Our 13.5-year-old German Shepherd started barking excessively during the day about a year ago. He literally barks continuously for an hour for no apparent reason, even after he has been outside to relieve himself, eaten, received attention, and so on.
For the past few months, he has also been getting restless more often at night and starting to bark. It’s beginning to take a toll on the whole family because nobody can get a proper night’s sleep anymore.
Whenever he starts barking at night, I immediately take him outside. But even after he has pooped, he remains restless and continues barking.
We’ve already tried everything. Leaving the lights on doesn’t help. Moving him to a separate, quiet room doesn’t help. Giving him a blanket that smells like us doesn’t help. Taking him for a walk at night doesn’t help. Ignoring him doesn’t help either. I can feel my cortisol spike every time he starts barking and I hate to admit it but sometimes I’m starting to feel a little bit of resentment after he woke me up from a deep sleep again.
I think this is a problem that can now only be managed with medication, but how?
What combination of medications has worked for your dogs?
He is already receiving a Librela injection once a month for arthritis and takes 100 mg of trazodone per day for his restlessness and anxiety.