Dog Help

[phil-sti]

I have a bit of an issue with our Lab. he is 7 this year, was fully crate trained from a pup and at night sleeps in the kitchen with no issues at all. for the last 4 weeks he has been scrating the door to get out at night and nothing we do has solved this and the whole house is suffering. We have tried comforting him at night, tried being firm with him, put his toys in with him and ignoring him, all of that hasn't changed a thing.

Does anyone have any ideas as we are at our wits end with him.

[Red9zero]

phil-sti said:

I have a bit of an issue with our Lab. he is 7 this year, was fully crate trained from a pup and at night sleeps in the kitchen with no issues at all. for the last 4 weeks he has been scrating the door to get out at night and nothing we do has solved this and the whole house is suffering. We have tried comforting him at night, tried being firm with him, put his toys in with him and ignoring him, all of that hasn't changed a thing.

Does anyone have any ideas as we are at our wits end with him.

What does he do if you let him out ? Our Westie had a phase of needing to go out for a pee at 2am. Luckily it did wear off eventually, partly as I think he valued his sleep more, although he does still need to go out occasionally. He is 12 now though, so we have to cut him some slack. Chances are I will need to go too anyway

[phil-sti]

Red9zero said:

phil-sti said:

I have a bit of an issue with our Lab. he is 7 this year, was fully crate trained from a pup and at night sleeps in the kitchen with no issues at all. for the last 4 weeks he has been scrating the door to get out at night and nothing we do has solved this and the whole house is suffering. We have tried comforting him at night, tried being firm with him, put his toys in with him and ignoring him, all of that hasn't changed a thing.

Does anyone have any ideas as we are at our wits end with him.

What does he do if you let him out ? Our Westie had a phase of needing to go out for a pee at 2am. Luckily it did wear off eventually, partly as I think he valued his sleep more, although he does still need to go out occasionally. He is 12 now though, so we have to cut him some slack. Chances are I will need to go too anyway

We let him out before bed and if we let him out in the middle of the night he just sits in the backgarden until he is bored so i'm happy that it isn't that

[Red9zero]

phil-sti said:

We let him out before bed and if we let him out in the middle of the night he just sits in the backgarden until he is bored so i'm happy that it isn't that

Tbf, our Westie does that sometimes too. Oh how I laugh as we both sit there at 2am staring at one another ! We thought he was just waking up and getting bored, so waking us (me...) up so could have nose round outside. We (me again) started doing a short walk before bed to try and tire him out a bit, and that seemed to work.
Otherwise, maybe he can hear something outside or he is getting stressed over something. Have you got a vet helpline with your pet insurance that you could try ? I understand your frustration though. When our Westie had his phase of 2am (always the same time oddly enough) wake ups every night, it does get very tiring.

[phil-sti]

Red9zero said:

phil-sti said:

We let him out before bed and if we let him out in the middle of the night he just sits in the backgarden until he is bored so i'm happy that it isn't that

Tbf, our Westie does that sometimes too. Oh how I laugh as we both sit there at 2am staring at one another ! We thought he was just waking up and getting bored, so waking us (me...) up so could have nose round outside. We (me again) started doing a short walk before bed to try and tire him out a bit, and that seemed to work.
Otherwise, maybe he can hear something outside or he is getting stressed over something. Have you got a vet helpline with your pet insurance that you could try ? I understand your frustration though. When our Westie had his phase of 2am (always the same time oddly enough) wake ups every night, it does get very tiring.

It does feel like something has scared him and now he doesn't want to be left alone. he really does get himself worked up over it.

[Red9zero]

phil-sti said:

It does feel like something has scared him and now he doesn't want to be left alone. he really does get himself worked up over it.

I would say try letting him sleep in your room, but that's the first mistake we made with ours !

[phil-sti]

Red9zero said:

phil-sti said:

It does feel like something has scared him and now he doesn't want to be left alone. he really does get himself worked up over it.

I would say try letting him sleep in your room, but that's the first mistake we made with ours !

no way the wife would do that plus he is massive. he isnt allowed on furniture so wife won't let him have the run of downstairs, if she would wouldn't have this issue.

[Boosted LS1]

My dog barks sometimes when he hears something outside the back door at nightime. I eventually worked out that it was a rat checking out the drain where the dish water goes. It's quite surprising how sharp a dogs hearing can be. He once barked during the night and I saw a fox strolling across the workshop roof. The dog even knows when cats are about.

[Red9zero]

Boosted LS1 said:

My dog barks sometimes when he hears something outside the back door at nightime. I eventually worked out that it was a rat checking out the drain where the dish water goes. It's quite surprising how sharp a dogs hearing can be. He once barked during the night and I saw a fox strolling across the workshop roof. The dog even knows when cats are about.

Ours goes deaf when you call him, but can hear a packet of cooked meat being opened at the other end of the house. Noises are a definate possibility though. Smoke alarm low battery beeps drive our dog mad in particular.

[Daveb257]

We get this with noises outside, enough to wake him up to want to investigate.
Occasionally find him bothering hedgehogs of if there has been a bird/fox kill close by