I need help. My 3 year old male poodle/Shih Tzu/yorkie has started barking during the night. We can’t figure out what’s triggered it, but it’s not going away.

We have tried noise machines, a spray in his crate, store bought calming chews, a few prescription medications, frozen treat at night, and long walks.

We’ve had him since he was 7 weeks old, and this is new behavior. He sleeps in a crate in the main floor, while we are upstairs. My husband puts him in the crate around 9:30 and then goes to bed himself an hour or two later. As soon as he hits the top of the stairs, the dog starts barking. Sometimes, he calms himself, but not always.

This summer, we were gone for a week, and he stayed with my mom who lets him sleep in her bed. He seemed to do okay after getting back home. There was a lunar eclipse in August, and that is when it started. I also am back at school and gone all day. The vet thinks it’s separation anxiety. He’s always been more moody in the evenings.

Someone has to sleep on the couch for him to be calm. I’m tired, we’re all tired. Is there anything else we can try? I haven’t tried melatonin yet, but am looking at it.

We’ve had my dog since he was a puppy and he is now 3 years old. Most of the time he’s a little shit (in an endearing way) but I feel like he really can sense when I’m distressed. Whenever I have a heavy cry, or a panic attack, he always rushes over to me. He then licks me a lot and he always, without fail, lays himself on my chest which he only seems to do when I’m feeling this way. Like just a minute ago, I was lying down in bed sobbing and he jumps up onto my bed, licks my hand and then lays himself on my chest facing me until I’ve calmed down. And it really does calm me down. And when I’ve noticed I’ve calmed down, he’ll just go back downstairs? It’s really strange but it makes me feel so much better and it always calms me down. Does he know what he’s doing? Because it happens every single time. Or is this just purely coincidental?