Barking at night

[Victra]

My dog has started barking at night. It's been getting gradually worse over the last few months. He always used to be silent once the last person went to bed.

I'm at breaking point with lack of sleep. I've tried everything. Sending him back to his bed, letting him out, ignoring him. All sorts of suggested remedies, calming sprays, collars. I've even given him a spray from water pistol, which stops him but then it just starts again. It's like he comes alive at night an just wants to go out running round the garden.

The vet finally prescribed Xanax to try to break the cycle which worked for a couple of nights but now has no effect.

Just after some advice really as lack of sleep is killing me.

How old is he and where does he sleep?

Unfortunately if you’ve used a spray collar and/or water pistol, they will probably have increased any anxiety, which will probably just make the situation worse.

First off, I would look for potential sources of stimulation or anxiety. Such as:

1. Wildlife in the garden.
2. Sensor lights coming on outside.
3. Headlights from cars lighting up the windows as they pass.
4. Potential noise sources, internally and externally - one knew a dog who started barking at night when the family bought a new fridge freezer - turned out the dog barked when the freeze cycle kicked in at night.
5. Change in shifts or sleep patterns of close neighbours.
6. Change in routine, potentially resulting in over-stimulation later on in the evening, reducing his ability to settle.

Then, if you can identify any possibilities, you can try different things like blackout blinds, radio left on low to cover any external noises, changing his routine to include a decent wind down period and perhaps teaching a settle cue, etc.

Have you all been home all day during the pandemic, so he hasn’t been left alone much? If you have and he sleeps downstairs, it could potentially be down to being separated from the family at night, after getting used to having everyone around all day every day.

It may be useful to pay for a session with an APBC qualified behaviourist. They will know all the right questions to ask, go through the whole situation thoroughly and be able to suggest how to tackle it.

You can buy a cheap camera to watch your dog at night. Older dogs can get doggy dementia so age can play a part. Depending on where you live there may be wildlife or someone mooching about. I live rural I have a patio door and the culprits that set my dogs off are poachers or foxes. You might be tired but be aware of whats around your house as your dog might be barking for a reason.

The PP have made some great suggestions. Please stop punishing him. I know lack of sleep is awful but he's likely also tired and confused. In a younger dog, you need to consider the list of possible trigger suggested by @moosemama

In addition think of any potential noise triggers - does the central heating click on? Could people be setting off fireworks in the distance?

If he's middle aged or older I'd want to get him checked for pain - the majority of dogs with behaviour problems have an underlying chronic pain condition such as arthritis, so painkillers could reduce his anxiety and reactivity. In older dogs a combination of pain and dementia is possible. Night waking/barking is a classic dementia sign. Again the pain needs to be addressed and the best medication for dementia is selgian. You may also find bringing him into your room and reassuring him helps his anxiety and confusion.

Please stop punishing him. It won't work and will likely make him feel terrible..

If he’s not in your room, move his basket to your bedroom.

We had this very recently with our young dog. We solved the problem by moving his bed into a different room. He was being disturbed by a couple of new cats in the neighbourhood coming right up to the house. As soon as we moved him to the living room he slept straight through again.

Is the dog getting enough exercise during the day? Whatever they normally have try doubling it, and varying it. Plenty of intellectual stimulation. Get the dog as tired as you can.

Unfortunately, by punishing him you have likely made the situation worse. Sprays and collars are punitive and won't do anything to solve the problem. Imagine if you were scared of spiders, and every time you say one and tried to vocalise your fear, someone sprayed cold water in your face? It wouldn't stop you being scared of spiders.

How old is he and what are the sleeping arrangements? Could you move him somewhere else?

Agree with all that pp have suggested and also suggest bed in your room.

Can he see outside? I ask because my dog barks at the
flashing lights of planes in the night sky. We used to think he was barking at his reflection in the patio door and took us about a year to realise it was actually planes! It's so annoying and I don't know how we can't stop it.

My dog did this but it was due to foxes,cats and rats outside. Have you got a shed ? Perhaps you have rats living underneath. Something is triggering his interest in the garden at night.

I would try his bed in your room.

Some great advice above. Agree with looking for a source. I didn't have barking but mine started in and out of the dog flap half the night, disturbing the household. Turned out that where our neighbours have chickens (we're in quite a rural location), there was an increase in rodent activity across all the gardens which they were chasing.