Is this likely to be dementia?

[hiredandsqueak]

Obviously will take ddog to the vets but just wanted thoughts. Bella is 13 a rescue lhasa apso generally fit and well, lovely little dog. She has always slept downstairs alone either in the downstairs bedroom or on the sofa.
For the last month she has been waking between five and six and scratching at doors until I come down to her. Once she has seen me she goes back to bed and gets up at her usual half nine. She doesn't want to go out, I offer she goes back to bed she just likes to see me know I'm about and then she sleeps again.
I'm fed up of getting up before I need to knowing full well she will be back in bed before the kettle has boiled. I've tried ignoring her, she doesn't give in. I've started walking down letting her see me with no interaction and going back to bed, she happily goes back to bed so she doesn't need me to be downstairs to go back to bed.
Any ideas please?

If it's just this, it doesn't sound like dementia, just extra neediness with age.

No, I wouldn't say it sounds like dementia, more like an older dog needing a bit of comfort and reassurance.

Can she not sleep upstairs with you if all she wants is to be around you when she wakes up?

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts we are a dreadful combination here, she snores like a pig, I'm an insomniac and the two dc are ASD with their own nightly shenanigans. It's not really practical for her to sleep upstairs but I love her so will carry on the daily wander downstairs for reassurance and hope that it's just a phase. Glad that it's unlikely to be dementia anyway we want her with us as long as possible to make up for the rough life she'd had before she came here.

I wouldn't say dementia. She maybe did it once by mistake, it got her your company/attention so now she will keep doing it. She could be feeling needy or spooked or just in need of comapany or just enjoying her actions and what it gets her. Dogs are pretty smart :-)