There's a Reason I'm Writing This at 3:51 am

And it's not because Max is really Batman in disguise -

after his first grooming session my sister pointed out the bat symbol across his chest. it happens every time, regardless of who grooms him.

It's not because his Halloween identity is Super Dog (obviously we can't let everyone know he's BatMax) -

And it's not even because Satan kitty has been playing with her stuffed mouse - all night - keeping me awake (I was afraid that would happen, but she ended up sleeping when the rest of us did).

It's because he endured me yelling at him and telling him to go back to sleep for over an hour (about an hour and a half) before I finally gave in to the repeated restlessness, panting, whimpering and whining and let him outside.

Where he proceeded to be sick. Very sick.


Let me back up.


I was telling a friend a while ago that sometimes he and or Belle would wake me up needing to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water. I was getting sick of it, and my friend reminded me that I needed to be alpha. I thought - 'I'm alpha in every other aspect of their lives, why can't I figure this out?!' So I started forcefully telling them to go back to sleep when they'd wake me up. It doesn't happen very often, but the few times that it has happened in the last month or so, it's worked.

So tonight (this morning), Max wakes me up before 3 wanting to get out of the room. I tell him to go back to sleep. Cue repeat of this exact scenario for an hour and a half. He starts panting (a sign, I learned from Dingo, that they're trying to hold it). Occasionally Max would come and put his head on my bed. I'd shove him away and tell him to go back to sleep. He was really restless the whole time and then I finally realized that I wasn't sleeping through all of this, so I may as well get up and let him outside.

So I did.

But only after I made sure he knew I was really upset with him (cue grabbing his muzzle and telling him I was mad, following a smacking of his side - my only defense... dog hides are tough and he probably didn't feel it much).

After leaving my room he ran - RAN - to the back door in my parent's room (their door, often closed at night, was left open). I wasn't about to walk through there to let him out so I snapped my fingers at him, said his name, and kept walking. He ran - RAN - out of their room and toward the other back door. By this time (I know, I deserve a medal) I knew something really wasn't normal.

I followed him outside and witnessed the above.

And I felt so bad. So incredibly bad.

I put him for a while outside apologizing and telling him he was amazingly awesome for not making me suffer the consequences of not letting him outside when he needed to go outside. I could hear his stomach gurgling while petting him and felt even worse.

We came inside, back to my bedroom, and a 15-minute petting and apologizing session began. Accompanied by more stomach gurgles.

Seriously, this dog deserves a 'major award.' Except for real.

I cannot tell you - but you can probably imagine - how different this blog post would have been had he not been such an amazing dog and left me to deal with the consequences of telling him to 'just lie down and go back to sleep!' when he was sick like that.

Mega-alpha-fail.

Poor, poor puppy.

I sure hope he's over it now.

Update at 4:45 -

He's still sick. I had barely turned off my light when he ran over to the bed. I responded much faster this time (see, I can learn even in the early morning hours) and let him outside. This time, when he was done, he decided to stay outside. Can't blame him, especially considering what he has to work with (me). 

Poor Max. 

Good night sweet pup.