Are we confusing her?

Sounds like you need to use one of those clicker behaviour thingys but you'd probably have to get advice from a dog behaviourist.

That sounds just like my little grandson, he loves 5:30 am. Perhaps his mum and dad could try a clicker on him? They usually resort to Peppa Pig.

Try setting the alarm nanapug. It'll mean a couple of early rises, but usually does the trick as the dog learns you get up when the alarm goes. Set it for 5.35, then 5.45, then 6.00 and 6.30 each successive day, extending the time between. Collie types are quick learners, and she should soon know she has to wait for the alarm. Good luck!

Can you try making the area where she sleeps a bit darker so the early morning light doesn't wake her? DH and I have a blackout blind (which is actually white) on our bedroom window in the summer and sleep much better with it than without it.

My DD had this problem and ended up moving the dog's bed into their bedroom. He is now more relaxed knowing they are near him. He stands next to the bed sometimes, but when he gets no response he settles down again until they get up.
I hope you solve the problem.
It would be no bother for me as I am usually awake from about 4am and up before 5.

Great suggestion from When. The advice given to us by a behaviourist when our young dog began barking for attention between 5 - 6 am, was to up our expectations about his behaviour in general and to speak firmly to him in response to the early morning barking. "in your bed" - It worked. I got used to "in your place" or "on your mat/bed" by using tiny bits of cheese/garlic sausage etc. Within a few days he'd go and lie on his mat, looking hopefully at me. I increased the time between him either voluntarily or on instruction went to the place I chose for him, before rewarding with treats and fuss. Get your dog to associate his bed/mat/place/crate with something really good. I find frozen kongs brilliant for evening settling down, but during the day will throw a tiny bit of cheese/sausage as a reward for either going to his place when he's asked to, or going there voluntarily.

I found working on the bond between us helped. Lots of positive play and reward based short bursts of obedience type training. Heel work, recall and best of all games like making the dog wait while you hide something, then the find it command, or fetch the ball. Collie/Lab cross will be a bright dog, and keen to please hopefully. Collie's are so clever, and labs so people/food focussed. There is a myth that labs are easy to train - good luck with this one.

Thank you so much ladies, some brilliant ideas and food for thought for us. She is a very bright dog and is doing very well with her training and because of that, perhaps we have switched off a bit lately. Think my OH and myself need to sit down and make a plan of action. Watch this space and thank you again xx

I'm just back from a long walk with my two dogs, and how easy it was in comparison with a year ago. One of things that occurred to me nanapug, is your dog is now 12 months old, so a teenager, no wonder the dog is trying it on. My challenge is now 2 , and like Mary Poppins, is almost perfect in every way. But, 12 - 18 months were a bit of a trial! Good luck

I think you could be right Iam65, but I thought teenagers were hard to get out of bed in the mornings!!!

I agree with rubysong about the blackout blind. It stopped our Jack Russells from barking at first light. Shouting, 'In Your Bed' worked but only for an hour then they'd start again.

Ha ha, I think my displeasure may have got through to her, either that or she read all your suggestions, as there was not a peep out of her this morning!!! Let's see what happens tomorrow. I was tempted to make a fuss of her because she was so good but I realised that it was the wrong message to give out as she may want that fuss at an earlier time tomorrow; so I just ignored her. It really goes against the grain but you have to think so differently with dog behaviour don't you?

That's good news nanapug. You're right about the need to think dog when sharing our lives with them. One of the best bits of advice I've read is from Jan Fennel, which is to ignore your dog when you first meet them. The obvious one is arriving home, dogs leaping about, desperate for attention - ignore until the settle down, then call praise. As dogs live very much in the moment, her advice is to treat every greeting in the same way, so if the dog comes into the room you're in - ignore the dog. You start at 5 minutes, if that's needed, and gradually reduce. It's worked like magic with mine - though the fact one of our adult children and partner are living with us currently means training them to do this. It's proving much more of a challenge than dog training.
Jan Fennel is known as the Dog Whisperer. She was trained with Monty Roberts, the Horse Whisperer, so uses more positive than aversive training methods.

Yes, we do that Iam64 as I love Jan Fennel and it is what made me think about not praising her this morning. It goes against my natural instincts as like most people, it is human nature to meet and greet, but we do enjoy the fact that when any one comes in to the house she doesn't jump up at all. It amazes me however, how many people don't get it when you ask them to ignore the dog!!

I agree with ignoring the dog. Peggy is excitable when people visit and barks for a few minutes. She then calms down and ignores the visitors so why can't they ignore her. If she wants to be stroked she'll wag her tail and go to them, otherwise, she'll keep herself to herself. She's not aggressive, she just doesn't like people fussing. What we normally get is the Dalek style outstretched hand - she hates that - and the 'She'll be fine, dogs love me' nonsense.

If they knew anything about dogs they would realise that ignoring her will arouse her curiosity and given a few minutes she'll be literally eating out of their hands.

Millie loves to be patted, tickled and spoken to in a silly voice. I can read Peggy's mind which is thinking, Sod that for a game of tin soldiers!

You can almost hear her sighing with relief when visitors go.

We have just acquired a year old dalmatian cross and she does the same, wakes about 6. Goes out for a pee then can be persuaded to shut up until about 7. I was hoping it was just because she's in a new place! It's a bit exhausting.
She has a bad stomach, on anti-biotics just now so we daren't ignore her for fear of wall to wall poo.
Otherwise she's lovely, sweet, clean and amenable.

happy days broomsticks