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!

I got him at 10 weeks old from a local shelter. I was told that there was no abuse or neglect from the previous owners. They were an elderly couple that didn't have time to care for 4 puppies. He is 4 now and I'm not sure what he is mixed with. For the last 6 months he randomly wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. It is normally between midnight and 3:00 a.m. When I mean scream it is not some light yelp. This is a full out terrorizing almost human noise. The first time it happened I thought my neighbor was being attacked. It happened 6 times in the month of June and then stopped. The next time it happened was Thanksgiving weekend and then again last night. One night he woke up twice. It's not every night. It is completely random. He does not shake, convulse, or have his eyes shut when it's happening. He just sits or lays there. Most of the time he looks scared and aware that it is going on. One time I heard him yelp and I woke up to him jumping into bed with me and he started screaming. It takes normally 30 seconds to a minute to calm him down. He then wants to cuddle under the blanket. He sleeps on a dog pillow and blankets on the floor next to my bed every night.

I took him to the vet and he is completely baffled about what could be going on. They did bloodwork and xrays. He ruled out epilepsy. He tells me to just keep a log of when it happens. We have not changed his food. He hasn't experienced any new changes recently like a move, or new family member so I'm not sure what could be stressing him out. He does not do it when he naps. He could nap for hours on the couch and never make a peep.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? Or have advice on what could be wrong and how to help him? Could this be night terrors?

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?