# How to stop dog barking through the night



## Moofin (May 16, 2012)

So a little background!

I'm currently looking after one of my mum's dogs for awhile as she's bed bound at the moment. He's roughly 8 years old and we think he's a German Spitz - he doesn't play with any toys as he's pretty blind unfortunately. He can move around objects fine though so there must be some sight there.

He's usually very good during the day, he'll mostly sleep and if he does bark a quick 'shh' and he'll stop but come bed time it's a whole different matter. We made the mistake of letting him in our bedroom to sleep in to begin with and he doesn't sleep through the night. He'll walk around, breathe heavy and start grooming himself (very loudly with lots of slurps!) so it disturbs us. He seems to bark around 5 - 6am to be let out.

For example, last night we thought we would take him for a late walk to tire him before bed so we left around 10:30pm got back at 11pm - and we went upstairs at 12 to sleep. He woke at 3:30am and did his usual business of walking around, loud grooming and panting with the occasional try of getting our attention.

We tried moving him into the lounge with the door shut but he cannot stand it and he barks constantly. We can't ignore him as we're in a terrace house with paper thin walls so instead every time he barked we did a 'shh' through the door. After a *long* while he would settle down but then within an hour he'd be back to barking. He woke to bark at 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7 - where we finally gave up, let him out for his wee and then he came back upstairs so we could get a quick 30 mins of shut eye.

We can't distract him with toys as he simply isn't interested in them.

Are we doing it all wrong, what would be the best way to go about this? We're trying to be patient but it can be hard at 4:30am when we're trying not to wake the neighbours!

I realise this is a little long but for your time here's a pic of the cheeky chap in question!

Thanks for reading an any suggestions would be most appreciated!


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

What happens if you close all of the curtains and follow the same routine but during the day?

When you let him out does he toilet straight away?

What was his bedtime routine at your mum's?


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## Moofin (May 16, 2012)

We close the curtains at night time, and I shut the upstairs bathroom and second bedroom door to try and prevent any light coming through (in the hope he would sleep through upstairs).

He usually goes to the toilet straight away although last night I tried letting him out at 5 just in case he needed to go but he didn't.

I think the usual routine is to let them out last thing and shut them in the kitchen/diner room - the stairs are in the kitchen but they put a baby gate so they can't go upstairs. Apparently he starts to bark around 7 - 7:30 to be let out.


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

But if you do the same bedtime routine during the day, say 1pm, does he still do the same thing and bark etc?

Can you go get your mum's pyjamas? It's not a preverse request I promise 

If he barks at night and that early in the morning it could be that due to his failing eyesight he feels scared in the unfamiliar so giving him something familiar smelling i.e. smells of your mum, it might give him some reassurance fo familiarity. Once the light comes in he can see object to find his way about if he needs to, once the light gets below a certain level he can't see squat so panics as he won't be able to locate an escape route so feels scared.
At your mum's it wouldn't surprise me if he has a mental map of where everything is down the last stride so he can find his way round in the low light levels.

What happens if you leave a lamp on for them during the night so he has some form of vision?


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## Moofin (May 16, 2012)

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to reply!

Yes, if we close the living room door on him during the day he'll bark - I wouldn't say he suffers from separation anxiety as he is fine when we go out during the day (he won't make a peep - but we don't close him in the lounge either). As soon as I shut a door on him he doesn't like it and will bark.

I'm not sure how blind he is as he seems to be able to navigate our stairs and what not during the night - but maybe he's just already mapped his route out. I'll definitely take your suggestion of leaving a light on in the living room just in case to see if that will soothe him.

I'll try and get something with my mum's scent on as soon as I can but I won't be able to get anything for the next couple of days.

I really want to persevere with him being in the living room at night but every time he barks I'm thinking of my poor neighbours. I don't think we could ignore him as he goes on and on and on and on..


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

I would deffinately go with the something your mum has worn too, smell is very important to dogs anyway in general, and to a partially sighted one probably even more so.

Its believed that the vibrissae the sticking out whiskers you see on a dogs face which have nerves attached can help them "feel" there way around, although this is more associated with cats then dogs, I was reaing an aticle on it some time ago, if a blind dog that was sent to the groomers and they cut/shaved these off and he wasnt so adept after at finding his way around.

Has he got cataracts? if so depending where they are placed, they can sometimes look over or around them, but certain lighting can make it easier for them.

Im assuming he has but has he got all his own usual bed blankets and things he has at home with him too?

DAP Adaptil diffusers can help calm and settle them. They work like a plug in air freshner and can help calm and soothe anxious dogs
Adaptil - The secret to happy dogs - Adaptil available from vets and pets at home but Ive found them cheaper on line Online Vet | Get Cheap Pet Medicine and Treatments Online From Vet-Medic - Vet-Medic is where I get mine if you want to perhaps try them.


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## Moofin (May 16, 2012)

Hi Sled Dog - I've heard that about cats before too, I didn't realise it translated to dogs too but I suppose that makes sense!

I think he has cataracts, you can see them in the photo above - the blue cloudyness in his eyes. He can definitely see some things (maybe general outlines) but detail is the problem for him, for example we were at the park and he was walking around and when I called him he came back to me but failed to see a branch in front of him and walked into it.

