crate training a senior dog?

[savannah]

I adopted an older, deaf dog with arthritis on the 10th of June. I have gotten 1 okay nights sleep since i adopted him. I don't know what to do, and am very open for suggestions. I love him dearly, and only want what's best for him, but i also want to keep my sanity and get some sleep.
Here is what we currently do:
Before bedtime, I take him outside and have him do his business. Then, i carry him upstairs, and block of the stairs so he can't fall down. I go to sleep, and he follows, and he makes his nest on a pillow (on the floor), decides he doesn't like it, and goes under the bed to sleep. At around 2am, he starts to cry and paces and goes from room to room, and he cries to go in the tub. One day i put him in there to see what he would do once in there, and as expected, he cried to get out as soon as he got in. I take him outside, and he goes potty half the time. So we go back inside, and he keeps whining and pacing. This carries on the entire night until i get out of bed at 6am. And this is if i am lucky he will sleep until 2am. Sometimes, the whining and pacing starts as soon as we go to bed and carries on all night.
I do have a crate which i have used on my other dog. I was thinking of taking it out and using it on Poko (the new dog) but don't know how to crate train an older dog. Should i attempt to crate train him, and if so, can someone refresh me on the process? Where should i keep the crate (living room, dining room, kitchen, my bedroom, basement etc). he also spends most of the day in the living room (where we spend most of our time as a family). He was a stray which i adopted from a shelter, so i don't know if his previous owners were crating him at night.
If not crate training, what should i do? He and my other Peke hardly ever spend anytime alone as there is always someone at home (unless we go shopping). And he has a holisitic med for his anxiety.
Any and all suggestions would be very appreciated! Thank you

[Eleni]

has he seen the vet? maybe hes having pain?

or maybe his bladder just isnt as good as it used to be at holding it thru the night and he needs a midnight pee break.

Eleni

[Beaglemom]

I'm not sure if crate training is the answer in this case. Your new dog has just undergone a stressful situation aggravated by the fact that he is deaf and has arthritis. Crate training might cause more stress if he has never used one before. Like Eleni said, he may be in pain due to his arthritis. Is he on medication or supplements for his arthritis? An older dog may not be able to go all night without a pee break. Their bladders are just not the same as a younger dog.

Anytime a dog is adopted, especially an older one with a disability, they go through a lot of stress and have to adapt. Be patient and reasuring. I'm sure he will become more confident in his surroundings as time passes.

[savannah]

Thank you. I am hoping that he will adjust.
He has seen two different vets in the past 10 days.
He has started taking a weekly injection (i can't remember the name of the injection) for his arthritis. A cowoker suggested giving him glucosomine (sp?) so i will look into that. Does anyone have any suggestions for arthritis?
I thought at first that it was his bladder, but half the time he does not do anything outside. I still take him outside and give it a try anyways.
I did not think crate training was a good idea, given his situation, but i thought to ask here in case if i was wrong.
We thought of bringing him on the bed with us to get a good nights sleep (maybe he wants to be close to me) but he just wanted to get down. I really feel sorry for the little guy. When we adopted him, i did not know he was deaf or had arthritis. Funny how the pound was, all they told me was "we have never heard him bark" and absolutely nothing about his temperment, health etc although i mentioned his limp, they said that was his "gait". I just knew he was an older fellow who needed a good home, and i could not let him get pts.

[Eleni]

being deaf, maybe nightime when everyone is asleep is a time filled of anxiety

perhaps he cant sleep because he isnt sure of his surroundings.

that would explian him not settling in at night for sleep


Eleni

[badger]

Check out this thread:

http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread....ight+wandering

[Lucky Rescue]

Agree with Beaglemom. This dog is very stressed, anxious and confused.

If the dog is deaf, then in the darkness he can neither see nor hear and probably becomes very frightened and disoriented. Can you put a nightlight on for him? This may help, since it would be at his eye level.

OR, perhaps gating him in a bathroom with a light on and with his bed, water and any chews or bones he likes may calm him. I would also try Rescue Remedy.

For the arthritis, you can give him Aspirin. Dosage depends on his weight.

And thank you for adopting this poor little guy!!

[Beaglemom]

I just want to say that I think it is great that you adopted an older dog and are giving him a second chance on family life!

About the arthritis. My dog has arthritis and she is on supplements. We give her Sasha's Blend which is a powder added to her food daily. It has worked wonders on her and her arthritis doesn't bother her as much as it used to. It is all natural. It is only available through vets.

I was going to suggest a night light as well. Maybe he will feel more comfortable if there is a bit of light in the room.

