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Old 04-04-2018, 04:59 PM
 
792 posts, read 1,170,054 times
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I have a miniature Australian Shepherd Terrier. He weighs 20 lb and he's 8 years old. I live alone and he has always slept with me at night. It's kind of like he has his side and I have my side. Sometimes he gets up during the night and goes and gets up on the back of the couch and looks outside.

He'll come to the bed and give a little bark to let me know that he needs to go outside. I let him outside to potty and he comes back in. Then he gets back into bed and goes to sleep like usual.

In the last two months he has developed some Strange Behaviors at night and I can't figure out why. About 3 times a week at night instead of sleeping normally he gets right up and puts his face on mine. If I shove him away he'll sit up and it's like he's just shaking.

He's not cold so I think the shaking is some kind of nervousness. If I try to push him off the bed he fights to stay on the bed right next to my face. If I turn over he will walk on my head and it pulls my hair as he's trying to get close to me.

If I kind of just ignore him he'll either try to put his face on my face or he'll just sit there close to me shaking. I don't know what's going on. I don't know why he's behaving this way. I thought I would ask you folks first to see if you've ever heard of this or dealt with it and if no one knows anything then I will take him to the vet and maybe they can draw some blood and see what's wrong.
Thank you for any help you can give me.
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Old 04-04-2018, 05:13 PM
 
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Take your dog to the vet. Tell them what is going on. If this were my dog, I would want a full blood panel done. Once the vet has the results back you will be able to proceed per the vet's recommendations and/or a second opinion as desired.
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Old 04-04-2018, 05:22 PM
 
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Yes, I made an appointment for Friday but I was just wondering if anyone has heard of this. Thank you.
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Old 04-04-2018, 05:39 PM
 
1,727 posts, read 1,971,954 times
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My best guesses based on what you describe (the shaking and wanting to be near you): 1) he might be in pain or not feeling well; 2) he is afraid/anxious; 3) he is a little young for senility and it is the wrong time of night for sundowners, but he could be waking up in the middle of the night confused which would lead to anxiety.

But again- it is all speculation. You need the vet visit and bloodwork to rule out medical issues. If he comes back with a clean bill of health, ask your vet for a referral to a reputable dog trainer or behaviorist who will be able to see what is going on and provide a management program.
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Old 04-04-2018, 05:53 PM
 
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I do not know how people can sleep with dogs in their bed with all the hair, the smell and possibly the fleas.

Put the dog in a crate with a nice bed. Close the door. Problem solved.
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Old 04-04-2018, 06:17 PM
 
Location: North Idaho
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Do you have, or are you developing sleep apnea? Does your blood sugar fluctuate? He may be medical alerting.
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Old 04-04-2018, 07:54 PM
 
Location: Canada
6,615 posts, read 6,486,158 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackberryMerlot View Post
I do not know how people can sleep with dogs in their bed with all the hair, the smell and possibly the fleas.

Put the dog in a crate with a nice bed. Close the door. Problem solved.
Maybe your dog/s shed, smell and possibly have fleas?

We have non-shedders, I keep them bathed on a regular basis and they don't have fleas. We LOVE having our dogs sleep with us. Feeling their warm bodies beside us in the night is very comforting and neither I, nor hubby would want it any other way.

OP, I'm not sure about what's going on with your dog. If you don't get any answers from the vet, ask a dog trainer if she/he's heard of this. It sounds like pain or nerves to me. He might be hearing something you aren't because their hearing is so much better than ours.
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Old 04-04-2018, 08:18 PM
 
1,201 posts, read 793,554 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawter View Post
I have a miniature Australian Shepherd Terrier. He weighs 20 lb and he's 8 years old. I live alone and he has always slept with me at night. It's kind of like he has his side and I have my side. Sometimes he gets up during the night and goes and gets up on the back of the couch and looks outside.

He'll come to the bed and give a little bark to let me know that he needs to go outside. I let him outside to potty and he comes back in. Then he gets back into bed and goes to sleep like usual.

In the last two months he has developed some Strange Behaviors at night and I can't figure out why. About 3 times a week at night instead of sleeping normally he gets right up and puts his face on mine. If I shove him away he'll sit up and it's like he's just shaking.

He's not cold so I think the shaking is some kind of nervousness. If I try to push him off the bed he fights to stay on the bed right next to my face. If I turn over he will walk on my head and it pulls my hair as he's trying to get close to me.