He's got his bed and blanket although unfortunately I had to wash his blankie as it became soiled. He prefers lying on the floor to his bed, although I'm sure it's a comfort just having it there.

I'll have a look into that DAP diffuser.

Would you say I'm doing it the right way when I put him in the lounge - should I be doing the 'shh' thing, or will that just encourage him to back more?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Moofin said:


> Hi Sled Dog - I've heard that about cats before too, I didn't realise it translated to dogs too but I suppose that makes sense!
> 
> I think he has cataracts, you can see them in the photo above - the blue cloudyness in his eyes. He can definitely see some things (maybe general outlines) but detail is the problem for him, for example we were at the park and he was walking around and when I called him he came back to me but failed to see a branch in front of him and walked into it.
> 
> ...


Reading back something has just got me thinking. You say you think he is about 8? 8 although not that old is still a senior dog, is there a possibility he could even be older? The only reason Ive asked is that in older age dogs can get something called cognitive dysfuction syndrome. One of the classic signs is sleeping a lot during the day and a good deep sleep too, then at night they are active and restless, walking around wont settle or not for long, they pant and mither on too. grooming themselves excessively too can if especially in the same sort of places sometimes be a sign of discomfort or pain, or it can also be a stressy behaviour thing, some can give themselves lick granulomas.
Other signs that develope too although later and not altogether are things like wanting to go out and then looking lost you can almost see them thinking why am I out here. They can also just stand and star gaze and look generally confused, some even walk into corners and get stuck.

Just wondering if maybe he can have a mild form of it, but in his own surroundings was coping so nothing noticed really as yet, but with the added confusion of now being with you and even maybe being a bit stressed he is showing it more.

There are things you can get, Aktivait is one, its a neutraceutical for optimum brain function in older dogs, not drugs you can get that from the vet or on line. 
http://www.vetplus.co.uk/PDF/LEAF/aktivait_leaflet.pdf

If he is just generally stressed out and unsettled zylkene again quite safe and again from vets or on line can help
Zylkène - For life&#39;s ups and downs

KalmAid is another good reccomended one too again safe and natural
http://www.nutri-science.net/pets/pdfs/KalmAid DL.pdf


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Good morning,

Did you leave a lamp on for him last night?

How did you get on?


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## Moofin (May 16, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Reading back something has just got me thinking. You say you think he is about 8? 8 although not that old is still a senior dog, is there a possibility he could even be older? The only reason Ive asked is that in older age dogs can get something called cognitive dysfuction syndrome.....]


Wow, all of that was very interesting - thanks so much for taking the time to write all that.

We think he is around 8 years old, he was a stray and was malnourished when they found him roaming the street when they took him to the vet they guessed he was a minimum of 8ish months old (he was tiny though) - so we're basing his age off that really.

It could definitely be a possibility with the cognitive dysfunction, the things that seem to fit are the excessive grooming (he loves to lick his paws), panting (heavy breathing), sleeps a lot, and he has been itching a lot even though he was fleed 3 weeks ago. I bought him some cream last night as I noticed he was red on his belly from where he'd been scratching. I was thinking maybe the grass in our area was irritating/allergic to him.

Last night went a lot better, we managed to find something to put against the stairs which acted like a baby gate so he had access to the hallway, lounge and kitchen. We let him fall asleep before we went upstairs and we awoke at 2:30am to him barking, at first we tried ignoring him and we eventually went to saying 'ahh' to him every time he barked and he eventually settled back done - result! He then woke up again at 5am and we did the same as before until he settled, then we let him out at 6am. So I think we'll keep with this routine and from now on restrict him from upstairs so he doesn't get confused about when he can/can't go up there.

On a completely unrelated note I don't suppose anyone has any tips on how to leave the house without him thinking he's going somewhere - when I leave, he dashes for the door and gets all excited and I have to squeeze myself out of the door.

I try to make him sit, but he starts to bark and get excited and runs for the door consistently. I always leave in a calm manner so as not to get him excited, but no dice.

Edit: Yes I left a lamp on and it seemed to help along with the barrier (I think he much prefers the door not being shut - less scary perhaps)! Thank you very much for the suggestion


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Good stuff :thumbup:

With regards for turning the door into a kising gate, try going to the door a few times and just truning away from it, ignore the dog and carry on doing something mundane i.e. enter the kitchen, walk to the door, touch the handle, turn around (careful not to step on him), go switch the kettle on for a brew. Make a brew, walk back the door, back touch the handle and go back to pick up your brew/s.
Once he's not charging after you as much you can turn/lever the handle on the door instead of touching it but don't open the door. Wehn you can do this without him on your heels then you can open the door slightly and close it again. Gradually build this up to being able to open the door fully and close it again.
Now you can open the door, go outside, come back in and close it. Then go outside, close the door behind and immediatley return and close the door again.

OR

You can use the "Ah!" you have been using to cease the barking episodes as this will reinforce its meaning.
It works the same as the above steps but you watch the dog and as soon as he starts to move towards the door you say "AH!" and make sure he stops which might include stepping back towards to him. You could even walk backwards to the door to begin with so you can keep a keen eye on any movement he makes towrds you be it a paw lift of even a body weight shift on to his front paws - depends how fast you are.

Make it a game and it all becomes a game of "What time is it Mr Wolf?"


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