My dog often growls at night and I can't figure out why. Is he sleeping weird, or is he bothered by something? I'd love to know how to make him feel better, and I can't tell if he's mad at me!!
Another scenario is when he refuses to be moved from a bed. Let's say the dog has always slept on the bed with its owner. Then, one day, the owner decides the dog must sleep somewhere else. The dog therefore, upon being moved, growls at the owner, who is surprised and frightened, so he backs away. The growling behavior has now been reinforced, and the dog will use it more frequently to show its power.
Sometimes dogs can become more anxious at night. You could try a long walk or trip to the dog park before bed to try to tire him out so he sleeps more soundly.
He or She might be scared. Dogs do this when they are apprehensive or when something seems to be out of their control. Maybe they heard something that you didn't, or maybe they just have a hard time seeing at night and become anxious. Give them a quick pat on the head and let them know it's all good.