LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

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Hi Paula,

This could be partially related to your pregnancy, but even more than that, it seems like Roxy had decided to try to take over the alpha position while your husband is away. That means she doesn't really see you as her leader right now. so it's important that you establish your place as her pack leader. If you feel up to it, try taking her for daily walks on leash. This puts you in control. You can change directions often in order to make her follow your lead, and this will help establish your proper role. You should also tell Roxy "no" in a calm, firm voice when she tries to display dominance over Ellie. This should help nip the aggressive behavior in the bud. Ellie will still be behind Roxy in the pecking order, but without the violence.

I hope this advice proves helpful.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi, I really hope someone can offer me some help & advise, firstly I am 5 1/2 months pregnant, my husband works offshore so spends a lot of time away from home & we have a Springer Spaniel, Ellie, who is almost 4 & a Weimaraner, Roxy, who is 2. Both dogs have a really even temperament, they are both well trained, very affectionate, exercised every day & until a few weeks ago have never shown any signs of aggressive behaviour. When the incident occured my mum was at my house, we were sitting chatting & out of nowhere a fight broke out between the dogs, I have no idea who started it but it resulted in a trip to the vets with both dogs having injuries to their ears, one having to be stitched! Just minutes afterwards the larger dog was acting normally & the smaller was trembling & her heart was pounding, I encouraged them to interact & things went back to normal. Since then I have seen Roxy displaying dominant behaviour towards Ellie, standing over her with her heckles up, lying on top of her on their bed & lots if other little things, I'm sure you'll understand I'm keen to avoid another fight, could this be because I'm pregnant? I feel it important to point out this doesn't happn when my husband is at home! Suggestions please.

-- Contributed by: Paula

Hi Christine,

It sounds like the behavior change you've observed began after the knight your dog was howling. I think the best thing you can do right now is take your dog in for a physical exam. She may have some stress related to the trip and perhaps even your pregnancy, but their may be some type of physical injury as yet undetected that is causing the whining and reluctance to move in certain ways. If something is wrong, the vet should be able to find it. The vet may also offer some anxiety medication to help your dog throught the adjustment period now that she's back home.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I hope the vet can figure out what's going on. Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi there, our 3 1/2 year old Whippet Greta seems to be having a nervous breakdown! She is usually a fun loving, easy going affectionate sweet natured dog, always kissing and cuddling me on demand, but recently we were away for 10 days and then a week with family and dogs she is comfortable and used to staying with, and for 2 of those days she was just with the dogs and a feeder would come of and evening. She howled all night and a neighbour took her to sleep on her couch, and we collected her the next day. As far as we know that is the only bad upset there. Since then she walks around our house crying, won't get in the car, stops when walking and refuses to walk and shakes, and won't show us her usual display of affection. She has also won't used the dog flap- stands there crying and butting it in and out repetitively. We have never smacked her, but have been spraying her with a water sprayed when she cries but it doesn't work! I am 4 1/2 months pregnant and wonder if that could be affecting her. We love her so much and can't understand where she's at or what to do to help her. I haven't had a spontaneous cuddle from her for a month! Please help!!

-- Contributed by: Christine

Hi Sadie,

The most important thing right now is to remain consistent in your interactions with your dog. He's probably a bit confused by the change in your scent (hormone-related). Treating him as you always have and keeping your expectations for his behavior consistent should eventually help steady him. I think training classes are an excellent idea. This will help firm up your position as his pack leader, and it should also eliminate your dog's less desirable behavior.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes for your impending delivery and the entire situation.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi Kelly

i have the same poblem as ruby, my dog is a cross breed bewteen a rotweiler and a weimaraner, a very sloppy and loving dog but within the last couple of days he has started to behave strange towards me im only 4 and half months and already showing but its only been the last week one min he wont leave me alone and follow me every were being very protective the next when i tell him no or move him away he starts growling at me each time i deal with him straight away and he knows he has done wrong but he has done it twice now and im gettig very confused as it can change so quickly i have said maybe training school to my partner but im not to sure can u help please, max is 1 and half so hes still young please help?

-- Contributed by: sadie.sinden@hotmail.com

Hi Ruby,

It's very possible your dog can see and sense the changes in your body, and this may be causing him some confusion. In your delicate state, it may be better to consult an animal behaviorist to help diagnose what's going on. The behaviorist will come to your home and observe you and your dog together. He or she may be able to figure out what is triggering your dog's reactions and help you find a way to rehabilitate your dog before you have to give him away. You can usually locate a behaviorist through your local dog training facility.

