Older Dog has started barking at night

If he is an old dog them i would suggest trying Activait which is a non prescription supplement for old dogs who might be getting dementia. The only sign in my old dog was that as he got a bit deafer, he would lose me round the house. It took a while to have an effect (I think they say six weeks) but it did perk him up and he was able to learn to go and look for me whereas before if he got somewhere and I wasn't there eg the garage, he would just stand and wait. he has learned some new cues to help him to find me, eg if the upstairs light is on and the downstairs loo door is open (he used to wait outside the closed door thinking I was in there) then I am upstairs whereas before the activait, new learning was not possible.

OH PS please do not muzzle dogs to stop them barking and NEVER leave a muzzle on a dog if you are not right there to supervise. Dogs have been injured, even died getting the muzzle caught on things. The soft "sleeve" kind are even more dangerous as they stop the dog panting.

Maya1

Casdon, it is just my husband and l here with him. We are both retired and because he has had so many problems he hasn't been left very often.
We don't go on holiday unless he can come with us or days out.
We did wonder if something happened on that Saturday night,
It was the first night we left him since lockdown to babysit our granddaughter.
I feel so guilty now.

Maybe something did happen on the Saturday night when you babysat.
I suspect leaving him for a few hours after not being left at all during lockdown maybe was stressful ?

Some dogs ‘play’ us and without us realising they are manipulating our behaviour to their own ends. I’m not saying your dog is doing this- but it’s something to be aware of. Two of my last three dogs were/are manipulative , just because they are such bright clever dogs.

I would go down stairs, after hearing the barking, there would be no interaction between me and the dog.
Just make a drink sit a while then go back up. Do this gradually taking your night time drink nearer to the stairs, after a week you will aim to be halfway up the stairs, sat on the stairs with your drink. The end goal is to to have the dog reassured just by seeing you without excitement or any interaction.

I only mention it because it worked for my sister, she had the exact same problem!

With mine they just love to sleep with smelly socks, worn pants and t shirts for reassurance.

GrandtanteJE65,
It may have done, it could happened when we were out on Saturday night. We do live on an estate so maybe fireworks which he hates.
No new neighbours, dog next door.
Thank you

I have ordered some Activait, it's worth a try, thank you.
We would never put a muzzle on him.
The vet got back to me thus evening, they are short staffed...
Nothing showing his urine sample, all good.
His kidneys looking OK.
She suggested that l give extra pain relief for the next 4 nights
And see if it makes a difference. He has severe arthritis in all his joints and spine. If that doesn't help, blood tests on Monday.

I will do as you say tonight 3dognight. We are pretty desperate as very worried about him.
We would also like some ??

Oh l forgot to say something quite important. When we were out on our lunchtime walk, he did almost bite someone.
This is totally out of character, a man came up to us and without asking tried to stroke him. He put his hand down to his face and luckily pulled it back in time as Finn snapped.
So that's aggression and the barking.

That sounds like deafness or loss of sight. Having said that, no one should just go to stroke someone’s dog without asking. What an awful situation you would be in if he had bitten the man, and it wouldn’t have been his or your fault.

Can you take him somewhere quiet for exercise? Allow nobody to touch him, but it would be a good idea to clip his lead on if people approach, if you greet them make him sit and wait for a treat?
Remember whatever emotions you are feeling transmit down the lead , so always try to feel calm and confident.

I have similar issues with one of mine,
She goes off lead a lot, but has trained herself to run back to me if she sees anyone with dogs or not. She was always called back to me with a special whistle call , but now does it second nature, no need for whistle.

Good luck I’m sure things will improve soon.

Thank you both for your advice. The trouble is, he is a lovely looking long haired tri coloured border collie. The man was walking by us, Finn was sitting down waiting for his friend to catch and the man just bent down. Finn was on his lead.
Normally, he just ignores everyone whatever they do.

Hetty58 wrote:
"Caleo, I sleep downstairs these days as my JRT often needs a trip outside in the early hours. It's quite bad enough struggling with the harness and putting garden shoes on - without negotiating stairs when I'm half asleep".

Hetty, can you not fence off the garden so your JRT can go out unaccompanied?

