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Barking the middle of the night

8 replies

321Go · 07/12/2014 16:52

Hi
We brought home 6 month old rescue collie 2 weeks ago. He has settled in brilliantly. Most things are going really well. Almost house trained, walking well on the lead etc etc.
However, the last few nights he has woken up at 3am and barked endlessly. I've taken him outside in case he needed a wee hoping that would settle him, but no. I've tried shutting the kitchen door so he can't see out of the door there.
Any suggestions? I need some sleep!
We live by a road, but not much traffic in the night. He is sleeping in the hallway with my room nearby.
Thank you!

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atonofwashing · 07/12/2014 21:12

Oh no, poor you.
I am not sure what to suggest. Separation anxiety? Acute hearing?
Our ddog, now sadly at the rainbow bridge, used to bark in the middle of the night as she heard everything!
She also came out of quarantine years ago, and for two weeks was in the lounge at night. After that she wanted to be with us, and barked the house down, so we brought her into the bedroom which calmed her down, but that's not always the best solution.

Sorry, can't be of any more help, but I appreciate your frustration.

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wheresthelight · 07/12/2014 21:42

collies have crazy acute hearing, are you aware of any owls near you? or hedgehogs? my mum's collies (both rescues) go nuts if they hear owls hooting or if they can sense the scuffles of hedgehogs.

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atonofwashing · 07/12/2014 21:50

My parents have 2 nutty springers and they go bonkers at the foxes in the middle of the night. If only we could train our ddogs to barks at humans breaking and entering and to ignore scuffling hedgehogs.... Hmmm there'd be money in that, I'd bet!

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321Go · 07/12/2014 21:52

Thanks for the replies. We do get hedgehogs occasionally, no idea about owls.
I leave my bedroom door open - room just off the hallway - so he's free to come in, and I've been calling him in when he's barking.
In the day time he only barks when he hears the dog a few doors down.
He seems fine separation-wise. I work part-time and we are in and out of the house which he is seeming to cope with fine.
Any ideas of how to calm him down?
Typically he is sound asleep on the sofa now (only took 10 days for the 'not going on the sofa' rule to be thrown out of the window!)

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atonofwashing · 07/12/2014 21:55

Hmmm, clicker training and offering treat when quiet?
I know collies are super bright, so might work?
Ask the vet?

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wheresthelight · 07/12/2014 22:03

fill an empty coke bottle woth stones and every time he does it rattle the bottle, then when he is quiet give him lots of praise and a treat.

works to discourage all unwanted behaviour, was the trick my mum and dad were given when they adopted their second collie. it has worked wonders on her.

also try making sure that he gets time to run free and play (assuming his recall is good) our two are ball obsessed so half an hour chasing a ball and they sleep soundly for hours

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CalamityKate1 · 07/12/2014 22:12

Please don't use rattle bottles for anything. Sound aversives like this - especially with a dog who may well be sound sensitive - are never a good idea and often make things worse. Not to mention the fact that it's unkind and can only damage your relationship with the dog.

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321Go · 07/12/2014 22:43

Thank again. I'll keep some treats by my bed and see how we go tonight.
Lots of running about today. Good long walk on the lead, but Frisbee with the kids in the garden for ages this afternoon.