Change in dog behaviour

Wexy86

Hi All

Looking for some advice on my dogs behaviour change. Every night for the past 2 weeks prior to his last walk he whines and whines and is very uneasy until he gets out. there has been no change in his routine or food so i don't know why. I rang my vet and he was of no use, his advice was to ride it out and see what happens, I'm just worried I'm missing something.

Some background that may or may not be relevant about him and his little routine.

Terrier mix breed, will be 2 late November. He is in my parents/sisters every day while I'm at work Mon - Fri with my parents dog, also some sort of terrier mix, he's 3 in Jan. In Feb my parents acquired another dog, an older collie who plays with my lad and my parents dog when it suits her, all get along well enough. A few months ago, prob May my parents dog suddenly got the fly snapping syndrome and is now on meds to help reduce the snapping but also has his not as active as they reduce the brain activity given the less stimulation my dog has been getting 3 walks per week day rather than his usual 2, 4 or 3 with and extra long off lead beach run at the weekend this has been standard since July so no change there. I'm due a baby in 3 weeks but still the primary carer for the dog, walk before and after I drop to parents/sister and still feed him.

Any advice or suggestions as to why the sudden whining or something I should look out for? He would be prone to a whine here and there when it's gone a bit long without walking but never a nightly ritual. Thanks

VonVix

Is he whining as an indicator that he needs the bathroom/to go outside? Or go for a walk?

How did he indicate that he wanted to go outside before?

Is it possible that the whining has been reinforced by the fact you let him out after he starts whining? So now, he has learnt that whining = door is opened?

Wexy86

VonVix wrote: »

Is he whining as an indicator that he needs the bathroom/to go outside? Or go for a walk?

How did he indicate that he wanted to go outside before?

Is it possible that the whining has been reinforced by the fact you let him out after he starts whining? So now, he has learnt that whining = door is opened?

No don't think it's a go outside sign, if he wants to go out to do his business he sits at the back door and waits, if we don't see him he'll give a little bark to let us know to open the door - the door is open for a good hour or two in the evening and he might not even wander outside. I've gone out to the garden and he might not follow when he's whining when he's normally my shadow or put I him out and he comes straight back in, doesn't even do a quick wee.

I've tried not to reinforce the whining, going with the ignore method but that fails miserably as he jumps up on the sofa/me or licks my face, nudges my hand so I have to interact with him ok some level.

aonb

so he is whining PRIOR to his last walk?
could he be whining because hes anticipating the walk?

I have the whining-king-dog of the entire universe!
He whines on a global scale - specially when its walk time.
I phone my elderly mother every evening, after the phone call I bring the dog for his last walk. The bloody dog KNOWS when I am winding down the conversation with mum. The INSTANT before I say goodbye hes up and ready to go.

Could your dog just be looking forward to his last walk, and getting impatient and thus whining, when the time for the walk approaches?

By the way, I know Im a sad creature of habit, but this bloody dog of ours is turning into such a pain in the bum with his routines/habits, theres going to have to be a major reshuffle in this house

tk123

Could it be because the baba is nearly here I wonder? I know other posters have commented before that they've had a dog be very clingy or whiney like that when they were almost due? One of mine will whine and keep giving my mum the paw before she's going to have a migraine - they can sense changes in us before we can sometimes!

If you're worried though and the vet isn't bothered I'd get a second opinion - for peace of mind if nothing else! I brought my boy over for a checkup one time when he was hiding at walk times. We concluded that there was no underlying health problem and he was as I suspected trying to get a bribe out of me! :pac:

borderlinemeath

Is he neutered? If not would he be sensing a bitch in heat nearby? And by nearby, it could still be some distance away. If he's not at home during the day he wouldn't be sensing anything but when he's home for his last walk he might be getting hormonal?

And one of mine got very clingy about a week or so before I had a baby, almost as if he could sense the hormonal changes going on within me

Ms Doubtfire1

What happens when he is let out?

Wexy86

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Is he neutered? If not would he be sensing a bitch in heat nearby? And by nearby, it could still be some distance away. If he's not at home during the day he wouldn't be sensing anything but when he's home for his last walk he might be getting hormonal?

No he's not neutered yet , on the to do list - i thought about this as it could explain it but when we get to the front door he doesn't make a beeline for any particular route. when you walk out of our house we can go left or right for walks and i rarely do the same walk twice in a row so if there a was a bitch in heat he'd surely want to go in the direction of her.

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

What happens when he is let out?

Just potters about his normal walk, no urgency to go toilet or head a certain direction. He will always do a number 2 when on lead but he will go out in the garden too.

tk123 wrote: »

Could it be because the baba is nearly here I wonder? I know other posters have commented before that they've had a dog be very clingy or whiney like that when they were almost due?
If you're worried though and the vet isn't bothered I'd get a second opinion - for peace of mind if nothing else! I brought my boy over for a checkup one time when he was hiding at walk times. We concluded that there was no underlying health problem and he was as I suspected trying to get a bribe out of me! :pac:

maybe it is all down to change in hormones and he knows something is about to change, i'd be relieved if it was just this!

I don't want his routine or lifestyle to change too much, when I found out I was pregnant I started stopping him getting on our bed without and invite but other than that all hopefully will remain the same (first time mammy here!)

ShaShaBear

My two guesses would be a bitch in heat or your little one is about to make an appearance

Ms Doubtfire1

Wexy86 wrote: »

Just potters about his normal walk, no urgency to go toilet or head a certain direction. He will always do a number 2 when on lead but he will go out in the garden too.

I would be with Shashabear here..it sounds like something is making an appearance..could be a cat, a female in heat or even e hedgehog. I wouldn't worry too much...but if curiosity gets the best of you..get a nightview camera..:D

aonb

OP, he is SERIOUSLY cute!
How lucky is your baby growing up with a dog from day 1 (with the added bonus that the babys immune system will be improved by having a pet around)