Peanut has gone MAD!! Help
 

I have such a wacky thing to talk to you guys about. I know Peanut is a little crazy.. he does some really odd things. For instance he will freak out if you flick your finger at him, when a water bottle cracks he will go hide in the closet, sometimes for no reason I will find him under the bbq shaking..??…. This new thing he does I can not even understand it!!

It happened the first time like 2 months ago. When DH and I went to go to sleep I heard this licking sound. I thought he was licking his legs like he does.. but it went on for like 10 mins, and he was also snuffing with his nose.. (like those noises they make when they smell stuff) I go see what he is going and he is licking the base boards… So I stop him and make him go lay in his bed. Well he lays there for a min then he goes and does it again, this time I watch him and he is going behind the dresser, behind the door, any crack and hole he can get behind to lick the base board he goes…. I try to make him stop and he doesn’t..


Well I thought that was just one of his odd nights, NOPE he did it again last night!! Same thing. Behind the doors, licking the base boards.. This time he must have got some dust up his nose because he had a sneeze attack! I couldn’t get him to stop!!

Has Peanut gone MAD??? I know he is odd, but this is beyond me!

Should I try to make him stop this crazy behavior??

Ha ha, sounds a little like my Thor.

I'm not sure about the baseboards, but he sounds like he has an overactive fear response. I would recommend working on this with him, as stress is very hard on the body. #1 help is to get him more exercise. If he's tired, he won't have enough energy to be scared. #2, if you know specific things he's scared of, like flicking fingers, or crackling water bottles (Thor hates these as well), you can practice habituating him to these things. Start small, and give him lots of treats for staying in the feared situation. Just like with people, teaching him to be more confident in specific situations will help his confidence generally, which will help him lead a happier and healthier life.

I think most if not all dogs do something weird/funny. Not sure if this is common but Magnus is afraid of plastic bags. Trash bags more than others. He runs away with his tail tucked between his legs when he hears or sees me with it.

Don't really see any harm in what Peanut's doing unless there's something toxic on that base board or if it's getting ruined by the licks. o_O If you want him to stop, maybe you can spray some bitter apple there? Sorry I can't offer much feedback.

Thank you! Your response was PERFECT!! It makes a lot of sense to me now. I am going to work on the things he is scared of, Ill do a little each day. I know in myself that when he does the whole licking thing at night its not right..Its like an obsessive compulsive behavior, and I don't want him to have that feeling.

You know what is really strange, when the water bottle crack on its own he is scared to death, but when we crack it he is fine, then when we give him the bottle to play with and he cracks it he doesnt care...

P.s Thor hates when you flick your finger at him too?? haha. I thought that was a peanut thing

Ha ha, no, Thor doesn't mind a finger flick (I tested today, just to make sure). However he is afraid of, let's see, grocery bags, shoulder bags, kisses, skate boards, big dogs, little dogs, drinking fountains, velcro, and his walking harness. It's been quite an education for me to understand just how much work it is to help a fearful dog feel safe. Glad I could help. :)

sounds like my bentley! bentley doesnt lick the base boards but he does lick the bottom part of our sliding glass door and the botton window sill where all the nasty dirt and dead flies collect (I do clean my house haha). but he will sit there and lick that nasty bottom part of our sliding glass door non stop, I finally just cleaned it all out perfectly and he stopped. the boy jsut likes dirt I guess. :p

If I pop my lips it freaks my moms yorkie out like crazy. Right away she will run and hide shaking like crazy. lol

I snap my fingers at my dogs all the time, I snap and point towards the door and all 3 take off. lol

Well, I feel bad I dont want my little guy to be scared of anything.. so DH and I are going to work on him. I want him in a good state of mind!! As Ceaser would say, Excersise, disapline then affection!

I woke up an 30 mins early this morning so I can walk him before work, I took him on a good 20 min walk, then I told DH when he gets home he will walk him. Dh gets home at 5, Then later in the evening ( i get home at 530) we both will walk him.. I think about 7 is good, thats 3 walks a day average out to an hour.. I think that will help a lot, then I am going to start making him confront the things he is scared of.!!

I think I will start with the flicking of the finger!! :eek::eek: I know he is going to flip out, but I will stay strong!! :thumbup:

I hope in the end I will get a balanced little peanut dog! AND he will be in a good state of mind and nothing will scare him!!! :rolleyes: Well thats what I hope for haha

That's great! I think the exercise will help a lot. It definitely does with Thor. He's an energetic little guy.