Aa
dog is acting very strange/weird
my dog has been acting very weird for the past 24 hours. He is a 3 yr old pug who is naturally very energetic, loves everyone, and always happy.
Last night, he woke us up by yelping in his sleep. When i woke this morning, he wasn't in the bed as usual, he was hiding under the computer desk, trembling. I thought it might have been becuase of the storms last night, since he has a bit of storm fear. I had a hard time luring him out from underneath the desk and when i did, he ran underneath another chair. I finally got him on the leash to go out for his morning walk, and he wouldn't leave my side, just trembled.
Later that afternoon about 5 hours later, my husband contacted me asking me if Jeter was acting weird this morning? When i told him what he was doing, he said he was still doing the same thing. I asked him to take him to the vet to find out if something had bit him (like a spider or something). The vet took a look at him and took his vitals and said he was doing fine. The weird thing is that he was acting normal at the vet, playing with the other dogs in the vet and happy as ever. The vet told us that he might have a stomach ache or something but couldnt find any wounds, bites, broken bones, or sores. She said his temp was normal and thought maybe it was just storm fright and he would be ok.
As soon as we got him back home, he started doing the same thing. He won't come out from hiding under things. He acted scared of us. It makes me sad, cause he won't even let me hold him to comfort him.
I did notice that he ate about an hour ago. Haven't seen him drink anything yet.
He did poop around 4 this afternoon at the vet clinic, so i can't think of anything else that could have caused this.
Can you help or offer suggestions?
Last night, he woke us up by yelping in his sleep. When i woke this morning, he wasn't in the bed as usual, he was hiding under the computer desk, trembling. I thought it might have been becuase of the storms last night, since he has a bit of storm fear. I had a hard time luring him out from underneath the desk and when i did, he ran underneath another chair. I finally got him on the leash to go out for his morning walk, and he wouldn't leave my side, just trembled.
Later that afternoon about 5 hours later, my husband contacted me asking me if Jeter was acting weird this morning? When i told him what he was doing, he said he was still doing the same thing. I asked him to take him to the vet to find out if something had bit him (like a spider or something). The vet took a look at him and took his vitals and said he was doing fine. The weird thing is that he was acting normal at the vet, playing with the other dogs in the vet and happy as ever. The vet told us that he might have a stomach ache or something but couldnt find any wounds, bites, broken bones, or sores. She said his temp was normal and thought maybe it was just storm fright and he would be ok.
As soon as we got him back home, he started doing the same thing. He won't come out from hiding under things. He acted scared of us. It makes me sad, cause he won't even let me hold him to comfort him.
I did notice that he ate about an hour ago. Haven't seen him drink anything yet.
He did poop around 4 this afternoon at the vet clinic, so i can't think of anything else that could have caused this.
Can you help or offer suggestions?
I see that thanks to the new forum format we are answering five year old questions as if they were posted yesterday. I really don't like this new format. It was tough enough with the old format but now, fuggedaboudit!! Why oh why did they ever change?!?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Well....you did all the right things. It doesn't really answer your question but I guess it does ease your worries a little, that you took him to be thoroughly checked out. That was all you and the vet could do at this stage.
Now many dogs who have a health issue can sometimes behave differenty at the vet's than they behave at home. Especially if that issue is just about manageable (from a dog's point of view) They are kind of 'programmed' to hide any signs of weakness as much as they can when in a tight kind of position -with a vague threat (such as being at the vet's) or in a social setting with other -particularly unknown -dogs.
And of course that doesn't apply across the board to all temperaments and all dogs. The exceptions also are when they are too weak or really too ill to protest.
So it still could be that there may be a health problem lurking. I would say keep a close eye on him the next week or so. If he's eating and drinking as normal and doing his business as normal then those are good signs.
It could be that he is just a nervous temperament and the storm freaked him and he hasn't let go of it yet. Also if he was given 'special attention', lots of cuddles, sympathy and human-style 'reassurance' during the storm -weirdly that wouldn't reassure him at all. That would just make his doggy-mind more sure something was 'up'. And re-inforce his fears.
That's a behavioural situation which needs work.
But bearing that in mind, still keep an eye on him in case of any physical problem which hasn't been discovered yet.
Now many dogs who have a health issue can sometimes behave differenty at the vet's than they behave at home. Especially if that issue is just about manageable (from a dog's point of view) They are kind of 'programmed' to hide any signs of weakness as much as they can when in a tight kind of position -with a vague threat (such as being at the vet's) or in a social setting with other -particularly unknown -dogs.
And of course that doesn't apply across the board to all temperaments and all dogs. The exceptions also are when they are too weak or really too ill to protest.
So it still could be that there may be a health problem lurking. I would say keep a close eye on him the next week or so. If he's eating and drinking as normal and doing his business as normal then those are good signs.
It could be that he is just a nervous temperament and the storm freaked him and he hasn't let go of it yet. Also if he was given 'special attention', lots of cuddles, sympathy and human-style 'reassurance' during the storm -weirdly that wouldn't reassure him at all. That would just make his doggy-mind more sure something was 'up'. And re-inforce his fears.
That's a behavioural situation which needs work.
But bearing that in mind, still keep an eye on him in case of any physical problem which hasn't been discovered yet.
It could have been the storm if it was bad enough ,or a dream but he may have seen a bug or something my dog has freaked out for that before but not that much welp hope everything goes good!
