Why is my senior dog scratching and barking after a recent move?

I am sorry to hear about Churro, what a cutie he is! If this is a recent change I would wonder if he could have an allergy to something in the environment since your move, or if the new location could have an external parasite such as fleas that he has now been affected by. I would recommend an exam by his vet to check for possible causes, particularly since he is having some lethargy as well. The vet can recommend medication to help with itching if necessary to help Churro be more comfortable!

This sounds like territorial behavior. Dogs are naturally driven to mark their territory. You’re probably aware that dogs urinate on objects to claim them as their own, but that isn’t the only way to mark territory. Dogs have glands in their paws that leave a distinctive scent on bedding or other objects whenever they scratch. Both male and female dogs can do this. Dogs are more likely to return to a bedding spot if they already feel it’s theirs. This may be why scratching behaviors sometimes begin or intensify when a new pet or person has moved into the house, or there has been another type of major change in the household. Since this is a new dog to your house she is likely marking her territory. I see that listed her as not spayed. If she is pregnant and getting ready to have her puppies she may do this behavior as well. I sure hope she is not pregnant at 13 years of age! Hope this helps. Best wishes.

First thing you need to do is to get Yoko to your vet for an exam. Often times when older dogs have a significant behavior change it is due to an underlying medical condition. So, you need to rule that out first. She could be having vision or hearing issues. She may be in pain somewhere (arthritis). If nothing is found by the vet then you really need to seek the help of a professional IN-HOME dog trainer. Hope this helps.

At his age, it could be a degree of canine cognitive dysfunction (senility). You would need to have Chewy examined by your veterinarian for confirmation. If this is the case, there are medications and other treatment options. https://www.petcoach.co/article/aging-gracefully-6-things-to-know-about-canine-cognitive-dysfunct/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-signs-of-cognitive-dysfunction-in-dogs/

I'm sorry to hear that Seraph lost her friend last year. It's certainly possible that she's experiencing some loneliness, but I would have expected the behavior changes to start right after your other dog's passing. Given her age, the other thing to bear in mind is that she may be starting to develop some cognitive dysfunction, vision loss, or hearing loss. Any of these changes can manifest with some degree of separation anxiety and barking changes. If you're planning to get another dog, I doubt that it will make matters worse for Seraph, but there's certainly no guarantee that it will help her barking and anxiety either. These articles have a lot more information for you to consider: https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-signs-of-cognitive-dysfunction-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/aging-gracefully-6-things-to-know-about-canine-cognitive-dysfunct/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/is-my-dog-experiencing-hearing-loss/ https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/acquired-deafness-and-hearing-loss/ I hope this helps a bit and that everything goes well for Seraph!

Any abnormal behavior that is seemingly unexplained warrants an exam by your vet. You need to rule out an underlying medical problem before you assume it is behavioral especially if nothing has changed in the environment. You have a few options: 1. Have your vet check him over - especially his vision and hearing to rule out a medical issue. The lighting may be causing him issues in those particular rooms. 2. Something may have scared him in those rooms. Don't force him to go in there and just leave him be. He doesn't have to sleep in there with you. 3. Contact a professional, in-home dog trainer to come over and assess the situation to see if this is a behavioral issue that can be corrected.

I wouldn't jump to thinking the end is near from what you're seeing so far. I think he needs a general exam and full blood work to see how his organs are working. It would be helpful to get a video of the barking event to show your vet (and also probably nearly impossible, but give it a try). Also try to notice if he is aware of his surroundings when the barking episodes happen. If not, I would be more concerned about seizures, which would be more serious. I hope you find out nothing serious is going on soon!