A Middle of the Night Rant!!!

I don't often get up in the middle of night, but here it is 3:24am and I am wide awake and adrenalin is coursing through my veins.

Our dog, Joe, has been barking for almost two hours. Grrrrr.

The first night we had him, we found out that he was not house broken. So, of course, I hit the internet looking for how to house break an older dog. Cage training. Sounded real good. When you go to bed or leave the house you put the dog in a cage big enough for them to move around very comfortably, making sure they do their "business" before they are confined. The premise is that it appeals to their den instincts so they will feel comforted and they won't soil "where they live."

Fine. We started that the second night. Joe did well. He slept all night. We took him out first thing in the morning and periodically throughout the day. He only had two other accidents during the day on the second and third day. We did that routine every day and every night after that, until now, the ninth night.

Tonight he started barking at 1:30am and he hasn't stopped. We moved him (in his cage) to the den. More barking. After another 1/2 hour, we moved him to the laundry room and closed the door. More barking. Another 1/2 hour, we moved him out to the garage (it's heated, just in case you're wondering). He's still barking.

Now I know some people will say, Just take him to bed with you. He just wants to be close to you. To those folks I say: Sorry, but I don't sleep with my animals. I know some people do. That's fine for them, but it's not fine for me. I like sleeping with my husband. And just my husband. Well, except for a grandchild. I'd invite a grandchild to sleep with us and have on many occasions. But still, a grandchild is a person and sadly I do differentiate between my people relationships and my animal relationships.

Now I figure I have two choices. Choice number one: I just suck it up and listen to the barking all night. Choice number two: I let Joe out of the cage and clean up pee and poop in the morning. I don't like either choice.

Is there such a thing as bad pet karma 'cause I think we have it.