TDLR: Dog has been exhibiting abnormal behaviors and displaying noise sensitivity. Trying to see if this is behavioral, medical, and/or what I can do to help get him back to baseline and make his life easier.
Looking for some help to figure out what I may be missing and what I should be looking into. My 2 year old lab started exhibiting some weird behaviors about a month back and the behavior has been going on and off since then. Essentially, he could be in rest mode and then gets up suddenly and starts running back and forth, sniffing aggressively and then checking back in with my husband and I and going back to the spot. During this time he is panting quite a bit. This happens throughout the day – the only time he settles, which is still not as easy as it used to be – is bedtime. We have taken him to someone's house once during the past couple weeks and the same behavior occurred there, which has not happened before.
I have been to the vet twice for suspected ear issues. This is being treated. I am struggling with understanding if this is what is causing the behavior or not. Did not notice anything with his ear when this behavior first started but it did get us to look into it after a week or so as the behavior was worsening. He is known for his excitability so I got dismissed from our first vet. The second vet wanted to focus on his health first but we do have another appointment booked.
Other information – we had just got back from a trip and were home for a week, had a training session and my husband returned home all in one day. We had a couple of down days in the house so I thought maybe he may be acting like this because he was under stimulated, so I changed up our routine – more walks, training, etc. After a few days of this my husband left and I continued on and we had a really good day, and a one better but not as good day and then it was back to the same thing… Today I just tried doing a nothing day and still the same.
I have noticed that he can settle when I'm not around – for example, if I'm in another room of the house and not letting him come with me, when I'm gone out of the house. As well, he seems to have a noise sensitivity – he has always been a bit more alert but not to this extent – for example, if I place a pen on the table it can get him to do the behavior mentioned above. Also, if I move in a certain way – raising my hands, touching my hair, etc. However, sometimes I could be doing nothing and the behavior happens.
As I mentioned, I do have an appointment booked but my hopes are that maybe someone else has dealt with this before or may have some ideas what could be going on and what I can do to help him out. He seems so stressed and I am feeling helpless at this point.
submitted by /u/Many-Vanilla4693
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