Dog unsettled at night all of a sudden

[Workinghardeveryday]

My lovely 4 year olds chihuahua who always sleeps downstairs in his bed with blankets is waking in the night.

He isn’t allowed upstairs, he has started getting up about 1am, starts jumping up at the door to get upstairs. To start with I went down, let him out for a wee then put him back to bed. 5 minutes later it started again. I went back down and settled him.

After about 4 times I tried to ignore him (wooden floor downstairs so his jumping sounds very loud) he carried on for 3 hours!! Then started crying and he sounded upset, not a dog whine, like he was dog crying!!

One night he didn’t sleep until 4.30am. I am shattered and don’t know what to do with him. He will settle if dd15 goes and lies on the sofa with him.

He is weei g and pooing as normal, happy and playful in the day and will happily sleep in his bed.

I asked the vet but they couldn’t think of anything.

Please could anyone offer advice?

Thanks

To add, nothing has changed in the house at all.

This morning when I went down he had wee’d. He does this randomly every now and again but hasn’t done it in months. He didn’t start jumping until after he had wee’d this morning. He slept until about 5 then I woke with the noise and went down to make a cuppa tea.

This dog can easily sleep all evening on my knee, go to bed at 11 and not even get up for a wee until lunchtime the next day seriously!!

Is he cold , you could try putting him in a coat or dog pyjamas , alternatively let him sleep in your daughters room .

Fireworks?
Ndn wlndchimes?
Milkman?

He hates putting jumpers and coats on, might look for a new one for him.

Don’t want him upstairs though, he sheds so much hair for a little dog!

Oh come on op bring him upstairs you big meanie

Have a look at Equafleece they are really light and don’t restrict movement . ( although I think the real answer is take him to bed )

😂, no!!! I can’t handle anymore flipping hair 😂.

But why on earth is he doing it though? It’s weird.

I bought a nanny cam at the weekend but need a memory chip thing for it to record, it’s useless really without one, unless I just stay up watching all night!

It's been stormy here recently and my dog in the kitchen doesn't like the noise of the wind, could it be that?

Also a few years ago he developed a fear of the dark, a £5 nightlight for Wilko solved that one, both things similar behaviour to your little pooch

I don’t think it’s noise related, our house is very old and really thick walls, unless you look out of the window you don’t really know what the weather is doing.

Fear of the dark is a good shout. Do dogs actually just develop that at his age though?

Saying that, the first night he did it dp was out so the kitchen lights were on so maybe not that 😞

Mine was 6 or 7 when he developed the fear of dark. He still whines sometimes now, in fact had a stage of doing it recently. We stopped him coming on the sofa with us in the evening and he behaved himself from that night on 😂 honestly they have you up the wall!!

When you say you asked the vet, do you mean you spoke to a receptionist only, or did you attend an actual consultation to rule out urinary infection, diabetes, pain etc?

It was the receptionist... do you really think an apt would help if he seems happy and normal otherwise?

I will happily take him if you think I should 😊

He might be needing more frequent trips out to wee now he's older? Can he get out independently to wee?

I don’t know if dogs fear the dark as they age as such, but they do lose their sight. We leave a lamp on for our lab and he has a large, cosy bed, with fleece covers and a teddy bear. He also has a walk at bed time, to empty his bladder etc, has a drink of water and then bed.

You mentioned dd15 will sleep on settee with him.you only need to do this once and he will cry for it forever.I think its def a behaviour thing.you have to options: either give in and let him sleep on the bed.Or you have to ignore his whinging and whining(it will probably take a few days until he gets the message).whatever you do,you have to be consistent and not chop and change your action.good luck.

Thank you all. I will go with the ignoring for a few nights and hope that works!

He is so stubborn, fingers crossed it works!

You will be the winner,if you stick to it,I guarantee you.

My nine year old dog sleeps in the lounge and hallway. Recently I put blackout curtains up in the lounge and across my front door
She started regularly waking me up scratching and whining (I have a stair gate at the bottom to prevent her coming upstairs) . . Vets ruled out a Uti etc said it might be behavioural. Thanks! Anyway I left one lounge curtain open and just the closed blinds. It stopped.

Nothing has changed here at all, it’s so strange.

I am anxious about going to bed in case he starts!!

Could it be a cat / hedgehog/ fox causing this?

I’m guessing it’s a cat or fox that’s strolling about and he either sees it or hears it or smells it.

Or he’s cold.

Or it’s the storms and rain battering, or fireworks.

@Workinghardeveryday

Nothing has changed here at all, it’s so strange.

I am anxious about going to bed in case he starts!!

Just relax,your little 4 legged chàp is not afraid,cold etc at night.He just knows,if he whinges someone will come an cuddle him eventually.Be strong,if you dont give in,he will stop his behaviour.He can have all the cuddles during the day.

Try leaving the heating on one night to see if it's because he's cold maybe?

If so, and he doesn't like jumpers, take a look at cave beds, which have a fixed cover over the top they can snuggle under.

I would make a vet appointment OP, if this doesn't stop soon. Are there definitely no other symptoms, like drinking more? Is he a little quieter than usual etc?

We bought a cat cave and it became his new girlfriend 😬😂.

He seems fine, last couple of days he has slept more but he will if he is up all night?...

Been playing tonight and attacking my feet, he seems normal in himself