luffy4688 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I've just been woken up by the weirdest thing ever. I was lying in bed with my dog, Bailey in his crate sleeping about a meter away from the bed, just like every night. All of a sudden, he let out what I could best describe as a high pitch scream that woke me up. Lying in bed, awake, he made another exact same scream and came charging out of the crate. Startled, I turned on the light and what I saw was a very frightened dog that refused to come to me. When I tried to advance towards him, he retreated to the corner of the room and refused to budge. This lasted for like 5 minutes. Not wanting to reward him for the wrong behaviour, I got the leash, put it on, and brought him out for a 15 minutes walk, being careful not to fuss over him or shower him with any extra attention. When he came back home, he's still refusing to enter the bedroom. He's one of the most food-motivated dog I have ever seen and he's not being moved the slightest by food this time around. Can anyone shed some light on this? It's kinda freaking me out. Edited August 29, 2012 by luffy4688 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumof4girls Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Very bad dream that has left him still a little scared maybe? Gosh luffy4688 I would be freaked out also :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDJ Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 not a nice way to wake up Could there be something in his crate? - anything from a sharp edge to a spider etc that 'bit' him (real bite or a 'stab' from something sharp). Often the most extreme reactions come from what they don't understand (just like us :-)). So if he was asleep and received a pain, he would be more likely to jump and be frightened when it may be a much smaller pain than would normally get that reaction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I was going to ask about whether there was something in his crate as well. Has he settled down this morning? I find it interesting that often people are reluctant to reassure and comfort a frightened dog in a calm manner - not specifically your situation luffy but just generally. I know the theory is that you are re-enforcing the fear but I wonder whether that is really valid. A prominent vet behaviourist here describes that theory as "nonsense" and believes that offering the dog "calming signals" is more effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'd say he might have been bitten by something. Do you have any white tailed spiders in your area or anything like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 May just have been a severe case of cramp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I'm thinking either a bite or a nightmare. I knew a dog that sort of sleep walked, well, he sleep sat. I was looking after him for some friends and he'd gone to sleep in my lap. All of a sudden he sat up slowly and started waving his head around. I was startled and said his name several times but he seemed unaware of me. I finally roused him and he was fine, just curled up and went back to sleep. I told his owners and they said he does it all the time. I've heard dogs bark, growl and whimper as well as wag their tails and move their legs, but I never knew until then that dogs could be so animated in their sleep. I'm wondering if your boy just had a terrible dream. I recall seeing a video on youtube of a dog having a dream and running into a wall, people seemed to think it was funny, I didn't, the dog seemed very confused. Edited August 19, 2012 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I would also suggest a cramp , or a pain of some sort ... and the dog now associates it with your bedroom/his crate . Don't make a fuss of trying to get him back there ....just let him settle .If he is really frightened ...it may take some time. Maybe then move his crate to another room, and leave it open ..but put treats/food bowl inside . Let him work it out . Keep an eye on him , and see if he moves any differently /limps, etc . .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Yeah I thought maybe a bite of some kind, poor little mite. Hope he is feeling better now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Ghost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'm thinking leg in a bad position, possible stuck and pulled at that hurt him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest donatella Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'd say he might have been bitten by something. Do you have any white tailed spiders in your area or anything like that? This was my thought too! Insect/cockroach, mouse anything to have scared the beejebus out of him. I'd be the same if any of those came near me in the middle of the night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) Ghost! our Joey is very very reactive to unseen things in the house He's bolted up upright many many times on our bed to start yapping at something , and is really fixated on it. Usually he wags tail too lol He gets the spooks all the time .. I used to put it down to just bad dreams but who knows hmmmm. Edited August 19, 2012 by Jules♥Cavs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I'm thinking leg in a bad position, possible stuck and pulled at that hurt him? If its just the one time, I would possibly think its something like that has unsettled and scared