deep sleep-growling

[loveyadogs]

when we sleep, and move around inthe middle of the night, bazil will lash out and growl in his sleep, he seems to "wake up" b ut I dont think he is fully awake, he is NON agressive during day, he is a 1 yr old shihtzu, alwys happy go lucky, great all around till around 2-3 am when we wake up a bit to move around in bed for comfort, if he is nugged, he will growl, i put my hand out last night to sooth himand he tried to bite me, when i verbally sleepilyy chastized him, he seems to me sleeping,,,any insight?

[Amy and Fergus]

Hi,

I have a Shih-Tzu - Lhasa Apso cross, and she growls in her sleep sometimes too. She doesn't sleep on the bed, but she sleeps beside in her own bed on the floor. When she growls in her sleep, she seems to be dreaming, and sometimes it is difficult to wake her from those dreams, it takes a minute or two until she opens her eyes.

Perhaps Bazil does this at other times during the night, but you only notice it when you are moving around, when you're semi-awake yourself? Have you noticed it when he has naps in the day?

I don't know how you or Bazil would feel about this, but what about him having his own bed? Maybe he would feel less aggitated if he had a space of his own? It might take a while to ease him into it, but it might be worth a try.

IMHO, I don't think his "aggressiveness" at night is a serious problem, I get grumpy too when I'm disturbed. :-)

Hope that helps!

[loveyadogs]

Thank you! yes , perhaps we will look into his own wee bed, he has one, but it hosts all his "scruffies " (stuffed animals) maybe we can slowly get him to sleep there beside the bed

[Prin]

IMO whenever that happens, he should be told to get down on the floor. Being on the bed is a privilege that has to be earned.

[Dog Dancer]

I agree with Prin 100%. Sorry pup - off the bed. Alpha gets the best sleeping spots and there'll be no complaining about it if you get nudged over. Out! A nice soft bed right beside you will do fine and shouldn't take too long to get used to. Put a nice used shirt in the bed so it smells like you and that should help some. My girl used to do that to us too, but then she would get up and move off the bed herself so we didn't have to correct her, she'd just grumble and move, but she is no longer allowed on the bed as with two adults and two 70 lb dogs there isn't room in a double bed anymore.

[Prin]

Yeah, Jemma too. She gives a grunt and then gets off the bed right after now.