My dog is suddenly clingy, panting, and having accidents. What's wrong?

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Your description sounds most suspicious of generalized anxiety. There may have been something that spooked your dog recently to cause the behavior change, making him want to be near you all the time and causing him to seek reassurance. However, given his breed, it's also possible that he's just got too much pent-up energy - many high energy breeds can develop either anxiety or boredom if they aren't given an outlet for their energy and a way to tire themselves out. I recommend making sure your dog has a way to RUN his energy off daily. (with his breed and age, a walk probably won't cut it). You can take him running, or if he's ball motivated, throwing a ball is a great option to get him running. Fenced in dog parks are good options too. If tiring him out doesn't help reduce his clingy behaviors, I recommend consulting your vet and having them do a physical exam and likely some screening bloodwork. Sometimes panting, whining, and being generally clingy are the dog's way of telling us that something's not right, which can be the first sign of a disease or health problem. I hope this helps!

I strongly recommend you schedule a full health check and blood panel as soon as possible - heart, kidney and hormonal conditions can all cause similar signs and older dogs can sometimes also suffer a dementia like condition. All of these can be managed medically if diagnosed early

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There can be multiple reasons for a dog to suddenly act clingy: fear, separation anxiety, and medical conditions. Medical conditions could be: pain, anal gland issues, fleas, overall nausea from kidney or liver disease, brain tumor or as some dogs age they develop cognitive dysfunction or doggie dementia. If Snicker's behavior persists then I recommend an exam and possibly blood work be done by your Vet. Sadly his symptoms are non-specific and can mean many different things. I hope this helps and I wish you and Sage the best!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Casper. No, I don't think this is good. I'm concerned this can be a sign that he's sick, in pain, stressed, or scared. Keep a close eye on him tonight and if he's still acting this way in the morning, have him seen by a vet for a health check. Best of luck.

If only Cooper could talk! This type of behavior could be related to something like anxiety or to pain/discomfort. I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian who will check for evidence of pain on the physical exam. They may also check a urine sample or the anal glands as well. Since he can't talk, it's best to play it safe. Best of luck.

These types of behaviors could be caused by pain, anxiety, internal medical issues, cognitive dysfunction from old age, seizures, etc. Without seeing a vet, it is hard to tell what could be going on and I can't really make any specific recommendations. Be available to comfort him. You can also try doggie pheromones like Comfort Zone or Adaptil.

Poor Gibson! As dogs age, they can develop canine cognitive dysfunction (similar to dementia in humans) or decreases in their hearing and sight, which can result in anxiety and behavioral changes. Restlessness, panting and sudden jumping could also be a sign of pain. At this point, your best bet is to take Gibson to his vet for evaluation to determine if he has any apparent sources of pain, which could be managed with pain medication. If not, your vet will be able to discuss some of the different medication options to try to manage cognitive dysfunction, but these are not always overly effective. I hope that all goes well!