The Routine Nazi

Dainerra · 10-14-2011, 07:14 AM

Singe is a very "German" German Shepherd. He thrives and order and routine and, apparently, thinks the rest of the family should as well. For example:

mornings. I get up around 5.15 to get ready for work. Leave at 6.15. At 5.10 Singe is sitting beside the bed. At 5.15, he will nudge the bed. At 6.10, he goes and sits by the front door, even though he hasn't gone to work with me since May. At 6.15, he will come get me if I am not on the way out the door. The upside, I don't have to watch the clock and NEVER have to worry about being late from work. The downside? I don't have to work today.

I can tell him to go lay down. And he will. He will lay down beside the bed and be very quiet. Except he stares. I can feel him staring at me. I put him out of the bedroom. He lays in the hallway and stares at the door. I've had Ronnie take him into the living room and feed the dogs their breakfast. I texted him "what is he doing" "staring at the bedroom wall" And it's a very intense stare, the kind that burns a hole through the drywall. I had him take the dogs out to play. He texted me a few minutes later "He's staring at the bedroom window" I've stayed in bed late, just to make a point. Singe stared at the wall until 7.30 when I got up. So, it's not food related, not potty time related, not "I'm bored and want to go play" related. It's 100% "hey, you are supposed to be out of bed by now"

Doing the chores. Singe has decided that the order to feed the outside animals should be: open chickens, feed bunnies, fill water bowls. Why this order, I have no idea. 1 it's the exact opposite of how I do things most of the time, but then again I usually do things in the order I happen to be going that day. And it doesn't matter if it is someone else doing the work. Singe is right there to supervise and insist that it be done "properly"

Leaving the group. Don't even get me started on this. I first thought it was normal "oh Mommy don't leave me" when we started training for the supervised separation. Nope. It's if ANYONE leaves the group. He went with us this weekend when Allie was selling Girl Scout candy. I always take one of the dogs with me. I wait in the driveway while Allie goes up to the door. I thought that his brain was going to explode. He whined. He tried to get in front of her to stop her from leaving. I corrected him and he sat and watched her walk to the door. Then he started barking at me a very clear message of "OMG I can't believe you let her leave the circle!!" Singe has a very clear 10 foot circle that he believes everyone should stay in if walking in a group. This also includes people from the kennel club if we are all walking together to go to an event or demo. Even people that he hasn't met before. We've made the most progress on this. But, I can tell that it rattles his cage even if he isn't acting on the behavior. I've been really making him focus on me, but cant' get him to stop checking in on everyone else.

I know that dogs like routine, esp if they "know" breakfast is at 5.45, potty at 6am, etc etc That's why I never feed at exactly the same time. And I'll wait before I take the dogs out to play. Sometimes we'll play before breakfast, sometimes after. Those things drive him up the wall. But, I don't know how to deal with this guy. He is fine with the training that he can't herd people into doing what he wants, he used to actually try to push you in the direction he thought you should go.

PaddyD · 10-14-2011, 08:06 AM

Yup, Abby is the same. Very handy if the power goes off. As for leaving the group? FORGET IT. She is an all-day clock. Makes it a bit inconvenient when the clocks are set forward or back twice a year, interesting to see how long it takes her to adjust.

Dooney's Mom · 10-14-2011, 08:26 AM

LOL- wonderful morning read! Skye used to be the same exact way. She also thought that children should not be carried- she would pull on their pants leg until you put them down and made them walk- LOL

bianca · 10-14-2011, 08:54 AM

Oh I am so sorry but this is the funniest thing to read!

mwiacek10 · 10-14-2011, 08:56 AM

Love the story. I'm finding that they are such unique creatures. I've never had a dog like this before. Gunny's very routine driving, which works out great because I am too. Only down side is the weekends when I don't have to be out of bed at 6:00 am!

Dainerra · 10-14-2011, 09:03 AM

Michele, exactly!! Rayden never had a problem picking up on the sleeping in idea. Singe, well, he thinks he knows everything.

Wait, maybe it's just a teenage phase then. lol

smithie · 10-14-2011, 09:16 AM

lol, what brilliant dogs

I must admit, Ranger doesn't do anything like this, maybe he's defective in some way

. He has his morning walk at 7.15 during the week and around 8.30 at weekends, however I have to actually force him to get up and go to my daughters room (as she's his morning walker), he'd rather lie snoozing!!

Dainerra · 10-14-2011, 09:20 AM

smithie, I'll let you borrow him! He will also try to make sure that you put on your left shoe before your right one. Again, Singe has decided that is the proper order for getting dressed.

smithie · 10-14-2011, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dainerra

smithie, I'll let you borrow him! He will also try to make sure that you put on your left shoe before your right one. Again, Singe has decided that is the proper order for getting dressed.

erm no ta lol, my 11 yr old daughter who has aspergers keeps me in line like that

Must admit though, I think it is very cute that he keeps you in line like this, sure he's not ex army lol.

idahospud49 · 10-14-2011, 10:15 AM

Ha I was going to say, it sounds like Singe is slightly aspergers...

