Phantom is now a little over 8 months and has been doing great overall. But lately he has been waking up in the middle of the night and starts barking and growling toward our bedroom door (which is also toward the apartment entrance). Last night he did it at least twice at 12:30am and 2:30am. He calms down once we show him no one is there. He sleeps in the bed with us and has never done this before last week. We live in an apartment building so it’s possible he hears noise from the hall or stairwell. We are already leaving a fan on for some white noise.
Coincidently, last week we had a relative stay with us for a few days. He was working in the area and regularly got home from work between midnight and 5am (long after we went to bed with Phantom). Each time he arrived home Phantom would wake up and bark, not stopping until we showed him who it was. On top of everything Phantom was neutered last week.
Any idea what is causing this behavior? Is it learned from when my relative stayed over or is it fear based? Any idea how to extinguish or redirect this behavior?
-Dave
Coincidently, last week we had a relative stay with us for a few days. He was working in the area and regularly got home from work between midnight and 5am (long after we went to bed with Phantom). Each time he arrived home Phantom would wake up and bark, not stopping until we showed him who it was. On top of everything Phantom was neutered last week.
Any idea what is causing this behavior? Is it learned from when my relative stayed over or is it fear based? Any idea how to extinguish or redirect this behavior?
-Dave