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Let me start this by saying, he's very sweet. He's not aggressive. He's not mean. Will never bite, growl - let's my kids hang all over him... etc. He also can calm down and seemingly act "normal" for a bit. He doesn't have any problems with digging, chewing, peeing - etc.
The problem is that he's very nervous and anxious. He barks and runs around crazy.. a lot. He barks at anything new that comes in the house, like balloons, or flower arrangement, or something out of the ordinary. He looks scared if we have hats on, or make weird faces. He flips out when there are visitors in the house, even if these visitors visit every day. Having week long guests once, almost did him in. He barks and barks and won't stop - he runs like he's scared ... through the rooms, in circles.
It's very trying, and draining...
He's well excersized, well fed. We have had him since he was a puppy and know that nothing has ever happened to him to "traumatize" him in any way...
Any advice for dealing with this?? Or thoughts on this at all?
He's just over a year... he's been to the vet recently, and they hadn't mentioned any concerns like that.
I didn't go into detail about his "quirkiness" then, because actually the appt was about 5 mths ago, and like I said, it's getting worse... so while he was doing this stuff then, it didnt seem as much as a problem as it does now.
Let me start this by saying, he's very sweet. He's not aggressive. He's not mean. Will never bite, growl - let's my kids hang all over him... etc. He also can calm down and seemingly act "normal" for a bit. He doesn't have any problems with digging, chewing, peeing - etc.
The problem is that he's very nervous and anxious. He barks and runs around crazy.. a lot. He barks at anything new that comes in the house, like balloons, or flower arrangement, or something out of the ordinary. He looks scared if we have hats on, or make weird faces. He flips out when there are visitors in the house, even if these visitors visit every day. Having week long guests once, almost did him in. He barks and barks and won't stop - he runs like he's scared ... through the rooms, in circles.
It's very trying, and draining...
He's well excersized, well fed. We have had him since he was a puppy and know that nothing has ever happened to him to "traumatize" him in any way...
Any advice for dealing with this?? Or thoughts on this at all?
One of my dogs does similar things. If the ceiling fan has been on and then it's turned off, she barks like crazy at it or sometimes vice versa.
When I open the front door, she is already standing up on the couch looking at the wall and waiting to see the reflection from the sun through the peek hole in the door as it moves across the wall. She barks and growls like crazy like its really something threatening.
She'll see a plastic bag blowing across the grass and bark at that. She barks so much as new things sometimes she just wears herself out.
I don't like it when she barks incessantly at the neighbors; I don't think she'll ever get used to them.
I purchased a book called, The Dog Whisperer by Ceasar Millan and am in the middle of reading it. He has a lot of good ideas for getting odd behavior in control. Now I'll just have to be consistent and see what I can do. I haven't quite finished reading it yet.
My daughter's dog is the same way about guests or other pets if she happens to have to watch my son's dog or something. Benny drools and is so anxious, she says it does him in too.
A lot of people say Ceasar's techniques are extreme (I haven't read his book though)...
There are good medications from your vet, and there are also veterinary behaviorists. I'd get a behavior consultation with your vet, and since the dog is so good otherwise, invest with a behaviorist if your vet can't help much.
One of my dogs does similar things. If the ceiling fan has been on and then it's turned off, she barks like crazy at it or sometimes vice versa.
When I open the front door, she is already standing up on the couch looking at the wall and waiting to see the reflection from the sun through the peek hole in the door as it moves across the wall. She barks and growls like crazy like its really something threatening.
She'll see a plastic bag blowing across the grass and bark at that. She barks so much as new things sometimes she just wears herself out.
I don't like it when she barks incessantly at the neighbors; I don't think she'll ever get used to them.
I purchased a book called, The Dog Whisperer by Ceasar Millan and am in the middle of reading it. He has a lot of good ideas for getting odd behavior in control. Now I'll just have to be consistent and see what I can do. I haven't quite finished reading it yet.
My daughter's dog is the same way about guests or other pets if she happens to have to watch my son's dog or something. Benny drools and is so anxious, she says it does him in too.
I think I was up too late last night. The book is called Ceasar's Way, not what I stated above. Mr. Milan is known as the dog whisperer.
As the poster above mentioned some of his ways are extreme.....Actually, he makes it sound so easy. He does everything in a soft and gentle way, and it really seems to work. He explains all the whys and wherefores about his ways. It does make sense, far more so than I can see how some dogs are trained, but for me and my Katy, I'll just have to see how it goes.
I have used a few whispering techniques on her and it does seem to help. I just must learn to be the leader of the pack, as Mr. Milan reiterates throughout the book. It is quite interesting reading, and he really does blame any behavior problem, fear, or obsession (such as Katy's reflection chasing) on the human.
Before I would spend money on a behavior specialist, I would give the book a try. It's a small investment in comparison. After all, that's Mr. Milan's line of work and if one can be consistent in his recommendations, I believe they will work. He is featured a lot on some TV channel and has been on Oprah. I don't get the "fancy" channels, so I've never seen him and have never caught him on Oprah. A friend told me about him.
It must be a behavorial trait with the breed. A childhood friend had one and he would get so excited just by somebody walking through the door that the yelps sounded as though somebody was kicking him very very forcefully. Same if you pet him. And he'd roll on his side yelping like crazy just because he was happy to see her (he was a very pampered pup.)
Beagles are another quirky breed. They will yelp & howl, and act as though somebody had tortured them for days after getting a vaccination:>) Vet said nothing but a "Big Baby" LOL. Some antics are synonymous with some breeds :>) Went through it with my Shelties, notorious yappers - they'd bark at a breeze! But eventually healed.
Let me start this by saying, he's very sweet. He's not aggressive. He's not mean. Will never bite, growl - let's my kids hang all over him... etc. He also can calm down and seemingly act "normal" for a bit. He doesn't have any problems with digging, chewing, peeing - etc.
The problem is that he's very nervous and anxious. He barks and runs around crazy.. a lot. He barks at anything new that comes in the house, like balloons, or flower arrangement, or something out of the ordinary. He looks scared if we have hats on, or make weird faces. He flips out when there are visitors in the house, even if these visitors visit every day. Having week long guests once, almost did him in. He barks and barks and won't stop - he runs like he's scared ... through the rooms, in circles.
It's very trying, and draining...
He's well excersized, well fed. We have had him since he was a puppy and know that nothing has ever happened to him to "traumatize" him in any way...
Any advice for dealing with this?? Or thoughts on this at all?
could you get the dog into a dog group training session. That way it may help. Like up the AKC has where the dog will meet others people and dogs. Also does the dog have a crate where he may go when he gets stressed out. My dog was 5 months and had to go to doggie care when I worked,
it was only 35.00 per week, she had seperation anixety, and my other dog wanted nothing to do with her. Now she is fine when I leave. You also could get a book on this clicker training where you ignore the bad behavior, and ignore the dog, and give treats and attention for good behavior. Check out amazon.com because they ofer reviews of good books, and bad. One of my dogs would bark at the vacumn I just would say no, and put the dog into the crate. O you also could check with cornell, I think they have vets who will give advice, by email.
The first step is to try to training your doggie. Good luck!!
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After all, that's Mr. Milan's line of work and if one can be consistent in his recommendations, I believe they will work. He is featured a lot on some TV channel and has been on Oprah. I don't get the "fancy" channels, so I've never seen him and have never caught him on Oprah. A friend told me about him. 
