Why is Sasha in the closet?

[Pandora]

My 2 year old pit bulll, Sasha, has been acting so strange lately. She has been in the back of the linen closet for a week now. My daughter left for her senior trip and Sasha got strange around then. My daughter is now back home. Sasha seems okay when I cover her up with a blanket with just her nose sticking out. Otherwise she cries alot and now has taken to carrying around her blanket or her stuffed squirrel.

She still jogs in the morning with me and is fine (today she ran the entire route with her stuffed squirrel in her mouth). However, she couldn't wait to get home, scratched at the door to be let in, and ran right to the linen closet - squirrel at her side. At night, we hike in the woods with other dogs and she is just fine. She is eating and drinking fine as well.

Last night she starting walking around, crying, carrying her pink blanket. I covered her up and she seemed okay again. (Note, my house is kept at normal temperature.)

Does anyone have any clues about what might be troubling Sasha?

[lizbud]

This sounds like nesting behavior. Is Sasha spayed? It could
be false pregnancy.

[Pandora]

Thanks for the note.

Sasha is not spayed as she had a few infections at appointment time (bad luck, then went right into heat). Then, last fall she was hit by a car (got under a fence, chasing a big buck). She had a lot of broken ribs, collapsed lung, and the vet is worried about the anaestetic. She went into heat in February.

This dog was basically abandoned (we were puppy sitting and they never came back) when she was about 8 weeks old. I had never even seen a pit-bull and thought she was a beagle-mix.

Thanks again. It is a real thought!

[lv4dogs]

It does seem like nesting behavior, but the crying part worries me, especially since I read about the injuries that have occured with her.
Is there any chance she could have came in contact with a male? Maybe she is pregnant if so.
I would bring her to the vet for an exam just to make sure everything healed normal. And check on the sats about getting her spayed again.
Good luck

[TayWolf]

Sasha could be suffering from separation anxiety. My dog Kelsie does the same thing. When she was younger it was worse. Everytime you left she would get emotionly upset, whinning, cryng, trying to get out. Kelsie is also terrified of loud noises especially thunder. If it looks like its going to storm she wants out(outside dog) of the fence and in the house but if your not careful she'll run off. When she was younger she would hide in her house but now she wants in ours. She gets worse as she gets older.

[Fallon]

I agree you should take her to the vet to make sure everything is ok.. i'd like to be kept updated on this. poor sasha.

[Pandora]

Thanks for the note. Sasha is now out of the closet. I think she had a false pregnancy, but she is better now. Now my Border Collie is getting the closet. It is the strangest thing. Sasha does like company and I think she had a few things going on. Gosh, she is such a lap dog!

Thanks for all the help!