We had some strange symptoms like this with our dog about a year ago. He is now 12. He started scratching at the door (he sleeps in his basket in the kitchen) and seemed very frightened. He has never 'done' stairs so taking him up there would not have worked. We could only let him into the hall where we could call out to soothe him. He also started doing what I can only describe as a sort of cow lowing noise. Off to the vet ( thought maybe arthritis pain) nothing wrong. After a while it just stopped. We thought he had dementia but apparently not. His sight and hearing are going a bit now but he's been fine. I suppose we will never know what that was all about. .

I did read something once by a dog behaviourist who said that elderly dogs get scared of being attacked and not being able to defend themselves, like they might in the wild. I suppose the only thing you can do is try to console him but do go back to your own bed or he might get used to it. Maybe a talk radio on low all night?
Does the vet have any ideas?

Sorry, I've just seen that your vet was not very helpful. Maybe he is in some pain or just uncomfortable with the arthritis and he is already on meds so not much to be done. Coukd the barking be a side effect if the meds, causing anxiety etc? The plug in was quite helpful with our cat. I think i would try that.

You are having a worrying time. My first thought was dementia starting but I think the main clue is that this started when you went out for a while to babysit. It could be separation anxiety which has been triggered as he hasn't been alone much. Collies are the smartest breed and this can be a plus and a minus. I have a poodle second smartest apparently. I didn't want her to have anxiety when I left her so as a pup I would go out for short periods of time initially then building to longer to allow her to realise it was fine and I would come back. Also I think is important that when you return you shouldn't fuss over your dog and if they get excited ignore the behaviour until they are calm. I feel you don't want them anticipating your return but just to accept it in a matter of fact way when you come back. It maybe worth trying this sort of approach ie going out for increasing lengths of time and no fuss on return. This possible could increase his confidence and decrease his anxiety. We put our dog in our utility room where her bed is in an open crate to sleep. So she has a "cave" to go into which she feels secure in. We just tell her to go to her bed and when she goes in she gets a reward biscuit and we leave the house. Interestingly though, recently my dog who is 9 started whining one night. As she doesn't usually do this I thought she was ill and needed out but that wasn't the case. I put her back to bed but once I was upstairs I heard her start up again. I put her back to bed but as this repeated I ended up closing the crate door and that stopped her. She did it the next night and after checking she was well I closed the crate door and it hasn't (fingers crossed) happened again. She is really smart and I know if I once took her upstairs I would never get her in her own area again. She has also learned that to keep other dogs away (she has been attacked twice by dogs) she can do this by snapping at them when they come near. So basically gets in first to tell them to back off. This is what I mean about there being a negative to them being bright. You mentioned about your dog snapping at the man. He certainly was in the wrong to try to touch your dog and maybe someone had touched him in the past and like my dog he remembered and wasn't wanting this interaction. If he is anxious this may explain the behaviour. You can get yellow collars or coats that say 'nervous dog', 'give me space' or similar which might help stop people from touching him. I hope you get to the root of his problem.

Our lovely boy (about 12) didn’t do stairs for the first year we had him. He had never lived indoors and being predominantly Greyhound they are not always keen on stairs. He had awful separation anxiety too. One night he was so distressed with fireworks we carried him upstairs (no mean feat, he’s a big lad). Well, he discovered beds and has never looked back. He sleeps in our room in his own basket and comes into our bed for an hour or so in the morning for a cuddle and is so happy. Might be worth seeing if you could get your dog upstairs too? They are so much happier when they are with you. Hope you get it sorted - good luck ?

Thank you all so much for all the advice. Shelbel, we are trying the plug in device. He is on galliprant for pain.
Dustyhen2010, we are trying short periods in the day time and he seems OK then. He won't use a crate, we did try that when we first got him, he is terrified of enclosed spaces. No doors can be closed. He cannot go into kennels, he was at the vets once for a procedure and they forgot, left him to wake up in a cage. They had to call us to get him out as he wouldn't allow them near him. We were extremely angry as he was very upset and we changed vets.
That's a good idea about the nervous dog coat, collar suggestion, thanks.
Mamma66, we do want to try and get him upstairs if possible. We have tried in the past when the fireworks have upset him but he sits down and refuses to budge.
He weighs 35kg so is a big dog, l have ordered a heavy duty harness to see if we can coax him upstairs using that.

