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Bernie is freaking me out !!! what can this be?

11K views 129 replies 22 participants last post by  DueceAddicTed 
#1 ·
I have never seen this type of behavior in my dog before and i do not know what to think of it. Bernie was laying next to my wife and the baby facing the door and then he started growling towards the door kind of like staring at a spot on the ceiling. I did not think anything of it since he does growl at night when he hears noise outside and the day before it was 4th of july and the fireworks set him off. Anyhow, last night he was laying on the couch next to me and started staring towards the TV and started growling again. This time I corrected him and sent him to this bed. A few minutes after laying on his bed he started the same growl again, this growl is not directed at anyone, he is just laying there growling so I put him to sleep for the night.


I woke up this morning and thought to my self if he does this again I am going to be very stern and correct him immediately in a more dominant way. So he did it once this morning and i raised my voice and he stopped. after a while he was fine and then he was just laying on his bed and started growling again, my wife said he was looking down at the floor growling.


I am very concerned about this behavior, he has never resource guarded, nor shown any kind of growling or barking at any of us. Has anyone experience anything like this before? I am really clueless and I have no idea what to do. I can't put my wife or my baby's life in danger if there is something wrong with Bernie.
 
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#2 ·
Aside from the fireworks has anything changed recently? Have you noticed any other odd behavior along with what you already mentioned but perhaps wrote it off as something else? Also when he does it is he fixated on anything in particular or will he do it just looking in a general area but still acknowledging his surroundings?
 
#3 ·
I dont think anything has changed, the growling is not fixated at any of the animals or us. Just before he growled at the ground....?? this is freaking me out. I was reading about onset aggression but I thought this happened when the dog is sleeping and goes into some kind of aggressive seizure?
 
#4 ·
So he is now growling at you or the family, it could be something he is hearing outside off in the distance. Sometimes my dogs do that and it bugs the crap out of me.

Kaos my old male use to growl and it was more of his personality than anything else. Can you give more detail? or what about, if he growls let him outside and see if he alerts to something. My guess would be he is hearing something, if he is growling at the floor it is possible something got under your house or in the walls? Dogs can even detect termites and for this reason I do not know if hard correction is what I would do.
 
#5 · (Edited)
:( I would take him in to see the vet. Mack Truck used to do that before the seizures started. He would look up at the sky or down towards the ground at something that wasn't there. It was never directed at people or other animals it was kinda like he was seeing things. I really hope that it is nothing serious but I'd have him checked anyway. Does he ever act like he's confused in places he shouldn't?

*Edit, Lisa has a good point, if you have mice in the wall or under the house his doggy ears could hear that.
 
#6 ·
I had a dog who would do this .. He would run out to pee and growl and bark as soon as he hit the grass peeing. He would growl just to growl but he was not growling at me or any person in the household. He would be laying there at night on the bed and just start growling LOL. Sometimes I would ask him what the heck are you growling at and he would lick me and go back to doing what he was doing. As long as he is not barking or growling at you, the wife, or the baby or anyone else in the home I wouldn't be worried about it. I thought home boy was seeing ghosts ... If he's not sick or in pain, and he is not directing these growls at anyone in the home I don't think it's anything serious. We will see what Lisa says...
 
#8 ·
Seriously I believe in ghosts and spirits and I know my dogs see them. We lived in a house that was pretty much haunted with crap happening all the time and the dogs could see them even if we couldn't.

I had a laundry basket chase one of my dogs up the couch..... REALLY! She got all weird and popped off the couch and ran to the basket (she had no collar to get hung up on) then she jumped in the air and bolted on the couch and the basket followed her right up on it. She would not move for about 5 min, neither could we! lol
 
#9 ·
I am telling you I knew that dog was seeing and hearing things because he would growl for no reason! LMFAO!! I thought it was funny after I realized it was just his personality crazy mutt! LOL Your right though dogs are sensitive to sounds so I wouldn't worry unless you notice medical problems or the dog is growling at the people in the home that is when it's time to do something.
 
#10 ·
I agree with everyone else as well as it could be lack of physical or mental stimulation. I know that having a baby is demanding of time and im sure you are trying to balance everything but i could only imagine (not having kids of my own yet) that the exercise levels have dropped to some degree.

For instance several months ago i came down with strep throat, ear and sinus infection all at once and was in the bed virtually 24/7 for several days. During this period the only time i had anything to do with my dogs was taking them out to use the bathroom or feeding otherwise it was rest. Each day that Ashley was at work during that time they would randomly growl or bark out of frustration as they are high drive high energy dogs. Now i know that Bullies aren't generally like this though it could be a possible reason behind it.

