Night Time Digging

[SaddlePsych'D]

Ivy seems to be getting a habit of digging at the carpet in the middle of the night and I'm a bit stumped as to why and how to stop it - ideas welcome! She did it a few times a while ago and stopped but now has started up again this week.

She always settles down into her bed well before us, which is in the spare bedroom next to ours but recently has started getting up in the early hours and digging at the carpet which is annoying and starting to damage the carpet. Fairly sure no critters under the floorboards as we'd probably hear them too. OH thought she was too hot the one night so took her 'pyjamas' off but she's still doing it so now I'm wondering if she's too cold. It doesn't seem to make much difference what has happened in the day (i.e., even after busier/more tiring days she's still getting up, granted this week she has been on rest on vet advice). It doesn't seem like a frantic digging for fun or out of distress, more like trying to make a bed.

 

[twiggy2]

Being cold would be my guess or if the dog is elderly then dementia

 

[AmyMay]

I’m another who think she may be too cold. Despite being wrapped in a blanket and sleeping on my bed Daisy is insisting on getting under the covers with me at night.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Being cold would be my guess or if the dog is elderly then dementia

She is about 3.5 years old so hopefully not dementia related.

We have some thinner 'jumpers' for her so might try one of those tonight or look at some other options.

I so wish they could speak our language to tell us what they need! Will have to keep trying things until we work it out.

The only other times I've seen her dig was in the height of the heatwave when she was clearly too hot, and once when she wanted to sleep in a corner because of fireworks.

 

[ponyparty]

Does she have any blankets to burrow under (as well as her pyjamas)? Mine HAS to be buried under a blanket (or preferably my duvet!) to sleep.

You can also get those beds for greys/whippets which are like a cave that they can burrow into.

 

[AmyMay]

Is she in a bed, crate??

 

[Bradsmum]

Could you lay a blanket or rug over the area where she could make her own nest.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

She has a lovely Earthbound bed and a couple of blankets, usually a blanket under her and she gets the other one put over her before we go to bed.

I wonder if she's getting up to turn over then cold because she's not under the blankets anymore. Maybe we need to reinstate the dog cam to see what's going on! She won't sleep in the same room as us so it's not like we can hear her until she has already started digging.

 

[EllieBeast]

My Dalmatian does that when she’s cold- an extra coat or a blanket over her bed tends to solve it ?

 

[Red-1]

Hector does this when he is too cold. He seems to be trying to nest. Fortunately he sleeps on the bed so can be re-covered without having to get up!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Ivy doesn't really do getting on our bed. When OH is away I sort of wish she would! Even when she's invited up she hops off pretty quickly. I don't think she's comfortable in our space like that.

We've brought up the old duvet which is one of her downstairs beds and put it over the area she's been scratching. She's opted for that over her posh bed for now, blanket on top of her and a lightweight jumper thingy. Hopefully toasty enough for a good nights sleep. She's spent all evening playing with her new toy so she definitely should be tired enough ?

 

[Red-1]

Hex has 2 rugs at night and a cover. When it is cold, the under rug is a Hotterdog fleece jumper (with sleeves), with a thick padded padded coat on top, with chest cover. The cover is a fleece blanket.

He really does feel the cold.

I had dogs for years who did not need jackets. Hector has been an education!

Here he is, in just the top jacket, mid-yawn.

 

[Clodagh]

Ivy doesn't really do getting on our bed. When OH is away I sort of wish she would! Even when she's invited up she hops off pretty quickly. I don't think she's comfortable in our space like that.

We've brought up the old duvet which is one of her downstairs beds and put it over the area she's been scratching. She's opted for that over her posh bed for now, blanket on top of her and a lightweight jumper thingy. Hopefully toasty enough for a good nights sleep. She's spent all evening playing with her new toy so she definitely should be tired enough ?

How was your night?

 

[some show]

Joe has to wear his pj's to bed at the moment as well - either a thin single-layer fleece or if it's really cold he wears his equafleece. Usually if I feel his ears/feet and they're cold, he's cold! He gets restless, too. He's not a nester but a lot of greyhounds are, so it sounds like that's what Ivy's up to!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

How was your night?

Not much better - still up a few times. I need to check the dog cam but suspect she's getting up to turn around, blankets fall off, and then she's cold. In the bit of video I have watched back she didn't seem to be making much of a nest with the duvet, mostly scratching one spot of carpet, then looking at the door - I wonder if she has learned this is an effective way to summon one of her humans (usually my OH) to come and tuck her back in?!

Joe has to wear his pj's to bed at the moment as well - either a thin single-layer fleece or if it's really cold he wears his equafleece. Usually if I feel his ears/feet and they're cold, he's cold! He gets restless, too. He's not a nester but a lot of greyhounds are, so it sounds like that's what Ivy's up to!

Aww he's so snuggly! I've been thinking of getting an Equafleece for while. Does he have one with the back legs covered or just the front? Ivy just has her ridiculous dinosaur PJs but they are fleece and should be nice and warm. OH took them off her because he thought she was too hot. I'm going to try them back on her tonight as the thinner top thingy doesn't seem to have been enough.

 

[some show]

Aww he's so snuggly! I've been thinking of getting an Equafleece for while. Does he have one with the back legs covered or just the front? Ivy just has her ridiculous dinosaur PJs but they are fleece and should be nice and warm. OH took them off her because he thought she was too hot. I'm going to try them back on her tonight as the thinner top thingy doesn't seem to have been enough.

It sounds like you're right to me! Joe especially seems to get cold between sort of 2am-5am, I guess when his metabolism really slows down and also obviously it's been a while since the heating was last on.

