# Dog help needed



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

I dont know what to do. 


I am at the end of my rope. For the last 2-3 years, My dogs have gotten me up at night. Well now I am down to just one, and it is worse then ever. He has me up about every 2 hours, and at this point, the lack of sleep is getting to me. The funny thing is that he does not always want out. Just wakes me up, gos to the door, looks out, and then goes back to his room. Also he seems to get very jumpy, and nervious doring the day. He is baby gated in to the back bedroom,hall, and kitchen, becouse he always gets into trubble if he wonderds the whole house, and he has been trying to break out. I just dont know what to do with him. Maybe more time with him, but with work, and a 2year old, thats hard to do. We have been to the vet, and tryed drugs with no help. I am just at the end of my rope. The lack of sleep has effected my health, and mood. I am cranky all the time, and just not doing well. Now I would hate to put the dog down, but it is getting to the point it's me or him. Any ideas??? He is a kind dog, so I would love to find a way to make him happy. Been thinking of giving him to someone that has the time to spend with him, to see if he can adapt, but he is 12, and not many people want a 12year old dog. 

Sorry guys I am rambling here a bit, I just dont know what to do. I cant go on like thisfrown


----------



## Gillie (Dec 12, 2004)

*Old Dogs*

Paul:

We have a dog about the same age as yours. He is losing his eyesight somewhat and he limps from auther. We don't have to restrain him in a particular room though. Part of the problem may be that he is lonely for his friends that have disappeared. Perhaps a mature but younger dog, would give him some company that he is missing. I would guess a rather docile female may be a good bet. If he isn't fixed you may want to make sure she is. Another thing would be to make sure he is getting enough exercise. He may have a little pent up energy that he doesn't know how to deal with. Right now I have been fighting a abcessed tooth and can't get out and drive because of the painkillers (lortab). So I have what my Dad refers to as "cabin fever" or "All messed up and no place to go">>>>>LOL. You would be surprised how many people might just take a mature dog like yours. You may also want to put him up for adoption at your local animal shelter. Hope this has helped some.

Bob G.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

well now i know why you are on the forum at 3:00 or 4:00 am...

i agree w/gillie.. mayber he misses your other dog... or do you think maybe he's sore and just letting you know? 

i know if 1 dog is keeping you up all night.. your not thinking.. lets get another one.. but maybe another dog will keep him occupied.. or maybe he just wants to be in the room where you guys or your daughter is...


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well another dog is not in the cards. Been tird to the house a long time having had 3 for so long. It's tough. You love the dogs, but just feel bad that you can't devote the time he may need. A two year old seems to take all I have leftfrown 


I have thought about adaption. If I know he would go to a nice home I would iin a second, and eaven make a sizeable donation. Just hate to have hime just put down.


So its a tough possion for me. I mean I have had him for a long time, and he has been my responsabilty to take care of him, but I also saved him form a home life where he would not have made it to his first year, so I gave him probably the best 12 years he could hope for. But at the same time, my health and famley life are important also.


frown frown So there my story.


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I am NO dog trainer but in past times I had gone through this with dogs and even a cat. At the end of my rope like you; I finally resorted to making a "percussion adjustment" each time the dog woke me up for when not alerting on something or somebody at the door or outside. After a few "percussion adjustments" the waking me up stopped. Once I stopped reinforcing its behavior of waking us up in the middle of the night be responding to the dog for what he wanted; he got the concept fast. Bear in mind, this was a last resort. I try to go the dog reasoning route first. (whatever that is  ) 

If you haven't; you might try scolding the dog for waking you up and work you way up to the "persussion adjustment".


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well chief, in this dogs case nothing works. Never been a deterant for him.


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Is the dog barking or just making noise?


----------



## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

I think the dog is just craving more attention. Getting another dog for him for company is just a temp fix, as it does not eliminate the owners responsibility of giving attention, so that may or may not work long term.


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Chief _
> *Is the dog barking or just making noise? *



Barking, wining, busting down the baby gates.


