Almost all dogs will bark at something, maybe to communicate with their owners, or greet their doggy friends in excitement, or perhaps if they’re feeling uneasy. However, barking in the evening, or overnight, can be more of a problem and can be difficult to stop. This is a common issue that can arise and can affect any age or breed of dog, although there are some conditions that are more likely to result in this unwanted behaviour. Elderly dogs, or dogs that suffer from various forms of anxiety are probably most likely to present with barking through the night, but they are far from alone! So let’s look at the different factors that may trigger night-time barking.
Ageing
As your dog gets older, their cognitive function (how well their brain is working) can slowly decline. Much in the same way as elderly humans. This can lead to confusion, which often seems to be worse at nighttime. Your dog may get up and wander around, may bark at odd hours and it can be difficult to work out what they actually need or want. During the day, they can often seem quite normal.
This can be quite distressing, and although there is no cure, the condition can be managed somewhat with various medications and supplements to help slow the decline. It usually happens alongside other problems such as hearing loss, and toileting accidents so it is best to discuss with your vet if you start to see any of these signs in your older pet.
Deafness
As your dog ages, they may also experience deterioration in their hearing. Deafness can also contribute to problems with cognitive dysfunction and increase the confusion. However, sometimes dogs with impaired hearing seem to react to sounds that don’t exist, which can trigger them to start barking. If you are concerned about your dog’s hearing, it is a good idea to have their ears checked by your vet to make sure there isn’t another more treatable cause.
Pain
It can sometimes be difficult to tell if your pet is in pain. For example, older dogs are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, particularly in hip, knee and elbow joints. They may not show obvious signs of pain, or signs that an owner would expect to see. For example, a dog could be painful but not whining, vocalising, or obviously “unhappy”. They may just become slower, more stiff, and find it more difficult to get up and down from rest.
Underlying pain can contribute to behavioural changes, such as becoming restless, difficulty getting settled, and barking through the night. Fortunately, there is a wide range of pain medication licensed for dogs and so it is likely that your vet will be able to find a treatment regime that makes a difference to your dog’s comfort and welfare. There are also many nutritional supplements available to help support your dog’s joints, and can be started from any age.
Toileting
There may be times where your pet needs to go out to the toilet more frequently than usual, especially during the night, and they will most likely bark to get your attention. For example, when they are a puppy and are still house-training. Or when they are elderly, and less able to hold on for a full night. There can also be more clinical reasons, such as gastrointestinal upsets – if your dog has an upset tummy, they will usually bark to be let outside at all hours. Likewise, if they have a urinary issue (such as cystitis, or a urinary tract infection), they will need to be let out much more frequently while they are on treatment. If you suspect your pet may be having trouble urinating or defaecating normally, speak to your vet as soon as possible. They may request urine or faecal samples to reach a diagnosis, so you may be able to prepare and bring these with you to the appointment.
Noises
Dogs have excellent hearing and can pick up a much wider frequency of noises than humans can. They also have much more sensitive hearing so can hear very tiny or quiet sounds. If they detect unusual noises from outside (like visitors, intruders, house pests, other dogs being walked past, foxes or cats passing nearby) they will likely bark to alert their owners. This can become annoying if it happens regularly through the night, or night after night – this is not uncommon as most wildlife will choose the middle of the night to make trips through gardens!
Separation/Stress/Anxiety
Some dogs can have problems with being separated from their owners, especially if they are kept in a different room or a crate overnight. These dogs may also have other concurrent behavioural issues, they may be rescue dogs, or they may have had a traumatic experience that has given them some anxiety. With anxiety or stress related behaviours, it is most useful to consult with a vet who specialises in behavioural problems (your vets can usually direct or refer you to a local specialist). It may also be useful to consider nutraceutical therapies (such as pheromone plug-ins/sprays/tablets) to help ease the stress. In the most severe cases, prescription medication can be used to help ease your dog’s anxiety, fear or stress.
Reproduction
As your dog reaches maturity, usually around a year of age, they will start to show an interest in the opposite sex. Females will usually come into season at around 6-12 months of age and this can often bring on temporary behaviour changes while they are in season, which usually lasts for around 3 weeks. They can become restless, lose their appetite, may choose not to interact as much, or become more vocal.
Males tend to reach sexual maturity at around the same age, or maybe slightly older. A male dog can sense a female in season from miles away and can become more difficult to manage during this time. They could be pacing, whining, barking, or even trying to escape to reach the female in heat.
If these behaviours are causing problems in the household, then it may be worth discussing neutering with your vet. This is the removal of the reproductive organs (ovaries and uterus in the female, and testicles in the male) so that your dog cannot reproduce and will be less likely to express some of these behaviours.
Fireworks
Fireworks season poses extra challenges for dogs that suffer from noise phobias or other stress related issues. Upon hearing the fireworks dogs can become very distressed, start hiding, cowering, shaking, trembling, clinging to their owners and barking. Distant explosions can agitate a dog with healthy hearing, and loud bangs can often be heard by dogs that have lost a significant amount of their hearing. As these events only happen once or twice a year, there is no opportunity for dogs to accommodate to the bangs and so the reactions and fear tend to just get worse year on year. There are some methods to improve noise sensitivities, such as playing CDs of fireworks noises for your dog. Some dogs respond well to tightly placed velcro wrapped shirts which have been designed to bring comfort during stressful situations. Nutraceutical remedies can help take the edge off during this season, but there are now several prescription medications licensed for noise phobias in dogs so it is important to speak to your vet if your dog is struggling with this issue.
Conclusion
There are many potential reasons that your dog may start to bark through the night and they range from easily treatable to very difficult to manage. Unfortunately, if the barking is very frequent or persistent, it can be really difficult to tolerate and the situation can eventually become wearing on everybody in the household.
For this reason, an initial consultation with your vet is the best place to start, before the behaviours get too ingrained. They will be able to determine if there is an underlying reason for the barking (such as pain or illness), or if the problem is more behavioural and so referral to a veterinary behaviourist would be most appropriate. Or they may be able to prescribe some medication to help (such as pain relief, or anti-anxiety treatment).
Outside of the vets, you can help by making some alterations to your dog’s environment (such as soundproofing, or more comfortable bedding). They may benefit from one last late toilet trip before bed. Or you can access some of the many remedies and supplements now available on the market (plug in diffusers, sprays, tablets, capsules, powders, pastes etc) – to help ease stressed or anxious dogs, to support joint health, or to improve gut health for example.
As you can see, barking (especially overnight) is just one manifestation of a wide range of potential issues, so it may take a little patience and investigation to work out the cause and the best treatment and management strategy.
Further reading
Digital dogsitter reduces vocalisation in dogs suffering from separation related problems
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