Thanks for your question, and I hope you find this advice helpful. Good luck.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a staffy that I have owned for 4 years,(He is around 8) He has never been aggresive at all, but since I have become pregnant (I am now 7 months) He has snapped at me a few times almost biting me. Everyone wants me to put him down but I love this dog and no one understands this is completely out of character for him. We have also recentely moved state. Could someone give me some advice as I feel like I am fighting against everyone and I don't want to put him down

-- Contributed by: Ruby

Hi Jayme,

You probably won't be able to make things completely normal for your female, but sticking to your regular routine should help. You can also begin accustoming both dogs to the scents of the products you'll be using on the baby, such as powder, baby wash, diapers, etc. This will make baby less of a shock when you bring your little one home.

Thanks for your question, and I do hope that all goes well for your family. Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi Jenny,

it's possible your dog senses or smells the change in your hormones. Do let us know the whining does seem related to the onset of labor.

Best wishes for an easy delivery. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I am currently 30 weeks pregnant, and I have 2 shih tzus both a year and a half. My male hasn't been acting any different at all since I've been pregnant, but my female was having accidents in the house(that has stopped the last few days), but she then refused food. This has also gotten better and she is eating again, but she still seems a little depressed. Any help with easing this transition for her would be greatly appreciated.

-- Contributed by: jayme

I am 36 weeks pregnant and my soon to be 5yo,male, deer chihuahua is whining constantly. His behavior changed twards me right before we found out that I was pregnant, he pretty much ignored me then around 15 weeks he seemed to be back normal and now for about the past 2 weeks he won't quit crying and wants attention all the time so it makes us wonder if I will be going into labor soon? I'll let ya'll know..

-- Contributed by: Jenny

Hi Ivette,

I believe your older dog's problem is more related to jealousy of the new puppy, although your pregnancy changes may have already left her feeling a bit uncertain of her position in the home. I think if you are able to get her to accept the new puppy, her behavior will tone down.

It's important to get her out of her bed and get her mind on something else. A nice walk would be stimulating and might change her outlook. I'd take her out everyday for some one-on-one time with you. Later, you can add the puppy in for the walks too. This will help establish a new pack mentality in your bitch, and I think this will go a long way toward improving the current situation.

Thanks for your question, and I hope things return to normal very soon. Best wishes for a safe pregnancy and an easy delivery. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I am curently 5 weeks pregnant and have two Chihuahua's at home. One was recently adopted 2 weeks ago and the other has been with us for two years since she was two months old, her name is Bebe. Bebe has been crying and yelping for about a week now for no apparent reason. I have taken her to the vet twice already this week and they have taken Xrays and CBC Test. The doctor says nothing is medically wrong with her that her behavior is due to my pregnancy. I took the doubt away of any serious medical issue, but is this going to last for another eight months? She does not want to play with the other dog, she cries randomly, she is in bed the whole day, PLEASE HELP!!!

-- Contributed by: Ivette

My dog normally sleeps through the night in her crate and we let her sleep in our bed when we are getting ready for work. Now that I'm 2 months pregnant, my dog has started to whine and cry in the middle of the night. When I let her out of her crate she roams around the house frantically and won't go back in her crate to sleep for the remainder of the night. She's been whining at odd times of the day, for what seems to me, like no reason at all. We joke that she's preparing us for the middle of the night feedings, but why the dog and what can we do to help. I need to conserve my rest before the baby.

-- Contributed by: Lori

Hi Allison,

Part of your dog's personality change could be because your pregnancy hormones make you smell slightly different to him from your usual scent that he is familiar. This could cause a little confusion that is contributing to the aggressive behavior, but it's not the main reason behind it. Your dog views your husband as his pack leader, so he shows him proper behavior and respect. Somehow, your dog has the idea that you are his subordinate, and this is why he is riding rough-shod on you. You have to correct his perception and become his leader too. The easiest way to do this is by taking him for a walk on leash. This puts you in control over him. If he tries to walk ahead of you, give a quick tug on the leash to get his attention and then stop. Do not proceed until your dog has rested at a full stop for a few moments. You proceed with the walk when you decide, not the dog. Repeat this procedure from time to time during the walk to reinforce that you are the one in charge.

Since you are pregnant, I recommend your husband comes along to make sure there's someone there to intervene if your dog becomes too out of control. Try to take these walks once a day, and try to do about 20 minutes if it's not too taxing for you.