Yeah he's got two of the 'dog jumper' types with half-front legs but no back legs. They're much thicker fleece than his normal pj's (an AK Creations 'housecoat' that he's been wearing for 7 years now) and really waterproof too, I love them. Bit tricky learning how to lift his long legs into it when I first bought one but we got the hang of it!

 

[Red-1]

It sounds like you're right to me! Joe especially seems to get cold between sort of 2am-5am, I guess when his metabolism really slows down and also obviously it's been a while since the heating was last on.

Yeah he's got two of the 'dog jumper' types with half-front legs but no back legs. They're much thicker fleece than his normal pj's (an AK Creations 'housecoat' that he's been wearing for 7 years now) and really waterproof too, I love them. Bit tricky learning how to lift his long legs into it when I first bought one but we got the hang of it!

Our Hotterdog one is the same as Equafleece. I think they may have taken the company over. Heck managed for a while with the front legs but as he got older we have had zips fitted. He still needs a top coat and a blanket though.

 

[AmyMay]

Could you set up a crate den for her?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Could you set up a crate den for her?

Yes we still have her crate so I could set that back up with blanket on top and inside. I last had it up for fireworks but she completely ignored the lovely den I had made!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Well we have PJs, cushions, duvet and blanket at the ready for her nest making. Currently the room is toasty and she's already made herself what looks like the most uncomfortable bed I've ever seen with the duvet. Right next to her very posh bed which she usually likes a lot but apparently cheap spare duvet is the way forward. I thought I'd try this before crate and see how we get on. Otherwise the crate den is being reinstated tomorrow!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Dang, a real fail! She was worse last night. I was up multiple times including at 2am lying with my ear on the floor where she scratches to see if I could hear anything under there. Surely I'd hear if there was?!

I'll try the crate tonight, if only to protect the carpet!

In our old house she slept in the kitchen as she couldn't get up the stairs so 'her' room now should be comparatively warm as it's an upstairs bedroom.

I've been out today and according to dog cam no scratching but plenty of duvet rearranging so it really does seem to be a night time thing.

 

[Escapade]

I would set some traps anyway, myself. have caught small things before without knowing of their presence ?
Would be something ruled out, if nothing else

 

[some show]

Damn! I had a bit of a read on the greytalk forum and it does sound like some greyhounds are 'heavy nesters' and will just do this digging to china business no matter what kind of bed you give them. Is it one particular spot of carpet she goes for or does she move around? If it's just one section you could maybe try putting something less attractive to digging down on the carpet (a tarp or something else non-soft) and see if she still does it.

It's also possible she can hear something under the floorboards, like you said. The sound could be carrying quite a way if you're e.g. in a terraced house.

 

[Rokele55]

Has she been in season recently?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Damn! I had a bit of a read on the greytalk forum and it does sound like some greyhounds are 'heavy nesters' and will just do this digging to china business no matter what kind of bed you give them. Is it one particular spot of carpet she goes for or does she move around? If it's just one section you could maybe try putting something less attractive to digging down on the carpet (a tarp or something else non-soft) and see if she still does it.

It's also possible she can hear something under the floorboards, like you said. The sound could be carrying quite a way if you're e.g. in a terraced house.

It's all roughly the same area of carpet, under my work desk. She liked that corner of the room for fireworks, although it's just over the last week the digging has picked up in frequency. Watching the dog cam back from last night, it was all the same spot. I hate to think about it but now I'm leaning towards something going on under there.

Though it's very not funny, I did lol at myself being caught on camera half asleep flopping down on the floor to try to hear if there was something there then later on groaning "stop it!" from bed ??‍

Has she been in season recently?

She doesn't have seasons as was spayed by the rescue before we got her.

 

[some show]

I hate to think about it but now I'm leaning towards something going on under there.

Ugh what a pain, it does sound likely though since you said she's only doing it in the middle of the night. My last house I used to get mice travelling along under the floorboards of my bedroom and it was always night time they were at their busiest. Do you have another room you could try her in to test out the theory, or would she be unhappy at relocating?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

She won't sleep in the bedroom with me - when we last had guests she preferred to squash herself awkwardly in the nearest spot to where her bed is supposed to be rather than come and sleep on her actual bed set up in our room. I could try her downstairs which is where she slept when we first moved in. Might wait a night or two for the temps to pick up a few degrees.

Mice I can sort of cope with but rats would be more likely and I am really phobic of them, eek!

 

[fetlock]

Might be a daft suggestion but do you know anyone with a working terrier/working anything who might be able to bring it over for a sniff about in that room?

 

[FinnishLapphund]

If you have a night camera, and she hears things at night, wouldn't she wake up by first lifting the head to listen for the sound that awakened her? Then when trying to investigate the sound, occasionally stop digging to listen, look, and/or sniff around, before starting to dig again?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Might be a daft suggestion but do you know anyone with a working terrier/working anything who might be able to bring it over for a sniff about in that room?

Possibly, I could look into it.

If you have a night camera, and she hears things at night, wouldn't she wake up by first lifting the head to listen for the sound that awakened her? Then when trying to investigate the sound, occasionally stop digging to listen, look, and/or sniff around, before starting to dig again?

The recording doesn't always capture the first bit if her moving but on one bit her head pops up (comically, out of nowhere because she sleeps in the most ridiculous uncomfortable looking positions), she gets up and has a shake, then lays down on her front pointing at the digging spot, then digs it. She seems to spend a fair bit of time just laying pointing at that spot but not sleeping. Didn't seem to be any sniffing. The digging doesn't seem especially frantic, it's mostly just with one paw which was why I thought perhaps she was nesting at first. She's not going at it with both paws.

She seems to have settled down for the night okay, me not so much in anticipation of being woken up!