Argh, we're back to night time sleep problems.

[JazzysMom]

yawn. Keoki has suddenly decided that sleeping at night in his crate is not fun. The last few nights he has been waking up and either whining or clawing at the floor/door of the crate every two hours or so.

All I have to do is come out and tell him, "Keoki, no. You stay", sit there for a minute and he'll generally curl back up and go to sleep.

When I finally get up for the day, around 6 AM, I'll open the crate and he'll stretch and yawn and sit there looking at me like, "Oh, do I really have to come out now?".

I'll put him out to potty, and he'll go right back in the crate and sleep until breakfast at around 7.

He is making me crazy. And sleepy.:(

I am going today to buy him a bed more like Jazzy's, as he seems to like hers a lot {he sleeps in it during the day quite a bit} – and has torn all the stuffing out of his, so it's more like a flat piece of fabric. I don't know that will make a lot of difference however.

[tanza]

@JazzysMom:

yawn. Keoki has suddenly decided that sleeping at night in his crate is not fun. The last few nights he has been waking up and either whining or clawing at the floor/door of the crate every two hours or so.

All I have to do is come out and tell him, "Keoki, no. You stay", sit there for a minute and he'll generally curl back up and go to sleep.

When I finally get up for the day, around 6 AM, I'll open the crate and he'll stretch and yawn and sit there looking at me like, "Oh, do I really have to come out now?".

I'll put him out to potty, and he'll go right back in the crate and sleep until breakfast at around 7.

He is making me crazy. And sleepy.:(

I am going today to buy him a bed more like Jazzy's, as he seems to like hers a lot {he sleeps in it during the day quite a bit} – and has torn all the stuffing out of his, so it's more like a flat piece of fabric. I don't know that will make a lot of difference however.

You know that we are getting to Basenji Breeding season.. and regardless if any bitches around are in season, these boys know what is going on… it is "hard wired" I believe in their Brain... and not the brain on the top of their heads... My oldest male when he was a pup cried and whined for the entire month of October...

[Vanessa]

@tanza:

You know that we are getting to Basenji Breeding season.. and regardless if any bitches around are in season, these boys know what is going on… it is "hard wired" I believe in their Brain... and not the brain on the top of their heads... My oldest male when he was a pup cried and whined for the entire month of October...

Oah No!!! :eek: Thats the last thing I need. Lack of sleep will drive me insane :p

[JazzysMom]

Well, that doesn't thrill me, but at least it gives hope that there's an end in sight.

I went today and bought him a little bed for his crate identical to Jazzy's.

Little turd is sleeping right now . . . in Jazzy's crate! LOL Maybe I need to trade crates.

[YodelDogs]

Welcome to Basenji breeding season in a mixed gender house. :p

My two girls are in season and they have been seperated from the boys for a week now. Baron howls day and night when its his turn to be crated, so much that he is growing hoarse. I can handle the howling even though I'm starting to get a bit sleep deprived. Cory left for her new home Monday so at least there is peace (and quiet!) between the girls now. Just four more weeks…I keep telling myself...just four more weeks. :rolleyes:

[JazzysMom]

Actually, he slept all night last night in his new bed . . . I'm holding my breath though, and don't want to get to excited or I may be very disappointed tonight, LOL.

[ZenGrrrl]

I was amazed when I brought Ziggy home and he was immediately happy to sleep in my bed with me at night (which I love). The only thing that he does that sometimes wakes me up is snore! At least it's pretty quiet. I have to say that this B is the best bed-buddy I've ever had.

[JazzysMom]

Oh my gosh. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep last night total, and that was in brief spurts. Keoki was insane all night; crying, whining, yelling . . He completely destroyed his night time bed, which he NEVER does.
I put him outside a couple of times on the off-chance that he had to potty. Didn't help.
Once I even rocked him to sleep before putting him in his crate. THAT lasted about ten minutes.
Dh was not amused :-(, and I wasn't particularly thrilled either. NOTHING could calm him down.
Today, he's been perfectly fine all day. Bedtime is coming on, and I am feeling my heart fill with dread. I've never seen/known a dog like this.

[phoenix3]

@JazzysMom:

Oh my gosh. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep last night total, and that was in brief spurts. Keoki was insane all night; crying, whining, yelling . . He completely destroyed his night time bed, which he NEVER does.
I put him outside a couple of times on the off-chance that he had to potty. Didn't help.
Once I even rocked him to sleep before putting him in his crate. THAT lasted about ten minutes.
Dh was not amused :-(, and I wasn't particularly thrilled either. NOTHING could calm him down.
Today, he's been perfectly fine all day. Bedtime is coming on, and I am feeling my heart fill with dread. I've never seen/known a dog like this.

Is is possable that maybe he wants to be in the room with u ? maybe move his crate in ur bedroom for a few nights and see how he acts? All mine sleep in bed with me all 3 so that leaves me enough room for my pillow when one of them haven't stolen that on me too lol Mine will sleep till i wake up I have a male basenji {neutered} now and had another a couple yrs ago both fixed and never had them act up when it was Basenji breeding season Maybe he just wants to be in the same room so he feels safe.

[jys1011]

Oh my gosh. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep last night total, and that was in brief spurts. Keoki was insane all night; crying, whining, yelling . .