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Chipmaker _
> *I think the dog is just craving more attention. Getting another dog for him for company is just a temp fix, as it does not eliminate the owners responsibility of giving attention, so that may or may not work long term. *


That is why I dont want another. I cant provide the love and care one needs, what am I going to do with two.frown


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

paul if he sleeps with you guys does he do any better??


----------



## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*dogs*

What a pain they can be. I have two dogs a lab and a beagle. The lab is a great dog, the beagle is busy. We call her lulu and the name fits. The one thing I have done is crate train my dogs. At night they are locked up. The dogs feel secure in thier crates, it is like a den for them. The only thing is make sure the crate is always a safe place for them. If they need a swat don't do it there.
Lulu has a problem , she has a spindle cell tumor on her nose and soon I have to have her put down. We have spent a lot of cash , had it removed three times, only to come back. Mri, xrays and a specialist , and no luck. She looks like hell but it does not slow her down yet, still chasing the cats, barks at anything that moves, and can still eat well. Owning pets suck! I hate when it is time to put them down. My wife says no more dogs after this. She said that after our Black Lab "Slick" had to be put down, but he was 17 lulu is only 5. How we have a yelllow lab named "Elvis",he too is a sweetheart.


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *paul if he sleeps with you guys does he do any better?? *



cant. He can be to bad, and would eat everything in the room.


----------



## jjbyers (Sep 17, 2003)

*Crate in the same room.*

Maybe you could crate him in the same room with you. It may be a rough first couple of nights, but after that it should get better.

It would give him a feeling of family that dogs crave.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

*Re: Crate in the same room.*



> _Originally posted by jjbyers _
> *Maybe you could crate him in the same room with you. It may be a rough first couple of nights, but after that it should get better.
> 
> It would give him a feeling of family that dogs crave. *



crate him or give him a nice big bed and keep him tied up so he can only have access to the bed and not much more room to do damage..

he may just want to be near the family..


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well I pretty much do spend most of the night with him


I normaly move down stairs on the coutch after the first time or so he gets me up. This is right outside the gate. Has not helped, but makes the getting back to sleep turnaround time better.


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I think Slip hit on a good idea about locking the dog up in a kennel box. The only other thing that comes to mind is the shock collars that zap them with they bark or when you push the zap button. Not exactly the nicest method of controlling them. More times than not they break the dogs spirit.


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

He stays in a crate during the day when we are not home. As I said, he tends to get in a lot of trubble, but he [and his late brother] started howling, barking and scraching to get out at night, so I started leaving them/him out at night.


----------



## johndeere (Sep 17, 2003)

Maybe he would like to be with his late brother?Just a thought.


----------



## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

Ingersoll,
Have two dogs myself and had them up in the kitchen with the smaller one crated. Unfortunately the big one is protective so will bark or howl at any **** or cat that goes through our yard at night. Put both of them downstairs with the little one still crated and solved the problem. If you have a basement, I suggest crating him at night down there. Also if he is crated all day does he get to play with the family at night and watch TV with the rest of you? If not that may be one of your problems. How is he with your 2-year old? Jealous or lovable and protective? If the former, that's another problem since he was there long before your child. Another suggestion is take him for a walk every night before putting him down for the evening. That way both of you get exercise and he gets some needed attention. If it's warm, bring your child along either in a stroller or papoose carrier. Make it a family thing. You might find this a better solution than putting you long time faithful friend down or giving him away to a stranger.


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

He is real good to my doughter. Good dog, would never bite or anything. I tell you, you could reach into his mouth wile he is eating, and never fear getting bit 


I am making another vet apt for eather fri, or saterday, and will see if they can help at all with anything. 


You know it kinda sucks. I have tryed almost all the stuff here, and nothing seems to work.frown He's miserable, I am misserable, and get so cranky I tend to get short with the rest of the famley. Not fair to anyone. Plus by the time I get home at night, I am ready to crash, and cant enjoy my time with my little girl. Not a good thingfrown


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well we have another vet apt tomarrow afternoon. Going to see if there is anything else we can do. Wish me luck


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Paul,

It sounds as if you have a jealous sibling on your hands...he is not getting the attention he thinks he deserves....so when given the opportunity he will make a mess or do whatever he needs to get himself in trouble...after all when your scolding him...it's attention...better than no attention at all...

