I’m doing something a bit different in this blog post: I’m asking for blog reader experience and wisdom. Recently a magazine reader sent me a description of her Scottie’s problem behavior along with an appeal for answers. So I’m including in this blog post the problem/question and my initial reply and now I’m tossing it out to wise MacBlog readers. What’s your wisdom on this situation???
At 06:36 PM 11/2/2009, you wrote:
I sent this before, but maybe it was too complicated.
We have a problem with our 6 year old black Scottish Terrier, Fala, adopted from Tennessee Scottish Terrier Rescue 1 and half years ago, yes this has been going on for that long. Fala has what I call Night Frights. Not every night but at least 3 times a week, she wakes up, not at the same time, howling and crying and will not stop until we holler at her (she sleeps in a room next to us because she does not get along with our cats). Sleeping on the couch, I have seen her go into this state, it is like dog dreams described in your Nov/Dec issue. Anybody else have a problem like this? We love her very much, but would appreciate not being awaken during the night. Thank you, Bryding Adams, Birmingham, Alabama.Dear Bryding ~
I’ll put your problem/question on my blog as a blog post next week and invite blog readers to comment. You might want to check my MacBlog posts next Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Let’s see what GSM readers have to say as well.
Is your Scottie also frightened by thunder, firecrackers, explosive noises? Our Burnsie is, so I assume his sleep-fears are another expression of fear-response in his little psyche. By isolating your Fala in another room to sleep by herself while you and cats sleep elsewhere you are imposing a pack ‘ban’ on her which is likely triggering her Rescue ‘baggage’ and her needs for social connection. Dogs are social animals so feeling part of the pack is vital to well-being. Dogs’ howling is in part a cry for fellowship.
Our Burnsie sometimes whimpers and makes low ‘distress’ noises while he’s sleeping. Since he usually sleeps next to me it’s relatively easy for me to gently touch/stroke his fur and he quits twitching and goes quiet. His ‘distress’ makes me think he’s having a bad dream and whatever it is in his case, he calms down when I comfort him.
Experts say to de-sensitize fear but don’t reinforce it by making a big fuss over the fear-response. That’s not easy when sleeping. You might look for patterns, for trigger-events associated with your dog’s fear, events or sounds or situations which precipitate the unwanted behavior. Perhaps if you can identify them you can control the triggers by avoiding them. I’ve suggested above that you might want to re-think your pack bonds and your own arrangements which may be inadvertently feeding your Fala’s fear.
Check my MacBlog and I’ll put your question in the Letters to the Editor in the Jan/Feb 2010 GSM.
Okay MacBlog readers. Share your relevant experience and your wisdom.
Joseph Harvill, publisher Great Scots Magazine
I have three male Scotties - two littermates, Reggie and Archie, and Ollie. The brothers go willing into their cages, Ollie has to be carried but once there is fine. Reggie is the self-appointed leader of the pack. His mild-mannered brother Archie lets him. The brothers run into their cages whenever they come in the house, even if they don’t have to. Reggie usually gets there first and with the door open on his cage, he goes into a snarling, howling, barking fit while Archie saunters into his cage. Reggie never attempts to actually attack Archie but it sounds like World War III. I’ve tried moving Archie’s cage to the other side of the room but Archie scoots it back to its original position beside Reggie. Over time Reggie has learned what quiet down means when he starts this action. Since learning this, however, at night shortly after everyone settles down, Reggie, apparently in his sleep, starts a low whine, then bark and continues until it is very loud and eventually goes into what passes for howling. Archie and Ollie join in. Some nights it happens multiple times. I have on occasion heard a siren which will set them off but usually there is nothing I can identify. My theory is that Reggie’s “aggressive” greeting of his brother has been thwarted and in his sleep he dreams about being aggressive to the point that he vocalizes. It usually lasts only a few minutes even if I tell them to be quiet. I, too, would like to know how to stop this.
My dogs (4) all have their own crates in my bedroom. They all go to their crates at bedtime, even before I am ready. During the day sometimes, we will have a pack howl together and I have one particularly good singer. There is always the normal scottie sense of competition and “attitude” toward each other but the night is quiet - I think that they are tired from getting enough exercise during the day and the comfort of each other and me during the night. Dogs are pack animals and suffer when they are isolated. A crate next to the bed would protect the cats and help Fala’s sense of security. It’s worth a try.
As long as I can remember (I’m 52, but we have Scotties in the family since 1941), all of our dogs slept in their beds in the kitchen or foyer. No problem as soon as they got used to it after a few days.
So I wonder if separation is at issue here. How does Fala react when you go to see her? Does she calm down with the attention (without hollering)? A recurring dream doesn’t quite fit, she seems to react too loud to stay asleep.
Or is she possibly being alerted by something, perhaps a sound humans can’t hear? That could be a neighbour coming home from nightshift, a cat that goes out only at night etc.
I would try to isolate possible reasons one by one, including having her sleep in a different bed or room. If you do that, change only one variable at a time so you can pinpoint the cause.
Good luck and give her a little scratchies from me between her ears, will you please?
Some practical suggestions might be to move her bed into a crate in your room, and then close her in the crate at night. Maybe rub some lavendar oil underneath her bed. Not on top, it would be too strong, but the lavendar will help her relax. Then when she wakes up afraid, maybe say something soothing to her. I think she’s lonely and afraid and she doesn’t seem to settle down until you yell loud enough for her to hear that you’re still there. We use a Hunter air purifier in our bedroom at night. It makes a white noise and we’ve found both dogs sleep longer when it’s on. That might not be a solution for you, but maybe some kind of boring white noise. Maybe even a heartbeat stuffie or something like that to keep in her bed. And lastly, a nice long walk after dinner to relax her and make her tired. A tired dog is a good dog.
Pam
Our Piper is not a rescue, but she will once in awhile have a bad dream and start to whine in her sleep, we just call her name, and tell her she is a good girl, and all is well.
I’d have to agree with Joseph on banning her from the pack, as cats don’t really care with whom they sleep, I’d move them out of the bedroom myself, and Fala into it. She is a rescue and they do have baggage attached, bringing her into your sleeping area would give her a lot of peace of mind in my opinion. Pam’S suggestion of pooping her out is also a good one.
Regards,
Rick