Older dog being destructive

[mrswhiplington]

We have a lurcher who is nearly 11 years old. He isn't normally destructive but just recently has taken to destroying things in the night. He sleeps in the kitchen. It started with him keeping us awake at night at the end of last year when it was very cold. We bought him a new bed to make him more comfortable. We added a heat pad underneath to make him warmer. He started ripping the removable cover on the cushion, he's done this twice. I came down this morning and he's completely destroyed the doormat that was at the back door. We used to leave his dried food out for him but came down a number of times to find he had pushed the bowl towards his bed with food everywhere. It was like he was trying to get it in his bed!

We can't think of anything else to help him. He doesn't bother with toys that you give him so we give him chew sticks. But he doesn't bother with them very much. Has anyone had a similar experience to this. We'd be grateful for any help.

I'd take him for a vet check to rule out pain, e.g dental and arthritic pain.

Has anything changed in the kitchen, e.g. have you installed a new electrical appliance that could be emitting a noise that he can hear but you can't? Have you changed his diet or decreased the amount that he's fed?

Thanks for the reply. No we haven't changed anything in the kitchen and made no changes to his food. Everything is the same. He sometimes reacts to the wind outside if it is very strong or thunderstorms but someone always sleeps downstairs with him. We've never had anything like this before. We'll get him checked out.

I’d get a vet check for pain too. It could be he wants his food in his is bed for comfort/too painful to stand or bend his neck down to eat.

Could you get him a raised dish stand?

He doesn't have any issue eating his food. He is absolutely fine the rest of the time. Doesn't seem to have any movement issues. He gets plenty of exercise, can still run extremely fast. I've read older dogs can have problems sleeping at night, not sure if this is the case with him.

I wonder if he’s getting less able to hold his wee and is uncomfortable so being destructive? Is he having any accidents?

Does he have a kong?

No he doesn't have any accidents. We used to give him a kong but he lost interest in that as well!!

Definitely see vet as PP says - dogs often mask pain - but can you sleep down with him to see if you can see whats triggering him.

Our older dog needed lots of reassuring at night. He just used to be worried, once we moved him to our bedroom he settled. I would get the vet to check him over for pain, especially tooth ache. Like us it can be manageable in the day but may feel worse at night when the house is quiet and no distractions.

He can go for a couple of weeks without doing anything. It's so random. At least with the bad weather we can be prepared.

We'll definitely get him checked out. He's normally so healthy that you forget he may be in pain. I wish he could talk.

What does he do if he's bored? The only time my spaniels caused issues was if they got bored. They had an outside run with inside access so they slept there. If I had them shut in the house that was when trouble might happen.

He is a very lazy dog. Sleeps a lot. He doesn't have any issues in the daytime.

Sadly our dog got like this at night my adult DD moved him into her room he did the same there, unfortunately it was the beginning of the end speak to your vet about pain and maybe urinary problems.

Sorry my post was full of doom I didn't mean to sound so harsh.

Don't worry Mrsjayy, all sorts of things have gone through our minds. I wish we could have him in our bedroom but his bed is quite big and our bedroom isn't. We would probably fall over him in the night. We both have to get up to use the bathroom. We're not youngsters anymore. We would also be worried about him wandering around at night as well, keeping us awake.

I imagine a greyhound needs a bit more room,ours was a collie X so easier to sleep in with her. I think old age and arthritis in his hip contributed vet also suspected dementia .I hope you can get help and are able to manage him

Our Lurchers like a ddog bed and a loose blanket to pull into a ball.
Stood and watched one ddog drag a blanket off the floor onto the sofa to make a nest the other morning..
One of ours also wears a jumper overnight... Lurchers really feel the cold.