Why is my older dog waking up early and crying loudly at night?

Poor girl. I am not sure if this strictly behavioral due to old age and a bit of senility or if she has an underlying issue. It would be worth while getting her examined by your vet to have a health profile done via bloodwork to ensure everything is normal, especially since this behavior is happening in consecutive days. If she is having senility issues, then that can be addressed with medication (i.e. Reconcile) or with a prescription diet (ie Hill’s B/D). Another possible cause for sudden whimpering in older pets is arthritis. This can be helped with joint supplements (ie Dasuquin, Cosequin, Rejuvenate) in mild cases or prescription pain control medication (ie Rimadyl, Galliprant) through your vet in more moderate to severe cases. I hope that things are well for your pet Mimi moving forward! Take care.

This could be anxiety as you suggest, or it could be canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia). CCG often includes restless/wakeful behavior at night and sleeping during the day. It can also include loss of house-training, failure to recognize family members and confused or wandering behavior. Melatonin and/or Benadryl are considered generally safe medications to give before bed to help promote sleep. There are also medications and prescription diets made especially for CCD if that is what’s happening to Sherwood. Talk with your vet to see if s/he agrees and to discuss options and doses.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mugsy. As they age, some pets can experience something known as canine cognitive dysfunction. It is characterized by pacing, accidents in the home, vocalizing more, mixing up their days and nights as well as becoming disoriented. Some pets will get stuck under chairs, in corners or in small rooms such as bathrooms and closets. The disorder becomes increasingly common the older the pet gets. It is somewhat comparable to Alzheimer's disease in people. I recommend that Mugsy sees his veterinarian to see if this is the cause of his recent symptoms or if something else is bothering him. I hope this information helps!

I would try the following tactics to help Brian feel more safe and secure in your home. It could be he feels anxious or frightened in the night, possibly associated with bad dreams or memories. White noise machine- such as calming background noises like rain or hairdryer Thunder coat- http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24037 Dog appeasing pheromone spray or diffuser Increased exercise and interaction Here are some helpful links for you as well; https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-ways-to-stimulate-your-dog-s-brain/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-toys-gadgets-for-your-dog/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/benefits-of-maintaining-an-active-lifestyle-for-your-pet/

This could be due to a behavioral change (anxiety, fear, etc.) or it could be caused by an underlying health problem. Pain and discomfort due to a variety of causes can make dogs vocalize and seek human attention. I recommend taking him to your vet for a health evaluation to make sure that there is not a physical cause of this behavior change. Your vet can talk with you about ways to change the behavior if it turns out there is no underlying medical issue.

There could be a few different things causing this. If he's a puppy, he may need to go to the bathroom -- take him out and but don't give him attention or play time. If he's an adult, it could be pain, habit, a medical issue causing him to need to get up to go to the bathroom, or accidentally reinforcing this behavior previously with play (or even by yelling at him - if he wants to interact he doesn't really care if you're happy or unhappy during the interaction). If he's elderly, he could be starting to have dementia (canine cognitive dysfunction) or any of the adult issues. So, if he's a puppy, I recommend the above, but if he's not a pup, I'd recommend starting with a vet visit and then ignoring him at night if nothing is wrong. Good luck!

Belle may be having some anxiety. I recommend trying Composure chews and an Adaptil diffuser. Also, I recommend making sure Belle is getting plenty of exercise during the day so that she is more tired at night. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids/comfort-zone-diffuser-with-dap-for-dogs