Why is my 2-year-old unspayed dog whining and sleeping in mud?

If you dog is an unspayed female, she could be pregnant or having a false pregnancy. According to petMD, false or pseudopregnancy "is a term used to denote a common condition in a non-pregnant female dog that is showing symptoms of pregnancy, lactation, or nursing, without producing puppies. The affected female dog shows these symptoms about a month or two after her estrus (heat) is over. A hormonal imbalance is thought to play a central role in affected female dogs. Depending on the severity of problem, the symptoms may last for more than a month." Affected dogs may display behavioral changes, including restlessness, nesting and mothering activity. Regardless of whether she is spayed or unspayed, it is important that you have her examined by a veterinarian to rule out underlying medical causes, with symptoms such as pain or discomfort, for her behavioral changes. http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/reproductive/c_dg_false_pregnancy

Hello. With any odd change in behavior, you do want to follow up with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Hormonal changes from cystic ovaries, for example, can cause unusual behavior, & in an unsprayed older pet, the development of a pyometra could potentiate subtle signs of pain or discomfort. You should definitely make Minou an appointment to have some routine blood work done, followed up by any diagnostic imaging such as x-rays or ultrasound to be sure there are no underlying medical reasons for her unusual behavior. I hope all is well & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If she is not spayed, this could be a false pregnancy symptom: https://www.petcoach.co/article/false-pregnancy-in-dogs/ It could also be anxiety or just Pepa just REALLY likes this toy. I do recommend to spay all dogs not intended to breed as this is beneficial for health: https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/ I hope this helps.

If your dog is whining or "digging" at bedding, it may be that she is attempting to nest with her favorite toys. Dogs that are unspayed may be showing signs at the beginning of a heat cycle (displaying nesting behavior to get things ready for puppies), however spayed dogs may also have this behavior just as a comforting factor. Digging helps create a nice soft bed, and bringing a toy means having something to cuddle! It may also be that your dog is feeling a little distressed or bored, especially if the behavior happens when you are doing something else (such as focused on another task, or out of the home). If this is the case, providing a nice place for your dog to rest (such as a big bed or a kennel) may help. Providing toys that also distract such as ones filled with treats or puzzles can also help with anxiety. Leaving behind a shirt or object that smells like you in the bed may also help to comfort your dog if she is anxious. If you are concerned about your dog's behavior and do not think it is related to anxiety or normal doggie behavior, it is always a good idea to make an appointment with your local vet. Your vet can perform a complete examination and rule out any signs of illness or pain to make sure everything is OK.

Certainly, she could be pregnant, if she's not spayed and she's had contact with an intact male dog. However, hiding is a very general sign of many illnesses and just generally feeling unwell. Your best course of action would be to take Lilly to the vet, who should be able to 1.) determine if she is pregnant and about to have puppies soon and 2.) if she's not pregnant, exactly what is causing her to act like this.

It could be that Sparkles is in heat. When dogs are in heat, they can experience behavior changes and this includes being more clingy with their owners. A dog's heat typically lasts around three weeks, and if you don't want puppies, I would keep her away from all intact male dogs and do not allow her outside unsupervised. I would also recommend spaying her, this would prevent a pyometra from occurring. A pyometra is a life threatening infection of the uterus. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Milly's behaviour may be hormonal and she may be having a pseudo pregnancy. She will probably make a nest into which she carries her soft toys, and she may be grumpy with the other dog because of that. If you think she may be ill, please take her to your vet for an exam.