[mentalmilly]

Hi, i need some advice about my dog Rebel.  He's a Labrador cross, about 4 yrs old.  At random times of the day he becomes very nervous, trembling, whining, trying to crawl onto our laps, etc.  No idea what sets him off, no obvious noises, bangs, activity.  He just decides he's scared.  Also some mornings he comes bouncing out of his bed and throws his toy at us wanting to play and charges round the garden and some mornings he doesn't want to get up to greet us.  He doesn't seem to be in pain, no seizures, tenderness, injuries or obvious causes.  Has anyone else got a dog like this?  Any advice is greatfully received.

[happygolucky]

All sorts of things can make a dog anxiouse, they pick up on body language as well as smells and noise, its suprising how far and how sensitive they can smell and hear. He could be  hearing of feeling something that only he can hear.....are you near one of those public buildings with anti teenager alarms that can only be heard by young people?
First point of call is is he unwell? dose he also have the runs, high temp vomit etc when he has one of these anxiety attacks, get that checked out maybe first, then is his food right for  him, some dogs get very hyper on some food brands, its quite common for a hyper dog to calm right down when the food is changed, although the shaking etc sounds a bit more than just food, poor thing and poor you, it must be a worry.
I would make a note of times he is being odd and see if there is anything going on, it could even be something like an electric relay station buzzing and winding him up, then exhusting him!!!
Keeping notes could indicate that there is something going on....I never forget the story about a farmer whos dog howeld when the phone rang, turned out the phone cable connected to the post he was tied to!!
I hope its something easy,     Oh just had another thought, could he be eating something toxic, Labs are so good/bad at finding stuff they should not eat!

[Mammyshaz]

While you are trying to find the cause try to reduce his stress by using a DAP plug in near his bed. It gives off a scent which releases calming hormones in dogs and works very well for some dogs. You can also get a collar with the same product on, but i haven't found them as helpful.
Also ask your vet for some medication. You can get some very good products from the vets which do not contain drugs.
Perhaps leaving a radio on low near his bed will also help by reducing the strength of whatever he can hear. I would suspect some noise which is bothering him that you cannot hear or it is very quiet to your hearing.

I did have a dog with similar problems as well as other more serious issues, he was suspected of a brain tumour. This also followed a dog I doted on who worked under gunshot and other noises but by 5yrs old some noises panicked him. He was diagnosed with a nasty tumour behind his eye, pushing on his brain. These are rare conditions so don't worry too much but if you cannot figure out what is happening then a scan or at least a full vet screening would be worth while just to be on the safe side. ( hope I haven't worried you too much.  )

[happygolucky]

now there are some people that say dogs pick up on other sorts of activity .....have you other dogs or cats?
Some one on a TV programme had a cat scarer in thier garden that was making so much noise but the man who had it could not hear it, thats due to age.....

[smithycraft]

One of our dogs, a German Shepherd, will sometimes get very anxious and wrap himself round my legs, tripping me up and not leaving my side.  The thing that sets him off is any type of beep, no matter how faint.  It all started with a printer we used to have in our office.  Whenever there was some sort of printer error it would beep and my husband would swear and bang things around.  This made him nervous so now any type of beep sets him off, I can't even use a timer in the kitchen!

You may need to look or listen for something very subtle.

[doganjo]

A text message coming in on my mobile does that to my old girl.  Couldn't think what was scaring her to start with.  So in the house it is on vibrate only.

[plumseverywhere]

Husbands drum kit has same effect on Murphy    - which is kind of useful as I can  tell him not to bang on it unless the dog and I are out 

[Rosemary]

Husbands drum kit has same effect on Murphy    - which is kind of useful as I can  tell him not to bang on it unless the dog and I are out 

 

[sabrina]

Jake our Jack Russell is very sensitive to changes in our voice tones. if we are chatting and our voices get louder he takes himself off to the bedroom. He hates any loud noises and will often start to shake. We are in the flight plath for low flying jets which. if in the house Jake gets upset but when outside he never bothers.

[mentalmilly]

To be honest, i'm starting to think he's just a bit mental, bless 'im.  Took him to the vets and there's nothing physically wrong with him so we're just gonna have to learn to live with it i think.  Off to buy some ear plugs, me thinks

[Alistair]

My little Julie the dog goes spare when the new peugeot gti add comes on the telly, just the first bit with the electric guitar

Lunatics the lot of them

[happygolucky]

I suppose we all can have crazy ties so why not our pets?   

[in the hills]

I once had an old Flat-Coat that would put up his head and howl like a wolf to a certain note in the Coronation Street theme tune, also to the washing machine when it hit a certain point in the cycle, the food mixer and motorbikes  . He was a working dog and fine on the field with gunfire.


Just his little "things" I suppose. He was a bit hyper in general I guess and a bit obsessive.

[HelenVF]

My border terrier doesn't like duck roasting in the oven! Lol we wondered what was wrong the first time she did it!

Helen

[happygolucky]

Helen.

My border terrier doesn't like duck roasting in the oven! Lol we wondered what was wrong the first time she did it!

That's sounds like a punch line to a joke!!
My Female Yellow lab goes mad if she sees dog squeaky toys, she paces around trying to get them until she does then destroys them!!