Advice About Barking Dog

[aureliousmaximus]

Hubby and I are getting quite desperate, our Border Collie has started barking during the night, it used to be just when he heard a fox, each time a fox yapped then Harvey (8yrs old) would bark but now it is almost every night and sometimes I get woken up 3 or 4 times a night, we are experienced dog owners (over 45 years) and my husband trained army dogs I was also in the army with the dogs, but we are at a loss as to what to do, we have tried collars that whistle, no good he barks over the whistle so can't hear it (bless him) and to my shame I set the collar to vibrate and poor dog shook so violently and his tongue turned blue.....I felt physically sick that I had caused that to happen, shouting works but only briefly and I hate getting cross with him anyway as there is obviously a reason for this behaviour, has anyone out there experienced anything similar? what did you do? and did it work?
Thanks in advance. Forgot to add he is not an only dog we also have a German Shepherd the same age as him.

[Tilly2]

Is he suffering from some kind of anxiety? Take the flipping collar off and get him to the vet.

[aureliousmaximus]

The collar was thrown in the bin, I'm not stupid!

[woofgang]

well you are a bit stupid because you tried the collar in the first place.

[Tilly2]

Separation anxiety, vets.

[woofgang]

Have had a think, deffo vets. Two medical possibilities spring to mind, the first is deafness, the second dementia, so get a vet check first. After that, is he bored? does he get enough mental activity in the daytime? What happens at night, are there other noises that might wake him?

[ChillDoubt]

Sadly, this happened a few years back to my Springer Spaniel. The vet reckoned it was early onset dementia, we tried tablets for a fortnight but unfortunately they failed to remedy the situation and, well, you can guess the rest......

[woofgang]

very sad chill, but dementia can be as distressing for dogs as it is for humans.

[woofgang]

arfgh, pressed send to soon. They are a few more drugs that can help demented dogs now though.

[lankeela]

If this has started recently perhaps it was because of fireworks, sometimes they can see the flashes even if they can't hear them or vice versa. Make sure the room is totally dark, and confine him to an area that has no light. Trouble is they learn that you will come down to them - where does he sleep? Mine all sleep in the bedroom so if one makes a noise I can instantly reassure them.

[eariyam]

I have a collie that barks at anything at dares to cross the front of the house or God forbid come to the door.It drives me crazy sometimes but bless him he never murmurs at night.It could be because he sleeps under the bed where it is dark and safe and "all is gathered in"