AR-News: (NJ) Pet babies need training to ‘sleep through night’

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http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/lifestyle/100503O05PETCARE.html 
By ELAINE ROSE Staff Writer, (609) 272-7215, E-Mail

A co-worker walks into the office all bleary-eyed because the new baby kept 
him up all night. You can empathize because the "baby" waking you for a 2 a.m. 
feeding has four legs and a tail. 

The human child will eventually learn to sleep through the night. But it will 
take some work to make sure your dog or cat respects your need to get a good 
night's rest.

Dogs can be trained to be alone. Start with "disappearances" of a minute or 
two, and increase the period of separation as the dog gets older and used to 
your absence. Be sure to reward your pooch with treats and praise when you 
return.

If your work schedule changes, or the boss needs you to stay late to finish 
that important project, remember your dog's schedule changes, too. If possible, 
change your dog's feeding and walk times gradually to cause the least upset 
to its digestive system. 

When it comes to keeping you up at night, cats are more likely to be the 
culprit. That's because cats are natural predators, and are "programmed" to get up 
several hours before their prey. Even though they eat out of a bowl now, 
they're up at 4 a.m. ready to chow down. Don't give in to the meowing for food, 
experts say. Give your cats breakfast on your own schedule, and they will learn 
to adjust.

If the cat wakes you up in the middle of the night, you may have to confine 
it to another section of the house. Or you can frighten it. Try tossing a bean 
bag at the door or keeping the vacuum cleaner by your bed and turn it on to 
scare the cat away. Just make sure the cat doesn't realize that you're the one 
making noise. That way, the cat associates the unpleasant sound with its 
behavior rather than with you.

And whether you have a dog or a cat, remember to give your pet plenty of 
affection and play time while you're home and awake, so it doesn't crave attention 
when you start to crave sleep. They're bored all day while you're at work and 
need some fun when you get home. If you're too busy to provide what your pet 
needs, consider hiring a pet sitter or getting another animal to keep it 
company.

Source: vetcentric.com

To e-mail Elaine Rose at The Press:

ERose at pressofac.com
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