Runs to the basement and cries

[miltonsmom]

Hello all! I have a 3 1/2 y/o male that I adopted when he was 2 from a rescue shelter. He is wonderful with the happiest disposition imaginable! He loves everyone, especially kids. My husband and I welcomed our first child this year. During my pregnancy, our rott was a little more protective of me and would never leave my side. Our daughter is 4 months now and he just loves her to death, but lately he has been running either to the basement or to the second floor of our house and he pouts, whines or even barks. He wont always come when called, and when he does he acts fine for awhile and then does it again. We continue to give him the same attention we always have and take him and the baby to the park and he enjoys it. I even spend "alone" time with him outside while the baby sleeps so that he still feels wanted. However he will still run and hide and cry somewhere in the house and we can't figure out why. Any help or suggestions will greatly be appreciated. Thanks!!

[Bucky's Mom]

Maybe there is something (squirell, mouse, racoon?) - that has gotten IN your walls and he smells it and HEARS it but can't GET it? - Sounds like he is frustrated by SOMETHING - not the baby - just a thought.

[Mojave's Mom]

Have you taken him to the vet to have him checked out physically? Maybe he's not feeling well sometimes and that's how he deals with it?

I dunno, it's my best guess at an answer...I'm completely stumped!

[sparklemom]

I'm no expert, but I know animals hide when they are sick. Like Sandy said, maybe he needs to go to the vet?

[Oscar24]

My quess is: yes maybe something in the basement like a mouse or something else

[Birdie'sMom]

How do you respond when he does this? If you go and find him and talk to him or give him attention, then maybe it is a way that he learned to get your attention. I'm not implying that you are not paying enough attention to him, but maybe he's just an attention mooch. Birdie is. I have no kids yet and she gets most of my attention, but if for some reason I am not paying attention to her - like if I'm on the phone, she comes over and nudges my hand. She has learned that if she does that she will get my attention in some form - we are working on that one!;)

Just a thought!;)

[lblax]

Originally posted by Oscar24
My quess is: yes maybe something in the basement like a mouse or something else

or a poltergiest

[moondog]

I don't think he's doing it for attention. Dogs think in simple terms and if he was looking for negative attention he would either be nosing and/or pushing at you or doing something obnoxious within view, not running to the basement. That's pretty complex thinking. Either there's a critter living in the walls there that he wants to get at or there's something physically wrong (as in pain).

If you watch him in the basement while he's doing this, you should be able to tell if he's interested in a certain place on the wall. He will not be whining "at the room" in general, but it will be focused towards a specific place. If that's not the case, I'd take him to the vet for a thorough going-over.

My son's hamster was among the missing for two weeks once....we couldn't find him anywhere. The only reason we found him at all is because our cat kept showing an interest in one corner of the kitchen. I finally got down on the floor to try to figure out what he was hearing, and I could hear a very faint rustling behind the baseboard. We pulled the baseboard off and sure enough, there was the hamster! He had survived for two weeks back there with nothing but a popcorn seed to munch on! Hunter kitty saved him. :)

[miltonsmom]

He is not sick and it is not just the basement he runs to, it is also the second floor or the bedroom....we don't have any critters or mice and no, we do not have any poltergeists!! It sounds like he just wants even more attention, because like Birdies mom, he nudges me whenever I get on the phone too! Thank you all for your responses!

[moondog]

I can't for the life of me figure out why a dog that's looking for attention would run away from you to the farthest corners of the house to get it. Makes no sense to me.

[sparklemom]

can't for the life of me figure out why a dog that's looking for attention would run away from you to the farthest corners of the house to get it.

Because he knows she'll come running after him...

[Sharon Marples]

What precedes this action? Is there anything that you can put two and two together that you can come up with that triggers this behavior?

Something is triggering it, try to keep an eye on him and see if you can find something that is happening to him, something he hears, sees or feels that triggers the action. This is not normal, there is something going on with him.

Sure is baffeling!

Sharon

[miltonsmom]

Moondog, I understand what you are saying, however not everything dogs do will make sense...he is not whineing at anything in particular, i.e. a wall, door, etc....and he was checked out completely and is in excellent health...our house is not that big, so he is always within earshot and doesn't have to "run away" from us....after speaking with his vet and getting ideas from everyone here, we believe that he does it for more attention or to be "included" more when I am with the baby, which seems to be the time that he does it the most....he just needs to learn to share the attention, since he was the baby of the house and went everywhere with me and now my daughter goes everywhere with me and he probably feels as if she is taking his place in that respect, and he knows that if he is absent from whatever room we are in, then I will notice and go get him and give him attention.....

[Mojave's Mom]

If you believe it's because of lack of attention then I would recommend you make EXTRA special time for him. When your hubby is around or someone else can watch the baby, try taking him alone in a car ride, just so he knows he can still do that with you. I think what you've been doing (making sure to spend time with him still) is VERY good stuff. Maybe try upping it a bit more. Perhaps start a new tradition with him every day. Where every day at a certain time (especially if the baby is AWAKE, not asleep) do something special with him alone (as long as someone can watch the baby of course). Keep on keeping on with old habits you had when it was just him....I know you can't do it as often anymore, but try to do it as often as you can...WITHOUT the baby so he understands it's not all revolved around the baby (especially if you're only spending time with him when the baby is ASLEEP.) And stop going to to him when he does his "pouting" thing (I'm sure you figured that out though ;) )

Hope this helps...

[moondog]

I'm of the belief that everything makes sense. If something doesn't make sense to us, it's only because we don't understand it yet. :)

Try Mojave's Mom's suggestions. If it's attention he's after, that should take care of it. If you try it and he continues with the behavior, don't stop trying to figure it out until you've found the answer, because there is most definitely something going on with him.