[debtob]

I have a 6yr old jack russell who has always slept I have always got up before her. Now she has taken to barking and growling at about 5am every day when we are away with her she sleeps in a crate so we have tried that indoors still the same so we have tried covering up still the same. She does not want to go out when she has got me up I am worried because my husband is threatening to get rid of the dog and she is important to me.

[Just_Another_Lemming]

If she doesn't have to go out & she is growling & barking, more than likely she is hearing someone or something new passing by your home at that hour. Neighbor, newspaper delivery, truck, animal,. your guess is better than mine. You might not be hearing anything but the dog is.

Tell your husband it is perfectly normal for the dog to react the way she is. She is doing what comes naturally which is warning her people that someone or something is outside. Your husband wouldn't be so angry if she warned you both of a break in. Remind him of that.

Have you trained your dog to quiet down when she barks during the day? You need to use that training in this situation. When it happens in the wee hours, don't get out of bed, don't pet or touch her, simply don't react by making a big deal out of it. Don't do anything different than you would usually do, which is fall right back to sleep. Instead, when it happens, give her the usual direction you use for "quiet", then ignore her. It can take a few days or a couple of weeks depending on the dog, but eventually she will make the connection that if you aren't worried, she shouldn't be, & will not react but instead will adjust to what is now the usual morning sounds.