My almost 1 yr old male dog suddenly changed he's acting worried and jumping from the bed to the floor and whimpering and pacing also doing this weird head movement thing and won't eat or drink or lick my face like he usually does. he seems distrote and nervous as well
There are 2 more possibilities. Recent vaccines make dogs clingy and scared. They are loaded with toxic stuff and do affect their behavior. The other that affected mine was cheap dog food that has corn and soy in it. My dog all of the sudden started shaking her head constantly and violently. My roomate had gotten some cheap food and gave it to her when I had been feeding her GRAIN FREE. The CORN and SOY now is GMO and has lots of pesticide and is causing pets a LOT of problems. Try just getting them some food that doesnt have corn, I bet it will solve your problem, like it did me.
my mothers dog is starting to do the same thing.....did you find out what was wrong with your pug?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Weird you should say that. As it happens, I got the chimney sweep in TODAY! Misty just went for his pockets, in case there were any treats hidden there!
A thought....when there is a thunderstorm, why not behave like it is fun (I actually like storms, so this isn't too hard) The dog will follow the same feelings perhaps? Misty treats thunderstorms the same way she treats TV shows. A mixture of vague interest/disdain/ boredom. Or if you want to be more mellow about it, why not behave like the storm is just nothing. Then stroke the dog to calm him, carry on as normal, give him little treats, etc. or play games with a ball. That might help to stop fear.
A thought....when there is a thunderstorm, why not behave like it is fun (I actually like storms, so this isn't too hard) The dog will follow the same feelings perhaps? Misty treats thunderstorms the same way she treats TV shows. A mixture of vague interest/disdain/ boredom. Or if you want to be more mellow about it, why not behave like the storm is just nothing. Then stroke the dog to calm him, carry on as normal, give him little treats, etc. or play games with a ball. That might help to stop fear.
I'll bet you dog loves the Chiminey Sweeper when he comes by now huh? LOL You have to clean that thing Ginger!
I'm kidding you....we have to have some fun every once and awhile.
I'm kidding you....we have to have some fun every once and awhile.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I had a chimney fire a year last Christmas. (I threw water on the fire, but it didn't go out. I could hear it raging up there, so I called the firemen.) Ha! Such fuss! Eventually it was all well, and no more fire, and no worries. But every time I went even NEAR the fireplace, my dog started behaving oddly. If I lit it, she tucked her tail between her legs, and headed out of the room! This has only just recently started to ease up. Every night, she would only come back in when I started to eat dinner, otherwise she would stay out in the other room where it's cold. I worked gently at this by inviting her beside me in front of the fire, and giving her back-rubs, or treats.
What I'm saying is....once scared by something, dogs can remember for a long time, and it can take some time for their confidence to return.
What I'm saying is....once scared by something, dogs can remember for a long time, and it can take some time for their confidence to return.
Did you have a very bad thunderstorm last night? I don't know but there may be a connection. When my bulldog was a puppy thunderstorms didn't bother her at all. Then all of a sudden when she was about three years old we had a real bad one that scared the hell out of her.
She acted the same as you describe for about a day or two. She still sits under the table every once and awhile if she is nervous about something but now when there is a thunderstorm she goes into the bedroom and lays down and faces the corner.
Your dog probably just isn't over it yet and when he was brought back to the house he got nervous again. Little doggy fobia's. I'll bet if you give him a treat he will come out for it.
They get over it. You should just leave him be for awhile and when he realizes that things are normal again around him he will come out.
BTW: I had a Shepherd that did the same thing also. He used to stick his head under the bed.
She acted the same as you describe for about a day or two. She still sits under the table every once and awhile if she is nervous about something but now when there is a thunderstorm she goes into the bedroom and lays down and faces the corner.
Your dog probably just isn't over it yet and when he was brought back to the house he got nervous again. Little doggy fobia's. I'll bet if you give him a treat he will come out for it.
They get over it. You should just leave him be for awhile and when he realizes that things are normal again around him he will come out.
BTW: I had a Shepherd that did the same thing also. He used to stick his head under the bed.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I wish I could tell you I know what this is, but I am not sure!
There is one possibility however. That he did have an upset from the storm, (or even maybe from a dream?) during the night. He went to hide, and was scared. Then when you found him, there was some emotion (concern/worry?) which he picked up on? And since then it's caused a vicious-circle. He acts scared. You give him 'concerned/worried/emotional' feedback, so he carries on acting scared. Can you see what I mean?
I had something similar once with my dog, until I figured it out I didn't know what was the matter with her! The only thing that broke the negative cycle was treating her in a very ordinary way, using the same voice I would use when everything is just fine, not giving her too much attention, and not peering at her/talking too much to her/fussing over her (but obviously, secretly keeping my eye on her!) Behaving very matter-of-fact with her.
It makes me wonder if this might work, especially as you say the vet found nothing wrong, and your dog behaved totally normally when in the surgery.
There is one possibility however. That he did have an upset from the storm, (or even maybe from a dream?) during the night. He went to hide, and was scared. Then when you found him, there was some emotion (concern/worry?) which he picked up on? And since then it's caused a vicious-circle. He acts scared. You give him 'concerned/worried/emotional' feedback, so he carries on acting scared. Can you see what I mean?
I had something similar once with my dog, until I figured it out I didn't know what was the matter with her! The only thing that broke the negative cycle was treating her in a very ordinary way, using the same voice I would use when everything is just fine, not giving her too much attention, and not peering at her/talking too much to her/fussing over her (but obviously, secretly keeping my eye on her!) Behaving very matter-of-fact with her.
It makes me wonder if this might work, especially as you say the vet found nothing wrong, and your dog behaved totally normally when in the surgery.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Dogs Community
Members of our Pet Communities share their Halloween pet photos.
Like to travel but hate to leave your pooch at home? Dr. Carol Osborne talks tips on how (and where!) to take a trip with your pampered pet
Ooh and aah your way through these too-cute photos of MedHelp members' best friends
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
