Life

No Time for the Snooze Button

Last Updated on November 28, 2010

I hate getting up in the morning. So what I have gotten used to doing over the years is setting my alarm clock to go off about a half-hour early, so that I can then hit the wonderful snooze button on the alarm clock and gradually adjust to the notion that I actually have to get up.

This worked quite well with my last dog, Zoey, a golden retriever/border collie mix who was the biggest couch potato I’d ever met. When I’d hit the snooze and lie back down, she’d lie back down and let out a big sigh of contentment.

Life was good.

Scotty, on the other hand, doesn’t get the snooze button. Once you’re up, it’s time to get up, and I haven’t been able to persuade him that sleeping a little longer is better.

Collies are known for being “talkative.” They’re very vocal when they’re trying to communicate something to you. Sometimes it’s a bark, and we’ve worked on that; other times it’s that famous collie whine that Lassie made famous.

And then other times it’s that little noise that sounds like a cross between a growl and an attempt to verbalize a thought.

So the new morning routine since Scotty joined my household is this: the clock goes off, I hit snooze and lie back down, my fingers crossed. Scotty, who’s asleep at the foot of the bed sits up bright-eyed. I pretend like I’m asleep already. After a moment of pondering whether I’m faking sleep, he gets up and walks up to the head of the bed. He gets right up beside me and lies down right up against me so I couldn’t help but notice that he’s there.

After a moment, while I remain still, he begins his talking.

“Rawwrr.”

After a few seconds, he manages two syllables.

“Rawwrr roohhrr.”

It’s not loud enough that a neighbor could hear, but it’s loud enough that I do, and funny enough that it’s hard to keep from laughing at him. He keeps on, adding a random syllable here and there, mixing in whines and growls as well, until I finally humor him and just get up.

I miss being able to sleep in, but I can’t complain all that much: I’d much rather he force me to get up and walk him than him an accident on the floor.

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.

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