Once your dog is responding submissively on the leash, you should see an improvement in his behavior inside the home as well. When you know in your heart that you are the one in charge, your dog will sense it as well and respond submissively. If you doubt it, so will he and he'll naturally try to take charge.

Thanks for your question, and I hope this suggestion helps.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I am 7.5 months pregnant and my dog, who usually adores me, has been very aggressive towards me on a couple of occasions. We've noticed that even prior to the pregnancy when he has a long lasting chew (rawhide, for example) he gets aggressive when someone comes near. We usually don't give him these treats anymore. He found one recently and even if I don't approach him he shows his teeth to me. If my husband approaches him, he's fine. Yesterday, twice, he showed his teeth to me when I was across the room from him and not even looking at him. Both times he actually got up to come at me, which has never happened. As I said, he normally loves me! If my husband and I come in the door, he comes straight to me every time. I work from home so he and I are together all day and he follows me from room to room. In the mornings, he sleeps with me on the bed after my husband leaves for work until I get up. This behavior is definitely directed only at me and very out of his predictable behavior range.

-- Contributed by: Allison

Hi Megan,

This is a complex situation with no simple solutions. A large dog showing aggression towards his owners is not safe. You need the help of a behaviorist or trainer that specializes in problem behavior. A professional can help you gain control over your dog without the use of dangerous confrontational techniques. Regarding the potty accidents in the house, your dog needs to be confined by being properly crate trained. You may need to use an exercise pen because of his size. He has been going potty indoors for so long, that he assumes that this is alright and may even prefer to go indoors. In order to change this behavior, you will need to change his environment and how you manage it. Thanks for the question, and I hope that this information will help you work things out.

-- Contributed by: Deana Case

Hi, I'm literally at the end of my tether with our Shih-tzu. I am 7 months pregnant and since the start of my pregnancy she has been acting extremely obsessively. She is 6 years old and has been my constant companion since she was 7 weeks old. She has started licking her paws continuously, leaving huge soaked through wet patches on the bed, carpets and settees. She scratches her ears until they bleed and has started growling at me if I go to move her anywhere. (She never growls at my husband). She stops when told no, but then starts again a few seconds later. This is extremely distressing for me as I feel like I'm starting to hate her, after years of her being my best friend before my husband came along 2 years ago. Our Vet has ruled out any ear infection or obstruction or paw infection and we have had to resort to putting on an elizabethan collar for most of the day and night, which I'm assuming is just stressing her out even more. I feed her on the same food I always have and so doubt any of this is due to allergy. I feel like crying with frustration, and feel it must be depressing her too having to be constantly told off. I'm worried about how I'll cope with this when the baby finally comes along! Please help!!! I'm desperate!

Hi Kim,

Do you know if your vet specifically checked your dog for a yeast infection? this can effect the ears, and compulsive foot licking is also a primary sign of this type of infection. I would ask your vet about this first before we explore other avenues.

Thanks for your question, and I hope this suggestion leads you in the right direction.

-- Contributed by: Kimberly

I need help with my dog. He is a 2 year old 150lb St. Bernard/Rott mix, and I am 16 weeks pregnant. When my husband and I found out I was pregant, we decided that the dog would have to go, but not for fear of his behavior with a baby. He is actually wonderful with children, even babies. The problem is, he never fully housebroke. We tried everything, but it's as though he's just too stubborn. He will let us know that he has to go if we're around, but if we are sleeping or away from the house for even 5 minutes, he refuses to hold it. We have to replace our entire kitchen floor before the baby is born in August. We were unable to find someone to take him with this problem, so he is on the waiting list at our SPCA, but it's backed up about 2 months. The problem is, I don't know if we can survive that long. He has become more difficult to deal with every day. He will refuse to poop when we take him out before bed just to drop it on my floor within five minutes of us closing the bedroom door. A few days ago he actually pushed the bedroom door open while I was working in the kitchen and urinated on the bed twice, lifting his leg to do so when he doesn't even lift his leg outside. He used to respect room barriers, but now he will push his way through anything blocking his way to get to what he wants, usually the garbage. We get up to find the trash strewn throughout the house. This is happening on a regular basis now, and we aren't able to even raise our voices at him anymore. If we show him any sign that we are angry at him or get close to him after he knows we've discovered what he's done, he threatens to attack. Last week he almost got ahold of my arm when I reached for his collar after he got into the garbage. This dog used to be extremely protective over me, but now he doesn't hesitate to show aggression. I don't know what to do anymore, and I'm afraid of what my husband might do if he did attack. What can I do to get us through the next couple months with our sanity and limbs still intact?

