# Murphy waking up far too early now



## kwirky (Jan 29, 2015)

I was hoping to ask for a little advice on a problem I have with my young dog.

Murphy is a 17 month old Golden Retriever who is and always has been a high energy boy. He is very clever and has a good vocabulary which we are working on all the time.

The problem we have started having is that Murphy is waking up earlier and earlier each day and wants to play. He sleeps in the bedroom with us, usually on the floor and lately around 3 am he is wide awake and ready to start his day. His routine was to wake at 4:20 am each morning, feet the kitty and then go for a 45 minute walk before work. He is alone in the house all day (with a dog door to go in and out) between 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. At 4:30 on I get home, feed the kitty again and then take the Murphster for another 45 minute walk.

When he had awoken early in the past I would tell him to go to bed and he would lay down again. No problem. Now it is not working.

Murphy is a very large golden (weighs 45 kilos and has a large frame. When he decides it is time for me to wake up he will climb up on the bed and sit on my head. Once I move (so I can breathe!) he will then start licking me like a lunatic. Impossible to go back to sleep after that kind of loving.

Are you able to recommend anything that may work with getting him to either stay sleeping until a reasonable time or get him to settle down again and not molest me so much?

Any help you could offer would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks so much for your time,

Joanne


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## Bentman2 (Sep 30, 2013)

Murphy is a nice looking boy. It is hard to know what is going on inside that big head of his but I am thinking that exercise is not the problem but play time is. My Bentley is similar in that he is in the house for 2-3 hrs, twice a day, with no activity. I come home at lunch to walk him and play with him for about 30 minutes. If I walk him and he starts being "jumpy", I know that he wants to play. I play ball with him 10-15 minutes and just let him hang out to himself. It could be that Murphy is looking for attention and not just exercise. Bentley is 46 kilo so I know that these large dogs have a lot of pinned up energy. Try that and see if that helps. Is he still intact? Tell us more about Murphy.


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## kwirky (Jan 29, 2015)

Bentley is just gorgeous! And we have that same sign (the one near his head) at home!!!

Murphy is intact and about 17 months old now. We got him from a registered breeder in Australia and all his siblings are also of a similar size. He is of Norwegian decent (both parents are also champion show dogs).

Murphy eats raw meat and dried meat treats and this seems to agree with him (he used to get runny poo when we fed him on Proplan).

He loves playing ball so will try and do this just before bedtime as well. Thanks for the advice.


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## Bentman2 (Sep 30, 2013)

kwirky said:


> Bentley is just gorgeous! And we have that same sign (the one near his head) at home!!!
> 
> Murphy is intact and about 17 months old now. We got him from a registered breeder in Australia and all his siblings are also of a similar size. He is of Norwegian decent (both parents are also champion show dogs).
> 
> ...


Interesting that you feed Murphy raw meat. I feed Bentley a topper on his kibble (chicken, tuna, hamburger) once a day for his coat. I feed him Blue Buffalo Wilderness (red meat) as his main kibble. It is grain free and really helps him in his allergies. He was bothered by hot spots during his first year but has gotten by that issue for now. I also bath him in hypoallergic shampoo and he gets coconut oil two or three times a week. I think I have figured it out but I still keep an eye on him and check him daily.:wavey:


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## Marcus (Aug 24, 2014)

When you say walks. You talking about lead walks? There are heaps of off lead parks in Melbourne. Try taking him to one of these after work. so he can run and burn off excess energy 


Sent from Tapatalk


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

When you've tried the suggestions of more aerobic exercise (most days of the week) and evening playtime, break down and either crate him or tether him in your room. He can still be with his family but will not interrupt your sleep. It doesn't have to be permanent, just for a couple weeks to break this habit he has developed.


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