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Basenji is waking up screaming in he middle of the night?

Behavioral Issues
  • My basenji mix is 4 years old and I got him when he was 10 weeks old from a local shelter. He has always been a happy/healthy pup. He is mixed with a shiba inu and lab.

    Earlier this summer my basenji mix was waking up in the middle of the night doing a very high pitch scream. He looks scared and disoriented and then wants to cuddle afterword. He does not twitch, jerk, or move his legs at all. He is awake and just laying in his bed. This scream is the most awful noise I have ever heard come out of a dog. The first time I heard it I thought someone was being murdered! He sleeps in the same room as me on the floor on a bed with blankets. It normally happens between 12:30 am-3:00 am. It has never happened when he's been taking a nap during the day. It happened about 6 times in June. Then suddenly stopped. I took him to the vet and they did blood work to see if his thyroid levels were off and if he had epilepsy. They ruled out both. My vet is baffled. Well now this past week he did it 3 times in one night and 2 other times later in the week. He has never had more than one "fit" in a night.

    Does anyone know anything about this kind of behavior? I have no idea what to do. Could these be nightmares?

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    P
    Congratulations on the future new addition. Boy/girl is a good combination. As others have advised let them meet on neutral ground and take them for a long walk together. For every good interaction praise both inordinately. As Curlytails says don't rush it. Keep us posted, please and best wishes to you all.
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    My little basenji boy, his mom is full bred basenji but his father is a border collie/lab mix. Anyways he has really bad nightmares. I have heard the blood boiling screams and the crying at night. We use to pet him to put him back into a good sleep but that doesn't work anymore so we have to shake him awake. Night terrors happen and the doggy can't move just like humans. Im a vet assistant so she probably just had a really bad nightmare. If it was a night terror it would happen all the time and she wouldn't have jumped out of bed.
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    I would go back to the basics and leave the crate in the bedroom. And once he is calm, start moving the crate towards the door. Then outside the room (still in view to see you) and so on, gradually moving to the desired spot you want him to sleep. Patience is key. My B, Gizmo (is 1 years old) will very often sleep in my bed. But if I want a break, he will happily sleep in his crate. The loose stool/pooh, could be a result of him being so uneasy/nervous. It does not take much for puppy's to get loose pooh.
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    Makes sense. Thanks.
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    My basenji has been waking up screaming in the middle of the night as well. It's happened probably 12-15 times in the last months or so. Do you know why your dog did this or did it ever happen again? Health wise my dog checks out fine and my vet is baffled. Please reply! I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out!
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    it is just socialization….my australian shepard was that way with men with facial hair because my dad and brother were always clean shaven....