I caught some nasty nasty bug this week and my dog's been acting a bit off. I've made sure he's gotten out for at least 1-2 hours each day despite my having no voice (plus side, he's gotten really good at recall with the whistle) so I don't think it's boredom related...I'm curious though. Does your health impact your dog's behavior?


The main things I noticed was that he flat out refused to eat unless I ate something at the same time. This is a dog who's pretty food friendly. This whole week he would sit there staring intently at me until I picked up food. Once I was half done with my meal he would start and would eat normally. All bowel movements were normal and once he started eating everything was normal. He wouldn't take treats either, or rather he wouldn't eat them. No matter who gave them to him he'd simply carry them to my feet and leave them there. He piled ever toy he's allowed free access to in the house on my head while i was sleeping and if I started coughing uncontrollably would lick my throat until I stopped (which was annoying but while hacking up a lung it's a bit hard to say "no").

Is it normal for a dog to do this? I don't remember any of the family dogs doing this growing up but this is the first dog I've had that's a true "one person" dog. It is just because I mixed up his routine?

Probably just really in tune to you.

Turbo is just overall down when I'm sick. Ears flat, tail down, head low.

Besides, who feels good when the head frisbee thrower is down?:wink:

This may sound crazy but when I was going into pre-term labor with our daughter my rottweiler took all the blankets that he could find and moved them to the living room. He also round up my clothing, hair brush, shoes and anything else with my scent on them. He never was the destructive type and no problems out of him until he reaorganized my house. It wasn't close to my delivery time so I didn't think at the time anything was wrong. Until a few days later I went to the doc and he sent me off to have the baby.

 Quote: Jamie Craig

Is it normal for a dog to do this?

It's normal for your dog.

I think this kind of doggie empathy varies a lot, like most traits. My GSD could care less if I was ill or upset or anything...she would definitely respond differently to different energy and mood levels (always happier when I was happy, etc.), but empathy? Nah.

Then, I've read other accounts of dogs more along the lines of yours.

Hope you feel better real soon!
leih

I just got over a month-long respiratory infection that featured lots of exhaustion, temps of 103+ and muscle weakness. My biggest worry was my dog's energy level and his need for a good amount of daily exercise. My sister and daughter helped a bit with getting him out for walks (actually my daughter walked him a lot) but he still didn't get NEARLY the amount of exercise he was used to.

Normally, having so little exercise would have my dog staring out the windows, whining and stir crazy. While I was sick, however, he laid quietly near me almost non stop, periodically getting up to poke me with his nose then laying back down again. VERY uncharacteristic behaviour for him, but his temporarily quiet attitude was very much appreciated nonetheless.

I have no doubt that my dog knew something was wrong with me, but I've had plenty of dogs who could care less one way or the other. I think it depends on a lot of factors.

I know it SUCKS to be sick. Feel better soon!

I have had 3 dogs in my life that have been very intuned to my moods, if I am upset or if I am sick etc. One is the female that I have now. If I am sick or 'down' she is very over the top clingy, which she is not normally. She is always affectionate & likes to be near me, but not clingy.

I had a poodle years ago that was by my side 24/7 for 2 weeks while I was bedridden trying to prevent a miscarrage. My husband had to drag her outside to go potty. She would only eat or drink if it was next to my bed. Another thing was that she always loved to sit with her head in my lap,or touch her paw to my tummy, until I was pregnant. She would never do that or even touch my tummy durning the times that I was pregnant. Funny thing was that she new I was pregnant before I knew each time. Figured this out by the 3rd pregnancy.

The other was a collie that was like my shadow. If I was sick she would lay next to me with her head on my lap & stare into my face & make little wimper sounds. It was almost funny. Sounded like her heart was breaking. Funny that they were all females, or is it?

I have a horse also that will wrap his neck around me, like a hug, if he knows that I am upset about something. The horse is a 28 year old gelding that I have owned since he was almost 5. He has done this since he was 6 or 7 years old. We have been thru a great deal togther. Animals are very intuned to us, sometimes more then we could imagine.