dog barking at night

Thanks MerlotGran.
To put the record straight she's only once slept in the chicken run, and that was when we had a visitor who was terrified of dogs. She was quite happy when we let her out in the morning.
She won't even eat in the house. she eats raw and picks up her piece of meat, chicken etc and takes it outside taking her time over eating it. (I know shock horror raw chicken.)
Having a dog in the country is quite different from in a town. We rarely close our outer door.
I can assure you, glammanana she's probably fitter and healthier than any town dog.

To be far to Tricia, many working collies live their entire lives outside even in the depths of winter. They are a hardy breed. The south of France sounds a lot cushier for an outside dog northern counties of the British Isles.

They are loved and well cared for just not indoor pets.

Recognising an elderly dog now needs some home comforts is a lot better than a quick bullet because it has outlived its usefulness.

She needs to be indoors with you poor thing,I can't understand that you know nothing about dogs when she if 15 yrs old how have you managed until now.

merlotgran - Our chicken run is an area of about 300sq.m. It has a 1.5m fence all around, the gate always closed. Their 'house' is nearly as big as an average garage, with a roof and windows. Sheltered by an overhanging tree.
We leave their house door open in summer to ventilate, and close it when it gets really cold (rare here.)
Our dog is a longhaired border collie with about 3 coats, she loves cold weather, doesn't even mind light rain.
But as I said above, I think the time has come now to keep her indoors more.

I'm starting to feel sorry for the chickens now if the dog can go in and out of the coop willy nilly. Are they not shut in at night?

Ok Tricia I have a different view of your dog sleeping outside now - I was very sad to think of her out in the wind and rain feeling totally abandoned. It made me shed a tear to be honest and I couldn't stop thinking about it when I went to bed (esp as it was pouring with rain last night).
But I still think she now needs to be near you at night for comfort in her old age - it's a very sad time when our dogs get old
Please do your best for her x

She actually quite likes to be in the chicken run - she enjoys, herding them, and its a big area, very sheltered.
She's quite fit for her age, TG, and still skips around like a puppy when she's excited (going for a walk etc.)
But I agree it is a bit cruel now, since she's gone deaf.
Also, we live in the south of France where the climate is warm and she has always preferred to be outside. Nobody around here keeps their dogs in the house.

Sounds like old dog dementia. Does she wander aimlessly from room to room as well? Ours did. Keep her close. She's an old lady and this sounds like the beginning of the end. I know it's annoying to be woken up but she can't help it. Poor old thing.

We have kept Border Collies for the last 40 years, and they are very reactive, and do bark when worried, so your dog may be worried rather than reacting to noise.

We give ours the run of most of the house at night, they have a bed in our room, and the current one does wander about and become unsettled sometimes in the early hours.

Perhaps a visit and check at the vets would be a good idea, she may be reacting to sudden pain. I was relieved to read you have decided not to put her in the chicken run in future.

I have just reread this thread, i cant believe you are thinking of shutting this elderly dog out and hoping it will shelter in the chicken run !!! would you do that to an elderly relative !!!! , sorry but you are not a a good dog owner ,

Please don't shut her out, she'll be totally confused and unhappy. She needs company and reassurance from you. It may seem "inconvenient" but it's one of the responsibilities we take on when we take a dog into to our lives.
If she is deaf she won't be hearing any of the wild visitors outside but if she is actually outside with them she'll certainly see and smell them which will make her extremely frightened

What an amazing age for a spaniel Felix. Both of our Springers lived to 14 and both by then had adopted some strange behaviours caused by failing eyesight and loss of hearing. I agree with others on here Tricia, she really wants to be with you.

We had an elderly (18) cocker spaniel who had never barked much, but towards the end of his life did bark quite often as he was deaf. I believe it comforted him.

for your old dog and all the dogs that I have had to an old age

I agree that whilst I sympathise, putting your old dog in the chicken run isn't the best response to her old age.

Is she still reasonably fit other than the deafness. We had an old border collie cross who definitely became confused/demented in the final year of her life. Our vet prescribed anti inflammatories because she had hip pain that made getting into a standing position hard for her. That helped her settle.
I feel there is something special about our old dogs, they deserve the best we can give them in the final stages of their lives.

Ahh I hope you don't put her out in the chicken run poor old thing, she's old, over 100 ( in our years) I think she needs your company and may not sleep as soundly as when she was a young un
I wouldn't start giving her tablets she's on a natural decline as a very elderly lady just let her be as she's most comfortable 15 is a very good age

Oh good I'm so glad you've decided to do that!!
In her doggy way she is a member of your pack and to be excluded will be a dreadful thing for her. She feels secure with you close by to safeguard her in her old age.

Sounds like your dog more than likely has dementia, try her on aktivait, you can get it from the vets or on line, it works really well .

I'd forgotten - when I eventually got back to sleep I had a dream that she'd fallen into the well in our garden and sunk into the deep water. Then she changed into DD1 who is a good swimmer, swam back up and climbed out. Husband always says I treat her like a daughter, even call her by daughter's name sometimes.

Thanks to both of you. I looked up the Google links and it does help.
I'm not a dog expert at all - she's the first dog we've had, so don't know what to expect etc.
Last night I put her bed upstairs with us at 11 pm and she came up quite happily and slept until 4am.Then started scratching the door to go out. I went down with her and opened the door - she rushed out and did a bit of barking, then came back up to her bed and went back to sleep . I think we'll have to leave all doors open.

its so hard when they age/i dont know of a solution but if she doesn't mind the chicken house,,,why not.
second there is a form of" doggie alzhiemers"
and last some say- they do it because they can hear it/
and i imagine it is very confusing for them.trying to do thier job still.
search old deaf dog barking.it is not uncommon.there is alot of information

She needs you!!! You can get a sort of lift things that go under their tummies or make up something yourself.
We keep our dogs bed upstairs and that is where he sleeps.
Don't shut her out