Odd Behavior

[rascalsmom]

First a bit of background. Rascal has been with us for just over 10 years now. After we'd had her a little over a year, her litter-sister, Ruby, came home. We had to have Ruby put down on August 23rd. Rascal is 12 years old. She has a large tumor (hemangiopericytoma) on her left front upper leg.

 

Right after we lost Ruby, Rascal started acting differently. Mostly in the evening, and mostly with my husband. We would relax in the downstairs family room each night. While Ruby was with us, after her accident, we did not let her do stairs, so DH would walk her outside, around to the basement door. I would go down the steps with Rascal, inside, and tell her, "You have to wait for your sister, then you will get your treat." She'd look at the door, waiting for Ruby to come in, then they'd get their treats. [Might add here that Jack, being the 'peculiar' dog that he is, will NOT come to the basement, just in case you wonder why I don't mention him. ]

 

Since Ruby died, we'll go to the basement as usual. Then Rascal will start barking at my husband. She has NEVER done this before, in the 10 years we've had her. He'll try petting her, and she jerks away. She will paw at him, at the couch, even playfully 'bite' at him. So then he gets up, tries to engage her in play, either with a stuffy or just with him. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. At first, she would bark at him, then look at the door. As if saying, "Daddy, go get Ruby!" It was very sad to see this. She doesn't seem to be looking at the door anymore, but the barking/restlessness continues.

 

Last night she kept looking at the table where the treats are. My husband ended up giving her 15 Milk Bones . She was still restless, but of course eventually settled down.

 

What is going on with her?? This is such odd behavior for her.

[TheFullHouse]

It sounds like she's mourning Ruby and is totally confused as to why she's not there. Andy did strange things after Emmy died. He would stand at the back door, I'd open it, it would look outside but not go outside and I'd close it again. I think he was trying to find Emmy and figured she was in the back yard. I think when we have litter mates as close as ours were, it's harder on them to lose one. They seem connected at the hip so to speak and can't figure out where the other half has gone.

 

As to how to help her, I haven't a clue. Nothing helped Andy.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

That's very sad. I would try re-patterning the evening routine. Right now the family is still following a pattern that - to her - should still include Ruby. Perhaps you could take her for a walk before everyone settles in and come into the room through the basement door instead of by the stairs. It might be enough to break her pattern of expecing Ruby to come in after she's gone down the stairs.

[Guest bethac]

That's very sad. I would try re-patterning the evening routine. Right now the family is still following a pattern that - to her - should still include Ruby. Perhaps you could take her for a walk before everyone settles in and come into the room through the basement door instead of by the stairs. It might be enough to break her pattern of expecing Ruby to come in after she's gone down the stairs.

Yes - I was going to suggest this too. Do with Rascal what you used to do with Ruby. Perhaps Ruby's spirit will come through the basement door along with Rascal ...

[greysmom]

[rascalsmom]

A little update. Last night, my DH was not home when I went downstairs. Rascal went with me, I gave her a treat, and she settled onto her bed. Never a peep out of her. About 1/2 hour later, DH got home, and as soon as he came downstairs she started barking at him, pawing at him, etc. This is definitely related to him somehow.

 

I told her to get in her bed, to lay down, etc...and after telling her those things about six times, she did. Then DH says, give her a treat...and I said no, I just treated her with PRAISE.

 

She never did listen to him.

 

Anyway, I think I'm going to try the short walk/coming through the basement door instead of down the stairs tonight. We'll see if that helps.

 

I really agree with Judy that she is just confused, since Ruby isn't here. And her focusing on DH makes sense, since he was the one who usually brought Ruby around the house and in the basement door.

 

During the day, Rascal is the same as always. Relaxed, sleeping, etc. No barking AT ALL. Just in the evening. And just at DH.

[NeylasMom]

With the last update, it really does sound like Rascal is expecting your DH to bring Ruby back in and when he doesn't, she's sort of "demanding" it (I don't mean that in a bad way, she's just saying in the way she knows how, "Hey dad, go get Ruby, what's up, you know this is when you bring her back inside").

 

Can you try giving her a rawhide or a stuffed kong or some other food item that would distract her for a longer period of time around the time that the barking happens? I am guessing that this is something that will pass with time and the realization that Ruby isn't coming back, but that might help distract her until that happens.

 

Boy it just breaks my heart to hear about stuff like this. Zuri seemed mostly unphased when Neyla passed. A little off maybe, but nothing so obvious. I did let Neyla go at home and gave Zuri a chance to sniff her after she was gone, I have no idea if that helped him at least understand why she was gone.

[Guest mcsheltie]

The nights your DH is home, have him bring Rascal downstairs thru the outside door, like he used to do Ruby. A short walk beforehand would be even better. I would ignore any of the new behaviors. I know it is hard to ignore her barking and pawing, but with a new routine, it will disappear.

[HopeForHounds]

The nights your DH is home, have him bring Rascal downstairs thru the outside door, like he used to do Ruby. A short walk beforehand would be even better. I would ignore any of the new behaviors. I know it is hard to ignore her barking and pawing, but with a new routine, it will disappear.

 

I was just going to suggest this. There are times in a dog's life (and our own) when repatterning is necessary. Since your husband seems to be the trigger for her unusual behaviour, he needs to be involved in changing it.

 

Judy had an excellent point about littermates and their close connection. I expect that Rascal is grieving, but hoping Daddy can fix things.

 

On a positive note, I'm so happy to hear that Rascal is still doing well. I always tell people when talking about cancer "if my dog has to get cancer I want it to be hemangiopericytoma".

[rascalsmom]

The nights your DH is home, have him bring Rascal downstairs thru the outside door, like he used to do Ruby. A short walk beforehand would be even better. I would ignore any of the new behaviors. I know it is hard to ignore her barking and pawing, but with a new routine, it will disappear.

 

I was just going to suggest this. There are times in a dog's life (and our own) when repatterning is necessary. Since your husband seems to be the trigger for her unusual behaviour, he needs to be involved in changing it.

 

Judy had an excellent point about littermates and their close connection. I expect that Rascal is grieving, but hoping Daddy can fix things. On a positive note, I'm so happy to hear that Rascal is still doing well. I always tell people when talking about cancer "if my dog has to get cancer I want it to be hemangiopericytoma".

If only my husband could fix it....

 

As for the cancer, I guess this is one that is a lesser evil. She still feels pretty good, although the tumor is very ugly--I just hate that my beautiful Rascal has this ugly thing--but I suppose it could be a lot worse. Our vet is actually amazed that she is still around, almost 2.5 years post-surgery. She had the surgery May '09, exactly one month after my daughter died.

Edited September 14, 2011 by rascalsmom

[GeorgeofNE]

A little update. Last night, my DH was not home when I went downstairs. Rascal went with me, I gave her a treat, and she settled onto her bed. Never a peep out of her. About 1/2 hour later, DH got home, and as soon as he came downstairs she started barking at him, pawing at him, etc. This is definitely related to him somehow.

 

 

In a prior post, you mentioned that she got your husband to give her FIFTEEN Milk Bones! Perhaps she simply knows if she acts up he'll repeat the festival of treats? I can't even fathom giving a dog 15 treats at once!

 

Maybe she just knows Daddy will bend over backwards for her??