Notes from a sleep-deprived blogger.

Since about Friday or Saturday I haven't had a full nights sleep this – I mentioned in yesterday's blog - is due to my English springer spaniel who goes by the name of Polly. Normally in Caza de Cochrane I am the first to go to bed, followed by my Mum, then my Dad and my brother goes to bed when his work reaches a natural conclusion for the day/night. The dog sleeps in living room where she has access to the kitchen for food and water from her bowls and normally this isn't a problem.

On Saturday she started howling in the middle of the night. Proper howling, like a werewolf may howl at the moon. During the early hours of Sunday morning I went through for a bit to try to get her to shut the hell up and ended up sitting on the sofa watching the Schwarzenegger movie Last Action Hero (which, incidentally, is rubbish) while the dog was basically lying on top of me. She fell asleep, I went to back bed. She started howling again and ended up in my parents' room. She ended up there on Sunday night too, after a repeat performance of this, although I didn't go through this time.

On Monday we discussed a new strategy: leave her alone. Let her howl and let her come to the realisation that no one was going to come through. That night she howled between the hours of two and three and again between five and six. I think she was keeping everyone awake, but none of us went through. And last night I managed to stop her keeping everyone awake by copping out and putting her in my parents' room with the words "Here's the dog for you."

Anyone got any ideas what could be causing this? I think it has something to do with the very bright, full moon we've had lately, but I could be wrong. Do pet psychologists exist? What I do know is that this shows very little sign of ending; even as I type this she whining because I'm not paying her any attention. To top it all my next-door neighbours have a baby who is about twenty-weeks-old and he's sleeping right the way through the night.

Anyway, must go. I think I shall have another cup of coffee, I substance with which I shall be propping myself up with today.

Cheerio-bye-tata.

FYI: The opened up Firefox to post this and had a quick look at my homepage, which is the BBC's front page. What article where they advertising? Tips on getting a good blood night's sleep. Bastards. Nothing on keeping your dog quiet though...