Up and At 'Em

[Laura and Angus]

Happy 2015 doodle parents! 

Angus is 5.5 months old now and he's a super fun, smart, and silly boy. 70% of the time he's a very good boy and about 30% he's a naughty little guy. We are definitely loving our furbaby. So this question is regarding a minor annoyance, but not a huge deal. In our house we all get up around 5:30/6am. This is mostly because my bf and I have to leave for work between 7 and 7:30am. While Angus will wake up with us and is happy to be licky and silly, he does not like to come downstairs in the morning. It usually takes us both going downstairs and making lots of noise with his food bowl before he'll come down. Sometimes he'll just sit/lay down at the top of the stairs until we coax him down. This also happens on the weekends when we get up later. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get our guy moving in the morning? 

Thanks in advance!!

[Susan & Randy's Kate]

I know what you mean.  We have the dogs sit before feeding.  Kate looks at me for the longest time then reluctantly sits.  She also likes to lay down in the middle of the room.  I sometimes use my walker to carry things and she won't move.  We have a circular pattern to our rooms so I go the other way.  So, who is the boss?

[Laura and Angus]

Haha that is so funny. Angus definitely loves his food, but doesn't like to come down for it at first. Once he gets going he's all GO GO GO! But until that point he rolls around. 

[Michele Kiss]

Very silly question, but why do you need him to be downstairs? (Is that where you leave him during the day? Or does he need to come with you to be dropped off at daycare? etc.) 

Fenway (our 11mo old miniature labradoodle) is NOT a morning pup! He will VERY happily sleep till noon, and most of the time, I get up much earlier than him and he stays in bed and snoozes for most of the morning. (I work from home, so it's a slightly different situation!) He also has no interest in food in the AM. 

When we got him I just expected the more typical dog behaviour - wants to be up at the crack of dawn, scarfs down breakfast, etc. I'm getting used to the fact that he has his own routine and his clock may not be set to what I had expected! 

[Laura and Angus]

Not a silly question. He has to come downstairs to eat and potty and ultimately he's crated during the day with a midday dogwalker visit. It wouldn't really be a problem otherwise, but in order for him to eat breakfast, potty, and have a long walk all before 7am when we leave the house, he has to come down with us. It's weird because once he's awake he's all frisky and playful, but before that point he's tough to get moving. Sadly we still can't trust Angus to be off on his own very much - he's a little pooper and always gets into trouble still. Hoping he grows out of that, so we can just let him be!

[Missy]

our dood is NOT a morning person either!  We rub his belly, stroke his ears, and talk him awake in the mornings.

He likes to stretch, lay with his eyes open for a bit, then wants more rubbing before we head downstairs. 

After he potties and sometimes eats...he is back asleep!  I sympathize as I am NOT a morning person!!

[Debbie]

I sometimes wish Maggie was like this...she's wired for the speed of light no matter what time of day....I am lucky if I get 4 hours of sleep in a row...I have three cats...so she plays with the cats from 10 pm till 3 AM then at 330 she decides that mom needs to get up and feed everyone and then take Maggie for a potty...when I am getting ready for work, she crawls into bed and its lights out...LOL...wonder what is worse...?

Debbie/Maggie