Crazy Dog Behavior ----- I need your thoughts/advice

Hi. Hm. She is doing better, closer to normal, and she surfaces once in a while to go out, or see what we are up to. Before this "attack of crazy" she's typically always following me around.

I've looked around on the links both from BH and SK. Kind of fun reading, and it appears as though Sims truly does have an obsession at the moment. She still has her frog. I've decided to wait until tomorrow to take it, and kind of transition her away from her "baby", by having the frog for tonight. I noticed she is not grooming it as much, but using it only as a pillow as she always had. (Of course I've seen her mount it and molest it too, lol). But, she's still staying in bed too much, but doesn't appear to be sick.

She has other toys, chews, those big rings, and other junk, but at the moment is only liking those things with eyes and rear ends.

I do think some of whats going on with her is hormonal. Has to be.
I will take the frog tomorrow and put it away in the garage or somewhere. It's now the only stuffy she has. Don't think I'll be buying anymore.

She really does ordinarily get all the exercise she wants. She loves to be outside running around, and also gallops through the house at high speeds. It did rain for two days in a row during this, and she didn't go out much, none of them like the rain, even though I've had dogs in the past who loved it. She loves the walks on her leash, and there is a lake in my neighborhood we walk to. All my dogs love it, and I 'll try to take her more often. Of course, anywhere we are they think is "their property". When we walk to the lake, she assumes its "ours", and there should be no squirrels or other people there. She's a trip.

reply to post by StealthyKat


If I had to pick one reason that my dogs are as well-behaved as they are, it would be Cesar. I've taken a lot from many trainers, but exercise, discipline and affection is probably the single most valuable piece of advice I've had. And as my avatar suggests, I am a "calm/assertive" pack leader.

reply to post by StealthyKat

many times we encourage this behaviour by trying to apply human emotions to dogs. They can't reason like we do...let me know what you think....

They don't reason like we do, but at the same time, it's amazing how similar their emotions are to ours. If you live with a dog for a while you can see the entire array of them. You know when they are happy, sad, angry, depressed, lonely, frustrated, cautious, curious. It's amazing to me. Their honesty is amazing to me. When they like someone or when they don't. They can't hide it.

My 14 year old even expresses "disgust". When I leave the house in the mornings, she gets a treat as I walk out the door. Same treat every morning for years and years. It's between my fingers, and when I offer it to her she looks at it, smells it, then gently takes if from my fingers.

One morning I was running late, and on the way out the door I offered her the cookie. (not a real cookie, but to my dogs all treats are "cookies"). The cursory examination was taking too long to suit me that morning, so I said "here ya go", and threw it on the floor. Honestly, she sat down in front of it looking up at me and her eyes said "I can't believe you did that". She honestly seemed indignant and horrified that I had the audacity to throw her cookie on the floor. Seriously, it was hilarious. For a minute, I didn't even think she was going to eat it.

I believe I've seen more projection of human emotions onto cats by their owners, than dogs. Cat people are always coming up with human motivations for their cats, while I can't see it. To me, with a dog, it's easy to see.
Yes?

Update:

I took the frog. She's been in bed all afternoon with it. I'll hide it to return after her surgery, and see how she does with it then. Ahhh, just took it away two minutes ago, and now here she comes being friendly and headed to the pet door.

Suffies are not a good idea right now.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


Yes, they do have emotions, my cocker spaniel Heidi just passed away, and I had her since she was six weeks old.... She was very old when she died. I swear she understood me! She knew all her toys by name etc. But she always FREAKED out when I had to leave the house. She would literally howl at the top of her lungs until I came home (for hours, because I left a tape recorder on once just to see) When I would come home from work, she would be hoarse I was never able to stop her from doing it. But the vet said she had separation anxiety.I wish I would have known about it when she was younger. I know what you mean though....I saw sadness, happiness etc....so I know they have feelings. She was like a child to me. Anyway, I was just thinking maybe she has some kind of insecurity/confusion. Like you said, the hormones may be telling her she should be looking after babies, and it's making her insecure and anxious....kind of like PMS Many times, strange behaviour has nothing to do with what the owner has done or not done....sometimes an experience with the dogs MOTHER and how she treated it can affect them as far as security. Do you know Silo? She adopted a pup whose mother bite her in the head and kind of rejected her...after she adopted her, she has had a few issues. Luci (her dog) is a great dog and very sweet, but she bit her recently (Luci is a huge dog). It happened when she tried to put the leash on her one day after correcting her.....and this reaction could have something to do with her reaching towards her head after being angry (to fasten the leash) I know this has nothing to do with your baby, but I'm just saying maybe it could be deep rooted, and the hormone doggy PMS is bringing it out. I hope that getting her spayed solves it....I hope it gets better!

reply to post by StealthyKat


I'm so sorry about Heidi. I think lots of dogs have separation anxiety and get depressed when left alone.

