Riley's weird behavior.....I want it to STOP NOW! HELP!

[Scarlette]

Riley just started this new thing 2 weeks ago where she will go by a certain chair at Jeff's house and start barking at it, then she runs in circles doing a high pitched bark and does what I call a "flat spin". She's not actually chasing her tail, but spinning around in circles barking the whole time. She will spin so much that when she stops she falls over from being dizzy. I thought maybe she would spin herself out of it but NO! She will keep doing it until we stop her. I can easily distract her with a toy, but the second I stop playing with her she will go right back over to that chair and start barking and spinning. She even tries to bite the chair.

Last night we moved the chair to a different area. Riley ran over to where the chair used to sit (in a corner) and started barking and spinning again, then ran over to where we moved the chair and bit it, then ran back over to the corner and barked and spun some more.

What the heck is going on??? It got to the point where she was ignoring my distraction technique and continuously barking and spinning. I had to put her in her crate because I was afraid she would spin herself into vomiting. I tried holding her in my lap but she wanted no part of that. I tried going over to her, stopping her mid spin and shook my head NO. I did that quite a few times and it didn't work.

HELP!!!!

[Formula86]

i just had to comment because, although i know you are frustrated, this is actually kind of... funny. my only thought is maybe she sees a ghost. i have no idea. i'm sure someone else will have some suggestions, though.

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Oooohhh...It sounds as if it's possible she has a spinning disorder. They are one of the possible health concerns in Bull Terriers.
http://www.petsmart.com/ps/guides/as...34198673312591
http://critterweb.com/btneuro/study_info.htm

What is tail chasing or spinning in dogs?

Compulsive tail chasing may be a displacement or compulsive disorder in some dogs, but could also be a type of epileptic disorder, or due to physical discomfort or medical illness. Some cases such as those seen in bull terriers may exhibit a more intense spinning or whirling behavior. Other concurrent behavior problems such as aggression have been reported in "spinning" bull terriers. In some cases, the problem may have started as play behavior that was conditioned (rewarded) by the owner. Once underlying medical problems are treated and an epileptic disorder has been ruled out, behavior and drug therapy is much the same as for other compulsive disorders

From http://www.pethealthcare.net/html/bo...ic_and_di.html

Riley may need a trip back to the vet...the second site I posted has a lot to do with case studying this disorder particularly in Bull Terriers. I hope this helps

[Tilt]

I didn't know dogs could have those kinds of problems who weren't in seriously bad situations. (Like puppy mill dogs do the spinning and whirling. Poor things.)

[Formula86]

wow mandie. i didn't know about that. i hope little riley is ok scarlette!

[Chinchilla_Girl]

I had heard of it, but didn't know it was so prominant in Bull Terriers...Looks like it is treatable though if it's a medical condition...so that's a positive point

[Scarlette]

Quote: Originally Posted by formula86 i just had to comment because, although i know you are frustrated, this is actually kind of... funny. my only thought is maybe she sees a ghost. i have no idea. i'm sure someone else will have some suggestions, though.

The first time she did it we actually thought of it being some sort of ghost. She acted like she was playing with someone/something. It's VERY common for strange occurences to happen at Jeff's house...lights go on and off by themselves, stuff moves on it's own, the pots and pans rattle almost every morning at 4am....

I don't think it's an obsessive/compulsive disorder because she doesn't do it at home. She will chase her tail every once in awhile but it only lasts a few minutes. I'll look at those sites though Mandie. Thanks!

[Formula86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scarlette The first time she did it we actually thought of it being some sort of ghost. She acted like she was playing with someone/something. It's VERY common for strange occurences to happen at Jeff's house...lights go on and off by themselves, stuff moves on it's own, the pots and pans rattle almost every morning at 4am....

agh! i would NOT stay there! spooky!!

[Scarlette]

Geez Mandie, those links made me paranoid and depressed.

She doesn't do it all the time and doesn't seem obsessed.....yet. She does it only at Jeff's house, usually at night when we're trying to watch tv and it's only happened a few times. Maybe it's her way of getting the attention focused back on her. She loves to be the center of attention (and she usually is! )

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scarlette Geez Mandie, those links made me paranoid and depressed. She doesn't do it all the time and doesn't seem obsessed.....yet. She does it only at Jeff's house, usually at night when we're trying to watch tv and it's only happened a few times. Maybe it's her way of getting the attention focused back on her. She loves to be the center of attention (and she usually is! )

I truely hope that its a ghost and not a spinning disorder...I used to live in a very old house (in Michigan) that we were convinced was haunted...weird things happened all the time and it wasn't uncommon for the cats and dogs in the house to decide a corner of the sitting room needed to be delt with. Actually, there were several spots in the house the animals didn't like...we would have thought it a fluke but 9 cats and 3 dogs all agreed on those areas....

[Scarlette]

Well, she still hasn't it done it at home so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's ghosts. Geez, how crazy does that sound?!

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scarlette Well, she still hasn't it done it at home so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's ghosts. Geez, how crazy does that sound?!

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed as well
(as weird as that sounds )

[dappledoxie]

Ugh, I have no idea what could be going on other than what Mandie has suggested. I hope it's nothing major...

[Chicklet]

Before reading further (and not realizing it could actually be something medically wrong), my first thought was a ghost or spirit of some kind too. My kids swear my house is haunted (we live in a 100 year old farm house) and my dogs would bark and growl at something for no reason. Their hair would actually stand up.

I truly hope it's something like that.

Keep us posted.

[jeannie]

Well it sounds like for one reaso n or another your boyfriend needs to move.Good luck
Jeannie