My Shih Tzu puppy keeps scratching me at bedtime. What does she want?

Bella is displaying normal behavior. It's somewhat like people fluffing thier pillow before laying down. For dogs or their wild canine ancestors that lived outside they would scratch an dog to make a comfortable bed to lie in. You could provide a blankie for her to scratch and fluff up or may want to get a heavy duty cover for the bed so she does rip it.

If Daisy is only exhibiting this odd behavior 1 or 2 times a day I would not be overly concerned about it. She may have just discovered a new way to groom/clean her face and feet and is being fastidious about it. If the behavior becomes constant or obsessive (you are unable to get her to stop doing it with a simple command), then I would start to be concerned. She could have an itchy face/feet from allergies, her ears may be irritated, or she may have something stuck in her mouth/teeth. Just keep an eye on her for now and don't be too concerned unless the behavior progresses. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

It could be that bella has realized if she barks she gets attention from you all. She is barking to get taken outside or even just attention through the night. I would recommend trying to crate train her. This will allow her an area that is safe and only hers. The crate can be a really positive place . You can start off by putting her in it for short intervals and rewarding her going in and coming out. it is important to make the crate a happy place. You could also try just moving her to another room so she is not sleeping with you all.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely just him trying to get your attention. There may be something in the house or just outside that is bothering him so I would check on that. There may be a cat trying to get his attention at night. Best of luck!

I agree that allergies are one of the most likely causes for your dog's scratching - this is a very common problem for many dogs in the summer. But there are other possible causes also that should be ruled out first - itching can also be caused by skin mites (mange), or bacterial or fungal infections. If the itching is allergy related, you can try bathing in a dog shampoo with either cortisone or aloe and oatmeal to help soothe the itching. But most allergy problems in dogs require prescription medications to treat successfully, so I would recommend having your dog examined by a vet if bathing her isn't helpful.

If Bella ate dinner last night and again at midnight, it is possible that she is not hungry. However, if she continues to not eat through the remainder of the the day, I would recommend you take her to the veterinarian because this could be a sign of illness. If you notice any lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea, you should take her to the veterinarian right away.

It is normal for a puppy as young as Bella to need to go outside once at night. I'd recommend taking her outside when she starts whining: make sure you go straight outside because you don't want her to think this is play time. If she does not urinate or defecate bring her back inside and out her directly in the crate. If she starts whining again do your best to ignore her until the morning. This is generally something she should grow out of as long as you are consistent.