AmaCam+Digby Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Hello DOL Crew! We have in this past week fallen quite hard into Fear Period two. Our pup Digby is barking quite fearfully at what seems to be the tiniest of things - a flash of light on the wall, a plastic packet of whipper snipper cord which fell on the ground, plants- and more often than not nothing at all. Mostly this happens after nightfall. For the past four nights Digby has barked - at nothing- continuously. For the first night it was only until 2am, then the second night til 3am, I cannot sleep while he is at it. I do eventually have to get up and see what he is barking at and give him the sign for no and be quiet (and tell him too with a cross face). The third night I was ragged and completely caved and did what I thought was unthinkable, after 6 months of puppy ownership for the first time he was allowed to slip onto our bed. Even then we had to have a night light on for him, and still he was startled by nothing and barked. Yesterday (yes New Years Eve) we took him for a long walk, and a swim, played fetch for a good 45 minutes afterwards in an attempt to tire him out. I gave him a kong to occupy him with when it was time to sleep, and scattered some extra food around the yard to distract him further. Stilled barked. It was 2am I was by then beyond overwhelmed and all logic and reasoning fell out of my brain. I went out to calm him, I refilled his kong, I moved our other Dog from her crate and put Digby in there with his Kong. He stressed and sucked the kong empty and whimpered loudly in the crate. (it was dumb but I think I may have fallen asleep at the kitchen table while he was in there.) we then moved to the lounge where he lay and then barked. Then back into the bedroom at around 4:45am where he lay down, then barked fearfully, then wanted to play. All while my poor husband was trying to sleep before work. by 5:30 I had given up on getting any sleep until the sun was up. So Digby decided to lay and only fidget a little and chew his tail. The sun came up, my husband got up and went to work, Digby and our other Dog Tilly went outside and hung out and played QUIETLY. I slept with the whole bed to myself. I was desperate, agitated and frustrated , and I am aware that this would have rubbed off on Digby and would not of helped him settle at all. What I need some advice for the coming days (weeks?Months?years). I am wondering whether any of these ideas might assist: - today I have not allowed him to sleep to much during the day, this feels like torturing him, and is not maintainable -Thundershirt? - Re-atttempt crate training? (I am thinking to do this anyhow for safe moving in case of emergencies) (We have also tried Rescue Remedy) He has some basic obedience and some trick training, we are planning to begin formal obedience training when our "local" obedience club. Is there anything else I should try or is this something we will just have to wait out - (and buy our neighbours ear plugs, chocolates, TVs or winning lottery tickets?) - just to add an extra bit of challenge for the DOL crew - Digby is deaf so his barking is SUPER DOOPER LOUD Thanks so much in advance for your help, Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Is Digby crate trained? And whereabouts is his bed for nighttime? The problems you're having could be very well to do with the fact that he's deaf and if he's barking at lights flashing, he can't really hear that they're not coming closer. Does he have free reign of the backyard at night because if so, maybe you could look at somehow sectioning it off so he only has a small area to feel safe and unthreatened in. If he is crate trained, maybe you could put his crate inside a puppy pen at night so he has a den and a secure little play area. Also, I've read from other DOLers who've suggested placing a blanket over the crate to make it dark and snuggly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmaCam+Digby Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Thank you for your quick reply riverstar-aura. He is not crate trained, as he flat out refused to go anywhere near the crate as a pup, and it is now used by our other dog. I am considering buying another for him. He does have free reign of the yard at night time, though he generally sleeps in our sunroom, exiting via a doggy door at will. He is quite big and can jump high with quite some strength so I have a feeling a pen wouldn't hold him (he learned to open sliding doors if unkatched to get where he wants to be so quite willful too). Crate training with a blanketed crate seems like the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmaCam+Digby Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Ps I made a imitation thunder shirt from a cut up pair of tights which he is wearing right now - asleep with the lights on in the sunroom. Could be the lights, or the thunder shirt, I'm not game to test either hypothesis. He is sleeping so I am going to sneak off to bed now too lol- further suggestions are welcome incase its a once off though!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 My deaf ACD was a barker....often it's the deaf ones that make the most noise Once he is crate trained and out of his fear period I would also try a citronella collar on him. Made my girl think twice about barking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I would re attempt crate training now hes a little older. Sometimes it is actually easier when they are older and more settled in with you. My dog was terrible in her crate as a young puppy, I actually gave up on crate training entirely after 2 months and she slept happily in my bedroom on a normal dog bed. we reattempted crate training at around 7 months, and now I have a dog who loves her crate, is happy to be in there all night or any other time. I think it was because she was insecure initially and also a little cheeky and hyper. Now she's much more calm, so being the the crate doesn't bother her at all. Although, she still sleeps in my room (and has migrated onto my bed!!!). There have been a few occaisons where we've stayed over at friends or someone as minded her for the night and she has been very good in her crate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmaCam+Digby Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 BLERGH its been a week and he is still at it.... my neighbours are going to kill us....or him... I have gone to work today and I am absolutely wrecked cause I am so tired... and I have two more days to go until the "Weekend", when I can sleep in/in the day when he is quiet..... am waiting for a new crate to arrive...... am potentially going to order a real ThunderShirt too..... Contemplating paying for him to have a holiday at the "local" dog boarding kennels so our town (and me) can get some rest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 BLERGH its been a week and he is still at it.... my neighbours are going to kill us....or him... I have gone to work today and I am absolutely wrecked cause I am so tired... and I have two more days to go until the "Weekend", when I can sleep in/in the day when he is quiet..... am waiting for a new crate to arrive...... am potentially going to order a real ThunderShirt too..... Contemplating paying for him to have a holiday at the "local" dog boarding kennels so our town (and me) can get some rest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmaCam+Digby Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 (edited) WOOHOOO with only the tiniest amount of treat rewarding quiet relaxed behaviour Digby slept silently in a crate for the first time ever. After a week of all night barking it feels like Christmas again!!!! Lol. Edited January 5, 2012 by AmaCam+Digby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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