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Dog became moody? 8yo terrier mix

1K views 13 replies 3 participants last post by  Serifa 
#1 ·
Has any of you pet parents encountered an episode where your dog suddenly gets moody and doesn't act like herself/himself?

My husband's terrier mix usually loves to play and run, responds very well to touch. Today I gave her a bath with flea shampoo and before that, a brushing. After that, I wanted to play with her, but she was pushing me away with her paws, she was okay with shaking hands but she didn't want to be petted at all (she usually loves it), she enjoys licking my hands but doesn't want to be petted. If I just let her lick my hands and touch her gently she isn't happy about it, then wants to mouth/play bite me. She isn't growling though. When I talk to her she just looks at me but not like her usual self. Usually she has that "submissive grin" and often sticks her tongue out and wants to run and play chase.

Is it possible she's mad because I washed and brushed her? She isn't very reactive today and walks away, but when I get up to go she turns and looks at me.

 
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#4 ·
I used gloves so no chance of the smell.

I looked back at my old photos in my phone and she has behaved like this after I shampooed her with a normal dogs shampoo (not flea). She hates the bath

My friend's idea is she is putting on drama because she doesn't want to be bathed. It's my second time bathing her (a few days ago I did give her a shower without soap though, because of the heat in my country). She must be sulking because she hates the bath or not used to it. I give her one once a month but my hubby previously did not shower her for months.

Also there might be a possibility she felt I took away her alpha by giving her a shower that she hated ?

Thanks
 
#5 ·
ok, thanx for the feed back, if she hates the bath, there could be some reasons for it, just double check the water temp is not too hot. The recommended temp for a dog bath is 37 degrees. It would feel luke warm to us & try combing the fur when its wet & once its dried after the bath not before. I just wonder if its a bit sensitive where your dog does'nt want to be patted. Make sure you give lots of praise & encouragement throughout the bath, a treat plus fun play time afterwards, (I give mine the towel to roll in) & keep the room warm. Be really gentle, dont get water in the eyes or ears & rinse thoroughly. Also if you use a hair dryer it could be that, my dog is terrified of it so I dont use it on her. Hope this helps. ☺
 
#6 ·
The water is lukewarm as I shower her only at night and outside with a hose. Usually the water is cold, so maybe she might not be used to the lukewarm temperature. (It can't get warm at night) I also combed when wet. I don't have a hair dryer and I use a hose on gentle pressure to give her the shower. She might not be used to this new brush as the owner seldom brushes her. She just got a cut recently as we live in very warm, tropical temperature. That saying she is usually kept warm (she's usually outside in the yard which is her territory). Rinsing is fine so I think it might be her personality that hates taking a bath (sometimes I play squirt water on her and she runs and hides). She usually loves being petted on the head and ears and stroking on the chest or scratched on the tummy. She hates her neck or cheeks being touched. But yesterday she was totally disinterested and it was obvious she wanted her space and kept biting (different from the play biting, she was snapping but not growling). She bent her legs but I don't know what she wanted as she didn't want to be petted or to play chase which she loves so much. So she just slumped in a corner but I don't know what she means by the bending of the paws. Maybe I was cleaning her paws during the shower and she didn't like it. Today she is better but not her usual self. Very passive.

Should I leave her for a day or two. I'm not used to her being like this!
 
#7 · (Edited)
ok, hmmm the vet will check her all over for red patches or rashes & check in between the pads of the feet, so you could do that, he will also check for flea bites & look for anything stuck in the feet. If shes eating & drinking fine & active, then I wouldnt be too alarmed, but its not normal so it is good to find the cause. Most likely the hair brush isnt soft enough. The slumping & feet bent in dog language is showing a fear response, she is scared. So treatment would be to rule out any skin sensitivities & try to re build the trust bond between you. She's associating your hands with an unpleasant experience. Hide the brush. If she likes water & its hot you could try a paddling pool & toys & make it fun. I do this in summer & use a plastic cup for rinsing. Dogs clean themselves by licking & their saliva helps heal their skin so dont worry too much about it. Just wash when necessary eg smells or dirty. All the best with your cute furry friend. If she doesnt improve or worsens over the next few days, then it may pay to get an all over health check.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Hi,

She was fine after a day of drama. Maybe she is just tired that day as she seldom sleeps at night and maybe she sleeps in the day. I fed her some liver yesterday and when I got back in the evening she is her lively self again! Not bending anymore, she still rests by slumping on the tiles but she is more responsive. When I approach her she gets up and starts wagging her tail and giving me the "submissive grin". She can't stay put when I brush her so it's a matter of getting used. I use a pin brush and that's what is recommended for her breeds (or mix of her breeds - she is mixed terrier, maybe schnauzer, a bit of poodle from the father and a Japanese breed mother - maybe chin) I touched her fur and it's very soft and smooth after the wash a few days ago. Her ears are much cleaner now.


