Cha, cha, changes

I decided that with the addition of Rocky that my blissful old morning routine - originally designed  to best serve an adult dog - was not suitable for a puppy. My first idea was that instead of doing my morning toilet and then taking Rocket for a walk and then feeding him and getting my tea and reading the paper, was too clumsy and wasn't serving either of our needs.

My brilliant idea was that instead of all that, I would get up and before anything else I would take Rocket into the back yard to go pee, then I would  deposit him in his downstairs crate and have time to get my morning routine underway . In theory, if the universe co-operated, we would eat our breakfasts together and then I would take him for a single morning walk. Post walk, it would be time for him to go back to his crate, leaving me time for make  up and leaving the house.

It seemed like a really good idea.

 I did get up and take him out. At 1:30 am. He had all ready peed his crate but apparently prefers to be the only island in the sea.  I think this is a good plan, as we share this preference. So, 1:35 am, I am cleaning out a wet crate and redepositing him in it. He doesn't think this is as good idea as I do. I am pleased that he woke me up to take him out but I wished he had woken me up say, fifteen minutes earlier, but grateful that he woke me up when he did. Maybe he's noticing a theme.

Hours later my alarm goes off. I sprint out of bed and grab him out of his crate, we run downstairs. I put him down long enough to turn off the alarm and he is again an island in a sea.

The trip outside is a bit anti-climatic at that point.

We return inside and I deposit him in the downstairs crate and I start my day. The paper is late and the dog is screaming. I am not happy as the no paper thing is putting a crimp in my plan. While I Wait for the paper,  I feed Rocket, I drink my tea and watch him eat and re-read  the Sunday paper. Curse.

I take Rocket for his pre-planed longer, single walk. I don't like it, it doesn't seem right and I immediately prefer the old, shorter walk. We come home and the paper has arrived. I put Rocket up, he complains, I put on my make up and go to work. Early. The paper is unread, maybe I'll read it Tuesday while I wait for Tuesdays paper to arrive, late.

Tomorrow we try again. Tonight, I cut off water earlier and mean it.  We go out every half hour until 10:30 and then we go to bed and try out the new schedule again.