him.. or a bite from something. Have you checked he doesn't have any fleas on him? Some dogs are extremely sensitive to fleas. Edited August 19, 2012 by Jules♥Cavs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I find it interesting that often people are reluctant to reassure and comfort a frightened dog in a calm manner - not specifically your situation luffy but just generally. I know the theory is that you are re-enforcing the fear but I wonder whether that is really valid. A prominent vet behaviourist here describes that theory as "nonsense" and believes that offering the dog "calming signals" is more effective. there was a good video about this but I can't find it, but here's an article with the jist of it - http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/you-cant-reinforce-fear-dogs-and-thunderstorms :) (and the follow-up article - http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/tag/reinforcing-fear-in-dogs ) Hope the little mite is feeling better this morning Edited August 19, 2012 by Weasels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I find it interesting that often people are reluctant to reassure and comfort a frightened dog in a calm manner - not specifically your situation luffy but just generally. I know the theory is that you are re-enforcing the fear but I wonder whether that is really valid. A prominent vet behaviourist here describes that theory as "nonsense" and believes that offering the dog "calming signals" is more effective. there was a good video about this but I can't find it, but here's an article with the jist of it - http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/you-cant-reinforce-fear-dogs-and-thunderstorms :) (and the follow-up article - http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/tag/reinforcing-fear-in-dogs ) Hope the little mite is feeling better this morning Great articles Weasels - thanks for the links. This approach makes sense to me - to comfort an obviously distressed dog with calm reassurance and things like massage rather than to ignore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSDowner Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) My previous german shepherd (slept in my room) Suddenly his low growl woke me up. I had never before heard such a strange sound coming from my dog. I switched on the bedside lamp and here he was looking at a point 2cm just above the carpet, backing away, his hair stood on the back. He ignored my voice. Needless to say i got such a fright as there was absolutely nothing where he was looking. Perhaps dogs/animals can see what we can't see (?) Edited August 20, 2012 by GSDowner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 My previous german shepherd (slept in my room) Suddenly his low growl woke me up. I had never before heard such a strange sound coming from my dog. I switched on the bedside lamp and here he was looking at a point 2cm just above the carpet, backing away, his hair stood on the back. He ignored my voice. Needless to say i got such a fright as there was absolutely nothing where he was looking. Perhaps dogs/animals can see what we can't see (?) Rat behind the wall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphra Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 One of my cats did this to me once. I was staying in an old house in a little country town. Being a city girl at that stage I was a bit un-nerved by the silence anyway. Both of my cats were asleep on my bed, then one of them woke me up in the middle of the night by sitting up and growling, all her fur sticking up on her back. She just stared into space and growled. Eventually she settled down and curled up and went back to sleep, which was more than I did! My previous german shepherd (slept in my room) Suddenly his low growl woke me up. I had never before heard such a strange sound coming from my dog. I switched on the bedside lamp and here he was looking at a point 2cm just above the carpet, backing away, his hair stood on the back. He ignored my voice. Needless to say i got such a fright as there was absolutely nothing where he was looking. Perhaps dogs/animals can see what we can't see (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luffy4688 Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Alright. Updates! I just got home from work. I left for work @ 5.30am this morning and told my partner to keep an eye on him. My partner woke up later in the morning realizing Bailey is in visible pain/distress, hardly being able to walk, and shivering. Not being able to leave work, I told her to bring him to the vet asap. Long story short, the vet said Bailey most likely woke up abruptly and the sudden movement sprained both his neck and his hind leg as his muscles might be still tense from being fast asleep in the same position for a prolonged period of time. The doctor did some chiropractic work and his neck seems fine now but he's still limping slightly. He's been prescribed some Phenylbyutazone tabs. My partner was too nervous throughout the ordeal and didn't really remember what the doctor said regarding the tabs. Can anyone shed some light what the tab does? So now we're suppose to limit his activity to just a short leashed walk for the next week until he's due back to the vet to check up on his hind leg. Thank you for all the replies so far! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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