dog wakes up too early

Question
My 5yr old cocker wakes up at 5:15am like clockwork. No matter how late we take him out the night before.  I know he doesn't have to go to the bathroom b/c he can hold for long time, think he knows he will get fed in the am.  This is a huge problem on the weekends b/c we can never sleep in. Have tried ignoring, even scolding, but he continues till we let him out then feed him. Is quiet after that, after our sleep is ruined.  Please help.

Answer
Who needs an alarm clock when you have such a reliable pupper, Stephanie! ;^) I do know what you mean about not getting to sleep in on the weekends, though. I just get up, let the dog out, bring him back in and put him back in his crate (he isn't trustworthy loose in the house yet), and go back to bed, shutting the bedroom door. The thing is, dogs do not realize that there is a difference between the work-week and the weekend. If you normally get up that early through the week, he is used to getting up then and doesn't understand why you aren't getting up at the same time on the weekends.

Do you crate him at night, confine him to your bedroom, or give him the run of the house? On Friday and Saturday nights, you may have to start crating him or leaving him outside the bedroom and shutting the door. You may even have to confine him to another room if he scratches at the door or whatever. You could install a doggie door so he can let himself out, and use one of those food dishes with a timer so that it will automatically fill his bowl at 5:20am so you don't have to get up. Or, you can just live with the fact that you will just have to get up, let him out and feed him, and then go back to bed on weekends.


I wish you luck. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Kristen