Sleepless In Ma

[Guest sandydee]

Please help because my husband and I cannot keep going without sleep. We brought Gable home almost two weeks ago (BTW - he is doing MUCH better with the cats, a previous help request). Obviously little sleep the first couple of nights. Then he settled in and would sleep until about 4, which is ok since we both leave early for work. However since about last Thursday he has been waking up earlier and earlier (3 am, and most recently 1:40 am) and has been skipping the whining and going right to the barking - which is LOUD. There may be a trigger. He started PT for a broken leg and my husband and I have been having him come out of the crate to get his leg rubbed and ligaments stretched at night. (He is still staying crated most of the time as he earns our trust with the cats.) We have been doing the treatment on the bed, which he enjoys sprawling on and loves the contact.

 

Have we created a monster by starting to do this? We have a new momeory foam bed that will now be the new location for the massage.

 

Any recommendations to undo the early early early morning wake-up calls? Today I went and laid on the couch to be a presence but not interact, until about 3:45 when I told him NO! and to LAY DOWN! Which he did, momentarily.

 

Also, anyone have any good luck with any herbal rememdies to chill out their dog and encourage sleep through the night?

 

Should we be increasing the out of the crate time and get more energy out of him before bed (without irritating his leg more)?

 

Maybe his bed in the bedroom, which would kick the cats out temporarily - they sleep next to me each night. Crate is too big to lug all over the house and Gable gets whiny when he is in the crate and the cats walk by.

 

Maybe a nightlight? The room is quite dark.

 

I just want to be able to sleep until 4 am when the cats normally get me up! PLEASE!!

 

Thanks

Sandy and the now very chill Gable, since we are up and arounf

[MaryJane]

I guess my first question would be - where is he sleeping ... in the bedroom? If not, move his crate into the bedroom.

 

Why is he still crated most of the time? Can you separate him from the cats and give him more free time out of the crate? Maybe put the cats in another room for a bit?

 

Do you have a muzzle for him? How does he act around the cats?

[3greytjoys]

First: I assume you took him outside to potty. Many hounds bark when they desperately need to eliminate.

 

Second: I assume he has pain medication for his broken leg and is ingesting it successfully? (Possibly whining, panting, or barking due to uncontrolled pain.)

 

Third (very important): I'd suggest allowing him into your bedroom to sleep as part of his new "family pack". You could move his crate into the bedroom or ask your group if you can borrow or rent a second crate. Newly retired Greyhounds need humans nearby, especially when they've suddenly lost their entire huge family of a racing kennel full of Greyhounds. If he's sleeping elsewhere in the house, and you leave to work during the day, that leaves very little time for him to be with you. This is his most major life adjustment ever, compounded by a painful leg.

 

I would not give him any sleeping medication (herbal or otherwise) if he is on medication for his broken leg. Most pain meds would relax him. IMO, medication is not the best answer for this specific overnight issue. Being allowed to sleep in the room with his humans is potentially the answer.

 

How much kibble is he eating daily, and what is his weight? You might consider reducing his dinner by 1/2 cup, then give him a 1/2 cup of kibble just before bedtime. That could help curb his hunger until morning. I assume he's being given enough time for his full elimination immediately before bed.

 

Only if all of the above doesn't work, and if he's not on pain medication, ask your vet if it's okay to give him "naturally derived" plain "Melatonin" hormone (like Nature's Made brand, available at most drug stores), 1.5 mgs about 45 minutes before bedtime. Again, please try all other suggestions above first (before adding a sleeping aid), especially try allowing him to sleep in your bedroom. Please keep us posted on his progress.

[duncan41]

Sleeping in the bedroom would be #1 on my list. Oh, how I wish someone had explained that the bedroom becomes everyone's "den" at night! Would have saved me many, many hours of lost sleep while trying to get unhappy dogs to settle down and go back to sleep.

[MaryJane]

One other thing - do you use an alarm clock? My dogs and countless fosters learned what time to get up by the alarm clock. Once my alarm went off, the dogs knew it was time to get up and they would get up and wait for me. The fosters would go through a period of starting to get up before the alarm but, I would tell them to go back to sleep. Usually took a week or so but, they seemed to get the picture.

 

Years ago I used to put the fosters in a cage in the dining room and then my dogs and I would go upstairs to the bedroom. Not surprisingly, the fosters would bark all night. I got rid of the crate and took the foster upstairs with the rest of us and he/she would sleep most of the night.

[Guest sandydee]

Thanks all for the suggestions - I think the crate or at least a bed will be coming to the bedroom to sleep - I completely understand his fear and anxiety!

 

He does go out before bed, so all is clear there.

 

Ok, for the sleepy meds, since he is taking pain meds for the leg, but not all the time, usually just after heavy PT.

 

He is still crated most of the time because he is a bit unsteady at times on the leg and is a bit of a bull in a china shop. He is doing better with the cats and have been doing controlled meetings. Actually completely forgot about the muzzle. Daylight hours are not an issue and neither is actually going to bed. The ruckus starts in the wee hours. Tonight his memory foam bed will come into the bedroom and the cats will just have to sleep elsewhere for now!

 

Thanks all for the advice and it is nice to see such consistency - we were just fearing more dependency by sleeping in the bedroom, but I do understand the pack thinking and it will be on his bed or in the crate - not IN bed with us!

[3greytjoys]

 

The ruckus starts in the wee hours. Tonight his memory foam bed will come into the bedroom and the cats will just have to sleep elsewhere for now!

 

Thanks all for the advice and it is nice to see such consistency - we were just fearing more dependency by sleeping in the bedroom, but I do understand the pack thinking and it will be on his bed or in the crate - not IN bed with us!

 

Great about Gable moving into the bedroom with his new human family pack. Depending on your time zone vs. his previous location, he might have been on a different feeding schedule. The snack before bed may help prevent him from awakening hungry.

 

Treat puzzles and feeding meals from a food cube would help mentally work (tiring) his mind until he's able to expend physical energy on walks.

 

Your thought re: dependency is understandable; however, you need sleep and Gable is getting plenty of alone time during the day while you're at work. After Gable becomes more trustworthy with the cats, a stepping point beyond the crate would be to wear his muzzle coupled with a baby-gate until he proves disinterest in cats. A baby-gate used during the day while you're home would allow him safety inside your most used daytime living space (perhaps a family room?), and would help him retain confident independence by him not needing to stay on high alert to follow you to the bathroom, throw away a piece of trash, etc. We install baby-gates about 5"-6" above floor level so cats have a wide berth escape route. Cats always need safe escape routes, and even muzzled dogs can pounce on cats so supervised management is important.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.