it's absolutely, utterly, and completely about the food
generally speaking, after getting up in the morning, one of the first things that a lot of creatures need to do is go pee. it's just one of those things. and most dogs I've encountered will pee shortly after hitting the grass or other appropriate surface outside.
not so, Randy.
he can go all night, and then in the morning when I let him out, will wait to come back in for his breakfast. really.
sometimes he'll go to the middle of the yard and stand there a few seconds, sniffing the air, but then he comes back to the door. we stand there, then, looking at each other. go pee! I tell him. he looks at me, and doesn't move. we stare at each other some more.
eventually, I let him in and give him his food, because honestly, I have things to do in the morning that don't involve a staring contest with the dog through the back door window. and he seems perfectly fine with that.
in the morning, he'll whine and turn restless a little before 6:00. in the past, I've gotten up if he's really persistent, because he might really need to go, right? I don't want him to pee in the house, and I do want to reward him for letting us know he needs to go out, right?
well, forget that silly notion. I let him out, he stares at me, I let him in, and he dances around all excited like, waiting for his breakfast.
David said to me last week that he thinks the reason Randy cries in the morning is not because he has to go out, but because he wants his food! I must agree completely.
so I feed him, and go take care of the things I need to do, and while I put together my lunch, I let him out again. that's when, a full 30-40 minutes after we came downstairs in the first place, and then after wandering around the yard for a bit and sniffing the wind, he apparently realizes.... oh yes! should pee.
not so, Randy.
he can go all night, and then in the morning when I let him out, will wait to come back in for his breakfast. really.
sometimes he'll go to the middle of the yard and stand there a few seconds, sniffing the air, but then he comes back to the door. we stand there, then, looking at each other. go pee! I tell him. he looks at me, and doesn't move. we stare at each other some more.
eventually, I let him in and give him his food, because honestly, I have things to do in the morning that don't involve a staring contest with the dog through the back door window. and he seems perfectly fine with that.
in the morning, he'll whine and turn restless a little before 6:00. in the past, I've gotten up if he's really persistent, because he might really need to go, right? I don't want him to pee in the house, and I do want to reward him for letting us know he needs to go out, right?
well, forget that silly notion. I let him out, he stares at me, I let him in, and he dances around all excited like, waiting for his breakfast.
David said to me last week that he thinks the reason Randy cries in the morning is not because he has to go out, but because he wants his food! I must agree completely.
so I feed him, and go take care of the things I need to do, and while I put together my lunch, I let him out again. that's when, a full 30-40 minutes after we came downstairs in the first place, and then after wandering around the yard for a bit and sniffing the wind, he apparently realizes.... oh yes! should pee.