With the information you provided thus far it doesn't really sound like anything health related or something that should be stressed over necessarily. I would just keep an eye on the behavior closely and when you start picking up on the signs hes giving right before he growls or barks thats when the correction should be made. (ideally)

Now if he is directing this at you or redirecting frustration at you than thats when you would need to decide how to approach it. Either some how making the time there for him or rehoming if it came down to it. But right now that doesn't sound like its the case.
 
#13 ·
I would just keep an eye on the behavior closely and when you start picking up on the signs hes giving right before he growls or barks thats when the correction should be made. (ideally)
I don't know if I would correct him if he is trying to tell David that he hears something. To me that is unfair and David might have to find what he hearing.
 
#11 ·
And to Krystal's point about seizures that could be true. Dogs do weird things before having seizures but only time will tell if that is what it is. Vets can only do blood work and maybe and x-ray of his head. Wait to see if you can figure it out, my guess is something in the walls, it could be a pest or a ghost! lol
 
#12 ·
Krystal echoed exactly waht I was thinking, this is what Penny did as well and she was never a growler, ever, not at humans or even wierd noises, but right before her seizures started she started doing this. Take him to the vet David, please, it could be nothing but you are never wrong for checking into everything. Hugs
 
#14 ·
Hmm while it does pay to be safe, nothing about this really strikes me as something calling for that kind of action. (at least from my own experiences) I would hold off and keep an eye on the behavior as mentioned in my other post. I think too many people jump the gun when it comes to taking dogs to vets for un-needed tests. Of course if you have the money and thats what you want to do theres nothing wrong with that.. but just saying.
 
#15 ·
Lisa you make a good point about the corrections. I know unless theres a reason for my own dogs to do this (that is obvious) i have always corrected and moved on without regretting doing so or finding out later there really was a reason. Of course your point is valid though.
 
#16 ·
I agree the vet can do nothing to stop or diagnose seizures. All they can do is check for tumors and blood work. There is nothing that is an emergency if he is acting normal in every other way. If everything else fails to bring an answer and you do not believe in ghosts, lol, then go to the vet to make sure it is nothing medical.
 
#17 ·
If it was a one time thing then yeah I will say knock it off but Bernie is persistent so I think there is something that needs to be investigated. We have not heard from David I wonder if he is looking under his house! lol
 
#20 ·
lmfao @ under the house

I see your point, taking into consideration its consistent it might be worth looking into. But i also think it could be as simple as lack of stimulation mentally/physically.

Since he hasn't responded yet i don't know how much of routine has faded with bernie so i wouldn't say that is what it is, but it is a possible.
 
#18 ·
Lisa I know exactly what you mean about ghosts. I had a huge dobie growing up. She was our guard dog. Big tough protector refused to set one paw in our house. In face no animals would. The cats didn't even want to be inside that house. My Grandma and I would sit in the kitchen every night at the same time and watch the dead bolt on the back door unlock by itself. Freakin creepity!!!!
 
#19 ·
Well he has been pretty active we have done over 60 miles of roadwork since june 12th. I just scheduled a visit with the vet for Saturday afternoon. I am assuming that if the check up goes well and there are no actual injuries to his external body parts it could be something internal?

He is the biggest baby when it comes to pain, if he ever hurts him self he will let me know by whimpering or ducking his head down trying to lick me. He is not doing this at all, he will just stare at some spot and growl, when i told him off the couch he got off immediately, there was no resistance. I won't correct him again and just keep an eye on it. He is not looking at me or my wife or the cats and growling, he is just doing it at random spots, our door was one, which I let him out immediately to investigate but the did nothing he just wanted to take off for a walk.

I was thinking it could be pests inside the walls but why is he only the one detecting it, not peanut or the cats? usually peanut hears people coming towards our door before he does.
 
#23 ·
the routine has changed though my wife spends more time with the baby and well I provide the walks to the pets and sometimes she feeds them but most of the time i take care of them.

I made an appointment for Saturday, it is included in my plan so I do not have to pay at all. What kind of blood work can be done for seizures or behaviors? I know the thyroid is common one but is there anything else that can be checked?
 
#25 ·
the routine has changed though my wife spends more time with the baby and well I provide the walks to the pets and sometimes she feeds them but most of the time i take care of them.

