Camber is continually getting up earlier.  What was 6:00 AM a few months ago has now transformed in 4:30-5:00 AM.  She starts making a racket unless we take her and then she expects breakfast right away. 

What is the best way to combat this behavior?  I am sick of getting up this early.  I don’t think she really “needs” to go to the bathroom that early, but wants that meal as early as possible!

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I'd start feeding her once you get home in the evening, that way you can take her on a walk about a half hour later to let her use the restroom closer to bedtime.

We feed her at 7:00 PM, and I feel if I feed her dinner earlier, she'll be even more hungry earlier.  We also either walk her or at least let her out before we go to bed. 

 

I really think she has us figured out and it's been working for her.  Unless I get better advice, I am going to either tell her "no" firmly or maybe kick her out of our room if she starting making noise in the morning.  She is too smart sometimes.

very true, you know how they tell you to let babies cry it out sometimes, maybe that's what you should do with her.  Maybe cage her at night in your room, and let her out when you are ready to, she might wine and cry, but ignoring it and saying no might help
I would just ignore her, or take her out ONLY to potty, and then immediately back in the crate. If she's really making a fuss I've given a strong thump on the top of the plastic crate along with a stern "settle" or "bed time" or whatever command you want to use too.
This is the method we use.  There are mornings LeeLoo wants to get up at 4 am and even without her collar on, she can make a lot of noise!  One of us gets up, lets her out, and if she can't go back to bed, she gets put out of our room and she retreats to the couch.  It doesn't fill her request of food and it's also piece of mind that she won't make a potty mess on the floor.  That way we sleep in until 7 and then she gets fed.
Take her out one last time before you go to bed

We don't have a cage for her.  It's funny to see how frantic she is when we let her out in the morning.  Looking for spots at hyper speed.  She'll bolt in right to her bowl.  Camber is not a lovy dog, but after you feed her in the morning, she is like another dog. 

 

How about decreasing her breakfast portion and increasing her dinner portion?  Maybe she'll feel fuller in the morning? 

As someone else said, you need to just let her cry. Don't let her dictate your schedule. Sounds like she has you wrapped around your little finger. Sleep with a squirt bottle by your bed and if she starts to whine just squirt her. You know she doesn't have to potty, and she won't starve to death with breakfast a bit later. I wouldn't adjust her food, just adjust the timing. She will learn eventually that whining means getting squirted. If she likes to play in the water you can add some lemon or lime juice to the water to make it more unpleasant because dogs hate citrus.
I think you should definitely ignore it, especially if you live in a house where there are no immediate neighbors to annoy.  My wife and I had the same problem with Leena.  Luckily, the neighbors upstairs had moved out and we could allow her to bark.  It may seem mean, but puppies quickly learn.  She can wait the extra 2 hours, especially if she goes out before bed.
I do the squirt bottle and it works good. All I have to do is get the bottle out and they know what it means. Stop whatever you are doing .Most of the time all I have to do is say squirt bottle and they know. Dont  tell them but most of the time the bottle is empty.
works like a charm with Brody too.  A few weeks ago he started scratching on the sliding glass door to go in and out instead of barking, 2 suqirts and he immediately stopped, hasn't done it since.

This morning Camber was making a fuss at 4:15, I raised my voice to her with "No", dragged her lightly back to her bed and she did not make any noise till around 5:30 which is fine and when we get up.

 

Will keep you posted.

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