Coincidence?

Lab_adore

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The last three nights Maxx has woken up in the middle of the night and barked and/or come and woken me up. The first night he seemed to just wanted a scratch but then went outside to the loo. He hasn't needed the loo in the middle of the night in over a year. The next two nights he just wanted attention then went back to sleep. He is normally a very good sleeper and sleeps right through until 6.00am ish

The last three nights we have let him on the couch with us after dinner for the first time. He seems to love it and he cuddles up and goes to sleep

Is it a coincidence? Any thoughts?
 
Is he getting more sleep in the evenings now that you are snuggling on the couch? We have found that Chewie sleeps a lot better if he gets some play or a short walk in the evening. Otherwise he fidgets and whinges from about 5.45. (We are spoiled in that he will often sleep till 7 or 7.30!)
 

Lab_adore

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We are spoiled in that he will often sleep till 7 or 7.30!)
Lucky you!

I don't think he is getting more sleep, maybe a tiny bit and it's a good point. Previously, once we sit down and he figures out there's no more play time he jumps on his bed that is in the loungeroom with us and goes to sleep. All we can do is see what happens in the next few days and I will try your idea @MrChew to wake him for a bit of a play in between
 
I would maybe see how it goes before giving him an extra play or walk, unless you really want to, otherwise he will expect it and you’ll always have to do it.

It may have been that first night he liked the little scratch he got so he’s returning for more. It could become a habit if you respond? So I would ignore him, no talk or scratches and hopefully he will stop.
 
Why is he coming on the couch? When Snowie behaves like this, we think something is up and he’s wanting us to comfort him. When he used to have seizures, he always came to lie with us for comforting, and then we knew something was up.

It could also be that it feels nice to cuddle and is now becoming a habit. Which is what has happened with Snowie now.

Is the weather colder? Maybe he’s seeking warmth.


Sorry, I don’t think I’ve been of any help!! If only they could talk!!
 

Lab_adore

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@M.F. we finally caved and decided letting him up with us outweighed our fear of ruining our nice couch. We are not letting him on unless we invite him (stop chuckling @Jen).:)

Thanks for your thoughts because yes it has suddenly turned quite cold at night so I might put a second blanket on his bed. I'm also going to heed your advice @Plum's mum and if he barks tonight we will ignore him. If he needs the loo he knows to come and get us (I hope!)
 
By the way @M.F. I am always so sorry to hear about Snowie's seizures. How is that all going lately?
Thank you! He’s not had a seizure in two years, and we started weaning him off the seizure meds last year May. He was fully off the meds last year October. We also stopped all tick, flea, a worm preventatives two years ago, and this coincided with his stopping seizures. Our vet said that they lower the seizure threshold, and if you read the medical inserts, it says they can cause seizures.

It is a huge relief not to worry about seizures. Sometimes we might comment that he’s acting slightly out of sorts, so we keep an eye on him. But not the fear we used to have. Now... I just have to worry about his sore back (slipped disc). He has a big physio assessment next week. Poor dog. In his short life (he’s 7 yo), he’s had his fair share of medical issues. How nice it would be if he were a hardy animal!! He’d never survive the wilderness! Too used to soft home comforts! And a couple of humans who wait on him hand and foot!
 
Soooo, if Quinn doesn't start the night off on our bed, she wakes me (yes, because OH sleeps through just about anything) to "ask" to come on the bed. It was a mistake I made when she was a puppy and I started letting her up on the bed or couch - she had to sit and make no noise and then "ok" she could come up. Massive training error in retrospect! I would rather she just jump up at night at this point! So maybe if Maxx has to be invited on the couch he is trying to ask for a more comfy spot :ROFLMAO:
 
Funny that @Ashley , Snowie also asks to come onto the bed when we go up to bed. Not that we trained that. No idea why he bothers asking. It’s not like we’d ever say no! Thankfully, though, he doesn’t wake us to come on in the night—he hops on and off all night, he moves around all night. Good thing it’s an individual coil spring bed, so you can’t feel him jump on. But he does wake me if he licks or scratches, or digs in his own bed. The other night he dug on our bed!!! That woke me up, very grumpy! I’d never have a dog in the bedroom if I did this all over again. It would be perfect if I had my own bedroom, husband in another. But he will have none of that! I really don’t sleep well with anyone in the same bedroom as me.
 
My friend and her husband sleep in different beds.

He’s a snorer and kept her awake then she would wake him up so they decided to sleep separately and they’re much happier.

She now sleeps with her Great Dane who’s snoring doesn’t bother her as much 😂🙈
 

Lab_adore

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I quite often sleep in the spare room as I'm not a great sleeper at the best of times and OH tends to snore. Mostly only when I have to get up early for work. So when I'm upstairs (like right now) Maxx sleeps in the loungeroom (on his bed, not the couch).

Yes he woke me again at 1.40am but I ignored him and he trotted off to bed. I think you are right - he's probably asking to come up on the more comfy bed. Not a chance buddy!
 
Homer goes through phases of needing to go outside in the middle of the night. More often than not just to have a sniff of the night air but then sometimes he’ll need to “go”. I can’t sleep if he is being restless so I get up and let him out. But drew the line when he started wanting to go out twice in the night.
 
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