I think it did help with my previous dog when she was getting antsy due to her condition, and I did give a couple of drops on occasion when Tikva started going through a typical [for some puppies] difficult stage at around 6 months.
Just a quick update: Yesterday the weather was cold, and I was at home, so I did not let him sleep during the day, I kept him busy. Finally he slept like a baby from 11 pm to 8 am, outside, as usual, with just a little bit of barking before he went to sleep. We will see, how things go today. I tried my best to keep him occupied as well, but I hear him still barking and when I go out to calm him, he whines a bit before he settles down. I don't know why he is so anxious at night
Glad to hear you had atleast one nights good sleep! Does he sleep in a kennel? Maybe leave him something with your scent, a blanket or Tshirt. When we first got Miko, her first night was understandably unsettled. She was crying and barking all night, the day after we left a few old unwashed tshirts in her bed and she slept like a baby. Akitas are very social and love to be a part of the family.
A little update again... We had two nights when he could sleep at least 5-6 hrs, but yesterday it was horrible again. We had a good walk, I was sitting with him in the garden till 11 pm, and saw him trying to fall asleep with no success... He was basically lying on the grass, most of the times with his eyes closed, and barked like that when another dog barked, or a car passed by too loudly, or an airplane crossed the sky...He didn't even get up to bark. It was really like him saying: "Hey world! Shut up already, I want to sleep!" I felt so sorry for him, so I took him inside, and he was playing on his own, maybe even he was able to fall asleep for an hour or two.(Fortunately I could sleep a few hours too) I also tried to give him unwashed T-shirts, he loves to tear them, but did not help with the sleeping I went to the vet today and asked about his opinion... He said that it can be that his hormones are kicking in, can be that there is a bitch in heat nearby...but it should be over soon. Anyways, I will try Calmex today, but really don't want him to be on drugs every night...even if these are not prescription drugs. I desperately hope to find some other solution here.
I'm sure Calmex is fine. I appreciate your reluctance, but it isn't a drug in the dope-it-down sense, just a supplement of amino acids to boost his serotonin levels. I actually take 5HTP (tryptophan) myself, and have used similar products for stress related problems in my own dogs. I hope it works for your boy.
Melatonin [3mg] is also useful [but harmless] for helping regulate sleep Cycles. It is also one of the OTC meds that people on the Epi List used for their dogs. I have taken it myself at times when I kept waking, to help regulate my sleep.
While calmex may help calm him, it’s only masking the problem not getting to the route of it. Why is he barking, territorial/anxiety/attention ect: Its important that he has a routine for bedtimes and wake times as close to each other as reasonably possible. Id keep him in at night to sleep, preferably in your bedroom with door shut or a baby gate across when he starts barking just say shhh! its ok but don’t react until he is quiet then give him a special treat ,keep repeating this ‘also do the same if you are sitting outside with him. Also keep up the socialisation, training classes, taking him to all sort of places where he can get used to different sights and sounds and when its dark if possible, doesn’t have to be far just walk him round the garden or block.
