Barking at night ?

[poiuytrewq]

Desperate to nip this in the bud so advice please?

Cecil has been perfect at night from day 1. He was crated for a few months, now sleeps on top of Basils crate so high up and near a window (relevant?)
Anyhow I let them out for the last time at about 10pm they come in, jump into their beds and have a biscuit. I go to bed. Don’t hear a peep til I go down next morning.
Until the last few nights. Cecil has started barking frantically the second I get into bed.
The first night I didn’t hear him (ear plugs/oh snores!) but he kept my daughter and b’f awake a long time. She came down apparently twice and told him off. He was excited and wagging. It’s his “there is someone in the garden bark” that he only does if there is someone in the garden!
Last night he did it again. No one outside, security lights didn’t come on so I’m really confused as to why he’s doing this and how to handle it. Last night I didn’t go to him. He barked a long time but did shut up and sleep eventually. Daughter wasn’t here so it wasn’t disturbing them.
Incase he does it again tonight, What do I do?!

 

[poiuytrewq]

The only difference is that my two little ponies have been on the yard so he may have heard them moving round perhaps ?‍ I can’t see it really as he’s used to them being about and has never barked at them before but it’s the only difference as they have been out overnight until recently.

 

[Sandstone1]

Its probably a fox or something. Can you close curtains, make sure he can not see out. Maybe leave a radio playing low so he cant hear any night creatures?

 

[poiuytrewq]

There are no curtains, I have thought about getting some blinds or something sorted so if this does become a thing I definitely will yes.
I wondered about some kind of animal. Generally the lights should come on though it anything’s close

 

[nagblagger]

Mine started doing this running out through the dog flap barking - neighbour has been leaving food out for a hedgehog in the adjacent garden and they heard it snuffling.

 

[poiuytrewq]

No neighbours to blame sadly!
Hedgehogs a possibility.
I’m terrified it’s going to turn into a problem!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

There are no curtains, I have thought about getting some blinds or something sorted so if this does become a thing I definitely will yes.
I wondered about some kind of animal. Generally the lights should come on though it anything’s close

Could you have mice in the house?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Could you have mice in the house?

Always a possibility. We do have a pretty efficient cat who hasn’t mentioned anything! He’s pretty hooked if there’s something in a hedge for example.
Could equally be one stuck in the room that he left there and got bored of ?‍

 

[Moobli]

It could be your ponies. Mine rarely bark at my ponies or the Highland cow in the field during the day but if they run up against the fence or the cow rustles the tree branches with her horns my dogs rush outside barking after dark.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

One of our Labs started waking up early and barking, we made sure the curtains were closed, etc, which made no difference. Then we worked out that she was cold, so we bank up the stove more.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Some ideas to look at.
I have a heat pad that he had as a puppy so could pop that in his bed just incase.

What would be the correct immediate way to deal with it?
Do I ignore him, do I go down/ tell him to be quiet (not really a command he’d know so probably not that!)
I just feel it needs an instant correct approach.
I’ve left the ponies in stables, rather than free range so he can’t see them from the house tonight.

 

[misst]

I was going to suggest hedgehog, or cold! Mine hear the hedgehogs and the hedgehogs don't trigger lights. Nextdoors cats sometimes jump on our fence. We never see or hear them but the dogs do. They also see and hear deer outside. I only see them if the dogs alert me , then I know to look for them.

 

[AmyMay]

Pop him back in his crate, blanket overnight and then ignore?

 

[Sandstone1]

I would either move his crate away from the window so he cant jump up on it and look out or get a blind or something. Maybe if he does it again let him out and see what he does. He may well have a genuine reason for alerting you to something. He could be cold but it sounds more like hes barking at something in the garden. Could be fox, hedgehog or anything.
Not really fair to tell him off if something is disturbing him. Not everything sets of security lights.

 

[MissTyc]

Does sound like he's barking at something in the garden or the ponies. There's a lovely article I read about adolescent dog barking called "things that go bump at night". Might be findable via Google?

My now 13 month old went through a phase age 7 months to 11 months of barking at night. I call it fox o clock, but in reality it could be anything setting her off. She is still in the bedroom with me, so I was able to reassure her and tell her it's OK, I've got it and she doesn't need to guard. The last couple months I suddenly realised she's stopped doing it unless she has a stomach ache that keeps her alert. She's almost ready to move out of my bedroom, but I do like to keep them there until we're on the same page about nights, sleeping, waking up, etc.

Think of it as him having a hard time with something upsetting him rather than him wanting to give YOU a hard time, so I'd always go for reassurance rather than telling off or ignoring. Being told told off can make these things a lot worse as, at worst, some dogs will interpret it as "uh oh, even the humans are worried! Better double up my efforts". And,as above, it's not really fair to tell someone off for being worried - people do it enough with the horses when they tell them off for spooking, but at least dogs are generally more reasonable to reassure

 

[scats]

Mine will do this if they hear or see something in the garden like a cat or fox. We shut the curtains and that helps.

 

[Parrotperson]

One of our Labs started waking up early and barking, we made sure the curtains were closed, etc, which made no difference. Then we worked out that she was cold, so we bank up the stove more.

This! If Rocky gets cold god help us!!

 

[Moobli]

Haha at these cold dogs, they would hate living with me because I sleep with my back door open in all weathers

 

[fankino04]

Haha at these cold dogs, they would hate living with me because I sleep with my back door open in all weathers

That would have been the dream for my 3 ?

 

[BeansNsausages]

Haha at these cold dogs, they would hate living with me because I sleep with my back door open in all weathers

Why?

 

[poiuytrewq]

The good news is the ponies are back out, and wether it was them or not he’s stopped and is sleeping soundly all night again!
*thank you god* ??

 

[Moobli]

Hooray! ?