Why Is My Dog Pacing And Restless At Night?

As a dog gets older, one of the unfortunate behavioural characteristics is an increase in anxiety. This anxiety in older dogs is said to be separation anxiety, making the dog distressed when separated from its owner or owners for periods of time.

Your dog will know that at night it is separated from you for as long as you are asleep and they react to this separation with characteristics or anxiety. These characteristics are similar to anxiety characteristics in humans.

Pacing and restlessness is your dog's way of showing this anxiety, a bit like when you leave a child at nursery or school for the first few months. This will distress them and they will feel confused and lonely as to why you leaving them alone.

This is not an illness that can be fixed with medication, but managed by the owner. You may wish to seek help from a dog trainer to look at ways to keep the anxiety levels in your dog as low as possible so that it does not cause him or her large amounts of stress.

Another option is to get your dog used to being away from you for shorter periods during the day. This way, it will get the dog used to the fact that you are coming back and will make it feel less anxious at night as it will learn that you do come back.

You could also give your dog something to distract them at night. Maybe a toy or a treat that will keep it occupied but also show that you are not going away forever as you love it enough to give out treats and toys to play with. You could also look into music. You could listen to this music with your dog in normal surroundings so that it associates the sounds with comfort and being around you, so that listening to it at night, your dog will feel at home and not away from you. A common trick with puppies is to bury a ticking clock or watch into a dog's blankets as this imitates the beating heart of the puppy's mother.

Pacing in dogs is usually due to pain. Whenever dogs have pain, they can can show restlessness, pacing and shaking. There are many conditions that can cause pain and discomfort. Following are some common cause of pain in dogs.

1. Traumatic injury
2. Damage and inflammation of the tissues
3. Exposure to heat and cold
4. Some diseases

Another reason of pacing and restless in dogs is canine bloat that is a medical emergency and need vet visit. Pacing and restlessness is also seen in dogs at the start of heat cycle and at the time of labor in pregnant dogs.

If your dog is showing signs of pacing along with other symptoms of illnesses then take him to vet for accurate diagnosis and treatment because treatment depends upon underlying cause.

My dogs pacing around me room too,
shes laying down then getting back up and just
going in circles around my room. What can I do?
What could this mean? Someone get back to me!

Maybe she needs to go out and does not want to have an accident.  Or maybe she is suffering from anxiety.  I would make sure she is eating and has access to plenty of water and stays hydrated.  Also, if this pursuit's get her checked out by a vet.  Maybe some thing is going on or she can here something that is making her nervous or it is really hot to her.  Try and make her comfortable.  Take her out and maybe try having her sleep some where else and see how she acts.  If nothing helps get her checked out.  Good luck.

People on this site usually don't provide complete information about their animal while asking question. Question should include age, breed, sex and signs of illness. These information can be helpful to give any advice. Anyhow, pacing and restlessness is usually associated with pain. Bloating is another reason of restlessness. Pain in dogs can be due to

1. Muscular and skeletal problems
2. Disc injury
3. Traumatic injury
4. Damage and inflammation of the tissues
5. Exposure to heat and cold
6. Symptom of other diseases

So, for accurate diagnosis and treatment, take your dog to vet.

Restlessness, pacing, and shivering in dogs are related with pain and discomfort. This pain can be on anywhere on the body and due to any reason. Any other reason of this condition can be bloating which can be due to overeating, eating of dry food etc. You should take care of his diet especially at night. You can also get advice from your vet.

Restlessness is usually a sign of pain or  discomfort. My 15 yr. Old female does this when her hind legs are hurting. The doctor prescribed mild pain medicine for her when she needs it. In about an hour after she has taken it, she has calmed down and goes to sleep.. Sometimes stress or anxiety will make a dog pant more than usual. Has any thing change around the house that might be stressing the dog

My dog is 4 years old and for the last couple of nights has been very restless, pacing the floor back and forward and often just staring at nothing. Can you help?

My dog has started these same symptoms and they have been at 5:30 a.m. Since the 26th of Dec.  Took him to the ER Pet Clinic, and they said he is in pain somewhere.  The vet said he was dehydrated also so they shot him up with some sort of fluids.  Sent me home with 4 days worth of anti-inflammatory meds in a small syringe.  He is exhausted after these episodes and just stares and is super still.  This morning he had 2 episodes and the first one was 9 minutes long, the 2nd one was 14 minutes long.  When the 2nd one was coming on he was laying resting from the 1st one and this started with his back left leg twitching pretty good, then he starts the pacing and panting, swallowing hard and doesn't know where he wants to be or like he can't get comfortable.  Luckily he is small and  I can hold him through these.  It's very heartbreaking for me.  I will take my regular vet the results from all his tests at the ER vets visit on the 26th.

Our 10 year old Bernese would often pace, pant, & tremble all night. 1 vet suggested Gas-X or Pepcid. What we think finally worked is when we started soaking her dry food in water for at least 1/2 hour before feeding. We then add small amount of California Natural canned food and microwave it for 30 seconds. Obviously, if it's a fresh can of food, we add it after warming the moistened food. The dry food we use is Iams Senior for dogs 9 and older. Since we've been moistening her food this way, we have not had one episode.

This dog need to get it out of his system as they say. Drive to an open area and let run free for a few hours.  My ex used to put his dog outside his car and let him run along side the car, but of course, on a back road where there was not much traffic.  Wore him out and he enjoyed the run

We have a 15 year old dog and about 8 pm every night he starts pacing(walking around the whole house in the same pattern ) then goes out and then to sleep.Is this normal?

You could go to the park and run, play with him in the backyard, or simply take him for a long walk. Dogs need daily exercise.