I'm wondering about something I saw my mother's dog do this weekend. Abby is 13-14 years old; a medium size dog...truly a mutt. She looks like she has some kind of "spaniel" in her but we've heard so many opinions on what breeds may be in her lineage I just don't know.
My mother was out of the house for an extended period of time on Saturday so she asked me to go let Abby out. I put her out on a lead and started playing with my mother's 3 cats. Abby barked to come in and then she kept barking, whining and dancing in the direction of the front door. I ended up taking her on a walk. Funny dog! She was panting after a trip around the block but not exhausted. She got excited when we passed a house with 4 unleashed dogs (one was a nursing mother and 2 of her puppies....not an owner in sight....) but I was able to control her well enough there. Abby has lost her hearing (most if not all) so it's harder give commands. I'm not used to whatever is working for my parents. (I kept trying to talk to her like a cat.
That does not work!
)
That brings me to my question. It was dinner time when I got back so I fed Abby. Mom has a wooden platform with 2 bowls. I split the food between them because I wasn't sure how much she normally eats. I text my mother to ask and Abby ate most of one bowl while I was doing that. She walked away for a minute and then when she went back over; she started knocking her nose/snout into both bowls; making them bang around since they each sit in a hole cut into the platform. She then finished off the one bowl and then did the nose banging thing on the other. It was almost as if she was burying it?? I've never seen her do this before. Our old dog never did either. But it makes me wonder if she is having problems with her eyesight too? She saw those dogs across the street; but perhaps things up close are hard to see? Abby has been the only dog in the house for 5 years as of next month. She has no competition for food. I've just never seen this; but if a problem with her vision is starting I'd rather we know now.
Thanks for any insight you might have!
My mother was out of the house for an extended period of time on Saturday so she asked me to go let Abby out. I put her out on a lead and started playing with my mother's 3 cats. Abby barked to come in and then she kept barking, whining and dancing in the direction of the front door. I ended up taking her on a walk. Funny dog! She was panting after a trip around the block but not exhausted. She got excited when we passed a house with 4 unleashed dogs (one was a nursing mother and 2 of her puppies....not an owner in sight....) but I was able to control her well enough there. Abby has lost her hearing (most if not all) so it's harder give commands. I'm not used to whatever is working for my parents. (I kept trying to talk to her like a cat.
That brings me to my question. It was dinner time when I got back so I fed Abby. Mom has a wooden platform with 2 bowls. I split the food between them because I wasn't sure how much she normally eats. I text my mother to ask and Abby ate most of one bowl while I was doing that. She walked away for a minute and then when she went back over; she started knocking her nose/snout into both bowls; making them bang around since they each sit in a hole cut into the platform. She then finished off the one bowl and then did the nose banging thing on the other. It was almost as if she was burying it?? I've never seen her do this before. Our old dog never did either. But it makes me wonder if she is having problems with her eyesight too? She saw those dogs across the street; but perhaps things up close are hard to see? Abby has been the only dog in the house for 5 years as of next month. She has no competition for food. I've just never seen this; but if a problem with her vision is starting I'd rather we know now.
Thanks for any insight you might have!