Tucker's Mom
Super Boxer
I feel horrible. I spent the night with my mother the other night, and she has a 3 year old boxer named Harley. Harley has recently had his second knee surgery, so they have been keeping him indoors as much as possible until his knee heals. Well, he has started wanting to go out at 2:00 in the morning every night. And mom says that a few minutes after she lets him out, every dog in the neighborhood starts barking. So, she goes and calls him in, and the dogs quiet down. Then, when she leaves for work in the morning, the garbage is always knocked over. So, I told her that he appears to be crying to go out and play with his friends, not to go potty...and suggested that she let him out before she goes to bed, and try to avoid letting him out in the middle of the night.
Well...that night he woke her up at 2:00, and she told him to go back to bed. A few minutes later, he started crying (which is out of character for him), but she figured he was just pouting and ignored him. He walked around the house, huffing and puffing for a little while and then laid back down. She said he woke her up one more time crying, but she stood firm and wouldn't let him out (it had only been about 2 hours since he went out and did his business). The next morning, we woke up to find that Harley had an accident in kitchen. Apparently, he had an upset tummy and that's why he was crying. I guess I picked the wrong night to call his bluff!! I felt so bad for him the next morning. We walked into the kitchen, and he just hung his big head down like he was ashamed.
But, even though I feel really bad about it, I know he went poo before we went to bed. And there's no reason that a grown dog should have to go again in a few hours (under normal circumstances, of course). After all, he says in for long periods of time and never wants to go out usually (I've seen him stay in for up to 9 hours without ever walking to the door). So I don't think I was wrong for advising her to call his bluff since he has been known to use the potty excuse to go out and play with the dog next door. I just feel so bad considering that he really needed to go out. It's like the little boy who called wolf!
Well...that night he woke her up at 2:00, and she told him to go back to bed. A few minutes later, he started crying (which is out of character for him), but she figured he was just pouting and ignored him. He walked around the house, huffing and puffing for a little while and then laid back down. She said he woke her up one more time crying, but she stood firm and wouldn't let him out (it had only been about 2 hours since he went out and did his business). The next morning, we woke up to find that Harley had an accident in kitchen. Apparently, he had an upset tummy and that's why he was crying. I guess I picked the wrong night to call his bluff!! I felt so bad for him the next morning. We walked into the kitchen, and he just hung his big head down like he was ashamed.
But, even though I feel really bad about it, I know he went poo before we went to bed. And there's no reason that a grown dog should have to go again in a few hours (under normal circumstances, of course). After all, he says in for long periods of time and never wants to go out usually (I've seen him stay in for up to 9 hours without ever walking to the door). So I don't think I was wrong for advising her to call his bluff since he has been known to use the potty excuse to go out and play with the dog next door. I just feel so bad considering that he really needed to go out. It's like the little boy who called wolf!
