Night Barking!

[NancyK]

So happy to have found this forum. I have a 30lb Lhasa Mix whose age is unknow.. According to the rescue paperwork he should be right at 10.. but my vet thinks he’s “much” older than that. He is blind and almost completely deaf and we suspect has dementia. He runs into things, but fortunately knows to go very slow so kind of bounces rather than running into. For the last several months his schedule is totally off. He can no longer get in and out the doggie door by himself because it sits up about 4-5 inches (he’s the smallest of my pack of 5)… so I carry him and out due to teh steps… or, he goes out the doggie door and down teh steps, but can’t get back into the “doggie room” which is our sunroom.. central heat and air and the doggie door -perfect set up for our pups during the day! My issue, however, is the night time restlessness, anxiety and barking. he will wake up middle of the night barking at the air…. the ONLY thing that calms him is if I either pick him up and let him sleep on me (not really a viable option at 3 AM when I have to get up at 6) OR if I take him out, give him “SOME” food (Or he sits at bottom of steps barking until at least a few kibbles are in front of him) – wait for him to go through the yard and then carry him back in teh house… THEN he will sleep or at least not bark until about 6 AM. This is EVERY night adn I’m exhausted! It’s a routine now.. Bandit barks, I carry him outside, give him a few bites, wait fo rhim to walk through the yard and carry him back inside- then I can go back to sleep. I’ve read a few things on the forum about a thundershirt (GREAT IDEA) and also melatonin. He just went to the vet for full check up and though xrays do show a potentil tumor in his liver… it’s not somethign that can be biospied and I am not going to put him through stress of surgery at this juncture. As it is, he is mean to any one but me and I know would not let even me take care of a suture or cut on him. Heart is great, everythign else is great.. some coughing but she just said to give him robitussin b/c there doesn’t seem to be any trachial collapse or reason for the coughing…

So, thank you for listenign and letting me put this out there. Any insight on the nighttime waking up barking in teh air for food … is GREATLY appreciated!

[Lena]

Hi Nancy,

Sounds like you have read through some of the ideas on the forums. Here is the article I wrote on what I have found works the best. It is very different dog to dog but hopefully some of the ideas can help http://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2010/02/01/dementia-and-anxiety-in-your-older-dog-what-to-do/

[Author]

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