She has always been eating fine, no matter how dramatic she is. She has never missed a meal but she doesn't like the potatoes to be hard (some dogs eat cubed cooked potatoes but she doesn't like them). I gave her ground beef with an egg, a tbsp of mashed potato, a few cut up baby bok choy, and mushrooms which I tore into small pieces. She ate it up and also some liver and bread scraps as snacks. Being careful about what she can or cannot eat. Noticed the fur on her paws are getting thicker now... I guess the canned food she was taking for years is really bad for her! I've also heard that the bending of her paws signifies she wants something but I don't know what she wants - maybe she wants her owner to play with her, not me. I'm glad the episode is over and she is her cheerful, happy self!

Also, she might have been active during the night or when I was out for work? So it might not be right to say she wasn't active as she was only slumping/resting during my presence. In the day I'm not around much for work but I do go home for lunch.

thanks for your feedback ;)

Note: she wasn't scared. maybe not used to. she used to be not used to me touching her back in the beginning, but after a few more times she is fine. she just has a mood! maybe she is not used to different people taking care of her?
 
#10 ·
hi, so glad she is doing better, ahh yea its easier to see how she's using the bent feet in the photos. My dog uses her feet like I use my hands & does that too, she also uses her mouth as I use my hand. Maybe she didnt like the ear washing, dogs can be weird about their ears being cleaned! She's got really expressive eyes & she is giving you some looks alright! haha I've never had a moody dog, I guess that's just her way of letting you know how she feels. The paw on you in the first one with the eyes does look like asking. Does her owner know what she wants? Does she do it to him? You could suggest a few things to her when she does it, like when mine does it, it's to get my attention & she wags her tail fast to say yes when I suggest right. Or try showing her things like toy, treat, lead, hubby on the phone, & see her reaction. It could be all of those & more. Yeah Fresh is best is what my dog thinks about food.
 
#11 ·
She just hates water on her. Even if I don't wash the ears. Did a baking soda rub on just her undercoat and washed off with water, she didn't like it either. The hubby is a workaholic and doesn't spend as much time with her as before.

It could be the belly rub or she wants to play-mouth which I am still trying to correct. No idea why she likes it so much with me when she doesn't even do it to the hub. I gave her treats that day too, but she doesn't do too much liver. Grain/gluten free bread scraps is her favourite.
 
#12 ·
There's reasons why your dog doesn't like these things so I suggest not doing them or changing the way you do them. Personally I don't use baking soda or flea shampoo, I dont spray her or use a hose, waters not too hot or cold. I make it an enjoyable experience & she's ok with it. She is not moody. Dogs don't get moody for no reason.
 
#13 ·
Dogs definitely can be sensitive and moody! The first picture of her putting her paw on your arm is something my current dog does all the time. He'll just randomly put his paw in my hand or wrap it slightly around my arm or put it on my leg. For him he wants something, attention of I'm ignoring him, he could want reassurance if we're in a stressful getting, he usually wants treats or a belly or chest rub.
He's not shy he rolls over and puts his paw on my hand and pulls it toward his belly or chest then holds it there and won't let go lol. But he only lets me and people he knows and trusts do that. Strangers he leans on their legs and asks for butt scratches, which he never asks me for.
He hates water too. Won't play in or drink from the fountain or sprinkler in the dog park, won't go out if it's raining or snowing, I can hold him to hose him but he hates it.
He's got the very expressive eyes and face and gives me the tortured guilt tripping look complete with the dramatic sigh for any little thing. People at the park laugh at us all the time. He'll misbehave, like ignoring me calling him and go bark at a stranger or chase a rat and I'll say leave it and call him. If he ignored me I'll say ok no can which means dry food only for dinner. That gets him racing back full force, yes he understands he knows what cans are and gets very excited. But he looks at me like I'm the worst most abusive person in the universe.
Sometimes he goes and sulks and won't eat and stays alone in another room. Then happily eats and is happy wagging again when I call him and cajole him with belly rubs and Pat's and lots of attention.

Very moody. And very sensitive, that's just the nature of some dogs, much more than others. I've never had a moody dog before so it was an adjustment. Ive had a moody horse for almost 22 years but due to their size people don't spay female horses since it's major abdominal surgery on a thousand pound animal and risky so hormones make them moody. Understandable.
Treats, praise, playing their favorite games, attention, petting favorite spots, usually help moodiness.
 
#14 ·
@Shadowmom

It's actually my leg. She tends to paw me/touch my leg/arm or give me those emotional looks when I'm busy on my phone and she touches my phone out of curiosity as well. However I think she is not used to be yet as I am only her caregiver. She is my husband's dog. However she is a cross between different breeds (her parentage has 4 or more), of which her 2 dominant breeds are "will breeds" so she has quite a temperament. What some people call dramatic. She needs time to settle, so by the second day she was back to her normal self. She is very happy to see me these few days though and will lick me and give me a "submissive grin".

@diamondemuzik@gmail.com just testing out something I read on the net. No way am I going to use the peroxide so just trying out the safest for her. I know her fur is turning reddish-brown because of the sun, but just seeing if it will bring back her actual, original colour. Not going to bother about it anymore.

There are some dogs who hate showers too. Maybe she is not used to it or the pin brush as the owner hardly showers her, poor thing. I heard once a month is good, but some do it even lesser.
 
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