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Canine Behavior/my dog screams for no apparent reason

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Expert: - 1/18/2008


Question
Hi - My dog is a female mixed breed. She is about 8 years old. I started noticing strange behavior in my dog a few months ago. For example, I walk my dog every day and she meets at the door, but now while we are at the door and I am putting my shoes or coat on she screams and runs away. Yestersday she was acting strange. Mind you I will never hurt an animal. I do not yell at her nor does my fiance. We love our dog, however, her behavior yesterday insists that some one hurt her. My fiance walked near her and she screamed. Again, she was sitting the sofa and I sat down and she screamed. She is acting afraid of people when she never behave that way. She usually jumps on us or run up to us to play ith her. I am very concerned about this. I actually feel bad because I do want her to feel that I would hurt her in anyway. Do you have any idea what is going on with her?

Answer
It sounds as if your dog is experiencing pain.  Perhaps she dislocated something or sprained a muscle or tendon and she is wary of being touched and avoiding all situations where you (by touching her) might trigger a painful body signal.  I suggest you take her to the veterinarian for a careful and full evaluation to determine if she has suffered some minor injury that may have left her with pain substantial enough to cause this sudden change in behavior.  This may also be neurological so your veterinarian needs to do an evaluation in that regard, as well.  Full blood chemistry won't hurt, either.  In other words, your dog requires a full body checkup before assuming it's strictly behavioral.  If she comes away with a completely clean bill of health, re-post and we'll tackle it from the behavioral perspective.

Canine Behavior

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Jill Connor, Ph.D.

Expertise

I have spent my entire professional life rehabilitating the behavior of the domestic dog and I can answer any question regarding any behavior problem in any breed dog. If you are a caring, committed owner and need advice, I'm here for you. THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES for serious behavioral issues; not only is it unprofessional to offer same, it is also unethical. IF I ASK YOU SUBSEQUENT QUESTIONS, I NEED YOU TO INTERACT WITH ME. More information equals more credible answers and a more successful outcome. If you want ANSWERS THAT WORK, participate in any way I request. I'm quite committed to working on this site for YOUR benefit and the benefit of YOUR DOG. Help me in any way you can.

Experience

30 years of solving serious behavior problems in domestic dogs; expert in dog to human aggression; Internet columnist for ThePetChannel.com for 5 years; former radio talk show host, WHPC.FM, Garden City, NY "Bite Back" (1995 through 2000). List owner, international animal behavior experts, K9Shrinks@egroups.com. Seminar leader: "Operant Conditioning and Learning"; "Aggression in The Domestic Dog"; "Solving Problem Behaviors" -- conducted for various training facilities on Long Island from 1993 through 2000. Former clinical director of "Behavioral Abnormalities" in conjunction with Mark Beckerman, DVM, Hempstead, New York.

Organizations
Member, APDT (UK); Psychologists in Ethical Treatment with Animals

Publications
Harcourt Brace Learning Direct: "The Business of Dog Training" "The Fail Safe Dog: Brain Training, not Pain Training"

Education/Credentials
Ph.D., UC Berkeley

Past/Present Clients
Board of Directors: Northeast Dog Rescue Connection; The Dog Project; Sav-A-Dog Foundation; etc. Pro Bono counselor: Little Shelter Humane Society My practice is presently limited to forensics. I diagnose cause of dog bite, based upon testimony before the Court, for attorneys and insurance companies litigating dog bites, including fatal injuries. I also do pro bono work for bona fide rescue organizations, humane societies, et al, regarding such analysis in an effort to obtain release for dogs being held for death in municipal shelters in the US.

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