My oldie C. Spaniel ( age 11) has gradually been getting worse with her muttering and whinging until it is now driving us mad. There is nothing wrong with her, she just keeps wagging her tail and whinging and whining. Sometimes I think she is talking to herself and other times she is demanding. She has a built in clock and knows when something should be happening and just before that time she starts in full force.
She goes to work with me but is coming very close to being barred from the office because of the noise. The lunchtime walk is a little flexible depending whether I am on the phone or not, so give or take 30 minutes, but she starts moaning at the time she thinks we should go making a phone conversation impossible ( which is not impressive for a customer)
She even whinges in her sleep, muttering away to herself. I have never had an oldie do this before so does anyone have any advice please..
We tell her to stop, be quiet etc but it makes her louder, she even looks you in the face and continues, I really don't think she is aware she is doing it.

She had a vet check and there really is nothing wrong, my vet said she is getting senile !!!

Senility in elderly dogs is well known; Vivitonin and Aktivait have had very good rsults in reducing the symptoms. She could be getting slightly deaf and so can't hear the noise she's making.

That's strange, a friends 12 year old cocker has recently started doing the same thing. Her owner was wondering if it was senility as well. She carries on and on most of the day, they let her out, she stops for a short time as she has a sniff round, then starts up again getting louder and louder. It's driving them mad.

I would guess it is a sign of dementia, they become quite insistent re routine. My old boy (14 yrs 9 m) has been on dementia meds since his 14th birthday. One thing I noticed was his insistence for food at a particular time.

He was on Vivitonin but my vet now gives me Propentofylline which apparently is the same drug but cheaper. I also give him Arsen Albe ( white arsenic) prescribed by my homeopath at night. None of these medications make him "drugged" but soothe the symptons of the restlessness and he is enjoying his time at the moment.

Good luck, the oldies can be a challenge when the behaviour starts to alter, hope you find a solution.

My oldie is the same (14 next month). It has gradually been getting worse so that it has now turned into loud barking at times. She's definitely a sandwich short of a picnic these days and unfortunately Vivitonin made no difference at all. We've just had to accept this is the new her, but gosh it can be annoying at times when you can't even hear the TV for the noise.

my oldie spends most of his time mumbling and moaning, vet has diagnosed dementia. He is also now very funny about routine I think it is some sort of security for him to insist things are done at set times. He can't handle things being in the wrong place, even a book left on the floor will really upset him. It's hard to understand at times as he can't even find his own way in from the garden any more, has to be reminded to go for a wee etc., to eat his dinner he has to be told to do so, and today has walked around pooing without even noticing! I ask myself if I am being unfair to him in keeping him going, but physically he is in great condition, do I let him go because his mind is failing? My Mother had dementia and she was perfectly happy in her own strange world - are animals any different?

Many thanks to all, at least I know that I am not alone in this.

I have just called my vet. He has an elderly border collie that spends all day in the surgery with him, and he has the same problem. His dog is now very clingy, moans a lot and even starts barking when he feels that my vet should be going home, so virtually insisting that everything and everybody follows his doggy routine or else the moaning and barking gets louder and louder.
He wants to check my Cocker so I am going Friday for her to have a check up again with this vet and he is going to try her on meds that may work like a miracle or else they will make no difference at all - so it is a wait and see med.
Failing that I think I will need ear plugs because I find myself frowning all the time with the constant noise and headaches usually follow. I have had many many dogs, but thankfully never this problem before.
Bless their little cotton ( furry) socks !!!

We are having similar behaviour with our Meggie -14 years and 7 months. She presents herself by the food cupboard an hour or so before 'normal' feeding time . We call it Meggie's Tummy Monster wake up call. She also whines and barks for no apparent reason, often during the night. We used to take her outside believing she needed the loo -no joke at 2am, 4am etc but now we know she is just being Meggie and tell her to go back to sleep. Another 13 +oldie, Kezzie, barks and yelps for no reason too ! It's tiresome but just part of ageing I guess.

I read your post, and said senility before reading any further.  My girl barks at the clouds.  As long as her tail is wagging and she is eating well I just think of my father when he was in an old peoples home.  He was away with the fairies, but happy in his own little world.  No different to humans really.

