Old dog driving us potty

[PumpingRSI]

We have a very old pug. He’s deaf after a few ear infections and his eye sight is going. He is starting to get very barkey and belligerent. Barks whenever someone is in the kitchen, a door is closed, left on his own for a few minutes. It’s driving us round the bend, esp with young children waking them up etc.

I get that he’s prob getting anxious but he also just wants food and treat (which we don’t do) and is under your feet all the time. I don’t want him to injure himself by getting trodden on but he is always in the way esp in kitchen, but barks relentlessly if he’s shut out of there whilst we cook or make drinks. Help! Is it going to be like this too the end? Do we try and get a crate and at least he has that security and he’s safe in there when we’re cooking or it’s a busy time?

This is your family dog yet you are writing about him as if he’s nothing more than a nuisance! He’s sticking close by because he’s old and might even have some dementia. He feels secure in your presence. Does he have a dog bed? I’d move that to the kitchen or put one in the kitchen so he’s out of the way but still close. It’s not his fault you got a small dog that will get under your feet! He needs lots of love and affection now he’s an old man. My dog is 14 now and I’ve definitely noticed her following me around more and yes barking too - especially at the bottom of the stairs as she doesn’t like going up them anymore. So I help her. I reassure her. I do give her treats as I think she probably has months left and it won’t make much difference to her health. Be kind to your old boy.

You need to take your dog to the vets as soon as possible. It sounds like he has dementia and there is medication available that can help him.

Please don't get annoyed with him. He can't help it. He'll be anxious, scared, unsure and doesn't understand what's happening.

Poor dog

Time for a vet check up OP. Your dog may need medication or it may be time to PTS if he's finding life increasingly distressing and he can't settle, but you need to find out what is going on with him so you can do the right thing.

Isn’t it a shame when the cute puppy grows up and becomes old and gnarley! - SARCASM.

How utterly dreadful to speak of your precious dog in such an uncaring manner.

When you take a dog into your family you devote your time and loving care at each stage of its life. The puppy years full of mischief and training them, the adult years of a much loved companion and family member and love, respect, caring and nursing them in their dotage.

You sound completely callous.

Let me be clear, we love the very bones of him. He’s with us 24/7, always has company, lovely cosy dog bed with us in the lounge, treats and cuddles, gets tucked up at night and has had the best life and care a dog could hope for. But the barking when we go into the kitchen is v noisy and not nice for him or us. And his eagerness to get under our feet in the hope that we drop food by accident is going to make one of us trip up, or hurt him and I want to avoid that. I don’t want to stress him out any more than is possible so wondered if crating him might help keep him out of the way at busy traffic times. Our kitchen is too small and a corridor to outside so no room for a bed, plus it’s a cold room so he’s better with us in cosy lounge.

He also starts barking over an hour before his breakfast or dinner time, and when we’re in kitchen so is just governed by his stomach as he’s quite and restful at other times.

Useful to know about dementia (tho he can tell if his dinner time is 3 minutes overdue), so will get that checked out.

I would crate him while you're in the kitchen so that he's safe but he's in your presence.

If he's that old and on his last legs I wouldn't worry too much about giving him a little bit of extra food. So, if he's barking an hour before his breakfast dinner, could you give him something to chew on that will fill a hole until actual breakfast/dinner time and to keep him occupied.

Similarly, if he's in the crate, could you put a few treats in one of those cones where he has to work to find them so he's occupied and the crate is something that he associates with something good and to tempt him in if he's a bit reluctant to enter.

Oh give over.

Why are some people completely unable to apply any kind of logic or critical thinking when a pet is involved? It’s immediately “oh my good god you are the worst person to have ever existed because you’ve DARED to mutter one negative thing about your dog”. It’s such a childish reaction.

An old dog constantly barking for no reason, with all the other things OP has listed, isn’t her being callous. It’s her acknowledging that he probably isn’t happy and that his behaviour is also making family life incredibly difficult. You can love a dog but also apply some logic to a situation; the two aren’t mutually exclusive.

Sounds like canine dementia. There’s medication that can help, I would book him a vet appointment next week