Night time ritual

[CallisMom]

It was probably around November when we started letting Calli sleep upstairs with us. It drove my husband crazy because he could hear her little dog tags clinking or she would decide that bedtime was the perfect time to chew her bully stick.

For Christmas she got a bed (which she adores) and it resides downstairs next to the sofa. Every night since getting the bed she does the same thing (I had to follow her). She HAS to start off the night on our bed. My husband was complaining at first and then realized he didn't need to worry. Within 5 minutes she can't take it any longer and jumps down. (It's like she THINKS she needs to be with us and then realizes that we move around too much for her liking). She then goes into my daughter's room to check on her, into my son's room to check on him and then downstairs - does a walkthrough around the house to make sure all is in order and the goes to bed! It is the cutest thing in the world.

Of course now we have an added ritual. Due to the extreme weather we have a mouse visiting. He is a tricky guy, eluding the traps! Calli has cornered the mouse several times in the baseboard heater but, alas, cannot get her paw in and the mouse eventually escapes. Now - from about 3 am to 6 am Calli has started stalking the downstairs in search of the mouse. She will sit for an hour just staring at the basement door. She will walk around sniffing at all the baseboard heaters over and over. She isn't noisy - but she is wiping herself out. Now - every morning she is conked out! It took me a few days to realize what was going on - I was beginning to worry that she was sick because she was so lethargic in the mornings. What happened to the psychotically energetic Cairn? Well - I couldn't sleep one night myself and then I realized what was going on . . . Now - if she can only CATCH that darn thing!!!! Then we can all get some sleep!

[bubba]

If Cooper didn't sleep in his kennel at night, he would be in the same boat as Calli! He is still making his rounds to all the heating vents...he thinks he hears a mouse, I think he hears the heater, but who knows! He will sit and sit and sit watching those vents for something to appear, sometimes 30 minutes or more. I almost wish there were a mouse, at least it would put him out of his misery!

pat.

[kayharley]

That is too funny, CallisMom. Just think how proud she'll be when she finally catches it. Hopefully she won't bring it to your bed to show you at 3:00 am!

[Eliz222]

My two, Scout 2.5 and Finch 10months, sleep with us at night. Both sleep through the night. What's wierd is that they will go outside and potty, watch us take a shower and then both will go back to bed! We always laugh about how they have to rest after their full night of sleep. Anyone else's Cairn sleep this much? They will only sleep another 2 to3 hours and then they are up for the day.

[bradl]

I read somewhere that left to their own devices, most canids will sleep about 17 hours per day. They also supposedly tend to be more active around morning and evening twilight. I always assumed those really active periods were more related to our schedule and/or dinner time, but maybe it's a bit of both routine and nature.