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Help me somebody please !!!

Hi there,
I am at the end of my tether with our beautiful cav Ruby who is two. I've never had any behaviour issues with her. Took her to puppy class in Dog Training Ireland, taught her basic obedience commands etc. The problem is in the last couple of weeks she's taken to barking at night time and I mean barking. At the moment I'm in bed and she's been barking on and off manly on since about 9:30pm.She sleeps downstairs in the living room but I leave the door into the kitchen open for her in case she needs a drink during the night. I come down the first few times it started to happen because it was in the middle of the night and to be honest I thought there was someone outside as she never makes a sound during the night. The last time until about 6 weeks ago I heard her during the night was as a puppy and that was only for a couple of nights .... She acts like there is something out there and if I went down now and opened the back door she'd be sitting at it ready to dash out and wake the neighbour hood. I've ignored it up till now but its getting beyond a joke. I have an 11 year old and a 6 year old and how they don't wake up is anyone's guess..not wait its not really ..Ruby barking oh yeah mum will sort that out.. and they go back asleep..I had to get ear plugs from the MRI department in work last week so I could stick them in and try and get back to sleep !!! I'm thinking strongly about kidnapping Cesar Milan at this stage ....help any suggestions
 
Hi Jenny, I sometimes have problems with my dogs in the night and now have taken to blocking up their dog flap so that they can't get out. Sometimes when I let them out in the morning they rush out into the garden barking. I think mine do it because there is something in the garden, most probably a fox but also could be a cat. Sometimes you hear a crash as whatever it was jumps over the fence when I let them out. I don't know if you get foxes where you are but when I used to work nights I used to see lots of them in the early hours crossing roads, even walking through the shops looking in the windows! I don't know what you can do to stop the barking as I guess they are only doing their job, could possibly put a bark collar on at night, one that sprays cintronella, if it is really a serious problem.
Judy
 
We used to have this with Maddie. We never worked out what set it off, just one of lifes mysteries I guess. It was a combination of things that worked.

1. was rescue remedy in her water
2. a DAP diffuser
these two I used in case there was an anxiety base to things.

3. we changed her bed from a mattress type to one with sides, added a soft fleece blanket in case she was getting a bit cold.

4. We looked at our routine before going up to bed, and to see if anything had changed/ needed to change.

5. We tried not to come down to her, as this rewarded the behaviour, but did spend time teaching her the "bed" command, which we would give from the top of the stairs. Now I know speaking to her was also a reward, but we had to consider our neighbours!

6. We looked at how much exercise she got during the day and also how much mental stimulation she was getting, and made sure she had her two walks a day as well as a short training session (can be anything from formal obedience training to teaching your dog different tricks), so we could mentally tire her out.

7. The other thing to look at is her diet, what she's fed (including treats) and when she's fed. I'm not an expert on this though, but hopefully someone else comes along to help.

The main thing was patience and consistency. And also letting the neighbours know we recognised there was a problem with nightime noise and we were trying to address it. Keeping neighbours informed can stop disputes escalating.

If I can think of anything else we tried I'll add another post. Good luck.
 
Oz started doing this when he was close to 2 years old. Like Madpip, we never figured out what the problem was. After posting about it here, I took the suggestion to put him back in his crate. I covered the crate with a blanket to make it cozier and darker. The first night he barked, but only about half as long and then all has been quiet since then. I now put him to bed in his crate but leave the door open. There have been two times since then that he has started barking. Each time, I lock his crate again and he stops barking again. He sleeps in our large laundry room with Madison. When he was having his barking spells, I put them both in the crate (it is huge - can fit all four of mine). She never complained and still chooses to sleep in there anyway. So, that's a thought for you if you still have a crate or have access to one. Worked like a charm for me!
 
We have just gone through this with Dougall. Docile and Dopey by Day, Monster at Night. Both Molly and Dougall sleep with us. Dougall would wake at 1-2pm then again 3-4pm. Each time he barked, my husband got up and took him out! While my husband was away I bought some calming CDs music with sea sounds, that was working fine until the Seagulls chimed in.:eek: I now leave the talk radio on very low which seems to take his ear off what is going on outside. I think because we are sleeping he becomes more alert and our guard and I am sure it is his way of protecting us. This sounds crazy but we have now had 6 full nights sleep. The biggest problem was stopping my husband getting up to him, I am not sure which was the harder to train.icon_nwunsure
 
Some good suggestions. Any direct response to such behaviour rewards it so the answer is to make arrangements that stop or limit the behaviour and it will eventually die out.

I'd add that it sounds like she has too much room to wander around -- in other words she is easily able to find distractions and find herself bored and try to get you to come get her. I'd confine her to the kitchen or consider crating her. Also keep a radio on low volume can help. I like Lyric for the dogs. :)

She may well hear something nightly outside however -- remember their hearing is far more acute. Her behaviour is therefore a pretty normal response for an attentive dog, but that doesn't make it something you need to tolerate. But she needs some other arrangements to curtail it.

Needless to say most dogs stop all disruptive behaviour if they stay in the same room as a child or the owner... :lol:

On the other hand mine all sleep happily in another room, arranged between two large comfy crates covered with cloths so they are not distracted by cats coming in and out. Covering a crate generally really helps limit distractions and hence barking.

And a tired dog tends to sleep through the night. I'd also agree she may not be getting enough exercise or stimulation (an hour's very active walk and play WITH someone, not left out to entertain herself; also some obedience work daily, etc). And leaving a stuffed kong for her so that when she awakens in the night, there's something to do -- this too tends to be a big help. Many times I've posted the link for the free download of Ian Dunbar's book and though it is entitled for puppies all the same guidance and tips are appropriate for an adult dog and may also be of major help.
 
Since I have fosters pretty regularly now, and I have to crate them when I go out, and most tend to have some sort of anxiety/ separation anxiety...I have started leaving the satellite radio on tuned to the classical music channel. There is no talk interruption, just music. The change has been dramatic. I can now put any foster in the crate and as long as the music is playing they settle right down (I always wait outside my house to see if there is any barking).

Definitely try a small radio turned on at night- and it doesn't have to be loud at all- very quiet; just enough to create white noise.

Good luck!
 
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