I think my dogs go into "comas" when I'm away. lol. Seriously, I've tested it. I've put a dog treat in their bowls right before I left the house, and checked the minute I got home to see if they are still there, and they are. Then, after the exuberant welcoming home routine, they run to the bowl, get the treats, and ahhh, everything is back to normal.

Gotta love 'em, though.

Thanks for your post, Kat.

Good morning everyone.

Yesterday was a beautiful day here, sunny and warm. I devoted it to the dogs. We played frisbee, and fetch with the tennis balls. We went for walks to the lake. I have a laser light and Sims like to chase the beam when it's on the ground, and she and I played with it for a looong time. (Got this at dollar store for $1.00 --- it's for cats, but Sims loves chasing it. Other dogs pay no attention).

Anyway, we had about five hours of exercise. I kept her moving. We had such a good day. It was windy and leaves were falling, and Sims was jumping to catch those too. Oh, and I blew bubbles for her, which she leaps in the air to catch, as much as she can with those short little legs. I did all her favorite things. She seemed happy and back to normal.

As soon as we came back in, everybody headed for water and a nap, and I joined in. Sims stole Scout's old worn out sock she loves, and took it to her bed. I let her keep it, figuring it was up to Scout. Scout is the boss of the house, and no one crosses her. She's fourteen and moody. lol. She did eventually get her sock back, and there was a terrible altercation over it, but I let it happen. Scout won, of course, but Sims was tenacious.

When we went to bed, Sims had nothing but her hard chew and tug toys in her bed. All of them. They are all she owns. I noticed what appeared to be depression. I've never had a depressed dog, but I could see it. Heavy. Not moving. Staring at the floor, not sleeping. I've heard of dogs taking anti-depressants and anti-anxieties, but I've never had one. I have always insisted that my dogs be happy. If I see I can't make a dog happy with my lifestyle, I find people with acreage, or whatever they need. A happy dog is a must have.

Anyway. She wouldn't eat last night. She did come to her bowl, sniffed it and returned to her bed. As we had been outside all day I just let her stay.

Today, it is raining. I've had to get her up to go outside, and she growled at me to protect her toys, I guess. She stopped when I said "no".
So this is where we are. I'll play with her indoors today with the tennis ball, and the laser light to improve her mood, if only for a little while. Maybe I should take all of toys....but I'm not going to. I don't want to see that depressed state again.

I'll get her to the Vet and schedule surgery. I think this is hormonal, combined with not being particularly emotionally stable anyway (fear biting - people hating), but I'm hoping the surgery will correct much of this.

I do want to thank you all for your input and able advice.

ETA: BH, thanks for sharing with your dog forum. I have bookmarked it, and it looks like a good one. I will absolutely ask the vet to check her thyroid as well, when I take her in.

Those laser light things aren't good for dogs. Especially obsessive dogs.

Obsessive Behavior in Dogs

One of the stranger obsessive behaviors is chasing light. This one may sometimes be due to a neurological problem. Possibly there is a component of brain malfunction in many obsessive behavior cases. Fly-biting, for example, is thought at times to be part of a seizure disorder, but it can also be a nutty habit/obsession a dog develops as something to do.
...
Terriers seem to develop the light-chasing behavior more easily than most other breeds, too, and their “gameness” is another strongly-focused behavior bred into them by humans. It seems likely there is a relationship between the light chasing and their genetics.

Treatment

What it takes to manage an obsessive behavior will vary according to the intensity and potential harmfulness of the behavior. The first step is a medical evaluation, even if you don’t see how pain could be involved. In virtually any behavior, it could be! Dogs will do the strangest things to try to cope with pain.

The next step is to interrupt the damaging behavior.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Your are staying a step ahead of me! I have figured this out this morning. She didn't want to get up, and was lying in her bed staring at the floor. Aha, I thought. I'll get her up and running this morning, so I put the little red light on the floor in front of her and she jumped on it. I played with her with it for half an hour or so, with her running all over the house. I had her jumping up on chairs and stuff. Good exercise I thought.

Problem came when I tried to put it away. I let her see me put it in the desk drawer, to let her see playing was over. She's jumped and jumped in front of the desk, and is now lying down underneath that drawer.

So, yeah. Looks like we are jumping from one obsession to another. Poor little thing, I do feel sorry for her.
Thanks for the link, I will begin reading up on obsessive behaviors in dogs.

*A little note: The family I bought her from lived in another town. I arranged to meet them half way, and he was going to meet with me two female puppies to chose from. When he arrived, he only had her with him saying he'd sold the others the night before. I asked if he minded telling me why she was the last to go. Why nobody picked her.
He said "Because she's so shy".

