Dogs who stop sleeping through the night
We have a cat that is a major pain in the butt. He goes in and out multiple times a night. He wakes us up by clattering the wooden blinds against the window when he wants out, then he wakes us up by jumping against the bedroom windows when he wants back in. He's been this way forever. Opal has always been a light sleeper. She used to come out of my daughter's room to investigate why someone was up, then she would go back to bed. Now she has started getting up and expecting to be let out when the cat comes or goes. She has also started getting up at other times and is whining to go out. Amy, has been a deep sleeper for the most part up until now. This week she has started getting up separately from the cat and Opal, and has started wanting to go out in the middle of the night. I'm more likely to think her sleep change is due to the new medication. Regardless, its annoying. Last night was pretty typical, I let the dogs out at 10 just before I went to bed. Dan let them out at 11 before he went to bed. The cat wanted out at 11:30. Opal wanted back out 12:30-12:40. Amy was up from 1:00-1:15. The cat wanted in at 1:30. The cat wanted out at 2. Opal and Amy were up at 2:45-2:55. The cat wanted in at 3:15. The dogs were up at 5-5:15. Then Amy wanted out at 5:45-5:50. At 6:45 both dogs wanted out at their normal morning outing for about 30 minutes. Everytime one animal comes or goes, the rest do too. The dogs will stay out on average 10 minutes at a time. We need to fix this somehow. I suggested we get a pet door, but the cat is a good hunter, and we don't want him bringing dead, or not quite dead, things into the house. |
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| Summer goes out last at 11, but I go with her to make sure she goes! She has a habit of forgetting why she is going out the garden. A "quick quick for a biscuit! usually works. I think I would go out the garden with the dog just to make sure they arent messing you about, you need your sleep. |
Holy moly!  I'd be dead from lack of sleep.We take Tiggy and Rastus for a 5-10 min walk on the pavement out front before bed as Tiggy is much better at going potty out of her yard. Then everyone goes to bed and there had better be a good reason for asking to go out. I'd consider locking your cat in another room with a litter tray for the night but as I mentioned I don't cope with lack of sleep. None of my cats have got away with asking to go out at night. They're allowed to sleep on the bed but if they bother me to go out they're banished to the spare room or kitchen with the door firmly closed. If you know your dogs went potty before bed and can last the night, I'd just say 'no, go back to bed' and it would be in a very grumpy tone. Just ask my two what tone of voice I say it to them in.  They both know nocturnal excursions are frowned upon. |
| Our old cat passed away about 3 weeks ago, and I think that she kept the other pets in line. The dogs didn't dare to cross her and she slept in the middle of the main hallway. The young cat only went out and in a couple of times depending on the weather, but not nearly as much as he's doing now. Without her to keep everything in order, I think that is why we have chaos. Amy headbutts the door if its shut, until someone opens it. The cat will climb the walls (literally) and knock pictures down. He's a brat, and always has been. I've made sure the dogs both have had a busy day today. Hopefully that will help. |
Good luck! I hope you get a better night's sleep.  |
I rarely get a full night of sleep. With 3 cats and the 2 sheepies, something is always going on. Our cats have never been allowed out at night, but it doesn't stop them from rattling the dog door at all hours. That gets the dogs running.  Or the newest cat, who is a brat (though lovely) will try to groom our oldest cat; she won't have any of it and suddenly its 2 am and they are fighting so the dogs have to race to investigate. Or for whatever reason there are noises in the neighborhood-- sometimes it's the owls out back are making noises, or another dog in the area barking, or maybe it's coyotes and they dogs want to check it out. But I haven't had normal nights of sleep with any sort of regularity in 6 years. I'm a light sleeper to begin with, so I cope pretty well. But whenever I start thinking about wanting a puppy, I think about how much LESS sleep I'll be getting, and thats one of the things I can count on to make me think again on the subject.oh, and the husband? He has spent the last 6 years sleeping soundly in the guest room with a white noise machine, ear plugs, and the door closed!!!!!  |
| Its been raining today, so I'm guessing that we'll have one of those wild party nights again. I've gotten the dogs out to play, but not out for their walks. |
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