[riggs]

My 11 yr old mini has always been by my side. He is, what I would consider, a lap dog, but mostly just likes to be in the same room as me. However lately, the minute I sit down, he needs to be on my lap. It doesnt bother me, but it is a change of behavior.

Can an 11 yr old dog develop separation anxiety?. I keep thinking that me being home all the time, due to covid, he seems worried when I have to leave the house for a bit where before it didnt bother to much.

 

[Liz]

It could be separation anxiety, but it could also be a sign that your dog is sick or in pain. Has he had a vet exam recently? Have you seen any other changes - in food, water, or energy?

 

[PeggyTheParti]

My old girl would try to climb me when she was in pain. And then she'd stick like glue, occasionally trembling a little. Has your poodle had a dental exam recently? Tooth pain can be very sneaky.

It's also possible he's feeling cold. Gracie's coat thinned quite a bit with age, so we'd often put her in her stretchy fleece.

 

[fjm]

Sophy gets clingy when she is anxious, which is another thing to consider.

 

[Vita]

However lately, the minute I sit down, he needs to be on my lap. It doesnt bother me, but it is a change of behavior.

It could be separation anxiety, but it could also be a sign that your dog is sick or in pain.

Dogs have a sense of smell that's out of this world. They know when a woman or another pet in the household is pregnant; they can detect cancer, Covid, diabetic drops in blood sugar, and know when seizure or a manic episode will hit just before the person does. They're sense of smell is so good that they are used to locate small external computer jump drives hidden in someone's home.

So while your dog could be newly anxious, sick or in pain, it could likewise know if you are ill. And it's not far-fetched that perhaps someone close to you may have visited and he picked up that Covid scent on them and he doesn't want you near them. If your dog checks out ok at the vet, you may want to consider getting a full exam for yourself.

Good luck.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Vita makes a very good point. Years ago, Gracie was acting very funny around my pregnant friend, who the next day ended up fainting on the subway platform! Her blood sugar was going haywire.

Our poodles are also so tuned into our mental and emotional states. I think covid is causing a lot of "background" stress, which we may not consciously recognize, but dogs definitely do.