He showed me pictures of his wife with the parent dogs, and they were all dressed up in little outfits. I'm not big on dressing dogs, other than bandana's, and funny stuff for a quick pict, but these dogs were decked out! Clothes, hats, ties.
Maybe they are all neurotic. Sigh. And get this: He met me in a Walmart parking lot with the puppy because his wife had gone to Manhattan to buy new outfits for the dogs.

Sounds like a puppy mill or "back yard breeder" situation. Like I said before, if and when you get another dog, do a lot of research on your breeder, especially if you plan to breed yourself.

Reputable Breeder vs Back Yard Breeder

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Actually, it's just an older couple who let their two dogs have a litter. She had had one a few years earlier, and it was a good experience for them. They decided to let her have another one before they had her spayed, and their adult daughter wanted one of the puppies as well.

Both my dogs have toys.

When Albert was little, I got them to comfort him (he was from a big litter) and I could sense he was missing his brothers and sisters. He got quite protective of them but that settled down and he is very funny when he is playing catch all by himself with them.. yanno tossing them up in the air.

now I have another dog (who is trying to dominate Albert) and he rounds all the teddies up and puts them somewhere around the garden to claim them as his.

Albert doesn't care though so that is good. They will play with them together now so that is good and very cute to watch.

I would prolly do the wrong thing in your situation...yanno, let the dog keep it and get more toys. I am too soft but Albert is a well behaved and trained dog so perhaps that is not so bad. Oh but I did get him desexed when he was about 8 months.

oh I did a video of some of the toys that have managed to survivve:

reply to post by Thurisaz


Lol! I adored watching the stuffies show! Thanks so much for putting it up, it's a little early in the morning for me to be howling with laughter, but I am!

One of my dogs had a little white stuffed teddy and I can't tell you how many times that thing went through the washer, and was sewn up. It had little stitches all over it; looked like it had lived it's life on a battlefield, but no way could I get rid of it. In fact, even though the dog is gone, I still have the teddy as a keepsake.

And so funny to see those noses poking up into the camera "Oh noz! She's messing with our stuff!" lol.

Too adorable. And your accent.......love it.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


glad you enjoyed it.

I would find it hard to take away their toys cos they are like comforters to them and good for them to have activities to do (besides digging holes in the garden!)

and they do play with them for hours!! It is really cute to watch them, right now they are running around playing tug of war with strippy ted out the back.

some people think I am crazy but I have had lengthy chats with both of them... yanno?
and they are so receptive. One time, I was asking Albert questions like 'what is the matter with you today?" and he had his paw on my hand the whole time really taking it all in.

Rather than short commands like NO or Wait! I tend to have this lengthy explanation ... but they do listen.

at the park, I will be giving them both a lecture on how to behave ...

Got milk? Because as of this morning, Sims does. Another faux preggie.

Friday is surgery day at my vet's office, and she was going in then. I was actually inconvenienced by doing this now so close to Christmas, so I have canceled the surgery, will let her get through this, hoping as soon as it's run it's course, she'll be back to normal.

I'll reschedule the surgery for the first of the new year, because I really don't want to put myself or her through this every few months. Previously the Vet said the best way to get the milk to dry up.....is not to feed her for a few days. (Right). But I don't have to negotiate with it, she loses her appetite when this is going on.

Thurz: You're so funny. I sing to my dogs! In French! lol. Actually, I don't know that much french, so their favorite song is

♪ ♫ ♫I am not going to buy a chicken tonight ♪♫ ♪

♪ Je ne vais pas, acheter, le poulet, se soir.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting

I'll reschedule the surgery for the first of the new year, because I really don't want to put myself or her through this every few months. Previously the Vet said the best way to get the milk to dry up.....is not to feed her for a few days. (Right). But I don't have to negotiate with it, she loses her appetite when this is going on.

Not to feed for a few days?
That doesn't sound healthy, I would get a second opinion, or do some thorough research.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


I understand wanting to see litters, but there are 25 million homeless dogs and cats. That really isn't a good reason to breed a dog.


Four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them

humane society.

reply to post by Thurisaz


Very cute. I liked how Albert walked in on cue in the beginning.

I love the shirt you wearing, but would have a very short life attached to me

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by Thurisaz

 

Very cute. I liked how Albert walked in on cue in the beginning.

I love the shirt you wearing, but would have a very short life attached to me

oh thx I got the t from the op shop for one dollar!!! still had the tag on it!! yeah!!

I laughed afterward when I watched it cos their little noses appearing.. lol

and then also laughed at my accent. hahah

either way, I think it might be normal for a bitch to lactate after a season (like a phantom pregnancy) but was also worried that the Vet said not to feed her for a few days

It pays to get second opinions... little Albert was going to be put down because he had a 'deformity' - turns out another Vet said, it was the breed and he had to grow into his paws and as you can see from the vid he is really healthy.