behavior changes

Training and behavior topics, guidelines, and tips for Chow Chows.

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kahlans_mommy
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behavior changes

Post by kahlans_mommy »

I have a almost 3-year old black, female chow chow who has been a complete dream until a couple pitbulls who want to kill her moved in next door and I started watching a little 4 mo. old boy in my home. Now, she has been acting bizzare! She will not eat (except cat food) she will whine alot, she will go out side and sit under the bathroom window and whine but when I try to bring her in I have to drag her. When in the house she climbs on tables, toilets, under furniture she can't fit under, behind furniture etc. She tries to climb into my lap but then does not come when I call. she tries to lay between me and the back of the couch. Help!!!!!!!!!!
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Yvonne
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Re: behavior changes

Post by Yvonne »

Hi. Welcome to the Board.

Have you talked to your vet? I don't know if this would be the case with your chowgirl or not, but one of my chows started acting really squirrely and it turned out he was starting to have small seizures. They were so mild that you couldn't tell he was having them, but he was acting different. Trying to get in places he wouldn't fit, getting off the car seat and trying to lay on the floor by the driver's side pedals when I was driving, stuff like that.

He had never done stuff like that before. They put him on phenobarbital (sp?) and he was fine. Fairly inexpensive drug, if they have to take anything. The only reason the vet thought it might be small seizures is because I felt Brandon shivering in the night once, and chows almost never get cold, so the vet thought it might have been a small seizure. The phenobarbital helped, so it must have been the seizures. The vet said that Brandon was acting goofy when he felt a seizure coming on; that he could sense something wierd in his body even though they were so mild that I rarely saw him really shake. When I said he was trying to get in places he didn't fit, they said that was one of the things that was common in these cases.

I think it is a fairly common thing. My boy was about 10 when he started taking phenobarbital, but my vet's personal dog has been on the drug since she was three. I don't think the seizures are necessarily harmful, but it makes their lives uncomfortable. I think now some newer drugs are available to help in these cases, also.

Again, don't know if this would be the case with yours or not, but I wanted to put it out as a possible cause.


Best of luck - let us know what happens!

Yvonne
Brandon's Mom - even now that he's at the Bridge.
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Victory
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Re: behavior changes

Post by Victory »

If your vet rules out all medical reasons for her behavior. I would say she's reacting to 1. the threat she feels coming from the two neighbor dogs and 2. she's jealous of the time you are spending with the baby. The combination of the two are stressing her out a lot. One of the ways to fix this is to 1. spend more time with her, take her for long walks, work on her training, putting her through her paces or taking her to a training class will give her something to think about and will reassure her bond with you. I would try working with her a bit, one on one time, training and getting her enough exercise, (and this might be more than she used to need right now).
Victory, Darkwind, (our angel), Firesong, and Dreamdancer
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Ursa's daddy
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Re: behavior changes

Post by Ursa's daddy »

She tries to climb into my lap but then does not come when I call. she tries to lay between me and the back of the couch.
I think Victory nailed it. Your girl is stressed by the two pits and by your attention to the child. From her point of view, her world is coming apart. There are external threats, and she feels that you are not giving her the love and attention she want and needs.
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Sirchow
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Re: behavior changes

Post by Sirchow »

It sounds like she has lost some trust in you. She is not able to realise that the dogs next door and the child are not all down to you. Time and one on one time should help if there is no underlying reason. Grooming is one way to bond and sooth at the same time.
I would also like to add that I have used a natural drug derived from milk called Zylkene for Bramble when she has been very stressed in the past. She has a tendency when stressed to chew her feet till the bleed or scratch her nose till it bleeds. Zylkene has calmed her so much she stops completely. It is based on the calming influence mothers milk has on puppies.
Not sure if it is available in other countries.
http://www.zylkene.co.uk/
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Sarahloo
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Re: behavior changes

Post by Sarahloo »

Is she in heat and wants to have chow-bull puppies?
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Rory's Dad
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Re: behavior changes

Post by Rory's Dad »

Ursa and Sir have a good start on this one. When on trolley run Rory will stretch it to the limit to try and visit with the dog next door. He is no threat to him, so a bit different, he just wants to see him through the fence. I think this is the same with your dog. She has new neighbors and doesnt necessarily see any threat...just wants to be sociable and go for a visit.

We have experienced a bit of early summer here as well...straight from winter to summer in the past few days, and Rory really just wants to be outside smelling the new grass and checking out the new sights and sounds (he is 7 months). Not sure where you are located, but it could be a change in the seasons.

The change in the house is very stressful for chows. Do a quick search on people who owned chows when single and then become a family. It requires work to get the chow to adapt to a situation where she is not the principle object of attention anymore.

Tough combination you have run into, but I agree, reassurance and focus on her importance in the household structure is going to be key.
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