Dog started barking through the night

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My goldie is almost a year old and for the last 3 months or so, she has woken us all up barking through the night. There doesn't seem to be one particular time she starts barking (I thought maybe she was waking up with the central heating pipes or something similar).

When I come down to see what the problem is, she is usually lying on the armchair and barking at nothing - at the dark or at some imagined thing!!! Is this normal? It's driving me nuts as the minute I get back into bed, she starts again! This is happening most nights at the moment. It's got to the stage where I have a sleeping bag and pillow ready and usually end up sleeping on the sofa as she stops barking as soon as I am in the same room.

Any ideas, both as to why she might be barking and how to stop it?

Thank you :)

I have a Cavalier that barks, quite crossly, at absolutely nothing at random times during the night. I just let him get in the bed and he stops. I think your dog has learnt that you come when he barks (Do you sit on his command too? ) so he barks when he's lonely.

You're either going to have to ignore the barking until he realises that you don't come when called or do what I do and let him get in the bed.

Probably not the most helpful of answers but I'm sure someone will reply with a more practical answer soon.

Ooops. Just realised I've written 'he' but your dog is a she. Bit tired and read OP too quickly.

thanks Amanderrr! Yesterday, I closed all the downstairs blinds (10 sets of blinds!!) so she couldn't see into the street and ...... no barking . Could just be a coincidence though so I'll try again tonight and see what happens!