What does he want?

PatchonGSD · 11-15-2012, 02:19 PM

Balen has been doing this for a little while now, and I've been trying to figure it out, but I'm not sure what he wants.

Its starts with me putting Kolton to bed for the night. He sleeps with me when my husband is gone overnight for work, which is almost every week. Chloe also sleeps in our room, in her little bed. Its almost always about 2 or so hours after I have laid Kolton down, that Balen will start this high pitched whine, and will come and sit in front of me and look at me for a minute, and then he'll go into the bed room, and stretch himself across the bed, and look at and/or "nose" Kolton. I usually follow him into the room, (because I've been trying to figure this out) and when I walk away, he starts the whole process over again. Whine, look at me, go to Kolton, "check" on him, and repeat the process when I walk away. When he comes to me, he makes the most intense eye contact and doesnt stop until I acknowledge him. Sometimes he gets so worked up he starts barking at me and I have to put the baby gate up to keep him out of that room. Sometimes he will "accept" the baby gate is up and will settle down, and sometimes he doesnt.

When I finally go to bed, after I lay down, he will half way get up on the bed, reach across me to "check" Kolton, and then sniffs my head and face, and plops down on the floor for the rest of the night and is fine. (I do not crate him at night, only when we are gone)

He will sometimes also do this in the morning, if I wake up early and Kolton is still in bed but he isnt as "intense" about it and it isnt every time.

He does not do this when Kolton takes his naps in the afternoon.

I dont want to scold him for this behavior and make him stop but it is starting to kind of get annoying.

I'd like to figure out what it is that he is wanting, as he sure is working hard to "tell" me, whatever it is.

Ideas?

Kyleigh · 11-15-2012, 02:30 PM

Is Kolton sick? Does he have allergies? Does he have night terrors / nightmares? I'm just wondering if Balen is reacting to something "different" than he senses from you - other than it's not you ... see where I am going?

Sunflowers · 11-15-2012, 02:32 PM

Does he sleep somewhere else when your husband is home?
If so, then I think your order loving GSD is having a hard time understanding why Kolton is sleeping elsewhere.

jprice103 · 11-15-2012, 02:38 PM

^ I was thinking the same thing! When my husband works midnights (he's a police officer), sometimes Cheyenne won't settle at night and is super whiney. I believe it is because she isn't used to it just being me in bed....her "order" is disturbed.

Zeeva · 11-15-2012, 02:40 PM

I don't have kids so my perspective is a bit different...Do you pay more attention to Kolton than to Balen? Could Balen be jealous over it and that's his way of showing you he wants more attention?

PatchonGSD · 11-15-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyleigh

Is Kolton sick? Does he have allergies? Does he have night terrors / nightmares? I'm just wondering if Balen is reacting to something "different" than he senses from you - other than it's not you ... see where I am going?

No, Kolton is perfectly healthy but I see where you are coming from. The first couple night when this started I thought he was trying to tell me something was wrong with Kolton, but there never was....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunflowers

Does he sleep somewhere else when your husband is home?
If so, then I think your order loving GSD is having a hard time understanding why Kolton is sleeping elsewhere.

Kolton still sleeps in our bed when DH is home, 95 percent of the time.

Bear GSD · 11-15-2012, 02:50 PM

My last GSD and now Bear (this morning in fact) will usually make the rounds and "check" on us. I will get the cold wet nose in the face, usually in the middle of the night. I tell him , it's ok and to go back to bed.
I think Balen is very bonded to Kolton and he is doing his job of making sure that Kolton is ok....and then letting *you* know that he's ok.

PatchonGSD · 11-15-2012, 02:56 PM

Husband thinks that this could be some form of herding behavior? For some reason, he is deciding that he wants us all in the same room during "night time" and he's either trying to get me to bring Kolton back in the main room, or he's trying to get me to go in there with Kolton. I dont know.

This has been a nightly occurrence for weeks now.

Sunflowers · 11-15-2012, 03:02 PM

Then I think he is not content because your husband is missing.
The entire herd should be accounted for , LOL

PatchonGSD · 11-15-2012, 04:41 PM

He actually snubs his nose at my husband, lol.

