Suicidal Dog????
Written by suzmcol
This is an odd one--my happy, relaxed male mixed breed of 7 years (he's a mix of staffordshire terrier and they think german shepherd) has recently attempted to jump out of the windows of our 3rd floor apartment. To do so, he has ripped through and then knocked out the screen and started to crawl out, foiled by my neighbors who luckily noticed the falling screen from above. The first time was about a week ago within an hour of my leaving the apartment but he was lured back in by the buzzer and seemed to be fine. The second occurrence was yesterday and was more concerning as I had just left to run a quick errand. When I returned 15 minutes later, it was to my neighbors on the fire escape who were trying to keep him from falling all the way out. Luckily, someone on the street had spotted him and had jumped up onto the fire escape and was holding him by the collar until I arrived and was able to pull him back in. What could cause this behavior? He has never done anything like this in the 7 years I have had him and I can't imagine why. He is used to being alone and has never exhibited anxiety in this way. What could make a dog do this? And more than once?
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Suzmcol, that is odd behavior and distressing for you. An older dog who dispalys unusual behavior may be the first indication of an underlying medical problem. A trip to the vet for a thorough going over would be a great first step. The vet may also suggest some blood work which can help rule in or out any early disease process. Although your pooch is only around 7 in dog years, if you think of it in human years he is between 50 and 60.
If your dog comes out with a clean bill of health, the next things to consider are there changes in the enviroment, diet, pets, people, your health? Is there anything going on in the way of construction or loud noises outside your apartment? Some older dogs can also be very uncomfortable with thunderstorms even if they have never had a problem. Is he being destructive inside, aside from the window?
When you leave your dog alone, make sure he is a safe as you can keep him. If he is in danger of breaking a window, you may need to install some window safety bars. (such as those used to prevent children from falling) If you have neighbors that are willing to keep an ear and eye out for you, let them know when you are going out. You can also try some distractions recommended for dogs with separation anxiety. It may also be helpful to take him for a bit longer walk than you normally do if his health is up for it. Good luck and let us know how you both are doing.
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