It's funny watching your dog wake you up at the exact same time every day, it's almost like he has his own internal alarm clock. But if it is very early – at a time when you actually still want to sleep – then it is less fun. But the good news is, you can reset your dog's internal alarm clock with some training and a few tricks. Read below how to do that.
1 – Choose the time you want everyone – including the dog – to wake up from. If you decide no one gets up before 7:30 am, you will stay down no matter how much the dog continues to whine, howl, bark or scratch on the door. If you give in once, the dog will learn to get his way, and will try every time.
2 – Take the last exhaust lap as late as possible. If you have a yard, let the dog go outside for a while before going to bed. And if you don't have one, do another round so he can pee.
3 – Try using a crate if you're okay with the idea. The dog will eventually get used to the idea that it's not the time to get up and start the day until the door opens after much sad puppy eyes and loud howling. Don't you think it's such a nice idea? Have the dog sleep in another room. Some dogs will sleep longer and better if they share the bedroom with you simply because they enjoy human company. Others sleep best in the kitchen or living room.
4 – Darken the room where the dog sleeps. Many dogs will sleep through the night, but once the sun comes up, they think they are missing out on fun things if they stay asleep. So invest in blackout curtains so you can trick him into thinking it's still time to sleep.
5 – Never feed him as soon as you wake up in the morning. He will associate waking up with tasty things and might start waking you up early every day just because he wants to eat.