10-14-2011, 07:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
Dainerra Crowned Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: N. Central Arkansas Posts: 4,570	The Routine Nazi Singe is a very "German" German Shepherd. He thrives and order and routine and, apparently, thinks the rest of the family should as well. For example: mornings. I get up around 5.15 to get ready for work. Leave at 6.15. At 5.10 Singe is sitting beside the bed. At 5.15, he will nudge the bed. At 6.10, he goes and sits by the front door, even though he hasn't gone to work with me since May. At 6.15, he will come get me if I am not on the way out the door. The upside, I don't have to watch the clock and NEVER have to worry about being late from work. The downside? I don't have to work today. I can tell him to go lay down. And he will. He will lay down beside the bed and be very quiet. Except he stares. I can feel him staring at me. I put him out of the bedroom. He lays in the hallway and stares at the door. I've had Ronnie take him into the living room and feed the dogs their breakfast. I texted him "what is he doing" "staring at the bedroom wall" And it's a very intense stare, the kind that burns a hole through the drywall. I had him take the dogs out to play. He texted me a few minutes later "He's staring at the bedroom window" I've stayed in bed late, just to make a point. Singe stared at the wall until 7.30 when I got up. So, it's not food related, not potty time related, not "I'm bored and want to go play" related. It's 100% "hey, you are supposed to be out of bed by now" Doing the chores. Singe has decided that the order to feed the outside animals should be: open chickens, feed bunnies, fill water bowls. Why this order, I have no idea. 1 it's the exact opposite of how I do things most of the time, but then again I usually do things in the order I happen to be going that day. And it doesn't matter if it is someone else doing the work. Singe is right there to supervise and insist that it be done "properly" Leaving the group. Don't even get me started on this. I first thought it was normal "oh Mommy don't leave me" when we started training for the supervised separation. Nope. It's if ANYONE leaves the group. He went with us this weekend when Allie was selling Girl Scout candy. I always take one of the dogs with me. I wait in the driveway while Allie goes up to the door. I thought that his brain was going to explode. He whined. He tried to get in front of her to stop her from leaving. I corrected him and he sat and watched her walk to the door. Then he started barking at me a very clear message of "OMG I can't believe you let her leave the circle!!" Singe has a very clear 10 foot circle that he believes everyone should stay in if walking in a group. This also includes people from the kennel club if we are all walking together to go to an event or demo. Even people that he hasn't met before. We've made the most progress on this. But, I can tell that it rattles his cage even if he isn't acting on the behavior. I've been really making him focus on me, but cant' get him to stop checking in on everyone else. I know that dogs like routine, esp if they "know" breakfast is at 5.45, potty at 6am, etc etc That's why I never feed at exactly the same time. And I'll wait before I take the dogs out to play. Sometimes we'll play before breakfast, sometimes after. Those things drive him up the wall. But, I don't know how to deal with this guy. He is fine with the training that he can't herd people into doing what he wants, he used to actually try to push you in the direction he thought you should go.

10-14-2011, 08:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
Dooney's Mom Master Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Deland, Fl Posts: 645	LOL- wonderful morning read! Skye used to be the same exact way. She also thought that children should not be carried- she would pull on their pants leg until you put them down and made them walk- LOL __________________ Wendy Beaulieu's Dooney Von Pell- GSD 01/25/2011 RIP- Skye- WGSD 1991-2007 2 psycho cats- Diva & Jake

10-14-2011, 08:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
bianca Knighted Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 3,328	Oh I am so sorry but this is the funniest thing to read! __________________ Miss Molly Moo (aka The Piranha/The four legged Mouth) GSD 31/10 Raennik Hassan (Cooper) GSD 19/10/11 Paris Tabby Cat 15 years Texas Tabby Cat 15 years

10-14-2011, 08:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
mwiacek10 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Grosse Ile, MI Posts: 281	Love the story. I'm finding that they are such unique creatures. I've never had a dog like this before. Gunny's very routine driving, which works out great because I am too. Only down side is the weekends when I don't have to be out of bed at 6:00 am! __________________ Michele Gunny Sgt von Wind Dancer CGC (12/23/09) Lana - Siamese (12/26/06) Twister - TB Mare (4/14/06)

10-14-2011, 10:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
idahospud49 Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Linden, Arizona Posts: 1,690	Ha I was going to say, it sounds like Singe is slightly aspergers... __________________ Megan Amadeus 1/13/2003-10/20/2010 RIP Glock 1/25/2011

10-14-2011, 08:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
PaddyD Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MassaCHEWsetts Posts: 5,222	Yup, Abby is the same. Very handy if the power goes off. As for leaving the group? FORGET IT. She is an all-day clock. Makes it a bit inconvenient when the clocks are set forward or back twice a year, interesting to see how long it takes her to adjust.

10-14-2011, 09:03 AM	#6 (permalink)
Dainerra Crowned Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: N. Central Arkansas Posts: 4,570	Michele, exactly!! Rayden never had a problem picking up on the sleeping in idea. Singe, well, he thinks he knows everything. Wait, maybe it's just a teenage phase then. lol

10-14-2011, 09:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
smithie Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Telford UK Posts: 29	lol, what brilliant dogs I must admit, Ranger doesn't do anything like this, maybe he's defective in some way . He has his morning walk at 7.15 during the week and around 8.30 at weekends, however I have to actually force him to get up and go to my daughters room (as she's his morning walker), he'd rather lie snoozing!!

10-14-2011, 09:20 AM	#8 (permalink)
Dainerra Crowned Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: N. Central Arkansas Posts: 4,570	smithie, I'll let you borrow him! He will also try to make sure that you put on your left shoe before your right one. Again, Singe has decided that is the proper order for getting dressed.

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