Crying/barking through the day, barking for a wee at night

[Jodie.g1]

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Hi! Im new to this forum and I'm hoping you can all help me.

I've got a 14 year old male Yorkshire Terrier (Toby) who is causing us a few problems. During the day he's crying/barking on and off - very difficult to stop him. We also have another Yorkshire Terrier who is 17 years old and Toby just constantly bullies him - barking at him to get out of the bed and crying when he won't move.

The biggest issue is at night. They have tea at 5pm, have free access to go in and outside until 10.30. We then lock them in for bed and they settle down. However anything between 2am and 3.30am we hear crying from Toby. Well more like barking/crying/shreaking noise - it's so loud it wakes up the whole house. This only started around a year ago & when we greet him in the kitchen he seems to want to go out to the toilet every time. I'm not sure why and how he needs the toilet, he might have access to water all the time but barely drinks and he goes out several times before bedtime. The problem is that this is daily and can be once or twice a night. There's nothing medically wrong with him but I really don't know what's triggering it or how we can help him sleep through. They're alone for 6 hours during the day sometimes and never make a mess so im confused 1. Why he really needs to go and 2. Why its only just started a year ago.

Does anyone have an suggestions? We've tried ignoring him but he will bark/cry ALL NIGHT. He won't settle until he goes out. It's causing us lots of issues and all of our family work different shifts so it's really affecting our sleep pattern as well as Tobys!

Thanks in advance.

 

[JoanneF]

It could be the start of canine cognitive dysfunction - a form of dog dementia. That can lead to behavioural changes including being unsettled overnight. Also in humans dementia can jinterfere with the signals that pass between the brain and bladder - he may think he needs when he doesnt, or it might be a repetitive habit which is another thinng that humans qith dementia can develop. You said he has been checked by a vet but I wonder if that was more a physical exam rather than a cognitive one. I would suggest going back to the vet. There are medications that can help.

 

[Josie]

Morning @Jodie.g1 and welcome,

It sounds to me like it may be doggy dementia - there’s a really interesting article about it and the signs toblook out for on here somewhere. I will attempt to find it for you or I am hoping one of our members will remember the article!

Has your vet ever mentioned this to you?

I walk a golden retriever who is 10 and he will just starting barking if you aren’t giving him attention or when I pick him up to walk him. You just can’t stop him - it’s very frustrating!

Sorry I haven’t actually been any help but there will be other’s who are!

 

[Mad Murphy]

Go see your vet, rule out any other medical possibilities. However I have to say I agree with both the other posters this does sound like doggy dementia. Why it strikes one dog younger than the other or one dog and not another is a mystery just as it is in humans but the symptoms do seem to fit. There is no cure but there are suppliments you can give that seem to help and some claim the CBD oil helps calm dogs with CCD.
Sundowning Syndrome in Dogs: How to Help Your Pet

 

[Jodie.g1]

Hi all! Thanks for this. Our oldest one at 17 yrs old has doggy dementia but doesn't act in this way. He barks randomly at nothing and forgets where hes going. Toby is very alert and very smart. Hes really crafty and methinks he barks during the day for attention as he's fine once he's been stroked and fussed. But on a night, it's a different story. Its like he's stuck in a routine or a noise has woke him. It's such a mystery. The only thing that was found when we last went to the vets is that he has a heart murmur - he's a very stressed dog (Lord knows why!! Haha). It's so frustrating.

 

[JoanneF]

Our oldest one at 17 yrs old has doggy dementia but doesn't act in this way

Fair enough - but remember that like people, no two will present the same.

 

[Shalista]

I know you mentioned crates but a more functional fix might be puppy pads during the night. Bax is potty trained and knows when he goes out for walks but while im at work or at night he knows to use his pads.

agreeing with all previous posts, def get that vet check out for doggy dementia, but if he'll use them, puppy pads might be an alternative fix.

 

[JudyN]

He might sleep better if he slept in your bedroom, and if he did wake you might be able to settle him down again quickly whenever he wakes.

When he goes out in the night, does he do anything apart from wee, like sniff around or bark at the moon? My dog used to ask to go out in the night and he'd then bark at 'monsters' down the bottom of the garden. Eventually I fenced off an area so he could go out and toilet if need be but not get to the main bit of the garden - within two nights he stopped asking to go out. Also, he usually sleeps in our bedroom, but occasionally he chooses to sleep elsewhere - if he does, he often asks to go out, I think because he can hear any wildlife that much more easily.

I wouldn't rule out dementia though, as it does affect different dogs differently.