nelsona Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) that maybe my dog is dangerous and there is not hope for him... I have a castrated alsation, almost 10 years old. He is a good dog, very attached to us and of course very much a member of our family. He often gets skin allergy. 2 months ago he again got it and was put on macrolone and some other medication. He is no longer on any tablets and seems ok (no temperature) . The problem is that since then his personality changed: he only acknowledges my 88 yo father. He follows my father everywhere, so close that he sleeps with his head on father's feet. Whenever my father moves he follows him, waits near the toilet for him; they are inseparable. When they are together my dog expresses his displeasure when I come up. He became unfriendly to me and he moves away and hides behind my father. I am the one who feeds him, brushes him and shows him affection. He is happy when I come back from work and greets me joyfully and licks me, loves his walks with me but that's it; nowadays prefers to sleep in my father's room than mine. This morning I had to call him many times to his breakfast (he usually can't wait). Finally he did come, as if doing me a favour (of course he WAS hungry and ate everything) I don't think it's his health as he changed only towards me. I would be so grateful for advice. Edited February 29, 2012 by nelsona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 If he has a skin allergy and you brush him he might associate you with pain? A general health check up is always a good idea when their personality changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Hi - a thorough vet check for your dog , maybe ? Sometimes when dogs do this with a particular`person ..the following, etc .. the person may be ill or very unhappy or something similar, and the dog picks up on this ... If you can afford it , I would suggest you get some help from a good recommended professional behaviourist in your area - someone who can visit, and watch your dog , and then suggest things to you and help you manage the situation. If you want to do this - then tell us which area you live in, and someone will recommend a person to contact . :) We can't tell you what is causing your dog's behaviour - we can guess only ...and our guesses may be incorrect ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janba Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Vet for a full check up first. Drugs can affect a dogs personality just like they can with people. Medical problems can cause behavioural problems as can aging just like it does to some people. You need rule out any medical problems and if he is given a clean bill of health you may need to see a behaviouralist. It is very hard to give advise on a forum without seeing the dog. I hope things work out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdogs Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Some may scoff at my advice, but I feel dogs are very intuitive. I feel that not only should the dog have a full health check, but so should your father. Sometimes unusual loyalties are forged because of unkown medical factors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I agree with getting a Vet check done and in particular a full panel thyroid check. Best place for testing and analysis for the thyroid check is, IMO, via Dr Jean Dodds in USA. Will cost you extra because of the FedEx International Courier fee which is about $70.00. And IF your dog's sudden/recent change in behaviour includes having become particularly clingy to your Dad and that this has been in the absence of any changes in your and your Dad's behaviour/routines, then I tend to share Blackdog's opinion (above). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Some may scoff at my advice, but I feel dogs are very intuitive. I feel that not only should the dog have a full health check, but so should your father. Sometimes unusual loyalties are forged because of unkown medical factors. Totally agree with this & it was going to be my suggestion as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
❤LovesPoodles❤ Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Some may scoff at my advice, but I feel dogs are very intuitive. I feel that not only should the dog have a full health check, but so should your father. Sometimes unusual loyalties are forged because of unkown medical factors. I too agree with this. While reading the post I thought of stories where ppl said that their dogs picked up an illness they had. Some may believe it some not Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murve Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Yes a lot of ppl dont realize that dogs do respond to body language, & my guess if your GSD is very clingy to your father he may be ill, I have heard there are dogs now accompany ppl who are Epelectic, even diebetic & can pick up when they are about to colapse etc. to satisfy you concern get both dog & dad checked out :) good luck hope all goes well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toriavic Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 certainly agree with the others but also suggest you think about if anything is/has changed in your life too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) What blackdogs said, even tho' I understand some might scoff. I saw an example only the other day. Lily, the tibbie next door, gets put over the fence to play with ours, every day. She comes racing up onto our deck & jumps and dances all over our dogs' mats. On this day, her 'mum' had told me in the morning that her 'dad' was unwell. She was watching him carefully and, should things turn serious, she'd call an ambulance. Later in the day, Lily came bounding up our back steps. But, this time, she by-passed our tibbies & their mats. She raced straight up to me & sat in front of me with her ears back & a worried look in her eyes. So different from the usual 'laughing' little pricked- eared monkey. I said straight away, 