My Pomeranian

Question
QUESTION: Does anyone know about dogs behaviour, our dog is behavin a bit strange.   

Since he has had his hair cut a week last sat, he has been behaving strange, wont settle in his bed, walking round the settee, constantly attention seeking, he had all his fur shaved off, which is the same as always.

I found out I was pregnant a couple of months back, so he isn't allowed on the settee as I dont want him jumping up when baby arrives.

I thought with him keep wondering around the settee, not settling he needed walking more, so last night I took him for about 45 mins soon as I got in from work, and he is still doin same thing wondering round settee, not settling, attention seeking.

He has been wormed and flead, and had his yrly booster in April, he is 4.   

If you could help me in anyway, just to pin point what could be wrong with him??, as we are considering taking him to the vets.

Thanks Janet

ANSWER: Dear Janet,

I can't tell you precisely what is causing your pom's change in behavior, but I would venture to guess that it has to do with either the groom or the new "no settee" rule in your house.  There's not a lot you can do about it because you need to keep the "no settee" rule, and I'm going to assume he has been going to the same groomer for some time and you're generally happy with him/her.  I do think it's worth a vet visit to rule out any health changes in him.  Dog behavior often changes as a result of changes in the household routine, so it may be that he just has to get used to the new rules if the vet says nothing's wrong with him.  In the meantime, go to my Baby Tips page at http://www.dogdaysusa.com/babytips.cfm and get him ready for the new addition in your house.

Good luck and thanks for writing.
Suzanne Harris, BSc, CPDT
http://www.dogdaysUSA.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hiya, thanks for your reply.

We actually let him on the settee last night and he was a lot better, walked him for an hour, although he got up at 2am and was crying for about an hour, still dont know why.

I dont know whether to start letting him bk on the settee, then he will eventually realise that when the baby is on the settee with us, he will know not to come up.  What is your thought on this??

He has been to the same groomer the past 2 times, but he has started sniffing himself more, as his tail was also shaved, but he has been wormed so cant be this.  We are going to see how he gets on this week, then book him in at the vets for a health check.

Thanks Janet

Answer
Read the baby tips I sent before, and decide if it's OK with you to let your dog on the settee when the baby comes.  Some people are queasy about this.  I am not, and let my dogs all over my kids when they were little.  

As long as you are creating a positive association with the baby as described in the Baby tips, you should be ok letting him up there.  If you decide that he may not be on the settee when the baby comes, you have to start that rule now so that he doesn't get hit with the double whammy of 1) no settee and 2) new baby who caused the no settee rule which will cause him to resent the baby even more than he may already.  Do it now if you're going to do it, so he doesn't associate the rule with the baby.

Hope that helps!