Why is my senior dog suddenly whining and crying when I walk away?

Whining can be caused by a number of different things - pain, anxiety, frustration, or loneliness are all common reasons that dogs might whine. It can also be an attention-seeking behavior in some cases, especially if she has learned that this is an effective way to get your attention. Older dogs may also whine more as a symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction, which is similar to Alzheimer's disease or dementia in humans. If this is a recent behavior change for Sally Mae, I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam to see if there is a medical reason for the whining - she may be painful or not feeling well for some reason. If this is normal, you could try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps, or make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to evaluate her in person and help determine what may be causing this behavior.

If he is truly 17 years old then this could be due to cognitive disorder which is similar to dementia. There isn't much you can do about this but you could try to put him on anipryl which can sometimes help but the meds are expensive. If he is younger like it looks in the pictures, this could be from several things like a new anxiety (construction workers, storms, change in his owner(s) routine, etc), pain somewhere, and more. I would have your vet do a thorough exam on him. If everything looks normal, I would talk to him about anti-anxiety meds if needed. Some natural things to try is a calming collar like adaptil and calming chews like vetriscience composure or the stronger prescription version composure pro. I hope this helps!

This could be due to a behavioral change (anxiety, fear, etc.) or it could be caused by an underlying health problem. Pain and discomfort due to a variety of causes can make dogs vocalize and seek human attention. I recommend taking him to your vet for a health evaluation to make sure that there is not a physical cause of this behavior change. Your vet can talk with you about ways to change the behavior if it turns out there is no underlying medical issue.

The behavior changes you describe could be a sign of pain somewhere or a number of other problems - sometimes it’s difficult to say what might be wrong when signs are relatively vague. Abnormal behavior and whining does not necessarily sound like an urgent problem to me unless he is showing other signs of illness as well. If you are very concerned or if Herbie has had other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, coughing or a change in urination you could see if you can move up your appointment with your vet.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry that Dodge is having these issues. Whining and crying is often due to pain or stress. If he is still eating and drinking well, and not having any other issues then it could be that he has arthritis and that is causing some pain or discomfort. Try to keep a journal of when he is crying/whining including time of day, as well as what he did that day (did he have a big walk, was he outside or inside all day, did he do a lot of stairs that day, what food did he eat that day, did he get a lot of treats that day, etc) This will help determine what the problem is. This information will help your vet determine the problem. Best of luck with Dodge.

I am sorry to hear about Belle. Your information doesn't mention her age. If Bell is an older dog, it is possible she could be suffering from Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. This can cause some dogs to wake and cry at odd hours of the night. Sometimes pets may also wake from pain due to arthritis as they get older. I have attached several articles here you can look at to see if they sound like they could relate to Belle. I would recommend an exam by her vet to see if they feel she is in discomfort or having any mental changes that could be the cause of this behavior. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2549, http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3189

I wish our pets could talk. This could be behavioral or medical. Pain from arthritis can cause behavior changes. Dogs can become senile, it could be separation anxiety. Changes in senses like blindness or deafness can cause behavior change. I would recommend an exam to rule out medical problems before assuming it is behavioral. I am a big fan of crate training to give dogs a sense of security and safety. Get a nice orthopedic bed and favorite treats or toys to make this a safe enjoyable space. Hope that helps.