My parents have 3 well behaved Bichons but in the last 3 weeks, Ollie the only male has become very unsettled at night and just wanders around the house keeping my parents awake.  They have tried the norm, letting him out etc.  He has never been a problem since they had him and normally sleeps through. They are at the end of their tether as they are not in good health and need their sleep.  He is fine during the day so we presume he is not in pain.  Can anyone help with our problem.
Thank you in advance

Is there a bitch in season in the neighbourhood?

Not that I know off but it is a possibility. Will that affect him if he has been castrated?  Would he be playing up during the day if this is the problem?

Hi Jojo,
We also have a Bichon and lovely as he is he has some funny habits that other dogs don't have.  If he has something nice to eat which he enjoys (usually a bit of stew or something) he wanders around the house crying for about 45 minutes after with one of his toys in his mouth, he isn't in pain but it can be very irritating.  This morning he went into the garden but then came frantically scratching at the door within minutes and ran in growling with his tail down and looked really scared.  He kept staring at the back door as if some monster was going to come in any minute and eat him.  He eventually plucked up the courage to go out again about 30 mins later and I watched him to see if I could see what had scared him so much.  He got to the top of the steps with his tail down and looked up at next doors fence which is quite high, just above the fence he could see next doors washing flapping about on the washing line and started growling and ran in again scared, what a wimp! 

Regarding your parents dog, do they leave a light on for him through the night and where does he usually sleep?  Ours sleeps in the kitchen but I always leave a light on in the lounge for him and a radio on low and the dog gate shut but the kitchen door open.  Perhaps try giving him some rescue remedy to calm him a bit.  They are funny little dogs aren't they, the other night I playfully growled at ours and what did he do? - he ran off to his bed in the kitchen and sulked all night and would have nothing to do with me.  It is his 1st Birthday today but it feels like we have had him forever.   Does your parents bichon get on with the bitches okay and how old are they all?  Sounds to me like he can hear something that is making him unsettled.

They all get on really well. Missy is 8, Ollie is 7 and Pepsi is 6.  He usually sleeps in dad's room and about half way through the night he gets on the end of the bed and stays there until the morning.  Nothing has changed with the nightime routine and that is why my parents are find it puzzling and they are starting to worry.  They don't leave a light on for him because he usually in the bedroom and he has never needed it before.  He does pine for dad when he goes out but is fine when he comes back in and he is obviously there at night.

How old is Ollie?  In old age some dogs gets restless at night.  It seems to be a form of dementia :(

Ollie is 7 and all seems fine with him otherwise.

hi there, now that the weather is getting warmer, could he be too hot?  he might be in need for a clip or a window open might settle him?

last night my staffie sat up half the night growling at something, i couldnt hear anything outside but she could, rather annoying.  If there is a bitch in season in the area it could be that even if he is castrated

A thought has just occured to me - somebody else I know had a dog who was getting disturbed in the night - so hubby slept on a camp bed with her downstairs, and found a badger was patroling the garden at night, which upset the dog - maybe you have a nocturnal visitor too?