A disturbed night!

My nights are generally broken for a number of predictable reasons, one of which is a neighbor who sometimes has to leave for work around 4:30am. I generally then go back to sleep until around 5:00am when I usually wake up totally “wired” and ready to start my day*

The other night was a little different. I woke up to Ray growling. It was a very low and menacing growl. Almost immediately I heard a scraping sound, coming from outside, which sounded like somebody was clearing their windshield of ice. It was around 2:30am and so I looked out of my bedroom window and, sure enough, our neighbor was clearing their windshield. Was that what Ray was growling about?

I was just about to go over and convince him that the world was fine, when he headed into our kitchen and towards our back door and started barking. There was nothing out there that explained his behavior so I just assumed that, as he always goes out/comes in via the back door, he wanted to go out that way to resolve the scraping noises! Carol was now up and came into the kitchen wondering what all the noise was about!

With both of us telling him that everything was okay, he started settling down and so Carol returned to her room. Ray disappeared, and so I went back to my bedroom and there, curled up on my bed as if he had been there for hours, was Ray! I was pleased that he had left me some space** and rather than disturb him, I climbed in alongside him!

I tend to find going to sleep much easier when in the fetal position and, given Ray’s position, I had to face him and bring my knees up such that they were touching his back legs and stomach (in effect I had his rear in my lap). I had just settled into that position when I felt a distinct need to stretch out my legs and give them a bit of a shake … which I did. As I was shaking my legs, Ray immediately stretched out his back legs and stated shaking them. I can well imagine that an onlooker would have had quite a giggle at the sight!

Is it a good thing to be that in synch with your dog?

I woke up again close to 5:00am as he was just getting off the bed, so I guess it worked out pretty good. The whole incident posed an interesting question. Did he feel a need to protect me from that scraping noise, or did he feel a need to get my protection from that scraping noise? I really do not have an answer!

*See “The Night Shift” – April 15, 2015

**See “A Good Night’s Sleep” – October 22, 2015

21 thoughts on “A disturbed night!”

  5. “Did he feel a need to protect me from that scraping noise, or did he feel a need to get my protection from that scraping noise?”
    This made me LOL! Funny post!

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        • Please think it through very carefully. Sadly, so many dogs are purchased/adopted but are later neglected and end up in a shelter. Make sure that you understand the potential breed characteristics, and that they are compatible with your lifestyle. If in doubt ….. talk to your local shelter staff. That is what we did and have never looked back! Our Ray was abandoned, under-socialized, had no training, and was afraid of all humans and most other dogs. After 2-1/2 years of working with him, he is now the most lovable dog you could ask for …. but it took 2-1/2 years to get there! 🙂

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  6. Maggie raises her head if she hears strange footsteps passing the boat, but it’s not unless they step aboard or tap on the window that she’ll bark. She was the same when we were camping, apart from one evening when someone tried to get in and she went nuts! He was very apologetic as he quickly reversed out, having the same tent as ours and had misjudged his pitch!

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