Just back from the vets and she is in very good nick for her age ( still not sure of her age but could be 12 years or more as when I got her in 2006 the 'breeder' said she was 3 but I know for a fact she had had 3 litters so perhaps she was 4 years - I use the term breeder very loosely !) She had Pyo so they couldn't use her any more and let me have her.
My vet has given her Vivitonin to try for 1 month on a try it and see, as it may or may not work. I will let you know in a month how she gets on.

Good luck! I have certainly heard of dogs that it has made a big difference to so hope yours is one of them.

Aktivait is supposed to be very effective for some dogs too, if the vivitonin doesn't help.  I've read of people giving a combo of the two that helped too.  Not been in this position myself though - well not properly anyway, Remy did start showing signs of dementia but in his case it was actually B12 deficiency catching up with him.  He was back to his old self overnight after starting supplements.

We had very good results with Vivatonin for our cocker. She went on to have a very happy life until age finally caught up with her at 17.

How is this going with the tablets.

It probably is senility - some of the oldies see, to need to let you know there are still here!!    Have you considered whether she might be losing her hearing a little?

I have had two attempts with the tablets, but each time she starts vomiting on and off all day. I stop the tablets and the vomiting stops, then I start the tablets again and the vomiting starts again. She gets so distressed that I have stopped using them and just put up with the whinging. She is not deaf as she can hear a sweet paper at a hundred yards!

She starts when the alarm goes off in the morning and then whinges every time she thinks I should be doing something else, almost as though she is trying to control my activities for the day and tell me off when I don't do what she thinks I should do. I think her inbuilt clock has taken over and demands that certain things are done when she says so.
Bless her she just can't help it, and I dread the day that I am surrounded by silence as she is 13 and I need to enjoy every minute of every day.

I think her inbuilt clock has taken over and demands that certain things are done when she says so.

I could almost say this sounds like my hubby, post Stroke  LOL (except it's really not that funny!!)

You might have a word with your vet re her apparent reaction to these tablets.   There may be an alternative.

Bless her she just can't help it, and I dread the day that I am surrounded by silence as she is 13 and I need to enjoy every minute of every day.

:-) That's the thing, as you can see, most of us have these things happen, it's only when they are gone that you realise how demanding our oldies were, they do get demanding and have funny little ways, that's life I'm afraid, most of us don't notice their little ways.... just becomes normal. ;-)

I'd forget the medication..........it is, what it is........ we've all got it coming too..... ;-)

Bless her she just can't help it, and I dread the day that I am surrounded by silence as she is 13 and I need to enjoy every minute of every day.

My oldie was gone just 4 days after I commented above. Now I can hear the TV again, but oh how I'd rather have the noise back. :(

I am going this afternoon to give my 15 year oldie sleep, his back end is going and he is more and more unsettled at night. We have had an extra year with him thanks to medication and homeopathy, but the time has come, his body is worn out and dementia has won.

I have not been sleeping properly due to him being in our room and have been poorly for about 6 weeks, I have acid reflux, my teeth are rotting and I  generally feel unwell. Went to dr's this morning (couldn't alter that or the vets)  and at the end of the appointment I burst into tears and admitted why I felt so bad, she was wonderful ( an animal lover) as was the student who was with her. She told me I may feel better once I have said goodbye but then I may feel guilty that I feel better! It has been hard as I have had to persuade my husband that the time is right.

Sorry to have rambled, I am filling time until we leave.

Everyone give your oldies a hug from me x

Oh Karen:. Thinking of you xx

Thanks, it was very peaceful, we sat on the grass outside of the vets with him on my lap. We were privileged to have 15 great years. Still hurts like hell though but it was the right thing to do.

My heart goes out to you as this something we all have to face at sometime, but it never gets easier. I hope you feel better soon ( without any guilt) as you know that you have done the right thing and 15 years of love is a wonderful thing

So sorry - we had to do the same with our oldest 3 weeks ago - we'd had him almost 15 years too. The only comfort is knowing that they aren't suffering any more and the memories are long and happy :)

Oh Karen that time is awful I'm dreading it with my old incorrigible demanding Jozi at 14 and 8 months.

She is the one in addition to the two youngest who starts complaining that it's time for our evening walk. She still happily does the same walk as the rest.

Bramble would tell us when it was time for walks, dinner and even when we should be going to the kitchen to cook OUR evening meal (the dogs always have a very small portion after we have eaten) ! It is VERY quiet with just Tara - she just waits patiently ......... lovely, but rather boring :)