Time Zone Confusion

It’s easy to see how well dogs sense time and pick up on routines — especially about food-related events. For example, we become very popular about an hour before mealtime. It’s kind of funny and sweet, except when the time change messed everything up. The good news is that the time change fixed Ginko’s recent wake-up-early problems. The bad news is that poor Lilly is just exhausted come nighttime. My sweetie practically begs to go to bed these days.

Lilly only stares at me with intent after dinner for two reasons. One, she needs to go outside. Two, she wants to be crated for bed.

Because of her past nighttime hiding episodes, we often keep the basement door closed so that she cannot slink down there and spend the whole evening alone. One way we convince her to stay where we are is to entice her to snuggle for a while.

It’s about the best part of my day, to have a cuddle bug. But, it means surviving her pointy, pointy elbows and often finding a way to breathe, even when she firmly tucks her chin under mine.

Lilly tends to snuggle with Tom longer than she snuggles with me at night. I suspect it’s because he is so warm.

BUT, when Lilly decides it’s bedtime, it is SO bedtime. There is no convincing her otherwise.

I keep hoping her biological clock will adjust to the time change, but so far no luck. That means we’re spending a bit less time together these days. If Lilly is ready to sleep, then who am I to say, “No”?