[Melinda]

do you suppose for exercise the old owners would let him "swim" in a warm bath? it would tire him out and feel good on his joints....have you tried putting water in the tub when he cries to get in?

[Lissa]

I would agree with the suggestion about trying glucosamine - it has worked wonders on the joints for a few of arthritic dogs that I know! They give it to there dogs in the capsule form - but you need to adjust depending on the weight/size of the dog.

Some other herbs that might help with arthritis are yucca, alfalfa and devil's claw - which are suppose to work like anti-inflammtories.

There is also something called Cosequin that has had great success with treating arthritis - many vets carry it as well as health food stores.

Chamomile is suppose to help with anxiety and sleep disorders.

I hope that your new addition will soon adjust. Perhapes tethering him to your bed like the other thread suggests might help him settle down at night?Poor guy!

I hope it works out!

Melissa

[Luba]

Oh the poor baby, there are some wonderful suggestions here.

The poor dog is probably lonely for it's old habits and patterns I could only imagine how this dear must feel. Leaving a little night light on is a great idea LR and this doggie may also be disoriented because it's older.

What if you brought him up on your bed to sleep at night, have you tried that out?

Time may settle this, and even try leaving one of your sweaters that you've worn so your scent is on it...in his bed if he doesn't want to sleep on the bed with you.

[MIA]

Although most don't agree with the crate, it might make him feel secure!!! I had an old senior rescue that used to do the same so I tried the crate, filled it full of blankets (MinPins LOVE blankets) but it next to my bed, tucked him in and that was it, he slept the entire night and in fact I had to wake him up in the am!!!!!

It might be worth trying....

[savannah]

Thanks again everyone for the responses.
The nightlight suggestion did not really help, I am going to buy rescue remedy tomorrow. We are currently using homeopet anxiety drops bought from vet. I don't know if they work or not. To date, i have gotten 3 good nights sleep since the 10th.
But last night, i left him in the living room (with a light on) when we went to sleep, and he slept the whole night (minus a few cries at 1am ). So i am hoping that if he sleeps in the living room, he will be okay. He spends 80% of his days in the living room, so i think he feels comfortable there, whereas he is only in our bedroom at night, when we go to sleep.
And since he got this fabulous short haircut, he is way more active and happy. After the haircut, honestly, he became a whole new dog. I think i will start a new thread about canine arthritis.

[kandy]

You might also try a cool pad for him - here's a link
http://www.petedge.com/shopping/prod...iProductID=496

They are supposed to be good for dogs with arthitis. You can soak them in warm water if you think he wants the heat or you can soak em in cold.

Bless you for taking in this dog!

[savannah]

I honestly feel blessed by having Poko. He has taught me so much. It's a big adjustment, communicating with a deaf dog, and i have a long way to go.
I dont think his previous owners would give him a swim in the tub, as Pekingese breed are far from swimmers (i think they would only drown without a life jacket).
I am begining to wonder if he truly has arthritis, or if it is because his front left leg is deformed. I did not notice the deformity until he got shaved down (he was a big ball of fur - i don't think his fur was ever clipped). But the vets both examined his body before the clipping, and they did not notice the bone deformity, so maybe i am wrong (I am far from a vet). I will bring it up tomorrow when i take him for his weekly injection (i belive it is Chondroitin injections).
I do know that i have and will continue to spend a lot of money on Poko (mostly all vet/health related) but i knew when i adopted him that he would be an expensive dog. And i was up for it, so i can't complain now
Thanks for the link. I will have to see if i can find it anywhere close to me. Not only would it be good for arthritis, but also for both my dogs as they are peke's and peke's overheat very easily in the summer (god bless a/c).

[Dogastrophe]

Our oldest, Monty, has a touch of arthritus (sp?). Our vet recommended Glucosimine w/ Chondroitin and MSM (we have him on a 650mg tablet). You could ask your vet if getting the Chondroitin in a tablet form will be just as effective, which would avoid having to tke him in for weeking injections. If so, will be a big $$ saver.

[savannah]

Dogastrophe, what brand of tablet do you use? I was thinking of also supplementing him with a tablet, but don't know where to start (where to buy, and dosage). I called the my fav pet store, and she recommended both Wellness Wellflex or Missing Link. I wonder if a human tablet (life brand, jamieson etc) would be the same and probably cheaper then the wellness. My vet is not located close to me, we moved and i like my vet so i dont really want to find a new one. So that is the only thing i don't like about going for weekly shots, but i will do it if i have no other option.