe for sleeping or, sleeping. Perhaps starting coffee brewing on the latter end.
For Brownie, it’s the perfect time to start the day with a whole lot of high energy nipping and barking and pouncing.
I can see how these proclivities do not make Brownie a “bad puppy” per se. Nor does it make me a “bad puppy mom” that I’d prefer she did not engage in such antics with me, really ever, and certainly not so early in the morning.
High energy puppy play at that hour is simply not for me — Even after a triumphant one-whiny-barky-questionable peep-wake-up night.
So that’s a good starting place, knowing there are no villains in this story, only two beings doing their best to get their needs met. She wants pounce, I want peace. So, what I realize is that I have been meeting Brownie’s need for early morning attention a bit better than my own need for early morning quiet and rest.
It’s seemed reasonable: Like, “She’s a puppy, she’ll grow out of it.” Like, “Once she gets all her shots and we can take her for big hikes everything will be different!” Like, “Maybe tomorrow will be different if I just love her the right way today. Or if Ax plays with her five more minutes.”
But no. It’s day 23 and I realize I’ve been mistaking early morning nippybarkypuppy for a serenity prayer part one issue (something I need to accept because I can’t change it) when there could very well be a serenity prayer part two hack (change things I can) for this situation.
I’m told it will involve more treats. And not the kind of treats I’ve been using, the mini training treats, the kibble being doled out in the guise of precious treats, but rather truly tasty concoctions crafted and then frozen so they take a long time to fully enjoy by my food-oriented little darling.
I’m talking about toys and chewy things stuffed with peanut butter, cottage cheese, stewed veggies in beef broth, and other non-vegan goo. Recipes welcome.
Apparently this is a known thing among dog owners. If I want peace, the puppy needs food. Long-lasting, challenging food. And playtime and exercise of course, but I’m gonna see if maybe tomorrow we can delay that part until after coffee time by using this sophisticated “give the puppy more treats” strategy. I’m gonna keep going.
Ps. If you read to the end of this post you are eligible to win a free puppy.
Just kidding. Nothing could be better than this gorgeous creature’s furry love.