Post by lucyhmm on Jun 25, 2017 3:13:40 GMT -5
I rehomed a 5 year old ex racer 5 months ago. She is occasionally still a little shy when meeting new people if they are loud but generally she has come on leaps and bounds and I'm so proud of how she has grown in confidence.
The first week I had her, the 3rd night I think, after we'd gone to bed she woke up barking three times, around 1am, 3am and 5am. It was February so she had pyjamas on already, so I put it down to the wind outside. I got some advice from a behaviourist the next day who discounted the wind, as it had been windy all week and not seemed to bother her, and suggested feeding her a handful of kibble right before bed as her blood sugar may drop halfway through the night. I also got her a DAP collar. After this she didn't bark at night at all. Until this weekend.
She barked three times the night before last, and last night regularly at around 30-60 minute intervals. Yesterday evening, she started doing it while I was still watching television; she was snoozing next to me, then got up and barked at nothing I could determine - no loud noises or movements. I tried to not pander to her the first few times, but after worrying for her anxiety and the neighbour's sleep, I went down. Being June, she wasn't in pyjamas originally but I put them on in case, fed her a handful of kibble, set up a lamp, let her out to check the garden for monsters, tried to listen out for fireworks/loud cars/wind: nothing.
She sleeps downstairs on the sofa, in the dark, always has; I don't particularly want her sleeping in the same room as me and she's never tried to follow me upto bed so I don't think she's anxious about being alone. She is also left for upto 4 hours a day in the week and apart from dismantling the odd toilet roll she finds lying around, is not destructive. She never barks in the day unless she sees a squirrel
We live down a fairly quiet cul-de-sac and although I rarely see a cat in the garden, she can't see out there at night.
I hadn't replaced her 2nd DAP collar after her seeming to settle over the last few months, so I have ordered more. I also have rescue remedy so will give that to her from today. Do people put their dogs in pyjamas even in the summer? I was wary after the recent heat wave, but could find a thin pair?
As she is usually fine and this is not a problem that has been brewing, this seems like a time-specific issue; does anyone have any tips or products that has helped their dog in a specific worrysome time? I hear lemon balm may help. Obviously I want to find the root of her worry, but in the mean time I hate to think of her being anxious, or perhaps this is a sign of something else? I don't think she's in pain as she's completely fine in the daytime, aside from looking a bit knackered this morning!
Any help, or things worth trying, would be greatly appreciated!
The first week I had her, the 3rd night I think, after we'd gone to bed she woke up barking three times, around 1am, 3am and 5am. It was February so she had pyjamas on already, so I put it down to the wind outside. I got some advice from a behaviourist the next day who discounted the wind, as it had been windy all week and not seemed to bother her, and suggested feeding her a handful of kibble right before bed as her blood sugar may drop halfway through the night. I also got her a DAP collar. After this she didn't bark at night at all. Until this weekend.
She barked three times the night before last, and last night regularly at around 30-60 minute intervals. Yesterday evening, she started doing it while I was still watching television; she was snoozing next to me, then got up and barked at nothing I could determine - no loud noises or movements. I tried to not pander to her the first few times, but after worrying for her anxiety and the neighbour's sleep, I went down. Being June, she wasn't in pyjamas originally but I put them on in case, fed her a handful of kibble, set up a lamp, let her out to check the garden for monsters, tried to listen out for fireworks/loud cars/wind: nothing.
She sleeps downstairs on the sofa, in the dark, always has; I don't particularly want her sleeping in the same room as me and she's never tried to follow me upto bed so I don't think she's anxious about being alone. She is also left for upto 4 hours a day in the week and apart from dismantling the odd toilet roll she finds lying around, is not destructive. She never barks in the day unless she sees a squirrel
We live down a fairly quiet cul-de-sac and although I rarely see a cat in the garden, she can't see out there at night.I hadn't replaced her 2nd DAP collar after her seeming to settle over the last few months, so I have ordered more. I also have rescue remedy so will give that to her from today. Do people put their dogs in pyjamas even in the summer? I was wary after the recent heat wave, but could find a thin pair?
As she is usually fine and this is not a problem that has been brewing, this seems like a time-specific issue; does anyone have any tips or products that has helped their dog in a specific worrysome time? I hear lemon balm may help. Obviously I want to find the root of her worry, but in the mean time I hate to think of her being anxious, or perhaps this is a sign of something else? I don't think she's in pain as she's completely fine in the daytime, aside from looking a bit knackered this morning!
Any help, or things worth trying, would be greatly appreciated!
