My dog keeps crying?

[scootaru]

Hi I wonder if anyone could shed some light.

I have an 8 year old Neapolitan Mastiff. He has always been a happy dog and he is very active for his age. He goes for walks once a day and cant wait to get out - He wakes me up every morning for his morning walk.

I have had him since he was a puppy and nothing new has changed in his lifestyle.

Over the last year though he has started to cry all day long for no apparent reason. He is not sick (as far as I can tell) he is not in pain anywhere, he wants to play all the time, nothing has changed from his daily routine and nothing new has been added to our home (kids, animals or anything else)

He just spends the day crying while laying in the hall way. He will come in from his walk, sleep for a couple of hours and then when he wakes up he will just cry all day long until he eventually goes to sleep in the evening. He then starts the process all over the next day.

When one of us gets up to rub him, he will stop and wag his tail and be all happy again but then when we leave him to carry on with our stuff he starts to cry again.

I really don't know whats up with him - Is he depressed? Should I start taking him out more then once? He does have a bit of a wobbly leg which is why he only gets one long walk a day but ever since he was a puppy he has got one walk a day. Someone is ALWAYS home with him, he is never alone.

Is he to dependent on us? What should I do?

Thanks for reading and hopefully I can get some kind of help - Do they do doggy shrinks? :)

[tonyb286]

Hi. I think you've hit the nail on the head. Yes, the suitcase makes absolute sense to me. It was a trigger - and now she's fixated on that anxiety. I think there's lots you can do to help her break this attachment, but it will be quite hard. My guess is you are now starting to appreciate that this excessive attachment is actually starting to cause her stress.

Can I ask ... what's she like when left on her own, with no humans in the home? Does this ever happen?

I noticed you said she was with you in the bedroom and wouldn't leave your side at that time. Where does she normally sleep at night?

Tony

[jetsssnut]

I went home today for lunch, and no whining....just the usual crying when she first sees me....
she ran and caught her ball like 15 times.....
Only thing we can think of that changed, I she saw me pack a small suitcase on Saturday morning as we were to be out all day. Not too long after that, she started to act funny.....Friday nite, she wasn't like this.
and yes, you are right with the toy, when I remove it, she just takes something else, even if a bone, a sock, etc....we went away in august for almost 3 weeks. Maybe she remembers the suitcase? can she? if she starts up again, I will call the vet tomorrow. my daughter (16) home with her now and said no crying..... so sad as it may seem, I hope its the suitcase. She always had some anxiety issues, just not this weird. I could never crate her when a puppy, as she FREAKED out ,more than anything I have ever seen in my life..... and I had her at 6 weeks old.  person who we rescued from, lied and told me she was 8 weeks, vet said 6.... shes very attached to me..... although there is a family of 4... I luv her to death, just seems I am dealing with her all wrong..... I thank you for your assistance!!!!  

[tonyb286]

Hi. Dogs are extremely intuitive and always pick up on any emotional stress shown (or not shown) by their owner. So, the first question would be to ask whether you have been particularly emotional or anxious or stressed over the last few days. If not, then there may be other issues ...

Holding on to the toy is indicative of an anxious dog that has centred her possessive qualities on the toy. It is simply a symptom of stress. The toy is rather immaterial, therefore, and if you were to remove it, she would just centre on another object. It is extremely important you first get her along to the vet and have blood panel checks undertaken, because even though you may not see anything obvious, there may be an underlying illness causing these symptoms. If there is no physical cause, then come back and let us know.

Tony

[jetsssnut]

I have a lab/shepard mix, 2 yrs old, female. For the past 2 days she just whines/cries..... she will play, run, drink,,,,chase her ball...sleep...etc... not eating too well, eats her treats though of course, but just cries. She has always had a sep. anxiety issue....but now just wont leave my bed...takes a toy in there with her... and stays in there. If my other dog goes near that toy, she will growl...and they are best buds!!!I checked her whole body, moved her legs, looked in paws, etc...but she runs still like a maniac after her ball, so I do not think its a PAIN issue.... I do not know how to help her or snap her out of it ...and why all of a sudden? And why wont she leave my bed? any suggestions on how I can help my poor Sadie...its breaking my heart

[tonyb286]

Hi Faith. So, not nocturnal hypos then, by the sound of it. The next question would be about exercise ... how much does she get? Terriers are notoriously energetic, so a lack of exercise might be preventing her from sleeping properly at night. A good way of testing this theory would be to increase exercise two days a week, and keep a diary of events ... after two weeks compare sleeping patterns and whining with the days when exercise has or hasn't been increased. Just an idea.

Tony

[fcurr81563]

Hi Tony,

Lucy's sugars are tested regularly. Her numbers are good. She is given insulin twice a day. She actually has three beds throughout the house. But she mainly uses the bed in the kitchen. She will go on the cool tile and sleep on her back, feet in the air. She'll sleep for hours like that then, move back to the kitchen on her bed. Then on the tile again in the kitchen this time.

Faith