Help! Dog keeping us awake at night :(

[lilwelshyrs]

Morning!

Last night our dog made a bit of a fuss at the living room door (scratched it) so DH got up to see what the problem was - the dog was suddenly busting for a poop. So after said poop, back to bed for everyone, however DH made the mistake of bringing the dog upstairs to sleep on the floor next to our bed. I told him that that's ultimately the dog's goal so better take him back downstairs otherwise he'll think he can scratch the door and come upstairs with us as we've rewarded that behaviour. So he took him downstairs and switched the adaptil plug-in on.
30mins later, the dog does it again. This time I went down, opened the living room door and the front door in case he wanted to be sick or something (not unusual). Instead he trotted round to next door's garden?! So I called him back in and told him to go to bed - still nice voice just in case he had some genuine issue.
1 hour later, he does it again. DH is asleep now so I went down again and as soon as I open the living room door, the dog tries to run upstairs. This time he gets told off and told to go on his bed. He slinks off.
About an hour or so later, he does it again. This time DH goes to deal with it and it's not until about 3am that I notice he's not come back to bed. He decided to stay downstairs to give us both some peace from our manic pooch!

He was in a funny mood yesterday (dog, not DH!). He didn't really know what to do with himself and would pace a little bit between the living room and dining room whilst DH was cooking. When we ate, we sat at the table and dog wanted to stare at us, so we sent him to his bed where he moved between two bed locations before settling down. (He has 3 beds - we used to have another dog but she was sadly PTS in July - he's been a bit up and down but we've seen a really positive change in him this last week where he's now affectionate but not super needy and submissive.) Instead of then sitting at the sofa and watching a bit of TV, DH and I played a game of scrabble. Usually when we watch TV the dog comes and sits with us and curls up and has a good ol dreaming session. So he didn't get that last night. But he can't dictate how we live our life!!

I've posted about my dog before - i'm about 3 weeks off from giving birth and I think my hormones are sending him potty, but last night was a new one. He has scratched at the door before but usually it's because he has a genuine issue and will settle down after he's been out for a wee. He gets 3 walks a day and at the mo, he spends all his time with us as I'm on maternity leave and DH had had some time off.
This is unusual for him - usually when we both work we get a dog walker in or he goes to my neighbour for the day as we found he just couldn't cope well on his own since our big dog has gone. So it's more unusual that there's both of us in the house! Next week DH goes back to work and then I'll be leaving the dog at home for doctors appointments etc. Again, not normally a problem. But now I'm not so sure!

Also the other thing he does is he comes into the living room and just stares at us. We've taken to ignoring him as he was already told he needed to go on his bed (which he did do for about 3 seconds). But his staring is relentless! He will do it for ages. It's like he doesn't know what to do with himself.

He's in a good routine so I dont think it's to do with a lack of walks or anything. The big difference yesterday was that i had a baby brain moment and thought he hadn't eaten breakfast so gave him some meat after we got in at lunch time. But it's only a week or two since we stopped doing 3 little meals a day. We had to do 3 meals a day due to our big dog's need to wolf down her food so was recommened 3 small meals to stop her getting bloat. So he had more food than he normally does... Which explains the need to poop, but nothing else!

Sorry - this has turned into a bit of an essay!!

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated! It feels like when the baby comes, his world is going to be totally flipped and I'm concerned he wont be able to cope!

Thanks!

[GillynMilly]

Interesting that you found out baby was breach and dog has been better since??!!

[fairyfi]

sounds like he's settling anyway.

Chemical castration like the idea of slipping bromide in the tea! - but seriously a vet can prescribe an antiandrogeny drug as a temporary measure or more permanent if theres a problemwith a ddog going through the op.

[lilwelshyrs]

I've not heard of chemical castration... What's that?

He was fine last night and has actually been really sweet with me!

[fairyfi]

good luck for tonight then

note of caution: removal of 'bits' is no guarantee of change and if he presents no problem 'malewise' why go to the trouble/cost & risk? You could always try chemical castration to see if there's any difference and then make your mind up?

[lilwelshyrs]

He's been much better today... Funnily enough my baby is breach so I'm getting a C sec but only found that out today...
He came and cuddled me on the sofa and was utterly lovely. Taking him to the vets tomorrow for a check up.

Have found the adaptil just isnt working well at the mo. It's like he's too used to it and become a bit immune.
His staring isn't a new thing - it's more intense than it was - he does it to my neighbour when she takes him for the day lol!

We haven't had his bits chopped off yet, actually. It's something we have meant to do but because he doesn't go mental around bitches, we've sort of forgotten to do it. He's 4 now. But yes, it's something we would consider once bubba is here and established (and i'm earning more than my maternity allowance lol).

Thanks for the replies!

We shall see what tonight brings...

[fairyfi]

dogs should get the vast majority of their fluid needs from their food, for those on dry diets (who drink vast quantities to cope with the dry food its important to make sure they they are able to adequately satisfy their fluid needs during the day only).

