my dog is acting weird need help.

[nicki8888]

My dog is half lab half rottie. She is around 8yrs old. The last few days she has been randomly barking inside. We have no idea what she is barking at cuz there isn't anything there like another dog or people. Last 2 days she's been always wanting to be outside or up stairs. She sleeps down stairs (cat sleeps up stairs) and it's like she's scared of being alone in our tv room and laundry room. She will follow us up stairs and not want to come down. Besides today she has been eating and drinking fine. She still is active but looks scared and sad when she's in the 2 rooms down stairs. Any idea what it could be before we go to the vet?

[tonyb286]

Hi. The first thought that occurred to me was sound. As others have said, the hearing of dogs is many times that of humans and certain pitches can become more prominent in later life. The two rooms you mention have high pitched and low pitched sounds - the TV and the washing machine (laundry room) may have triggered a fear response from her at some stage, and even though they may be switched off, that memory will still be there.

Strangely, I have a dog that was clearly once triggered into this kind of response by human sneezing ... yeah, I know, bit weird ... but that has now lasted many years and even when a human prepares to sneeze, he shoots out of the room.

This triggered response may not be the answer, but it's a possibility.

Tony

[Margot49]

Can't add much more to what the others said. It could be the onset of some old age dementia, etc.
One possibility is that you may have some rodent under the house she hears in that area and most are nocturnal..  Hate to say it but could even be cockroaches that come out at night.  I would try to take a real good look around for any droppings, scratch marks, etc.  Dogs can often hear things we are not aware of.  Just a thought.

[nicki8888]

Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for any signs.

[JanisM13]

OK,tough one... does she ONLY act this way in those two
rooms? If she wants to be either outside or with you she is
doing this because she may sense something going on in
those rooms. Being with you makes he feel secure and safe
I know it may sound wierd but have you chaeck those two
rooms for something going wrong?
My husband was a firefighter for 28 years NOT TO SCARE
you but there was a house fire where the dog was acting
strange,it was overheated wires.The dog saved the owners
by "acting wierd" they found the problem just as the fire
started,called the firedepartment.
A dog's sense of smell is accute and very sensitive,IT MAY
NOT BE THIS...but you could check appliances and plug
outlets,these people had overloaded outlets...not that you
do.
This may be a far reach but I've had these thing ingrained
in me for so many years because of his job...it is just a wild
idea perhaps?
Jan

[nicki8888]

Thanks jan for your input. Yes only in those 2 rooms. We have a cat up stairs and they do not get along so dog stays down stairs.
We don't really watch tv in that room anymore. More just to exercise. She use to always want to go in that room before. (She has on a few time randomly stared at one corner behind the couch, which we were thinking probably a spirit) but never barked. The laundry room she never had an issue unless we had the machine on she go to the tv room cuz the machines are loud. Before it was a struggle to get her to go out side. Now she wants to stay out there all day. She did eat today.  But it does feel like she is sensing something just no idea what.

[JanisM13]

Tough one,a dog can sense and hear things humans
are not able to hear,she wants to be either outside or
with you for security and comfort...I have no clue as to
her reason? For some reason she is NOT feeling safe
and secure in these two rooms have you checked in
these rooms for something that could be going on,an
issue that's not right?
Other than this suggestion,maybe your vet is the next
answer.
Wished I could help more
Jan

[Ghilly]

At 8 years old she is definitely a senior dog, especially for a large breed.  It's not uncommon for dogs to develop hearing or sight deficits as they age, and sometimes they get, well, confused when they find themselves in a part of the house where there are no people.  This happens much more often at night when the family is asleep, but it does also happen during the day.

Are there ground-floor windows in the rooms she wants to avoid?  Is it possible that something scared her in one of those rooms recently?  Someone looking in one of the windows, taunting her, maybe?  Or maybe is there a fireplace in the TV room that an ember could have hopped out of and given her a burn that you were unaware of?  A friend of mine, years ago, had an airedale that was walking through the kitchen one day and the grating on the bottom of the fridge fell out and clattered to the floor in front of him.  For the rest of that dog's life he was afraid to be in the kitchen, it affected him that deeply.  It's possible that something of which you are unaware frightened her and you are seeing the results?

Ghilly

[nicki8888]

Thanks ghilly for your input. I'm home all day. And my bed room is right across where she sleeps. Nothing in the 2 rooms looked different in the way something fell on her, or should have scared her. We have a few windows the ones with blinds. She can't see much sine they are higher up. (Has barked towards them) didnt see no body/animal outside. The other window she can see out of but still never saw anything. She's barked in the laundry room a few times and I was in my room right across and nothing looked different

[nicki8888]

It's seems like she wants to avoid the whole tv room