Odd behaviour... help!

vanillasugar

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#1
I need some help from long-time dog owners here, I feel like I have a baby who won't stop crying and I can't figure out why.

Sierra has been acting very odd this evening. She keeps going into her crate, lying down (but not sleeping) and randomly pawing at the bars whining/yelping (occasionally she'll let out an actual bark, but she knows she isn't supposed to bark inside, so she's mostly keeping it to whining). When she comes out of her crate, she paces around the apartment a bit, following us whenever we move, pawing at us.

The crate behaviour is most definatley the oddest of all of this. She hardly ever chooses to go into her crate on her own, add the whining to this and I'm just confused.

I've tried everything. She doesn't want to play, she doesn't have to go out (we did, she peed and pooped and that didn't stop the behaviour when we came back in), she isn't hungry (I fed her at normal dinner time), she had a big play today so she shouldn't have any unusual pent-up energy (but she doesn't want to play now, which she usually does if she's just wound up).

I DON'T GET IT!!!!
 

Babyblue5290

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#3
Are you sure she isn't sick in some way? Did she hurt herself during her play day maybe?
 

vanillasugar

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#5
No she doesn't seem to be acting ill or hurt... she's not really mopey. It's hard to describe. It's like she's... antsy and just will NOT settle.

Edit: can dogs have anxiety attacks? That's what it most seems like to me... like she's really anxious about something.
 

bubbatd

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#7
I'd say she's hurting somewhere .....mentally or physically . Has anything changed ???
 

Babyblue5290

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#8
If she isn't sick, then maybe something about her environment changed? Or are one of you guys sick?

I think sometimes things change we don't notice, but our dogs pick up on and that can make them really nervous.

I'd say if she isn't better by tomorrow think of taking her to a vet to get her a quick check up, just to be sure.
 

vanillasugar

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#9
Yup, she's spayed. Just for the record, since you're probably not the only one who needs more background: She's a relatively recent addition for us. We adopted her at the end of October. She's almost 11 months old, and just recently started to settle into our house. This behaviour is unlike anything she's ever shown before around us.
 

vanillasugar

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#10
Hmmm... the only "new" thing she experienced today was some time spent with a friend of mine who's VERY pregnant (due in 2 weeks, but feels like she's going to go early).

I'll defiantley keep an eye on her, and take her to the vet if there are any further problems...
 

Babyblue5290

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#11
Hmmm... the only "new" thing she experienced today was some time spent with a friend of mine who's VERY pregnant (due in 2 weeks, but feels like she's going to go early).

I'll defiantley keep an eye on her, and take her to the vet if there are any further problems...
Has she been around any pregnant ladies before that you know of?

Maybe she just sensed all of the anxiety, excitement and all of the emotions that go along with getting ready to give birth?
 

bubbatd

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#12
She may be antsy about your friend . Dogs sense things big time !! Did her former owner give her up because she was preggy ??? She may be thinking " babe in womb --- I'll be gone soon ! " Give her a lot of TLC and reasurance ! Poor baby !
 

vanillasugar

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#13
I don't know if she's ever been around a pregnant woman before, and Linden is the only pregnant woman she's been around since being adopted by us.

Now that I'm thinking about it, she was acting very strangely around Linden... she was jumpy and a bit nippy, and that's when I'd say this began.

Ooookay, so if that's what caused this, how do I settle her?
 

Picklepaige

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#14
I think Grammy might be right. She might have been given up because of a pregnancy. I'm not sure how to help, I've never dealt with this before.
 

Babyblue5290

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#15
Ooookay, so if that's what caused this, how do I settle her?
hm, I'm not really sure. I guess try not to make a huge deal out of her nervousness and try not to get too worried/antsy yourself!

I guess just keep your normal routine as much as possible and do things that make you all relaxed maybe?
 

vanillasugar

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#16
She just ripped open a stuffy toy she's had intact since we got her. She's never tried to destroy her toys :(

I'm trying to keep myself level-headed and calm, so I can radiate that energy to her. I've been talking to her, telling her what a good dog she is, that we made a promise to her and are true to that promise, I'm not sure what else to do.
 

Babyblue5290

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#17
She just ripped open a stuffy toy she's had intact since we got her. She's never tried to destroy her toys :(

I'm trying to keep myself level-headed and calm, so I can radiate that energy to her. I've been talking to her, telling her what a good dog she is, that we made a promise to her and are true to that promise, I'm not sure what else to do.
Lol Maybe taking out some of her pent up anxiety on that poor stuffy will help her. :p

I hope she's feeling better soon!
 

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