'Your mum's called the ambulance, hasn't she!' When I went over to her 'mum'.....she started to say she'd just called the ambulance. But I said, 'I know. Lily told me.' So I'd agree with a medical check & a vet check in the OP's case. To cover both. But also review if your treating your dog's skin allergy has made him a little 'shy' about coming to you. Edited February 29, 2012 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandybrush Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) yep what everyone else is saying, full checkup i'd even see a good chiro, he could be out in his body somewhere also consider what others said about you possibly hurting him cause of his skin problems, maybe stop brushing him, or take him to a groomer so you are not the "bad guy" etc then move on to the behaviourist and maybe set some boundaries so that you are top dog, not him, so to speak Edited February 29, 2012 by dandybrush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitkatswing Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I must agree with what a few people have already said. My first thought was "What is wrong with your dad?"..... I have a diabetic friend who is now looking into getting a service dog, as she is having trouble recognising hypos now (which is not good at all).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefairy Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I agree with the suggestions about something wrong with your Dad. I am a Diabetic, and I have had one of my dogs become obsessively close to me when I was going through a period of uncontrollable low blood sugars, I always believe she knew them better than me. She wouldn't leave me alone, followed me everywhere, she even wouldn't go to anyone else, just sat at my feet. Dogs are very intuitive to those around them, its amazing. Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
❤LovesPoodles❤ Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Yes a lot of ppl dont realize that dogs do respond to body language, & my guess if your GSD is very clingy to your father he may be ill, I have heard there are dogs now accompany ppl who are Epelectic, even diebetic & can pick up when they are about to colapse etc. to satisfy you concern get both dog & dad checked out :) good luck hope all goes well I too have heard about ppl who suffer Epelectic have dogs with them now and the dog knows when they are going to have a fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Shepherd~ Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Get a blood test done, sounds like their is internal issues. Most skin conditions are due to internal immune issues or responses. What are you feeding? I dont think your father is sick, I think the dog is not well and going to the pack leader for reassurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Get a blood test done, sounds like their is internal issues. Most skin conditions are due to internal immune issues or responses. What are you feeding? I dont think your father is sick, I think the dog is not well and going to the pack leader for reassurance. I suspect this might be the case also - best advice is a thorough vet check as soon as you can. I had a dog who had an undiagnosed infection and insisted on sitting with me constantly. When the condition was treated he was much less clingy. Hope you can find an answer - would be interested in what the vet has to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade~Harley~Bella Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I agree with everyone else, vet check for your dog ASAP and it wouldn't hurt for your Dad to get a check up too. I'm also a believer of dogs being able to sense things. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2042362/My-pet-spaniel-sniffed-breast-cancer.html I've heard plenty of stories similar to the linked in one as well... not to freak you out or anything. Its better to be safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canine fun sports Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) A couple of points to add: Firstly, dogs are not intuitive. They are just more sensitive to the changes that occur when some-one is unwell. These changes are are dectected by dogs' acute sense of smell. Dogs are actually trained to recognise the odour of certain cancers and can be taught to react to samples eg urine collected from people with bladder tumours, or filters exhaled on by lung cancer sufferers. There are many documented example of this. And of course, I also know of a real life example when the owner of one of our dogs was diagnosed with leucaemia. The dog had been very clingy to the owner well before he became unwell and a diagnosis was reached. The dogs behaviour returned to normal after treatment and he was considered in remission. When the dog became clingy again, they were straight back to the doctor, and unfortunately, the owner had come out of remission. No-one should scoff at this ability in dogs. I would, indeed, have the health of the human checked out. The second thing to consider: Did the dog's behaviour change when he came off the macrolone? Macrolone is a potent anti-inflammatory and hence, a potent pain killer. Perhaps the dog has some arthritis or low grade pain and was feeling better while on the cortisone. Now we are a little less enthusiastic for life since the low grade pain has returned when the macrolone was stopped. So I would suggest a check-up is also a good idea for the dog. Edited March 1, 2012 by canine fun sports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) I agree with the others, dogs' noses are being used to detect a multitude of human diseases. Also the drug you mention is a cortico steroid and steroids can have an effect on mood among other side effects. So the dog may not be feeling the best either. Get them both checkups with the appropriate physicians. Edited March 1, 2012 by Mrs Rusty Bucket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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