shaking -

Question
why is it that my 4 year old dach has started to shake after being in the bedroom when tv is on.  she sleeps on the bed and it was only after a short power cut that she has started to do this.  she is happy for about the first hour then wants togo downstairs to sit on the sofa.  i have to fetch her back and then cuddle her in my arms until we turn the tv off then she settles.  she is happy when the tv is on downstairs and we have no trouble with her.  she does not like the air con so we never put that on.  this is completely new and cannot understand why she has started this.  she is with us 24 hours a day and we take her everywhere with us... she is my baby!! can you advise please or has anyone else experienced this and how do we stop it.

Answer

Hi Maureen,

Unless your dog is shaking because it's in pain, ignoring her is better than "comforting" her. When you comfort the dog, you're actually encouraging the very behavior that you're concerned about. Your dog sees all that love and comfort as a reward, and is more likely to continue behaving that way, since you seem to like it so much!

You also seem to be catering to your dog's whims much more than you should be. Not using the air conditioning because your dog doesn't "like" it, is an example of this.  It's your house, and if you want the air on, your dog will have to deal with it. Make sure she has a warm place to sleep, or get a sweater for her, but the dog should not be setting down the household rules.

The more you cater to your dog's whims, the more whims there are going to be to cater to.

Best of luck,
Patti