Help me dog people! Dog psychologist needed!

[Madhouse Pullet]

They are having fun together. Sweet Ruby is still a little snippy with him, but he is very forgiving. They are running and playing together.
The cat is still a little leery of him. The chickens are still making the "something scary is here" noise.
We had our first vet visit. Everyone told him how cute he was. Lol
He is settling in.

Aweee he's settling in nicely! Doesnt mean there won't be any territorial behavior but it shouldn't take as long. Definitely curious if he'll be slightly calmer after being neutered since I've heard dogs slow down aroundv4 or 5 years.

 

[janiedoe]

Aweee he's settling in nicely! Doesnt mean there won't be any territorial behavior but it shouldn't take as long. Definitely curious if he'll be slightly calmer after being neutered since I've heard dogs slow down aroundv4 or 5 years.

I'll keep you all updated. He will be neutered around the end of this month. The vet tells me that he will still lift the leg, still be a live wire, but he won't be interested in females that are in heat. He is very easy going, other than the food issues. That and trying to be too friendly with Boo the cat.

 

[LaFleche]

trying to be too friendly with Boo the cat.

That is his big loving Boxer heart!

 

[janiedoe]

So Ruby has been doing this thing...she just stands with her head behind our bedroom door. She is doing it for several minutes at a time, multiple times a day.
I swept and mopped, don't laugh...got down on hands and knees and sniffed back there.
We don't have bugs or rodents.
Anyone have an idea why she is doing this?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

? Is her body in the bedroom or out? Did this just start? She could be "hiding." She thinks if she can't see (whoever), they can't see her, either. Question who she might be hiding from. The new dog, possibly? If it were a smell, she'd be sniffing, scratching, licking, digging, I think. I suspect it's an avoidance issue. Maybe she needs privacy, a time out.

 

[janiedoe]

? Is her body in the bedroom or out? Did this just start? She could be "hiding." She thinks if she can't see (whoever), they can't see her, either. Question who she might be hiding from. The new dog, possibly? If it were a smell, she'd be sniffing, scratching, licking, digging, I think. I suspect it's an avoidance issue. Maybe she needs privacy, a time out.

Her body is in the bedroom, just her head behind the door.
This started about a month ago, just before Dexter died. (He was spending a lot of time sleeping in this bedroom.)
Only my husband and I reside here and we both have spoiled her.
My husband is her favorite person. The new dog prefers me, and sticks to me like a fly on flypaper.

You may be right about avoidance, she may need more alone time. She is playing more with Brewster but she still seems sad to me. ( this is not anthropomorphism; she really does seem depressed)

Her vet check went well Wednesday, so there are no underlying health issues.
She did snap at the vet during her exam, which is totally out of character for her. We have always called her sweet Ruby because she really is gentle and friendly with every human and every animal.

When Truman died, two years ago she was a bit depressed and for a few days, she would squeeze into his little bed and sleep there.
This seems harder for her, maybe because she is older now? She is a senior at 8 years, up until Dexter died, she was so active and happy, that I never thought about her age.

 

[LaFleche]

This might be the beginning of some kind of old age/stress induced dementia, triggered by the the imminent death of Dexter.

Or some form of stress induced epilepsy. Mild forms often show as somewhat absent behaviour (like frozen on spot) or suddenly snapping.

 

[janiedoe]

Thank you @LaFleche it is hard to reconcile old age with our "puppy". We've lost 3 to old age (including granddog, Lexi) in the last 2 years.
Ruby has been the "baby" for so long.
Lexi went blind and came to live with us when her human mom gave birth to twins, Truman had "old dog vestibular syndrome " for the last 4 or 5 years of his life, and then Dexter did also, though his affected his tongue. So for the last two years he often required help with drinking and eating.
Ruby has been very healthy up to now. I hope she will be with us for a few more years.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Her body is in the bedroom, just her head behind the door.
This started about a month ago, just before Dexter died. (He was spending a lot of time sleeping in this bedroom.)
Only my husband and I reside here and we both have spoiled her.
My husband is her favorite person. The new dog prefers me, and sticks to me like a fly on flypaper.

You may be right about avoidance, she may need more alone time. She is playing more with Brewster but she still seems sad to me. ( this is not anthropomorphism; she really does seem depressed)

Her vet check went well Wednesday, so there are no underlying health issues.
She did snap at the vet during her exam, which is totally out of character for her. We have always called her sweet Ruby because she really is gentle and friendly with every human and every animal.

When Truman died, two years ago she was a bit depressed and for a few days, she would squeeze into his little bed and sleep there.
This seems harder for her, maybe because she is older now? She is a senior at 8 years, up until Dexter died, she was so active and happy, that I never thought about her age.

You don't have to convince me that dogs grieve! I had a Collie for about a year, then got a Golden puppy. About a year later the Collie got out and was killed by a truck. The Golden moaned all night until I got him up in my bed and cradled him, then we cried together till dawn. It took him a long time to get over the loss of his lifetime companion.

 

[janiedoe]

You don't have to convince me that dogs grieve! I had a Collie for about a year, then got a Golden puppy. About a year later the Collie got out and was killed by a truck. The Golden moaned all night until I got him up in my bed and cradled him, then we cried together till dawn. It took him a long time to get over the loss of his lifetime companion.

I'm so sorry!