Hi all, my name is lanie and I have 3 beautifull Golden Retriever's who I refer to as B.A.G which means brandi, Ally, Ginger.
A question. My youngest golden Ally, when she is sleeping, she always wakes up in the middle of a deep sleep growling, snarling, and startled. I mean her teeth are showing, and she would bite your hand off I think if it were in the way.!!!
I act fast and say her name and tell her it's okay and she will get up and walk over to me and lay her head on my knee. I let her know it's okay and it's only a dream, but is it really? Everyday 2 maybe 3 different times she will do this. she can't be having the same dream can she?? does any one else have this problem or seen this happen or knows what it might be??? thanks so much Lanie & B.A.G

Welcome Lanie :)

I have an old Golden Retriever, and a manic Flatcoated Retriever, sorry I can't help with your question, hopefully someone who can, will be along soon :)

liberty

Well it sounds like she dosent know whats going on and where her surroundings is to me. i have no idea im sure someone else can help:)

Hi Lanie

I have seen this one in one of my own bitches and heard of it in two other dogs, I am sorry to say that they all had tumors. My bitch started doing this just occasionally and I had to make sure she was always alone when asleep or a fight would start as she woke up, not everytime but enough to make me worried. About six months later she had an eye problem which turned out, finally, to be cancer. The other two dogs I heard of had to be pts within days of their owners noticing it, but it was very frequent.

I wouls seriously suggest you get her checked out by your vet as thoroughly as is possible. Don't let them fob you off.

When my bitch started waking up like this I spoke to my vets but none of them had ever heard of it but as they have now they would know what to look for.

Christine

do you know what I would say to the vet or ask him to check out to see if it is cancer?
I'm sorry, but I don't want to believe that and as I sit here crying thinking that she could have cancer, just rips a hole in my heart. These 3 girls are my children and the thought of loosing any of the 3 breaks my heart. I hope your wrong, but if you could tell me what I should say to the vet to let him know I am serious, I would appreciate it very much. thanks Lanie

Hi Lanie

It may not be cancer as Stacey's Yorkshire Terrier did not appear to have this problem.

I would take her to your vet, explain what is happening and say you are concerned about cancer because you asked on a public board and other people shared their experiences - I imagine vet's hate the internet as people often tend to look there before they go to them these days. You could print the mail off if you like. The sooner you go the sooner you can put your mind at rest.

Christine

Lanie,

Please do not worry so much! If your young one has always woken out of a deep sleep in a defensive mode there is probably *nothing* wrong with her. My Yorkie lived to be nearly 13 years old and was a demon on first waking from a deep sleep most of her life. It's only if this behaviour has appeared suddenly, accompanied by other unexplainable behavioural changes, that there is any cause for worrying.

Stacey

i think just incase you should keep her away from the other dogs. im not saying i think shehas cancer its just a precaution.

lanie - i really hope you get it sorted out! please take heart form the varied experience's that everyone's had - seems like quite a few dogs do it that are fine healthwise.

i don't know much about dog beahviour (am only on my first puppy who i ADORE - and who actually does definitely have wierd dreams. Sometimes she growls or barks at things in her sleep, hee!) but i do know quite a lot about cancer cos i have it. i definitely agree with the comment that says would be interesting to know WHY dogs would consistently behave like this due to tumours (esp if the tumours are in different locations & therefore different types of cancer). obviously brain tumours would affect behaviour but i would have thought in lots of different ways. I'm sure that painful tumours could cause agression (you want to hear the way i talk to my mum & dad sometimes, ha!) but i would have though it would be more apparent when awake than asleep/only on waking.

Like I said, I don't know much specific about cancer in dogs as opposed to humans and i'm not trying to rubbish what anyone else says but logic & other's experiences indicate that there are lots of potential things that could cause this, so try not to worry about it to much, keep it in perspective. Its got to be worth getting her checked out at the vet though, if only for your own peace of mind. Please do make sure you mention any worries you have - remember that you're paying for the vet's time and so they should answer all your queries, even if it turns out you're worrying about something that their vetinary training tells them is not possible - its their job to explain that to you as much as it is to treat any problems that they do identify.

Hi Lanie,

I had a Yorkshire Terrier who exhibited much the same behaviour all her life, but it was only directed at my other dogs. If she was in a deep sleep and another dog walked into the room or moved she would wake up and leap at the other dog growling and with her teeth showing. This would wake her up fully and she would stand in front of her startled "victim" and wag her tail, clearly unaware of what she had just done. Three of my dogs slept in my bedroom at night - I had to crate the other two to protect them from nighttime "attacks" from my Yorkie. (Also so I could get some sleep.) By the way, when awake she was an absolute angel with my other dogs and would tolerate almost anything from any of them without losing patience.

I do not think this has anything to do with dreaming. It always reminded me of a boyfriend I had who had been in the war in Vietnam. He warned me never to wake him when he was asleep because he might attack. His war experience had made him hypervigilant and if roused when he was asleep his first reaction was to defend himself. I have no idea if the doggie equivalent happened to my Yorkie, she was from a puppy mill and I got her when she was only nine weeks old. However, it is possible something might once have startled her when she was asleep and that was enough to trigger the aggressive waking behaviour for life.

Stacey

It could be a type of epileptic seisure.........

Lanie,

I think as others have said, the main thing is to get it checked out :)

It may be serious BUT on the other hand, may be something treatable. Keep an eye on her behaviour generally and note anything not usual..... and until you know what the problem is, be aware of her with the other dogs as dogs occasionally attack another pack member who is showing peculiar symptoms re body language etc.

It must be very worrying for you but you will feel much better knowing what the problem is - fingers crossed for you that it is nothing much :)

Lindsay
X

it could be anything couldent it. id love to know why dogs with cancer would do this thou very interesting.
sounds simulare to epi my old dog used to come round that way as they are off balance often there sight isent too good and they dont know where they are.
It could possibly be eye sight.
or mabe she has a memory problem and gets scared when she wakes up not knowing where she is.. but who knows go to your vet and get her checked out:)

hi lanie
i believe she could be having a bad dream.
how old is she and what age did you get her because if she was treated badly when she was very young that might be the case.
if it carries on you should check with the vet.

Any news on her, Lanie? :)

Lindsay
X