If I kind of just ignore him he'll either try to put his face on my face or he'll just sit there close to me shaking. I don't know what's going on. I don't know why he's behaving this way. I thought I would ask you folks first to see if you've ever heard of this or dealt with it and if no one knows anything then I will take him to the vet and maybe they can draw some blood and see what's wrong.
Thank you for any help you can give me.
Maybe it’s something with YOU. Twice in 7 years I have woke in the middle of the night to find my dog on my bed, standing over my face, whining and shaking. Once I woke, he seemed fine. He is never allowed on the bed and knows better than to get up there so these incidents were disturbing. My ex-boyfriend used to shake me awake and when I’d wake with a startle and a “wth?” he’d say I wasn’t breathing and it scared him. All I can figure is maybe this is what happened and it upset my dog. Maybe you are having nightmares, talking in your sleep, or maybe having episodes of not breathing and he is worried? I have heard of dogs acting very bizarre with owners and then it was found out they (owners) had a health issue.
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Old 04-04-2018, 08:20 PM
 
2,373 posts, read 1,880,710 times
Reputation: 3983
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawter View Post
I have a miniature Australian Shepherd Terrier. He weighs 20 lb and he's 8 years old. I live alone and he has always slept with me at night. It's kind of like he has his side and I have my side. Sometimes he gets up during the night and goes and gets up on the back of the couch and looks outside.

He'll come to the bed and give a little bark to let me know that he needs to go outside. I let him outside to potty and he comes back in. Then he gets back into bed and goes to sleep like usual.

In the last two months he has developed some Strange Behaviors at night and I can't figure out why. About 3 times a week at night instead of sleeping normally he gets right up and puts his face on mine. If I shove him away he'll sit up and it's like he's just shaking.

He's not cold so I think the shaking is some kind of nervousness. If I try to push him off the bed he fights to stay on the bed right next to my face. If I turn over he will walk on my head and it pulls my hair as he's trying to get close to me.

If I kind of just ignore him he'll either try to put his face on my face or he'll just sit there close to me shaking. I don't know what's going on. I don't know why he's behaving this way. I thought I would ask you folks first to see if you've ever heard of this or dealt with it and if no one knows anything then I will take him to the vet and maybe they can draw some blood and see what's wrong.
Thank you for any help you can give me.
He's very concerned about your face in the middle of the night. Maybe your face is snoring. Or maybe it stopped breathing like with apnea. Maybe you have nightmares where you call out or night time seizures. Yes, definitely check out your dog. But also check yourself.

It's amazing what dogs can sense that is silent. It could be you stop breathing at night lately for a while. Look up symptoms since you don't have a human sleeping with you. Tiredness next morning. Poor concentration and memory. Waking up inhaling quickly or gulping air and thinking it's allergies or asthma.

Last edited by petsandgardens; 04-04-2018 at 08:32 PM..
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Old 04-04-2018, 09:34 PM
 
2,319 posts, read 1,958,435 times
Reputation: 4167
Australian Shepherd Terrier? I'm sorry - is he an Aus Shepherd? or an Aus Terrier!

If he has Aus Shep blood, that is farm collie blood. They can have a very strong desire that things go according to "the rules". They can also have a very strong alert function.

So, the possibilities:

* The dog is in pain, or is ill and uncomfortable. Could even be a bad case of gas.
* Dog is alerting to someone or something outside, or perhaps even inside (mice, rats)
* Dog is alerting to something you are doing.

If Dog is just an Aus Terrier, I would think the 2nd two are much less possible, but with an Aus Shep, they are highly possible.

If you find nothing health-wise, listen to Dog and observe. If Dog wants to alert to something outside, Dog will probably go to a window or door. May even ask to be let out if you have a yard. If the dog seems more concerned about you, or about physical contact with you, try giving Dog a "Thank you, all's ok now." along with a nice scratch or two behind the ears, and then say "Go to bed now." (Or whatever you say that is equivalent). If the dog is alerting, it may take some time, but it will begin to recognize that you are paying attention when Dog alerts, and Dog will calm down more quickly.

There are recording devices which are quite cheap these days - and they will record for hours and hours. Maybe you could record your bedroom and see if you can figure out what the alert stimulus is. Maybe you have dreams and talk in your sleep!

Those would be my thoughts.
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