unusually nervy dog

[ali]

in the past few days barkley (who is just over 2) has suddenly developed what seems like very nervous behaviour. it's not all the time but started with him suddenly glancing up at the sky frequently whilst out on a walk last week, to then not wanting to enter the kitchen over the weekend on several occasions, and now today he has spent much of the day glancing up lots at the ceiling, tail down whilst inside and out, being very clingy, and generally very tense. he's currently lying down on the sofa and would normally be pretty conked out. instead he keeps looking up suddenly with ears cocked, glancing around the room, leaning on me very heavily, following us if we both leave the room, tail always down. he's not barking more than usual so it doesn't seem like a guarding thing, it just seems more 'nervous'. and the glancing up at the ceiling/sky is very out of character.

we're going to the vets later this week for annual booster and check-up so i'll mention it then but i just thought i'd run it by you guys to see if anyone else has had any similar experiences. sorry it's all a bit vague though... 

thanks.

[Helen]

you don't think he could have been stung by anything recently Ali?

[Coco]

He doesn't have a problem with his ears does he? Like dirty, something lodged?

[cfordham2710]

This is going to sound really silly but...... 

.......... Skye went through a sudden phase of the same "symptoms" as you have described and we couldn't work out what was going on.  Eventually one day it dawned on me.  We had obtained Sky plus, of which the "set top" box hums almost constantly.  This is what had unnerved her.  We had to sit down on the floor with her, and almost explain that it was ok!!!  She eventually came over to it, sniffed it, realised that it was not scary and since then she has been fine!!!!!

Have you got anything new???

[jann]

This is going to sound really silly but...... 

.......... Skye went through a sudden phase of the same "symptoms" as you have described and we couldn't work out what was going on.  Eventually one day it dawned on me.  We had obtained Sky plus, of which the "set top" box hums almost constantly.  This is what had unnerved her.  We had to sit down on the floor with her, and almost explain that it was ok!!!  She eventually came over to it, sniffed it, realised that it was not scary and since then she has been fine!!!!!

Have you got anything new???

  It doesn't sound silly to me, my daughter's dog started acting in a similar way and also shaking we've discovered the 'culprit' is a new digital camera which must emit a high frequency sound when switched on !!
He only has to see it now to start looking worried 

[ali]

hmm... don't think it can be new equipment in the house though we will have a think about whether anything has moved or is in any other way different.

don't think he's been stung either... but i will get the vet to check him over, and his ears to make sure it's nothing to do with them.

thanks for the thoughts. it's possibly just another phase. we've had quite a few periods when things that had never bothered him before suddenly do, and then he's fine again. life is never dull with a dog like barkley around! 

[Top Barks]

Trouble is they see, hear, smell differently to us which can make it hard for us to pinpoint any particular thing that is spooking.
Keep your eye on him and try to pin point specifics about when , where and for how long thee behaviour occurs and of course mention it to your vet.
Mark

[ali]

thanks mark. i'm gonna make notes for a few days as to what seems to be bothering (for want of a better word) him. also going to film him limping (another story) to show the vet so he's going to be one well observed hound!