3 calming tips to improve dog behaviour at night | Petplan

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As well as howling, elderly dogs with CDS can also become very restless at night. So Rosie recommends plenty of daytime stimulation to tire your pet out. 'A ... AboutPetplan Help&Contact HowtoClaim Login/Register Togglenavigation PetInsurance DogInsurance CatInsurance RabbitInsurance MultipetInsurance OtherPetInsurance Insuranceguides PetAdvice DogAdvice PuppyAdvice DogBreeds CatAdvice KittenAdvice RabbitAdvice Meetourexperts RehomingaPet AboutPetplan Help&Contact HowtoClaim Login/Register Getaquote Home PetAdvice Dog 3calmingtipstoimprovedogbehaviouratnight 3calmingtipstoimprovedogbehaviouratnight Ratethisarticle: ShareviaEmail ShareviaEmail ShareonLinkedIn Shareviawhatsapp ShareonTwitter ShareonFacebook Sharethisarticle: Asdogsgetolder,theirnighttimeroutinesandhabitscanchange.Ourexperts'advicecanhelpbothyouandyourpetcope. Companions,notcompetitors Unfortunately,gettingoninyearscanchangethewayalldogsbehaveatnight-especiallyifthey'realso sufferingfrom'doggydementia',knownascognitivedysfunctionsyndrome(CDS).'Aroundhalfofalldogsovertheageof11 arelikelytodisplaysomesymptomsofCDS,'saysPetplanveterinaryexpertBrianFaulkner.'Butonetricky aspectofCDSisthatthesymptomsoftenworsenatnighttimewhenyou'relessabletoofferyourdogextralove andsupport.' 'Musclepain,sensorychangessuchasdeafnessorfailingsight,andsomeothermedicalconditionscanallaffect yourdog'snighttimebehaviour,'addsRosieBescoby,aclinicalanimalbehaviourist.'Ifyou'reindoubt,always speaktoyourvetfirst.'Onceyourpethasbeengiventheallclear,Rosierecommendstryingthesetipsto ensureamorepeacefulnightforyouboth: 1.Adaptifnecessary 'IfyourdoghasCDS,hemightfeeldisorientatedandfrightenedwhenhewakesup,whichcanresultinhowlingor whining,'Rosieexplains.'Excessivevocalisation-whenyourdogplaintivelyhowlsorwhinesforlongperiods-is closelyassociatedwithseparationanxiety.Dogsfeelmorevulnerableastheyage,andtheyoftenneedtheirowners inordertofeelemotionallysecure.' Rosiepointsoutthatyourpetmayalsofindithardertonavigatethehouse,andmayfeelphysicallyinsecure- perhapsthelaminatefloorfeelsslipperynowthathe'sarthritic?'Newfearsmeanthathe'llfeelevenmoreanxious withoutyourcompany,'shesays. Tocombatthis,whynotadaptyourhomeinsomepracticalways?'Installanightlightnexttoyourdog'ssleeping areatohelphimorientatehimselfifhedoeswakeup,andpluginapheromonediffusertoeaseanyanxiety,'Rosie suggests.'Introducingathick,high-sidedbedcanalsohelpbygivinghimaddedcomfortandsecurity,andletting himsleepnexttosomeofyourunwashedclothingwillprovideasenseoffamiliarity.Ifthesetipsfail,though, lettingyourdogsleepinyourbedroomcanhelphimfeelphysicallysafeandcouldleadtoabetternight'ssleep allround.' 2.Sticktoplaytimeandroutines Aswellashowling,elderlydogswithCDScanalsobecomeveryrestlessatnight.SoRosierecommendsplentyof daytimestimulationtotireyourpetout.'Agentleeveningwalkcanhelptoreducerestlessnesslater,while swimmingcanbeveryeffectiveforarthriticdogs,'shesays.'But,ifyoudoneedtoreduceyourpet'sphysical activityduetoanymedicalconditions,makesuretoreplaceitwithmentalstimulation.Tryusingpuzzletoys,easy trainingroutinesorfoodgamestokeephismindactive-itcanbeassimpleasscatteringfoodinthegardenfor yourdogtosniffout,orprovidingactivityballs.' Rosiealsorecommendskeepingfeedingtimesasroutineaspossibleand,becausedogswithCDScanforgetthatthey've beenfed,graduallyswitchingtothreesmallermealsaday. 3.Helpwithanytoilettroubles Anothercommonsymptomofdoggydementiaisnighttimetoiletaccidents.'Pain,sensoryimpairmentandCDScanall causeadogtostruggletogetoutsideintime,'explainsRosie.Sherecommendsprovidingextracuestohelpyour dognavigateyourhomeeasily-forexample,usingnon-sliprugsorrunnersonthefloortoguidehimawayfromthe furniture,orplacingaradionexttothebackdoor.'Scent,likeadaboflavenderoil,canalsobeusedtohelp yourdogidentifydifferentroomsandlocations,'shesuggests. 'Ifyourdogseemstohaveforgottenhistoilet-trainingbecauseofCDS,thenI'dgobacktobasicsinthesameway thatyouwouldtrainapuppy,'Rosieadds.'Butyou'llneedtobeabletohearyourdogatnight,andhelphimgo outsideassoonashebarksormovesaround.Youcouldeveninstallalargelittertrayorusedisposablepuppy trainingpads-particularlyifyourdogisbecominglessmobile.' Howoneownercopedwithsleepingissues: 'MysisterLinda's14-year-olddog,Czino,hadrecentlybeguntodisplaysignsofdoggydementia,'saysAlisonScott. 'ButwhenLindapassedawayunexpectedly,adifficultsituationwasmadeevenharderbecauseCzinobecame increasinglyrestlessandwouldcirclethelivingroomsofaoverandoveragain.Itwasveryupsettingto watch.' Czino'snighttimebehaviouralsochanged-hewouldwakeupat3amandhowlforfoodandcompany.'Wetookitin turnstogetupandspendtimewithhim,andwealsogavehimasmallmealbecauseheseemedconfusedaboutwhether itwasnightorday,'saysAlison.Thevetrecommendedcalmingtablets,whichcontainnaturalingredientstohelp easedogs'anxiety.'Thetabletsworkedand,gradually,Czino'sanxiousnessdecreased.And,asourfamilycameto termswithourgrief,hisnighttimerestlessnessalsoappearedtolessen.' 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