Is she just growing up?

[Teresa]

Hi, everyone

 

My 3 year old girl used to be trouble. I still laugh at most of the discussions about young setters driving you all crazy, while I think "heh, that's nothing!"

 

But after her last heat, it looks like someone switched my 3 year old setter by a golden retriever!

No, she is absolutely not pregnant! She is eating well, finally gained some weight, and there is nothing that makes me think she is actually sick, but such a big change is worrying me!

 

She has given up most of the crazy running around and stays by my side while I work or study - NO FUSS! When we go out for our walks, she doesn't run of like that mad dog I used to have - she went so far I used to put a bell in her collar to hear her at the distance! She now stays closer to me, keeping me companied and playing with me, rahter than exploring the woods of the fields... She is happy and playfull, but I guess she is more worried about me than she used to be.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love having her by my side and not being trouble, but it was such a big change and so sudden, that I'm just wondering if this is normal?

[Teresa]

That was exactly my concern, took her to the vet last thursday, did a full check up, blood work was ok, no signs of phantom pregnancy, just a minor ear infection that has been taken care of, and did not seem to bother her at all :)

[Howard Glansfield]

I wonder if she is sensing something amiss with you.Maybe something has happened that distressed you or maybe you are not well.One of my dogs knows when my blood sugars are low (I am a type one diabetic) and will make me respond by nudging me until I do.He normally doesn't do this.The past two weeks I have been quite unwell and both dogs are very aware of it and stay with me.The puppy doesn't!

[Teresa]

You are very lucky to have such dogs, just shows once more that they are trully our best friends!

I had not looked at things from that angle, but there has been something bothering me for a while now... And if i think of it, she has been trully amazing trough the worst moments of it all!

It's just that I would hate to find out that there is something wrong with her, or that for some reason she is holding back on being "setterish"!

[Louise Perry]

Someone I know once said to me that as they mature, they suddenly become your dog completely and it is as tho a switch has been flicked! Now I don't know if that is true but just something your post has reminded me of. My 18 month old runs off into the distance too and I have to whistle him back often to remind him to stay a bit closer. Sorry not much help but just a thought...

[Teresa]

Romã still goes very far, today again... We went for a walk, and i took the leash of, Romã took of like a bullet, Pitanga kept walking quietly by my side as if she had it still on her collar. She eventually ran once or twice, but then came right back to me. Then at home she asked to play for a while.

I think she is not actually sick or anything, and she looks happy as ever, but it's still a huge diference, going from a trouble setter to a quiet dog that will protect me if necessary. I actually like my new dog, my bigger concern is if she is happy like this!

[Jo Ottinger]

What blood work did you do?  Has she received any vaccine shots lately?

[Teresa]

She did the standard tests... Boold cels count, glucose, creatinin, ... there was not a single thing abnormal... She was also testet for "comon" parasites and also leishmaniasis and dirofilariasis in july and makes prevention for both of this desiases, plus external parasites, plus occasional (3/4 times a year) deworming...

The last shot she got was in may

[Teresa]

I hope so! I've had a lot of bad luck with my pets recently, enough to be worried by any small change right now!

[Teresa]

thanks, I'll take that into consideration on our next trip to the vet, in january!

[Ilona & Gina]

Funny. Gina is 2 1/2 years old and some months ago she switched from a wild teenager to a mature lady dog. She stays by my side and asks (by looking at me) if it's alright to run ans sniff a bit. She walks nicely on the lead - if she needs a lead at all. In the beginning, it worried me a bit. I admit I thoroughly enjoy it, too.

 

But her mood changes in accord with mine. Uncanny, really. At times I am a bit anxious as we (our pack) are going through "a rough patch of life". She knows when I am worried and then she seems to be worried to lose me and clings to me, because she senses my insecurities. I try to hide my moods and be "strong". But she still picks up my nervousness. I can't hide.

 

Could it be that Pitanga is such a sensitive young lady?

[Teresa]

Yes, more and more I believe she is, I guess I never really expected it from her, considering how she was. She was never a "bad" or unatached dog, but it has been a big, big change. She has actually learned how to open the kitchen door and lets herself in everytime she feels that I'm too lonely inside or that it's been too long since she checked up on me.

She is also getting more protective of me, if I'm walking my girls alone at night and someone she considers wierd (drunks, mostly) she puts herself between me and the person - the other day she actually bit off the garbage man glove - he had been bothering me for some minutes and tried to grab (or pet, I don't know...) me. When he reached his hand to me she just grabbed the glove and took it of his hand.  Then she stared at him "smiling" until I told her to drop the glove and we went home. She wasn't being agressive or trying to hurt the man, she just didn't want him to hurt me. Other than this kind of people she is kinder than ever with everyone else, plus it feels good to be protected :)

[Lindsey Jones]

Sounds to me as if she has just matured.  My elder bitch is nearly 4 and very much a lady although she loves a good rummage in the woods, we walk every morning for about an hour always off lead and she always keeps fairly close to me, this is such a change to 18 months ago when she ran rings around me, darting off when she was due to go back on the lead. My younger setter is 2 1/2 and is still very much an adolescent, finds fun in everything but is sometimes a bit taxing when trying to get her back on the lead, although touchwood she seems to have improved over the past week or so!

 

If all the tests have come back OK, I would relax and enjoy the calmness!