Dog freaking out on me!

[ChiliBeans]

My poor dog. Chili has been so jumpy lately, but tonight she really freaked out. I put her upstairs so that she could sleep (it was about ten at night), and all of a sudden she started barking and howling! I brought her back downstairs to calm her down, and she'd just stare at the door and occasionally bark and growl really low. She never does that! I'm guessing she's just extra vigilant and missing my husband. What do you guys think? Has it happened to any of you?

[Debi]

Sometimes both my dogs will do that...just jump up and start barking, growling. I then look outside, of course.......look EVERYWHERE...and see nothing. You know how good a dog's hearing is, tho.......guess THEY hear something!

[Renee750il]

LOL! Happens quite a lot here, especially in the rare circumstance that Charley's not here. Fortunately, if I want to, I can let a couple of mine out to satisfy their curiousity and the third one stays to watch me. They've really got a system and work together, which is typical of the breed. Bimmer's always the advance scout, being the quickest (and bravest at this point - that's my guy!). With little Chili, you may have to make a show of investigating to settle her down, since you obviously can't let her do it on her own.

[tl_ashmore]

Bula and Dixie do that too. But they will bark and growl at their shadows...Usually, when they do it though, there is a racoon or a cat outside.

[ChiliBeans]

LOL...Chili's definitely "all bark and no bite"! I took her up to the window of the door and held her up so that she could look outside. I'm sure that helped her.

[avenlee]

hehehehe that's definately my Nora (all bark and no bite). I find that when my dogs and cat start acting strangely, there's usually always a full moon out or there's a storm coming and just let the process go.

Do any of you find that hapen to your pets?

[RedHotDobe]

Duke did that one night. He was going to all the windows and doors barking, growling, snarling. I sure as heck wasn't going outside to see what it was though, so I just let him keep barking at whatever it was. I'm sure if there was anybody out there, he scared the crap out of them. I know he was scaring me half to death. Plus, he's not one to bark at nothing. Except for those things he "sees."

[bogolove]

Brady usually barks at anyone who is walking their dog, or walking by our house. He also is all bark b/c if i let him out all he would do is run up and play with the dog or make friends with the person.

[Brattina88]

One time last year Maddie really freaked out... Her hair stood up all over, she was growling lower than I thought was physically possibly and trembling. She even curled the corners of her mouth up to show her teeth. I saw nothing, of course, but the next day it was in the paper - the police was chasing a guy who had just killed his wife and tried to drown the 16mo old baby on foot in the dark. They ending up catching him two houses down, with a canine unit finally stopping him. I don't think it Maddie's behavior the same night was a coincidence
Your dog probably has a good reason for what she does - she just hasn't told you yet

[ChiliBeans]

Oooh, how scary! I feel good to know that she has that extra-keen sense to know when something just isn't "right." Even if it's not really anything, it makes me more aware when Chili gets that way. Now that I think about it, our neighbors are moving out, and she probably heard some bumping around from their unit. It's pretty scary, though, when she behaves that way and I'm alone at night!