I'm dog sitting for my wifes parents and they have a little shiatsu?

[shanediamond_4einc]

who doesn't seem to sleep at night, any thoughts about what I could do to get him to sleep as we've tried walks and everything we could think of.... please serious answers only

 

[johnsonjulie67]

Try leaving her with an article of clothing from his owners,anything old that has their scent on it.Place it in his bed with him and maybe add a fluffy toy as well,it's obvious that he is missing his owners and is more apparent in the still of the night.It's separation anxiety,if that fails put the dog in bed with you,he may need human contact at this stage.Hope this will benifit you,good luck.

 

[Abbigail]

try playing with him a lot and take him outside for a longer stroll right before bed time just so he gets tired then.

it's spelled shih tzu by the way.

 

[KLH]

I agree with the first answer. They are missing their owners and having trouble adjusting to this "sudden change." You're doing all that you can. Please do not try any medication if anyone suggests it. The problem is just temporary even though it may drive you crazy, it's nice of you to sit for the dogs and try so much to help the little guys out!

 

[Nancy U]

A shiatsu? Does it massage you? It's spelled Shih Tzu. He is just homesick. If he cries all night, you might have to let him sleep with you, or give him a stuffed animal to sleep with (he won't feel so alone).

 

[Jessica L]

He's just missing his family, is all. You can try to let him sleep in bed with you,or try bringing in some blankets or something from their house to help him feel more at home, but other than that I can't think of anything to help.

 

[Nikki C]

He just misses his family and probably feels abandoned. I have a Shih Tzu as well and when I first got her she went through something similar. Since you are taking care of him I would suggest showing him a lot of attention and love so that he know's you aren't just some scary person hanging around. Once he feels comfortable and trusts you, he'll feel more comfortable and will sleep better. I would also suggest playing with him a lot and making sure he doesn't sleep a lot in the day. The more tired he is, the better he'll sleep. Give him lots of treats when he does something good and interact with him as much as possible. And as sad as it is, if he cries and whines a lot at night you may have to ignore him. He does this because he expects a response. Rubbing his belly or his ears will soothe him but if he continues to whine turn off the lights and go to sleep. He'll soon understand that whining won't get him anywhere. Good luck! Hope it all goes well.