I made an appointment for Saturday, it is included in my plan so I do not have to pay at all. What kind of blood work can be done for seizures or behaviors? I know the thyroid is common one but is there anything else that can be checked?
PK or someone else could probably tell you more about blood work and whats involved than i can since i've never had to deal with something like that nor have would i pretend to know all thats involved with that.

I would say though since you have already made an appointment and cost isnt an issue (especially if its covered) i would do some investigating around the house and maybe try to uncover what he may be hearing. Keep an eye on the behavior and leave at that for now. If your still really active with him its probably not a stimulation concern.

I wouldn't stress too much right now it really doesn't sound like its something to dwell over. I can definitely see why you are for the sake of the family but just continue as normal until then especially if nothing is directed to you or the family.
 
#26 ·
They will just do CBC to make sure everything is looking fine which is why I am more a wait and see person. If Bernie is healthy otherwise I say look at the floors. Not all dogs or animals are as sensitive as others Bernie may be more in tune to what is going on. I have had well over 30 dogs over the years and only 2 are sensitive enough to my body to alert to my migraines. That is just an example of some dogs are more in tune to what is going on around them.
 
#28 ·
I will keep an eye on it, I mean at night specially if he hears a noise around our home he will get up and start patrolling. But this behavior is different, he stays static in one spot sometimes with his head down on the floor like laying down almost or sometimes just standing and he will produce a deep growl, but there is not focus at any of us.

I was reading up on onset aggression but it seems that this happens to dogs in their sleep, sort of like a nightmare that turns into an aggressive outburst. Bernie just turned 2 years old last week so perhaps he is trying out his new and improved growl? lol

Honestly I may make him seem like a driveless teddy bear but I would hate to be the bad guy that sets him off. He is ridiculously strong, he plays weak with us and the kids but I have seen how strong he can be and it is very scary.
 
#30 ·
Lisa is right about the CBC, have them check liver and kidney functions as well, should be included in the CBC, as well as thyroid and heart functions. Keep us posted, and I am lol'ing at the ghosts, is very possible this could be the cause, lol
 
#32 ·
Actually a vet can diagnose seizures, they can say whether they are trigger or inherited or idopathic, I beleive that's the word. But yes they can check for tumors and blood work and I guess the 3 vets I talked to when I took Penny in were wrong when they told me they could check for seizures, hmmm. And then how can you tell him not to worry if his dog is giving classic seizure symptom signs. I know you know a lot about dogs but epilepsy is something I am still fresh out of, I learned a LOT in 2 1/2 years, did lots of research and I still could not save my girl, hours and hours of trips to the vet for meds or blood work every three months just to make sure the meds weren't killin her or shutting her liver and kidneys down. ANd you can stand by what you believe in and I will stnad by mine, if you have NO expiernce with seizures then pelase do not say anything. Thanks and yeah it did rub me the wrong way again, this is raw emotion form my stand point as I dealt with it for as long as I did, may not seem like a long time to some but it was to me and Iwould do it all over again if given the chance.

But not he vets cannot stop the seizures, but meds can help, and Lisa I have to disagree with the bold statement, well the end of it anyway, sorry this is exaclty what Penny did, why wait and see if soemthing happens and not be prepared for it. IDk maybe I am just difffernt and should have culled Penny before she got as bad as she did. Ok I have to step away from this, this is upsetting me.
 
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#34 ·
these methods that you speak of to detect seizures? how are they performed? is it a simple blood screen?

Bernie had a full blood panel done last fall and all his organs checked out alright. I have not made any changes to his diet besides the added raw medallions and the fish oil, vitamin c and glucosamine/MSM.
 
#33 ·
thanks for the help guys i appreciate the input from all of you. I have that appointment set, I pray its a ghost and not a seizure Bernie has been a true blessing to my family and I would die inside if he is sick. I can't deal with loosing another dog, Bernie is the best dog that we could ask for and it just scares the crap out of me of what it can be. Thankfully the insurance I have for my dogs i can bring them any time free of charge. The testing will be expensive as heck but hopefully it's a critter or a ghost :(
 
#35 ·
Dogs can see spirits and spirits can attach themselves to a person or an item that you bring into your home. And I am being dead serious when I say this......if you recently had your son at a hospital then that is where you can easily pick them up. Sounds crazy right? I believe in it but I don't but to many funky things have happened to people I know over the past five years. Ever watch the HauNted on animal planet? Great show, you should check it out ;) anyways, I will keep Bernie in my prayers and hope that it is nothing medical. Keep us posted :)
 
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