I just started having the SAME problem…my dog is 3 years old. My girl is spade so she's not in heat. The thing with him is that he'll go into his crate without any fuss. He decides to wake up 2/3 hours later to scream & whine for no reason :eek:

If we let him fall asleep on the couch...he'll sleep through the night without a fuss. I don't want him to get used to this. It could be disasterous!

I'm ready to ship him off :D...I'm tired & cranky today!

[Tayda_Lenny]

Sometimes I let Lenny and Tayda sleep on the bed with me and they take up SO much room! Usually they sleep on the floor on a dog bed. Tayda I usually have to coax up here, she is happy on her bed on the floor. Lenny will pretend to be happy on the floor, but sometime in the middle of the night he will sneak up here unnoticed. I woke up in the middle of the night to the bed shaking and i was all confused as to why the bed was shaking thinking it was an earthquake or something (sleepy delirium - although it felt similar to the earthquake I experienced in the middle of the night in Costa Rica - but thats another story) but then I realized lenny had snuck on the bed and was shaking it. ha ha.

[JazzysMom]

I don't think it's an issue of him wanting to sleep with me, only because it's a new behavior. He's been in his crate at night from the beginning, and the other dogs are "with" him – Jazzy in her crate right by him, and Gypsy on her pillow just in front of his crate.

I cheated last night. I couldn't take it any more -- I am soooo sleep deprived.
I bought some stuff called Calm Down! and gave it to him. I'm always nervous about giving my pets anything, but this is homeopathic. Still, the dosage is 1 tsp and I only gave him about 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. And he slept wonderfully from 11:30 Pm until 5:00 this morning!! And he was calm when he woke up!

{Actually, I think I woke him up -- I'd gotten up to check my dd's blood sugar and on the way back to my room I walked right into a bunch of boxes that I'd forgotten my oldest dd has stacked in the hallway in prep for moving back to the dorm this weekend}.

I think I may use this for a couple of nights and then see if he'll sleep w/out it. I don't want him to start to "need" it. And I'll probably use it to help with the extreme anxiety he has always experienced when the family leaves the house -- typically only twice a week.

This is what I used. Anyone ever hear of it before?

Calm Down! - For Dogs

A Veterinarian Approved Aid to Help Your Dog Through Stressful Times

100% Money Back Guarantee

Available sizes:
8 fl oz..

Product Description:

One teaspoon given orally twice daily or in dog's drinking water provides immediate results. CALM DOWN! - FOR DOGS is not a drug. It is a natural blend of essence from selected flowers that works gently with no side effects. These essences have been recommended by veterinarians to treat pets with behavior problems for over 60 years.

• A harmless, safe, gentle homeopathic remedy
• A veterinarian approved aid to help your dog through stressful times:
  ~ Traveling
  ~ Home Alone
  ~ In Public
  ~ At the Vet
  ~ At the Groomer
  ~ Etc...

Ingredients:

Homeopathic medicines lIex Aqui, Impatiens Glan, Helian. Num. and Ornith Umb. all 3C in 13% alcohol.

Directions:

For immediate results administer 1 tsp. twice daily orally OR in dog's drinking water. Amount applies regardless of size or weight of dog. For puppies use 1/4 tsp.
For Cats, use CALM DOWN! - FOR CATS
CAUTION: Keep out of reach of children.
Store in a cool dry place.

[Quercus]

Sounds like it is similar to Rescue Remedy; a product that lots of trainers/breeders/etc swear by.

I am convinced that the operative chemical in these products is the alcohol. But I have had people argue to the death that it is the herbs. Whatever, either way it does seem effective, and pretty harmless in small, occasional doses. I don't think I would want to rely on it to calm the dog for long periods of time, but to get thru a difficult time, absolutely!

FTR, Ariel started screaming and howling in her crate just a couple days before she came into heat. And then within a few days she went back to normal. I definitely think this has something to do with "the season"

–>> who is enjoying our first intact dog FREE season in eight years It is WONDERFUL!

[JazzysMom]

I agree; I'm sure it's more about the alcohol than the herbs. I'd previously tried an herbal spray which did nothing. I am assuming that the small amount of alcohol is safe – well, as safe as it can be -- as it's only 13% of one teaspoon once a day.

I'm hoping after a couple of days, he'll get himself back into sleeping at night.
I don't have great expectations for his separation anxiety when we leave the house -- he REALLY flips out then -- but I wouldn't mind using this treatment for a longer time period for that since it's really only Saturdays for about five hours and Sundays for about four hours. Any time shorter than that and I won't bother.

[renaultf1]

At one of the pet stores locally, I've seen drops without alcohol…instead it contains tryptophan (and we all know how we feel after that Thanksgiving turkey dinner )...I can run out at lunch tomorrow and find out what it is called if you like.

[ZenGrrrl]

Once you are at the point where the only reason that the B is crying or moving around during the night is restlessness, invest in a really good set of earplugs. Both of my dogs sleep in my bedroom with me and both snore - without a doubt, earplugs have saved my sanity! ~ Lori ~

[jys1011]

I have some Rescue Remedy (use it for long trips) I think I'll give it a try with C3PO tonight.

JazzysMom-like you I am sleep deprived & irritable & exhausted!! I need to sleep his crying is driving me NUTZ :eek:

[nomrbddgs]

I've heard of both. I've heard good things about both.