Hi maya1, sorry to hear re your beloved collie. My elderly cocker had started same thing, barking in middle of night. Took her out for toilet but still every night disturbed. I have given I and taken her upstairs to sleep with me. She has bad arthritis and think it was pain or being uncomfortable which woke her. She has slept solidly since. Only other thought I had was ...you wouldn't have mice as this is the time of year they start trying to get into houses?? Maybe the dog is hearing them?? Sounds though like ke needs lots of reassurance x

Hi Susysue, we do take out Finn last thing for toilet before bed. I have tried extra pain relief, it made no difference to tge barking.
He starts barking within 10 to 30 minutes of us going to bed.
I got the harness but he refuses to go up the stairs and is too large to carry.
I hadn't thought of mice. Once I come downstairs though, he gets on his bed and goes straight to sleep.
I've just got him an adaptil collar to see if that helps.
At the moment lm still sleeping downstairs with him every night.

have you tried anything like calming tablets or a spray, they take a few days to start working but they really do help. I can recommend Dorwest herbs,they are so good. I used Scullcap and Valerian Tablets and Valerian Compound for my dog just before & during the firework season last year, they didn't make him drowsy at all by the way,he was just calm and relaxed like he usually is and he slept soundly. It could be worth sending them an email to enquire about what would be the most effective for your dog,before you buy, they are very knowledgeable about their products & so friendly too

i could have written exactly this! Our springer/collie cross, 11 years old, in recent weeks barks and whines unless i come down and i sleep on sofa, where she just ignores me and sleeps! She does come upstairs but insists i come downstairs to sleep ! Also rescued at 12 months and has various issues since but nothing like this!

Have any of your neighbours set up one of those devices (which after being a teenager no one can hear) to frighten off animals or bird intruders. Your dog (and babies) can hear it but you can’t.
Unbeknown to me, my neighbours installed a bird frightener, I have no pets but it interfered with my radio even though it was quite some distance.

Thanks, highlanddreams, l will email them and ask. He is on a number of natural remedies and l am willing to try anything to help.
You have my best wishes, basicallygrace12, l hope things improve for you.
My neighbour has a dog, mokryna, so l doubt it but l will ask when go out with Finn later.
A minor miracle happened earlier this morning though, we managed to get him up the stairs, the first time in 10 years.
It then took 15 minutes to coax him back down, but progress. I text everyone l knew to tell them the amazing news...Lol.

Maya1, since my message to you, I have got a "bioflow" magnetic dog collar for my old girl with arthritis. Two days on, what a difference. She is not limping and seems much more lively and comfortable. Wonder if this might help if your woofie is uncomfortable with arthritis. It cost £26 on amazon, pretty expensive for a collar but I was willing to try give it a try. X

I hope you don't mind me posting again,but I was wondering if a night light of some sort might help him feel more secure. I don't use a plug in one because I worry about chewing.What we have instead is a large chuck it max glow ball (dog toy) If left in sunlight it will charge up & glow all night but if it's a dark day or Winter you can just hold it close to a light bulb for a minute or two (bedside light is ideal & easy) to charge up It gives off a gentle glow that might just let him see where he is without keeping him awake or alert. We put ours in the hallway on top of our dog's water dispenser so he can easily see where it is should he need a drink in the middle of the night and won't stumble into the wall. It's safer too because it doesn't need to be plugged into the electric either .

Thanks Highlanddreams, Dorwest herbs have been really helpful. I have placed an order with them. I am also getting some tree bark powder for his stomach problems.
I do leave a night light for him, that hasn't made any difference to the barking.
Thanks for the info about the biology collar, Susysue. His Librela injections are really helping and not causing stomach problems.
Two nights ago, he was acting more bizarrely, 4am he nudges me awake. I take him out, he promptly sits on the green outside the house and looks at me. He did this on and on until 6am.
We have been to the vets today, she thoroughly examined him and thinks its the start of dementia. She suggested that we try all the natural remedies for him before resorting to prescription drugs.
I take him back in a month and hopefully the Scullcap and Valerian will have helped.
Thank you all for trying to help, l really do appreciate it. It has been so distressing to see him like this. We love him very much.