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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Why won't he sleep? Help please.

7 replies

Mckayz · 14/06/2013 00:41

My golden retriever keeps barking during the night. Since half 10 I've been up 5 times. He doesn't go to the toilet, ignores his water and doesn't want feeding. He just goes and lies down outside.

I am absolutely shattered as I have an almost 1 year old that doesn't like sleeping at the best of times.

What can I do? Please help me.

OP posts:
FragileTitanium · 14/06/2013 11:09

That sounds truly awful. I'm sorry.
I'm an inexperienced dog owner but if this is a new change in behaviour, then I might take your dog to the vet to see if something's wrong. Can you get someone to take your doggy on a very long walk everyday? I find that if I take mine on a long walk so that she's knackered, then she sleeps like a log.

Alternatively, it may be the dreaded adolescence (see my post!)....

Best of luck.

tabulahrasa · 14/06/2013 11:12

Just a thought - but is it warm? If he wants to lie outside is he just maybe too hot?

Mckayz · 14/06/2013 13:43

It might be too warm but not sure what I can do about that.

He's recently been to the vets for jabs etc and they said he's fine. He gets taken on 2 walks a day now.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 14/06/2013 13:56

Could you leave him a fan on in the room he sleeps in , the tower ones are quite safe .

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 14/06/2013 13:56

My dog did this when he was ill. He wanted to be outside because he was being sick and had a bad tummy. He hates to mess indoors. Could he have a bit of a bug?

Mckayz · 14/06/2013 13:57

He doesn't seem ill. He's eating, drinking and going to the toilet normally.

OP posts:
Vibbe · 14/06/2013 14:07

Does he get enough exercise during the day?

If we don't exercise our dog during the day, she'll get up during the night and be completely restless and impossible.

We have a spaniel - she's from a show line, so doesn't have as much energy as a proper hunting dog, but she needs 3-4 walks daily (morning, afternoon, early evening and just before bedtime) as well as a minimum of 30 mins of fetching/running in fields/playing with other dogs. On top of that, she needs mental exercise where she gets to use her nose and head, so mental exercise toys (such as Kong Genius, Kong Wobbler, Buster Cube and other treat dispensing toys).

The fetching can cause some dogs to get stressed if overdone, but if done for a limited amount of time, it tires the dog out. But mental training is also needed to make the dog happy and tired.

A simple mental exercise thing is to spread the dog's food in the garden, then let the dog find it all himself. Doing that with our dog makes her sleep like a baby.

It could also be that there are some new noises outside that he's reacting to - birds, cats, foxes. My friend had that problem with her dog and if she pulls the blinds down, it helps.

Having the dog sleep in one room, such as the kitchen can also help - just make sure the dog has access to water during the night.

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