My dog is suddenly needy at night!

I have a7 yr old Springer Spaniel neutered male and within the last few days he has begun to whine and whimper outside our bedroom door - I take him downstairs and let him into the garden in case he needs to go - invariably he doesn't - and settle him back to bed. He then does the same thing again! If I let him in to the bedroom he just lays down and goes to sleep - but I don't really want him there at night. He has never done this before- except on exceptionally windy nights as he doesn't like the noise of the wind.We have a stairgate at the top of the stairs but if I lock this he just whines louder and wakes the kids up!
Does anyone have any ideas? I might add that the cat follows him so we have her meeowing at the same time!!
He's never shown any kind of seperation anxiety before and he can be left alone in the house without a problem
Any ideas??

Assuming he is well, and nothing bothering him physically, it could just be he has learned it is a nice place to be (following on from windy nights).
Dogs are pack animals and like to be with their pack so inadvertently you may have encouraged this.
Decide what you want to do and stick with it. You may have to live through some crying/whining at first, but be firm. The other option is to have them in your room (i do this and never hear a peep unless they are ill or dreaming )
Mary

Perhaps I'll have to "controlled crying"! It doesnt really bother me if he's in the room, but my dh trips over him!

Has nothing changed, i.e. is he still sleeping where he always has? I suspect a change somewhere along the line? Maybe he's got a bit of tummy ache which he feels more during the night whilst laying down? When any of my dogs have done this, I usually put it down to some kind of tummy aches or pains somewhere. Maybe he's getting a bit of arthritis in his hind quarters now that he's 8 coz they would feel that more during the night when lying down instead of moving about? Failing all, try and have him in your bedroom and see if he stops, in which case, he's missing you, or maybe you had him in the bedroom one night (or somebody did!) and he rather likes it!

Hi Kim, If this is recent behaviour I would have him checked out at the vet first, just to eliminate any possible illness. Where does he normally sleep ? can he hear anything from outside that could possibly be disturbing him ? Good luck and let us know how you get on x

THanks for your input.He's still eating fine and his cushion is where it always is - behind the sofa. He DOES have arthritis in one shoulder but he's been on Metacam for a while now and we manage it well.
I reckon to be honest, he's just being a bit of a softie - but I can't figure out why he's suddenly started doing it! He definitely dosn't need the loo -I drag myself to the backdoor just in case but he won't go out. Last night I let him whine for 30 minutes before I cracked and let him in - just to get some sleep!

It's so hard to be firm when you're tired isn't it. I can sympathise with you.

Heidi

Hi covkimbo all other things being well healthwise, perhaps some noise originally awoke your dog (birds singing/a passing fox/milkman), he got a rewarding response from you so has learned to repeat the behaviour.

If you really don't want him in with you I would take him to the loo to be sure he is comfortable/no long conversations/treat/play, just to the loo then back in again. Then go away and leave him and he should be quiet eventually (though the more you let him in with you the harder it will be to break the routine). If you must go to him it is wise to wait for a pause in the crying, if you go when he cries he will quickly learn crying brings a reward.

You say he comes to the stair gate and wakes the children ? Have you tried shutting him in the kitchen with a cozy bed/something you have worn that smells of you/the radio on low to mask sounds , this works for some dogs.