Is adolescense (my dog is a teen in dog years) to blame

    • Silver

    Is adolescense (my dog is a teen in dog years) to blame

    This is my first dog, and we have had no problems at all until now. However, now at night, he starts to bark continuously for fifteen minutes straight every night around the same time, despite there being no other dogs barking. My best bet is that as he is a few days more than a year old, he is entering adolescense, and that it the issue, but I'm not that experienced. In your experience, are dogs ltroublesome around this age? Thanks, I appreciate it.
    • Puppy
    It definitely could be. My dog was quiet as mouse until he reached adolescense. I'd also see what's going on around your neighborhood at that time of night. There may be something you can't hear or see, that he can. We had the same issue only it was happening at around 4:15 every morning. We couldn't figure it out, until one of my neighbors made a passing comment about how her work hours have changed and she has to be up by 4:15 every morning. We couldn't hear it, but we think he must have been hearing her alarm clock and reacting to it.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Sometimes dogs are aware of other things (strange critters) that we don't know about. If there's a possum, racoon or a squirrel nearby, they'll go nuts because they know it's not the usual neighborhood dog or cat.

    Joyce & Max
    • Silver
    Thanks! I really appreciate it. Now I know what my dog is barking at. I guess he'll stop barking if I ignore him.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I dont know what ios to balme for the crazy nighttime barkings but I do know that when my girl turned about one year old she went through a small regression and I went back to her obediance reminders ourselves at the park. They are just testing us.
    As for the nighttime howls, you say it happens at the same time every night? Dogs can hear a lot more then we can. Maybe some neighbor leaves for work at that time and she hears him or something just as random. Don't forget they think it is their job to bark and alert you to what is going on........they don't care if your trying to sleep, ha ha!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Our six month old GSD mix gets possessed by the puppy demon every evening at the same time.  Between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm every night we can be sure that our sweet boy turns into a little brat.  ;Perhaps a hormonal thing.  The way I figure is that I get a good chance at effective behavioral training since I know when its about to happen and we our almost always around during this time.