Over the past few years, as I’ve studied Vet Nursing and become a “Mama” to a dog for the first time, I’ve developed an interest in dog psychology. I think when you love and cherish someone, you want to understand them, and the majority of pet owners today consider their animals to be family members. So, like many others, I’ve read the books, watched the TV shows, and even attended the seminars.
If I thought I had the patience, I might go into dog behaviour and training rather than nursing, but there’s that little (ok, big) part of me that doesn’t want to be charged by angry Rottweilers daily!
To get back to the point, dogs can be baffling. I have no idea why Frankie seems to think it’s so important to roll on his back in the middle of the hallway every morning, while batting at his facial hair with his front paws. I have no idea whether he licks my legs incessantly out of love, or whether he’s thinking “this moisturiser cream sure is tasty!” I don’t know why he insists on putting every darn thing in his mouth, driving me crazy with worry about intestinal blockages and toxicity. Maybe that’s just because he’s a dog.
I understand that dogs don’t think the way we do, and I find a lot of the techniques that involve communicating with your dog the way another dog would (i.e. using body language, energy etc.) really work. As most people who know us are aware, Frankie was adopted from the RSPCA and came with a few issues. He has been quite afraid of men, and really does not like trucks, though he has improved since we started a Classical Counter Conditioning program with him.
Yet he has a new issue- over the past few weeks he has developed a habit where he’s lying on his side on the bathroom floor, and as he starts to get sleepy his legs shake and tremble.
Being a Vet Nursing student, I have that problem that I hear so many medical students also have, of thinking I recognise every symptom I learn about- in this case, in my own dog. I’m driving myself, the dog, and probably my boss, crazy. My first thought was “Oh God, he’s shaking, I hope it’s not neurological.” I don’t think it is- he stops shaking when I call his name, so it doesn’t seem to be a physically uncontrollable thing. He’s always had the tendency to shake on occasion, when he’s cold or scared, but the bathroom hasn’t been cold and I don’t think he’s consciously afraid of anything in the room.
So why is it that in recent weeks, 90% of the times that he falls asleep in the bathroom, this happens- yet it rarely happens if he’s sleeping on the couch, the bed, or even on the carpet in another room?
The only thing I can think of is that when he had an injured foot a few weeks ago, I disinfected the wound and applied a spray bandage twice a day- in the bathroom. He didn’t like that because it hurt. (I had no idea how much until I put the spray bandage on myself- holy crap that stings!!) I know he’s a very sensitive dog, but it seems like a bit of an overreaction if that’s the reason? I haven’t put the spray bandage on him in at least two weeks, so why would he start this now? The only other theory I have is that he could be picking up on my anxiety- I’ve been more stressed and worried than usual since Belle died, and I’m not sure how aware he is (or isn’t) of that.
The plan is to keep liver treats in the bathroom to see if I can create positive associations for him with being in that room, and hopefully in time things will get better.
Anyone have other any ideas or experiences to share?
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