grumbling cocker

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I own a full bred male cocker spaniel who is about 9yrs old, he normally sleeps in our bedroom floor, if I go to bed before my husband he will stay down stairs but when my husband goes to bed he grumbles the whole way up the stairs and continues to grumble until my husband gets into bed, it seems to be becoming worse and is presenting a problem because I keep getting wakened out of my sleep.  The dog dotes on my husband but he really is becoming a bit like an annoying old man, (not my husband, the dog) what can we do.

ANSWER: Hi Ruth,
I'm not sure what you mean by "grumble".  Is this growling -panting - what?
If you can explain that, I might be able to help.
Delores

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Its kind of growling, not aggressive growling though it is really just a kind of growling noise as if he is annoyed or disturbed but yet if we stroke him or pay him attention it still goes on but I would never think that he would snap or anything, he never show his teeth and even when he's doing it he could be wagging his tail, its just very annoying, especially when I get wakened by it and no matter what i do he just won't stop doing it.  But i suppose it would be closer to growling than panting, it comes from the back of his throat and sometimes he hurts his throat doing it and ends up coughing.  One time we met up with the breeder and told him about this noise and he referred to it as 'grumbling'.  Hope this helps its kind of difficult to explain.

Answer
Okay.  I'd like you to try something.  Tonight, have your husband carry him up the stairs.  The clue might be that it begins on the stairs.  If that has an effect, it'll tell us something.
Also..carry him up and once he's upstairs, give him a treat.

Sometimes these odd behaviors are a little bit of a puzzle and I'd like to see if "interrupting" his routine and adding something different (the treat) makes any difference.
I'm also wondering if climbing the stairs is difficult for him and that triggers it.

At age 9 he's a senior dog and may need a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement.  It's just interesting that this only happens at this one time.  Does he go up and down the stairs during the day?  Any grumbling?

Anyway, try the "carry and treat" routine tonight and get back to me.
Delores