11 year old dog waking me up at night

[LabradorMom]

My 11-year old black lab has started coming into the bedroom and waking me up at night. He does not want anything, except to be petted.

This dog never used to want affection. He used to actually be quite anti-social and would sleep in the guest room on his blankets. Now he generally sleeps at the foot of the stairs - about 5 feet outside of the bedroom.

I don't want to yell at him, but some nights I can't get back to sleep and then am dragging all the next day. He was at the vet just over a month ago and got a clean bill of health except for a little arthritis.

Anyone else experience this with an older lab?

[Tanya]

how long has he been doing this?

I have two thoughs: something is waking him up and he is uncomfortable and going to see you (or fearful or just...going to you because he is awake). Or he has to pee (weaker blader control, they sometimes cannot holder it in as long as they get older).

As our family dog got older he was very very fearful. First of storms but eventually loud wind would scare him and my dad spent many nights iwth him in the living room at the cottage.

[tkeizer]

I understand what you're going through -- my almost 14 year old has recently started to come into the bedroom a few times a night. I think it's partly because she has become deaf and when she wakes, she comes into the bedroom to make sure that we are still here. Also, I think that once she is awake, she then decides she needs to take a pee, so I get up and let her out. Usually, this is all it takes, she goes back to her bed and settles down. Usually, it's only once a night, but it can be two or three times. At this age, I'm happy that she is still around and will endure the couple minutes a night I have to get up and let her out.

[LabradorMom]

He does this once in awhile, probably for six months. He does not need out. Maybe he just wants to know I'm here. He has been a good dog and does not usually complain. Actually he never seems to complain. If his hips bothers him he just doesn't move around much.

[MidwestGirl]

If you let him in when you go to bed does he still wake you up?

[fourlabs]

My 12 year old lab is just starting to do this. She used to sleep through the night with no problems. She sleeps in her crate in our bedroom but my trouble maker 1 1/2 year old chewed the zipper on her crate so the door no longer zips up. She wakes us up around 3:30 or 4 each morning. Sometimes she just goes from one side of our bed to the other panting and rubbing on the sides of the bed. Sometimes she goes back to sleep in her crate, sometimes she wants to go outside but most of the time she goes into the kitchen with tile floor and goes to sleep. I keep thinking that at her age she would want her ortho foam pad to sleep on but she sleeps on the cool tile alot. Also whereas a month ago she would go to bed by herself in her crate she now goes in when I tell her to but then turns around and leaves the room when I'm not looking. I can't figure out what caused the change in behavior. Usually she would want to be with us. Problem is she not only wakes us up but also my 2 boys who were sleeping nicely in their crates. As far as I know nothing bad has happened to her lately but she seems to be developing a habit of doing this. It might be time to get a new crate that zips up!

[mrbb]

I think maybe its a sign of pain
the fact of panting, sleeping on colder floor(Tile)

and or wanting to go outside9pending where you live, it cooler out early mornings)


or could be the bladder issues

But if a dog is just coming to you out of looking for comfort, could be telling you something, and in older dogs, things can pop up!

when was the last bloodwork done??

Hope all works out just my opinion!

[kassabella]

My 12 year old lab is just starting to do this. She used to sleep through the night with no problems. She sleeps in her crate in our bedroom but my trouble maker 1 1/2 year old chewed the zipper on her crate so the door no longer zips up. She wakes us up around 3:30 or 4 each morning. Sometimes she just goes from one side of our bed to the other panting and rubbing on the sides of the bed. Sometimes she goes back to sleep in her crate, sometimes she wants to go outside but most of the time she goes into the kitchen with tile floor and goes to sleep. I keep thinking that at her age she would want her ortho foam pad to sleep on but she sleeps on the cool tile alot. Also whereas a month ago she would go to bed by herself in her crate she now goes in when I tell her to but then turns around and leaves the room when I'm not looking. I can't figure out what caused the change in behavior. Usually she would want to be with us. Problem is she not only wakes us up but also my 2 boys who were sleeping nicely in their crates. As far as I know nothing bad has happened to her lately but she seems to be developing a habit of doing this. It might be time to get a new crate that zips up!

I have found with Ernie panting is a sign of pain or discomfort.

Maybe at their ages they are feeling a little uncormfortable with old age or arthritis. Would they settle if they were on the bed. I know when Erns is sick he settles on the bed.

[Belles mom]

Anytime my old girl gets up like that and stares at me it means that she needs to go outside. I am an insomniac, so my dogs go out every few hours, so when the ASK to go out, they really mean it!!!

[TBGSAM]

Coleman used to get me up to go outside and just lie down for a little while in the cool air. I was tired but miss those times I used to curl up on the couch with the window open so I could hear him bark to come back inside.

Bailey is starting to do that now, thankfully he wants out around 5 instead of 1 or 2 to just lie in the cool early morning air for a while. Anytime there is a change in behavior a vet visit is in order.