I was just wondering if any of you had noticed this before? My dogs, when they're still wet and back from a walk or swimming session, seem to be doing the same thing when back at home. They appear very restless even though they're obviously tired and want to sleep; they keep getting up and lying down again somewhere else, furiously kicking their hind legs. Any of you seen this before? Any clues?

My first reaction was that maybe the exercise is just a bit too much and I'd cut it down a bit but I may be totally wrong. Also when you say swimming do you mean a proper hydrotherapy pull as I would have expected them to have drying facilities so they would be pretty dry before they leave

The only times that I've ever seen any of my lot doing this is when they've walked through stinging nettles. Some of them seem to be more sensitive than others - my young Aussie is oblivious luckily as we've got lots of very healthy young stingers coming through which I need to deal with, and she's always charging through them.

If it is stingers, then I find that antihistamines, eg Piriton, help.

Could it be cramp? I would dry them again with a good towel, just to get the circulation moving again.

They may be getting muscle cramps from the build up of lactic acid.

If their exercise is vigorous then perhaps a 'warm down' before being sent to rest.

The old horsey saying ' Always Walk the last mile home' is relevent I think.

SNAP :-) :-)

mine always lick themselves after swimming - its drying themselves isn't it? they lick and lick their legs then eventually go to sleep.

Its funny but Jake does a wierd kick back after swimming I thought it was a twitch! I'll walk him a bit longer before we leave the beach.

My dog does this, like a half shake asif he came out of the water and patters around with his legs, even if hes led on his side he kinda kicks out. Think its abit of overexcitement, he rests afterwords. only occasionally though.