Was this dog around before your daughter? If so, he was probably the center of attention of you and your wife...now your daughter is here getting all the attention has him feeling pretty low..

that, plus the fact that he has lost a close playmate, a pal...he's going through a pretty tough time...If you can't give this fella the attention he needs, then maybe it would be best if you found him a home that would...

We had a dog whodid a 180* personality change when my son was born that brought much anguish to my wife and I...we eventually had him put down because could not find another home for him...it was tough time...


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Ya its tough. I know I have a responsabilty to him, but at the same I do to my famley. And with my lack of sleep, and the mental, and health problems that come with it, I feel I am not giving them all that they deserve also. Not a situation I like being in


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ingersoll444 _
> *Ya its tough. I know I have a responsabilty to him, but at the same I do to my famley. And with my lack of sleep, and the mental, and health problems that come with it, I feel I am not giving them all that they deserve also. Not a situation I like being in *


Your family definetly comes first!!!


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

yes it does. 


Well we will see what the vet has to say tomarrow. Hopfuly I can get some info on what to do.


----------



## kubotachick (Nov 26, 2004)

i'm thinking also, jealousy is probably a big thing...like you said, you have a 2 year old and the dog probably sees you doing stuff with the kid in the times that you were spending with him...we used to have a dog that would get absolutely hysterical when it came down to thunderstorms and the only way to easy her up was to give her a little brandy...worked every time

or there are also those remote shock collars (inhumane yes...but just how desparate are you?0-


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well had the apt yesterday. They are not sure realy waht to do, but proscribed a new Med to see if that will help any. Nothing realy they can do, becouse he has no medacle problems. So we will see what happands. If not, looks like I will have to put the guy up for adaption. I hate to do it, but I have to think of my famley first.frown 


BTW any one know of any over the counter sleep aids that dogs can take?


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well started him on the new drugs. Too soon to tell if it will work, but we will give it a shot. I have decided that putting him down is not an option. Just cant do that to a healty dog. If this does not work, I will try to find him a new home, with someone that can provide him with the attion he needs. Worse case at least with the Humane susity he has a CHANCE of fimding a good home. well we will see how it goes.


Here he is. Cute, and sweet dog, thats for sure. He just needs to SLEEP!!!!

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=74943>


----------



## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ingersoll444 _
> *...Here he is. Cute, and sweet dog, thats for sure. He just needs to SLEEP!!!!... *


No he needs to SLEEP at night so you need to tire him out a bit more during the day. Did that with my two yesterday and guess what we were able to sleep until 7:30 am this morning instead of the usual 5 or 6 am. Walks and riding around in the car with the family while do a lot towards this since he is an old dog already and doesn't have near the energy my two young dogs do. My advice take it or leave it.


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well I dont know if the new pills are working, or just luck of the draw, but seems to be doing better. Saterday night, he got me up at 1130 and then at 3. Mush better then normal, then of corse my little girl wakes the house up at 4 so I am STILL up. Last night He had me up at 1 3 and agean at 4. so we are getting there. He looks better also.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ingersoll444 _
> *. Last night He had me up at 1 3 and agean at 4. so we are getting there. He looks better also. *



1, 3 and 4? and he looks better? He'd look dead if he were mine... 

No j/K thats tough.. what drug is he on? maybe you can pop a few and get a nights sleep..


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *1, 3 and 4? and he looks better? He'd look dead if he were mine...
> *


:furious: :furious: :furious:


----------



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well it seems to be working. He "looks" a lot brighter, and last night he only got me up once at 2:30. Of corse after two years of this, I am used to it so was STILL up at 4am 

But things are getting better. It was nice to sleep for a streight 5 hours without being woken Just hoping for the best, this could be it.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

good deal paul.. and of course i was only kidding about the 'he'd look dead' comment


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *good deal paul.. and of course i was only kidding about the 'he'd look dead' comment *


A mans gotta do...what a mans gotta do:furious:


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Argee _
> *A mans gotta do...what a mans gotta do:furious: *



tell that to ezmerelda as you are frying up the bacon...


----------