11-15-2012, 02:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
PatchonGSD Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,514	What does he want? Balen has been doing this for a little while now, and I've been trying to figure it out, but I'm not sure what he wants. Its starts with me putting Kolton to bed for the night. He sleeps with me when my husband is gone overnight for work, which is almost every week. Chloe also sleeps in our room, in her little bed. Its almost always about 2 or so hours after I have laid Kolton down, that Balen will start this high pitched whine, and will come and sit in front of me and look at me for a minute, and then he'll go into the bed room, and stretch himself across the bed, and look at and/or "nose" Kolton. I usually follow him into the room, (because I've been trying to figure this out) and when I walk away, he starts the whole process over again. Whine, look at me, go to Kolton, "check" on him, and repeat the process when I walk away. When he comes to me, he makes the most intense eye contact and doesnt stop until I acknowledge him. Sometimes he gets so worked up he starts barking at me and I have to put the baby gate up to keep him out of that room. Sometimes he will "accept" the baby gate is up and will settle down, and sometimes he doesnt. When I finally go to bed, after I lay down, he will half way get up on the bed, reach across me to "check" Kolton, and then sniffs my head and face, and plops down on the floor for the rest of the night and is fine. (I do not crate him at night, only when we are gone) He will sometimes also do this in the morning, if I wake up early and Kolton is still in bed but he isnt as "intense" about it and it isnt every time. He does not do this when Kolton takes his naps in the afternoon. I dont want to scold him for this behavior and make him stop but it is starting to kind of get annoying. I'd like to figure out what it is that he is wanting, as he sure is working hard to "tell" me, whatever it is. Ideas? __________________ Balen Patchon Adopted 8-28-12 http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1275860 Failure is success, if you learn from it.

11-15-2012, 02:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kyleigh Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ontario Posts: 1,316	Is Kolton sick? Does he have allergies? Does he have night terrors / nightmares? I'm just wondering if Balen is reacting to something "different" than he senses from you - other than it's not you ... see where I am going? __________________ Marion’s Zoo-Kyleigh, London-cat, Echo-TAG, Ellie-Quaker; www.marionsquilts.com

11-15-2012, 02:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sunflowers Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Florida Posts: 4,826	Does he sleep somewhere else when your husband is home? If so, then I think your order loving GSD is having a hard time understanding why Kolton is sleeping elsewhere. __________________ Norden von Narnia--Hans, dob 1-15-2012 http://pdgf.pitapata.com/uC6lm4.png

11-15-2012, 02:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
jprice103 Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 1,242	^ I was thinking the same thing! When my husband works midnights (he's a police officer), sometimes Cheyenne won't settle at night and is super whiney. I believe it is because she isn't used to it just being me in bed....her "order" is disturbed. __________________ -Jessica Cheyenne von der Price-Sable GSD-12/20/10-CGC Faegan vom Johnson-Haus "Panzer"-Black GSD-12/31/11-S.T.A.R. Puppy

11-15-2012, 02:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
Zeeva Knighted Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,309	I don't have kids so my perspective is a bit different...Do you pay more attention to Kolton than to Balen? Could Balen be jealous over it and that's his way of showing you he wants more attention? __________________ A dog's smile is on his butt! c:

11-15-2012, 02:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
Bear GSD Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Boulder, Colorado Posts: 1,942	My last GSD and now Bear (this morning in fact) will usually make the rounds and "check" on us. I will get the cold wet nose in the face, usually in the middle of the night. I tell him , it's ok and to go back to bed. I think Balen is very bonded to Kolton and he is doing his job of making sure that Kolton is ok....and then letting you know that he's ok. __________________ Bear GSD 10/16/11 Elsa GSD 12/23/03 - 11/10/11

11-15-2012, 02:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
PatchonGSD Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,514	Husband thinks that this could be some form of herding behavior? For some reason, he is deciding that he wants us all in the same room during "night time" and he's either trying to get me to bring Kolton back in the main room, or he's trying to get me to go in there with Kolton. I dont know. This has been a nightly occurrence for weeks now. __________________ Balen Patchon Adopted 8-28-12 http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1275860 Failure is success, if you learn from it.

11-15-2012, 03:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
Sunflowers Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Florida Posts: 4,826	Then I think he is not content because your husband is missing. The entire herd should be accounted for , LOL __________________ Norden von Narnia--Hans, dob 1-15-2012 http://pdgf.pitapata.com/uC6lm4.png

11-15-2012, 04:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
PatchonGSD Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,514	He actually snubs his nose at my husband, lol. __________________ Balen Patchon Adopted 8-28-12 http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1275860 Failure is success, if you learn from it.

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