Blind dog wakes wakes up during the nite and barks continuously (border collie, vet)
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So, another problem with my recently blind sheltie, who's also deaf.
She has been waking up in the early morning (btwn 2 and 4 am) and will start to continuously bark. I'm thinking since the first thing I do when I get up is wake her for breakfast, she thinks it's mealtime, which is actually not till 5:30 a.m.
As I live in a condo, my neighbors are very close. One on either side, and one directly above me. I'm concerned they're being woken up by my dog.
What can I do to get her to stop barking? I have given her half her breakfast to get her to quiet down, but I can't continue to do that because she'll expect it each time. I just need her to sleep until 5 am at least.
maybe just feed her half of her breakfast on those mornings... she is elderly and is may be becoming confused.... half of her breakfast is an easy accomodation for that......
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. She's probably still discombobulated from her blindness, and doesn't know day from night... just sleep and eat. She's behaving in some ways that make me think she's got a touch of dementia.
Would talk to your vet about putting her on Anipryl - it's helpful for senior dogs who are confused and gets their days/nites mixed up etc - it might work out well for her too.
Make sure you start training her to KNOW when its morning. Set up a new routine that lets her use what senses she still has that its time to get up. Stomp the floor a few times, tap her on the shoulder, something that would specifically let her know its time to get up and have breakfast. Same for bedtime. So get up before she barks, give her the signal then feed her. Start the time later and later but before she barks. Eventually you will have her trained to respond to a new stimulus that its daytime. Its going to suck for a while, luckily shelties are really smart.
I know this works because I had an elderly deaf border collie who got so used to the floor stomping that she would only sleep with her head against a floorboard to always be able to "hear" us "calling" her.
Would talk to your vet about putting her on Anipryl - it's helpful for senior dogs who are confused and gets their days/nites mixed up etc - it might work out well for her too.
Anipryl is the best! Our dog was fine during the day but at night was terrible. Clawing at the bed, barking, just a nightmare. Took him to the vet for a tranquilizer for him or us! The vet diagnosed doggie dementia. Once the dosage was adjusted, he was back to pretty much his old self.
Check with your vet to see if the dementia is the problem. Good luck!
I know this works because I had an elderly deaf border collie who got so used to the floor stomping that she would only sleep with her head against a floorboard to always be able to "hear" us "calling" her.
Oh my, this can be why she only sleeps on the cold hard floor instead of her crate and various beds I put around the house. She just won't sleep on a soft spot, which suprises me because she used to sleep on my bed with me. I had to take her off because she started to fall off of it.
My guess would be that she might be getting dementia if she's old. None of my dogs ever did that, but I did have 1 cat that would start howling very early in the morning. I would put the food down, go back to sleep, and about an hour later he would start again. Very rarely did he not do it. He never did stop until a couple weeks before I had to put him to sleep.
I would keep trying to feed her a little, and see how that goes. Then again, she is blind and deaf, so there might me a different approach?? I've never had a blind and/or deaf pet.
Good Luck!
have a blind and partly deaf spaniel and she is acting the same way, last night I wa up at 2 the 5am with her I am tired frustrated but feel its because she lacks the stimulation that she used to have when she had her sight. am going to speak to my doctor incase she is getting dementia because she also musses up the bed when I lift her she likes to be cool on the floor but perhaps she feels the vibrations on the floor.I am so sorry for your dog but with ours we have come through so much with her as she lost her eyes needed surgery to get rid of painful glaucoma.She is anxious being left and I feel terrible for her.Please help we parents of blind dogs need support with these difficulties-will try the anipryil thankyou
Some great replies on this thread. Thank you OP for creating it.
My dog is also a senior, and is losing his vision, and has doggy dementia. He has not reached the stage of your girl, but is getting close.
In the case of barking, and she used to sleep with you on the bed, can you throw down a comforter in the spot she is now used to, something with your smell on it? Maybe a heating pad to provide warmth could be placed under it? (I don't know your home city)
Perhaps both the warmth and the scent of you, plus a soft cushy 'bed', could aide in calming her?
Of course, as other posters mentioned, getting her to associate with day and night. It must be terrifying to become blind and deaf, and also not have her best friend (you)
next to her.
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