Nervous Behavior?

[Dixiechic33]

I have a 9 year old black lab mix (I think part border collie) named Dixie. She is very sweet and I rescued her when she was 1 year old. She has always been a bit skittish of loud noises, especially when we first got her. She pretty much is fine with noises now, except for specific text message tones and thunderstorms she freaks out. Recently I have been noticing some very strange behavior in her. She used to sleep anywhere in the house. She would sleep upstairs in someone's room at night and in the middle floor she would nap in during the day. She was always happy to lay wherever and very very layed back. Lately (I'm talking, a couple months), she has been in my room most of the time. During the day, at night, whenever she could, she'd be in my room. She still was happy and everything, but she just didn't seem as relaxed in the main floor anymore. She never napped on the rug by the couch which she used to ALWAYS do, and she always was trying to get in my room. I just started realizing this, and so I tried to seperate her from my room by not allowing her upstairs during the day, and she slept in someone else's room at night. Now she only ever wants to be outside and I can't figure out for the life of me what happened. We had some roofers come, but wouldn't that make her not want to be in my room? My room was the loudest in the house with them roofing! The most recent time we went on a trip, she was acting very anxious and fidgety while we were there. We go there all the time with her, but she seemed very ill at ease. She wouldn't lay down and just relax like she usually does. Also the whole separating her from upstairs isn't working because I have many people in my house and they forget and leave the barrier open and she gets upstairs and sometimes finds her way into my room. We are about to leave for a bigger trip with her, and I want her to be relaxed and calm. I changed the ringtones that scare her, and I have clicker trained her with them so they no longer should bother her. Please help!

 

[Maxy24]

I don't know where you are located but has the heat recently started coming on? That can sometimes cause a noise which could be scaring her. But since you've had her so long I don't know why that would be scaring her for the first time.

I would take her to the vet to rule out anything medical first.

I would let her back into your room honestly, if it makes her happy. You could try tethering her to you so she has to leave the room when you do, but at least let her back in there when you are not home.

Without knowing what's bothering her it's going to be difficult to solve. Have the rooms been changed around, are there any new people or animals in the house? One thing you might try is setting up daily scavenger hunts throughout the house-hide treats throughout the room that she can sniff out (don't make them too hard, especially at first, and make sure wherever you put them won't encourage her to destroy anything by digging on it).

Does she have a crate? Setting up a crate, perhaps a covered one, in the living room that she can choose to sleep in might make her feel more secure in that room, she'll have her own personal space. you never have to lock her in or anything, just provide it for her.

Hopefully someone will come along with some more ideas.

 

[Dixiechic33]

Heat hasn't been coming on lately. It's been chilly. Thank-you and I will try that! My sister thought maybe the roofers did something to her while she was outside, but then she wouldn't want to be outside, would she?

 

[milos_mommy]

I would definitely get a full vet checkup and blood panel done first

 

[Dixiechic33]

Ok i will. We just got back from a 8hour car ride trip and she was fine in the car and when we got there she loved the mountains and was perfectly behaved inside. THere were about 6 other dogs there, though, so I think that might have calmed her down since we dont have another dog at home.