Why is my dog hiding from me?

[peteoro]

Over the last couple of days my ~9 year old Aussie has been difficult to find in my home. There aren’t many places he can go, but somehow I’ve had to locate him inside the house multiple times. He’s hiding in places he doesn’t usually hang out. My closet, behind the babies rocking chair, behind the door in my husbands office. It’s all unlike him. I know aussies can be nervous wrecks but I’m worried he’s looking for a place to die

He’s eating, playing and drinking just fine. My husband has noticed he’s acting a little more skiddish. Maybe because our baby is about to start walking? That’s the only new thing happening in our lives. Though I have been selling a lot of stuff on Facebook market place to prep for a move, so the house is more barren. Are the nerves of moving are getting to him?

If this continues for another day I will make a vet appointment. He just got his shots a few weeks ago and nothing was out of the ordinary then.

When my childhood dog passed 8 years ago I don’t remember him behaving this way in the days leading up to his death. It’s been so long since I’ve lost a pet, I forgot what happens right before they pass.

Thank you for reading and please let me know if you have experience with this sudden change in behavior

 

[sonicblue08]

@peteoro It’s probably the changes in the house. New smells, different furniture. My dog hates moving too. She acts funny every time.

I think the vet idea is a good one though. I’ve worked in vet offices before, and what I’ve found is that dogs don’t really show their sick or injured usually. They do other weird stuff like hide, or pant heavily. I doubt it’s anything serious, but a quick check with a vet is a good idea. Is he hiding from you specifically? When you find him how does he act? Is he doing anything else weird?

 

[peteoro]

@sonicblue08 No thankfully he’s not just hiding from me. He acts happy to see me when I find him eventually. Little nub wag and happily accepts pets.

The baby has started to try to pull himself up on the dog, so having to prevent that from happening as it seems to upset him. It’s work trying to find a balance between baby playing + dog being comfortable. I don’t want him to be scared of the baby touching him, but I also don’t want him stressed. Maybe he’s avoiding the baby and not me lol

 

[sunshineblue]

@peteoro Better check in with a vet, just for peace of mind.

Could likely also be nerves. Some dogs are very in tune with their family. My smaller dog couldn't care less as long as I take her with me. My husky mix is the opposite. He seems very conscious about stress levels and changes and always checks in with me when I'm not doing well.

 

[bvandewalker]

@peteoro Maybe he is picking up on your nervous energy? Our dog also hides sometimes if I'm cranky or when we are physically active in the home, for example cleaning or moving things around, because he knows he will only get told to get out of the way lol. An out of the box idea might be something like a high pitched sound that is new, maybe one of the neighbours installed a new pest control thing/someone got a new garage door opener/new pda's for a delivery company. Or maybe you have a ghost on the premises. Or maybe he is just feeling a bit off from the shots, humans have that too.

 

[peteoro]

@bvandewalker LOL! Not the ghost he’s hiding where my husband has joked about there being one. He also thinks a neighbor may be doing something different that is effecting him. ill have to observe some more

 

[starlit]

@peteoro My 12yo doberman, who always liked to have her own quiet space, became even more so since we had our baby.
We moved after having the kid, and we set her bed far away from the living room, in the most isolated place of the house.

As much as she enjoys staying with us, when our (now 11 month) baby starts moving around or starts making sound, she quietly leaves to go to "her" own quiet room.

It was already her personality and we totally get her. She needs her space. She needs a somehow isolated area where no human, nor baby, will bother her when she needs to rest. Especially at her age, with some health issues. And we respect that.

Now it was already her personality to begin with. But the combo getting old + having a baby around made her need that even more.

So my advice: listen to your dog. As you said, he's still very happy to see you and spend time with you and your family. Even with the baby at time I'm sure. So the way I see it: he is also telling you he is old and needs some quiet time. Respect him and his needs. If there is an isolated spot he likes, try to make it comfortable for him. And keep the baby away from there. I'm sure he will appreciate it.

 

[kentonio]

@peteoro Best to do a vet visit, just in case there's something medical going on. At this age they may develop changes in their sight, hearing which can trigger behavior changes, not to mention signs of canine dementia may pop up. There seems like a lot is going on in your home right now between the baby and the moving, so that for sure can be a culprit. I know of dogs who perceive babies once they start crawling as different so that alone can freak a dog out. I would try to keep him away from all the hustle and bustle associated with the move as it can be stressful especially in an older dog set in their own routines. I would provide him with an area he can retreat to, but it sounds like he has already done this himself. Try to keep his routines the same. DAP sprays/diffusers may help during these transitions.