The staring thing could be the obvious 'I want x,y,z', and the most likely, there are definitely times when ddogs pick up on human diseases and if you feel this is whats going on (but i doubt it would be just staring at you when you sit on the sofa) then do check it out.

There's potential he is getting separation anxiety as a result of impending dbaby it willl depend on the way he is behaving to be able to interpret that.

[Oxfordblue]

Not wanting to worry you, but I did recently read about a dog, who wasn't normally keen on the gf of its owner. Anyway, dog started spending lots of time following GF & it turned out she had something wrong with her...the dog was alerting her. Interestingly after said problem was resolved, dog went back to ignoring her again !


Just think best get the dog to vets & make sure you & DH are ok.

[TheoriginalLEM]

Something is not right - i would get him checked out by a vet if i were you.

Talk to the vets about an adaptil collar or plug in as they release doggy pheremones which calm them down.

It could well be your hormones - maybe you are going to be meeting the new member of the family soon :)

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

My old boy was three when I was pregnant with dd1. He became very disobedient and aggressive with me when I tried to remonstrate with him. The first thing my dog trainer said was 'is he neutered?' Got him done and it was like a switch had flicked, he went back to his old self.

Not saying that would work for you, if he hasn't lost his bits already, but the hormonal change in him at the time was very noticeable.

[lilwelshyrs]

Not that I'm aware of... Today he has had ample opportunity to come and sit with DH upstairs whilst on the computer... But he'd rather be downstairs... But then at night it's just melt down...
He seems fine in himself otherwise... I will give the vet a call and see what they think - hoping to avoid any extra costs before baby arrives, but obviously want what's best for my daft doggy!

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

There's not a bitch on heat somewhere nearby is there? Not that you'd know I guess. Dogs can be incredibly bloody awkward if there's a sniff of a bitch in heat. I second taking him to the vet though, just to be safe.

[LilCamper]

Another one here that agrees clean fresh water should be available at all times. It is one of the 5 freedoms of animal welfare.

[lilwelshyrs]

He's fine in himself during the day - the staring thing has only intensified if anything lol. He's a bit of a wierdo sometimes.

No fireworks last night (aren't we lucky!) and if he's worried about noises, he'll bark to let us know (like one time our neighbours came home late in a taxi and their taxi parked outside our house in typical taxi style - engine running, lights shining into our front room! And he barked at that.)

He only has one big drink a day (he's some type of Mediterranean hound) so I don't think it's that. Although having spent the day with my SIL and their guide dog puppy in training, removing water is a totally normal thing - as is expecting them to do all their poos first thing which is incredible - i wish I'd followed this program whilst training my dog!

He really doesn't like me much at the mo - probably even more so now that i've told him off last night :( I'm not sure it's a protection issue - more that he's demanding to be with us. He never came and sat with us last night - however when he did his weird stary thing, my husband sent him to his bed and i made a huge fuss of him hoping that'll reinforce that bad doesnt equal bad. And he didnt get up again after that.
Part of me thinks he's demanding to be up with us as we haven't had him cuddling with us on the sofa which has been the routine lately.
This morning, i got him to come upstairs and he lay down next to the bed and i stroked him, and he walked off back downstairs! So no idea...

Definitely thinking the zyklene is a good idea now - the adaptil seems to have done sweet FA these last few days!

Tea tree on the door frame is something i've not heard of! Will try that - and the treat stuff you mentioned.

After I told him off last night, we didn't hear another peep out of him... Maybe DH was too soft on him and he thought he won last night!

[ijustwannadance]

Might sound daft but do you have idiots by yours setting fireworks off late at night? My nan's old dog used to be terrible at this time of year. Very scared and clingy. Only time he ever scratched at the carpet and doors.

[Floralnomad]

Hope the dog calms down but please do not restrict access to water overnight .

[Shriek]

and put tea tree on the door frame!!

[Shriek]

Really sorry to hear you have frantic ddog to contend with in the run up to your dbaby arriving.

Can he sleep in your hall as a possibility so there is nowhere to scratch and put a stairgate on the 2nd step up to deter jumping.

Leave bed in lounge, lift water early so you know there is no need to pee in the night.

fill a toy with difficult to take out treats (both at mealtimes and just before you are due to sit for tv time, also hide them in and around bed to keep him occupied and distract him from the staring thing,but make sure you don't link the hiding/stuffing treats with his staring (do it before sitting down/before you serve dinner/before going to bed etc).

Try also leaving a radio on quietly near his bed.

I wish you lots of luck! and hope you find something that works.

[lilwelshyrs]

He's destroyed the door frame now :( I just told him off. I don't get why he's doing this!

[lilwelshyrs]

Thanks, that might not be a bad idea. He's scratching at the living room door again. Makes me so anxious!

[wishesandkisses]

On regards to the baby. Just keep letting him know you love him but keep boundaries in place. As for the scratching it's annoying as hell but we got a baby gate (which worked temporarily for ours but then he learned to jump it but that's his breed not necessarily every dog). He can see upstairs then but can't get over. Youll need one eventually! Congrats on the baby :)