-- Contributed by: Megan

My daughter is 36 weeks pregnant and this last couple of weeks her 14 year old mix is destroying the house when she leaves to do anything not just go to work. He has eaten banisters, drywall, door jams and is urinating and defecating everywhere. He has vertigo and can't be crated. What do we do? She and my son-in-law are at the end of their rope.

Hi Carol,

This problem is too big to deal with on your own. You need to call in a canine behaviorist, and you can probably find one through your closest dog training facility. This professional will come to your daughter's home to observe the dog in action. This helps him/her pinpoint exactly what set the dog off, and then the behaviorist will offer ways to counteract the behavior. There may even be a solultion to the dog's aversion to the crate.

Thanks for your question, and I hope this helps you find a solution to the problem before the baby arrives. Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Carol

Hi, I really need help. I found out that IÂ´m pregnant, IÂ´m just a month and a half preganant and our dog (Basset Hound breed) has turned into this barking, wining, crying all-the -time dog. And when I say "all the time" I really mean it. He started doing this about a week ago, barking louder than he usually does, howling day and night, not wanting to eat at certain times, in fact not wanting anything at all. Last time we woke up at 3 am because he was howling and crying out very loud, we went to see what happened, and he just received us with head and tail down (knowing he had done something bad) and then started to play? WhatÂ´s this all about. He had a similar reaction when some other female dog is around. But never this bad. Of course we had tried several ways to arrange this, but nothing seems to work with him. Is this going to happen all the time during the pregnancy? Thanks for your help.

Hi Glenda,

Some dogs can have a stronger reaction to an owner's pregnancy than others, but your dog's reaction seems severe. I think it might be beneficial to have your vet examine your dog at this point to rule out any medical reason for all the fuss. If your dog gets a clean bill of health, perhaps your vet can prescribe a mild sedative to help your dog through this early adjustment period. Hopefully, the anxiety will pass and the rest of your pregnancy will be less eventful. Hang in there!

-- Contributed by: Glenda

We have a German Wirehair that has all of a sudden become very nervous and skitish when my wife, who is 8 months pregnant, is in the room. We are hoping this is kind of normal, but are unsure if this a coincedence or him reacting to her changing.

Hi Ted,

This behavior isn't that unusual under the circumstances. Your wife actually smells a little different to your dog now, and this leads to a little confusion on your dog's part. With her growing tummy, she also looks quite different to your dog, so this can also cause the skittish behavior. All things considered, I wouldn't worry too much unless your dog were to behave aggressively toward your wife. I'm sure things will get back to normal after the birth and once your dog gets used to the new baby.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes for a safe and happy delivery. :)

-- Contributed by: Ted

We have recently found out my wife is pregnant and my dog is acting the same with us. He goes to a weekly playgroup and Lats week he was showing signs og aggression like he was trying to be the alpha dog all of a sudden. Can a pregnancy affect a dogs behavior towards other dogs even if my wife is not there?

Hi Daniel,

I suppose it could. Your dog may be feeling protective of your wife at this time, and since you are part of that close family pack, he might feel the need to watch over you too. Do discourage overly aggressive behavior on his part. A little extra guidance from you will will help him learn how to guage his reactions and feelings during this somewhat confusing time for him.

Best wishes!

-- Contributed by: Daniel

Hi Rachel,

That's really interesting. I wonder if there has already been a change in your body chemistry that they are able to detect? Some dogs become more protective and clinging when their owner becomes pregnant.

Best wishes as you begin to expand your family!

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have two dogs who never sleep next to me they would be with my husband and now they are sleeping right next to me , we have started to try and have a baby and since then they do this

-- Contributed by: rachael

Hi Kate,

It sounds as though your Beagle is getting used to the new baby's presence. This nuzzling can be a good sign as long she remains calm. You can allow this as long as you're very careful. Softly tell her what a good girl she is. This will help her get over any feelings of jealousy she may have felt in the beginning. Do make sure she doesn't have access to the baby without you or your husband present. I think things are going to be fine.

Congratulations!

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I just had a baby and this morning my husband and I were in bed with the baby in between us. The baby had just finished feeding. Our beagle spaniel mix who had been distant towards the baby sat near him and nudged her nose at the blanket surrounding the baby's feet as if to cover him or nest him. Is this common behavior?

-- Contributed by: Kate Yaglowski
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