Two Dogs and An Acquaintance

We are a three dog family.  We have three crates lined up in the kitchen, and no, Sarah Beagle and I are not upset that our crates are beige and Olive Badger's crate is pink and pinker.  Our crates are bigger and do not smell like pee.  We have three leashes, three dishes, and three different spots to curl up next to Mom in bed.

But one of us has suddenly decided that she should bark and howl and carry on at 4:30 in the morning.  After our holiday bouts with illness, Mom or Dad jump out of bed to check to make sure all three of us dogs were okay and not sick.  We're fine.  I'm barely awake, but I'm fine.

We've just got an agitator in the midst.

Sarah Beagle might not seem like the sharpest tack, but she's figured out that barking brings Mom and then she's let out of her crate and if she's quick enough, she can get into Mom and Dad's bed and settle in.  It's worked for awhile, but now Mom and Dad are wise to her and have been ignoring her.

Which has only succeeded in making her crank up her howls, making Mom have dark circles under her eyes, and Dad giving Sarah Beagle looks of pure ire.  Luckily Sarah noticed and was silent this morning.  I hope it continues.  We were on the edge of being a two dog and an acquaintance family!