My cocker is so unsettled, what might be wrong?

[JockTamsonsBairns]

I have a lovely 2yo working cocker who I adore - but I can't quite work out what's been going on with her lately. Over the past month or so, she just won't settle - and is pretty much constantly pawing at the door to get out in the garden. A few minutes later, she's pawing to get back in, paces the house for a few minutes, then paws at the door to get back out - and so it goes on.

I live in a rural location, and take her out in the morning for a circular walk through fields and woods for just over an hour - then she's back out for a good walk in the afternoon, just before I do the school run. Apart from a last wee before bed, she refuses point blank to set foot outside in the dark - so her walk at about 2-ish is her last of the day. Could this be causing her restlessness? She's happy in her bed from about 5 til about 8 while I deal with tea and kids' bedtime routines, then as soon as I sit down for the evening, she's at it again - pawing at my leg for something, I get up to let her out the back door, she sees that it's dark and won't go outside!

This is a fairly recent thing, and I can't work out what it is that's bothering her. She has a fairly idyllic life - I only work two days a week, and on the days I'm at work, she'll either go to work with Dh, which she loves, or stays at home with Dd, so she's always got company, and never left on her own for any length of time.

Any ideas what might be unsettling her?

[timeforabrewnow]

On heat?

[JockTamsonsBairns]

Oh! Yes, that's very possible actually! How did I not think of that?? And, there's a boy cocker next door. Thanks, that'll be exactly what it is!

[Lovelydiscusfish]

Are you looking to breed from her? If not, will you get her spayed?
Came on to say, my 8year old, spayed working cocker bitch behaves very similarly to what you describe, at times. It can, I think, be because:
A) she believes there is some kind of rat, or other prey animal, in our courtyard garden, which the cats have introduced.
B) she has a bad tummy and would really like to poo, but is afraid to do so on her own in the dark.
c) there is unexplained (to her) noise which makes her feel like we, her family, are under threat.
All that said, I can't claim to know exactly what she thinks. The behaviour you described just sound so familiar!

[NigelLikesSalad]

Ours usually does this if he's left a toy outside that he suddenly decides he needs.