Scratching On Bedroom Door, bit of an essay!

[kazndave]

We've got a rescue westie called Bet. We've had her nearly 2 years n she's about 5.
In September we swapped bedroom to decorate. She's only slept in our room a couple of times since we got her so she's used to sleeping on the sofa bed on her own.
Just before christmas she started scratching on our door in the middle of the night, i'd tell her no & bed, she'd stop for a couple of seconds then start again so i'd eventually get up n take her back to bed, where she would generally stay till morning. (she's very good with toileting n goes just before we go to bed n has only ever messed in the first couple of weeks we had her so that wasn't her problem)
She carried this on for a couple of nights each week for about 2 weeks then just stopped.
2 weeks ago we moved back to our bedroom n this week she's started again at 1am, 3am etc till my hubby gets up n shuts her in her bedroom where we don't hear anything till i go in at 7.
Any ideas why she might have started this up again?
its driving me mad, its worse than having a baby!

[nick_j007]

Hi.

Your dog is inclined to separation anxiety, and little triggers such as the ones you describe are enough to show her anxieties about where you are. She likes routine clearly, and any upset is just that.

Not sure where the sofa bed is, but long term she may well be best off downstairs and feeling relaxed about her set position there. Once downstairs you could in theory move to which ever room you like in the future without concern on the dog's behalf. She is likely to benefit from a set sleeping spot downstairs.

Please let me know where she sleeps in the house...up or down stairs.

Cheers.

Nick

[kazndave]

she has about 6 beds dotted around the house. She has free run of the house except our bedroom. Most of the time she sleeps on the sofa bed in the spare bedroom upstairs as its warmer. she does, on occasions, sleep on one of her beds in the living room, but not very often.

[kazndave]

she has about 6 beds dotted around the house. She has free run of the house except our bedroom. Most of the time she sleeps on the sofa bed in the spare bedroom upstairs as its warmer. she does, on occasions, sleep on one of her beds in the living room, but not very often.

[nick_j007]

Here (most likely) lies the root of the problem.

She would feel more secure at night if she has a set sleeping spot every night without variance or the ability to change. Decide on where to place her at night and stick to that. Job done.

Free movement about a house can also go against what it is we think we are offering (freedom and happiness in the main). A dog is often better off in a relativley small space that is a good temperature, well lit, has water and so on. I often say that if you were a fly on a wall you'd see the dog curl up alseep most of the day...It doesn't need space for this I promise you

Good luck..

Nick

[kazndave]

she has about 6 beds dotted around the house. She has free run of the house except our bedroom. Most of the time she sleeps on the sofa bed in the spare bedroom upstairs as its warmer (our house is quite cold).
she does, on occasions, sleep on one of her beds in the living room, but not very often.

[nick_j007]

How are you getting along?

Nick