# Crystal's Mood Swings?



## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Hey guys

I am just wondering and trying to figure out Crystal's moody acts. 

My Crystal is one of the sweetest fluffs I've come across to interract with. She is a kissing machine. If she wants the attention, she'll kiss. If she wants a treat, she'll kiss. If she wants to ask for something, she'll kiss. if she wants to wants to exercise that tongue, she'll kiss. Basically, kissing is Crystal's way to communicate everything :wub: a very sweet malt I find her. 

She and Snowy make a perfect puppy play mate :wub: they are SO VERY bonded to one another. Play together, nap together, chill together, swim together...etc whatever one does, the other one is there doing it with him/her :wub: they are SO VERY SWEET to watch with one another. One of them is trickier than the other one lol Crystal is funny to watch how she tricks Snowy and gets things her way (ex: easily stealing any toy Snowy has under his paws). But overall, they are cool with one another.

But lately, Crystal has been acting weird towards Snowy. Lastnight's example is the latest. I was late back home. After the malts' wild greetings to me (for at least 15 minutes of greetings if not more), Crystal went zooming in excitement, in this playful mood. Romeo (the cat) was there at one corner of the room. Crystal was running back and forth to him, once reaching him, she went like hitting him gently with her front paws - back and forth. She was just so happy and was in this super playful mood. Meanwhile, Snowy was in another corner, doing his thing, sniffing the floor and so. Crystal then went to him all in excitement, turned the playful mood to his direction (instead of Romeo). She was inviting him to play. Once he did respond to her invitation, her body language were playing back with him, but she also started her "STOP IT" little grrrr / growling :blink: Now Crystal got Snowy trained well. He knows that growl so well. So playing with her went slower, slower until it stopped completely (after a minute from the growl) because Crystal did not want it. Then the growl stopped, but she continued going all playful with her body language AND inviting him to play. Once Snowy accepts the invitation, she starts stopping him the next minute and so on...poor Snowy did not know what to make out of this invitation to play because the minute he accepts it, she stops it :blink: and that's what Crystal has been acting like towards Snowy for the last few days which isn't normal. I know for a fact that she is moody when it comes to many stuff, but not towards Snowy. 

A complete out of curiousity question: can female pups have PMS??? Is Crystal PMSing?? What can be up with her towards Snowy these days ?! I would love to see them how they normally act like towards each other. 

In a typical day, it is Snowy who invites Crystal to play. Crystal ignores some times, but many other times, she'll play back. Not these days though. She is the one who will invite him and then stops him straight away with her growling. I don't know what it up with my sweet Crystal


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## muchan (Feb 23, 2011)

Kat, PMS 'might' cause the change of crystal sudden mood. My friend's malt really have this 'bad' mood when it came to PMS and she really is! Growling at every dogs that goes near her... Why don't you supervise her more in the coming days?


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## Alexa (Aug 6, 2009)

Kat, first I want to say that I love the photo of Snowy and Crystal so much! They're looking gorgeous in the cooling water and the colours are great in this shot!!!

Crystals acting to Snowy sounds a bit weird but I know from my experience with Ullana that she sometimes is acting different on 'some days'. Don't know why or what's going on in her small body.

Another reason I could imagine is that they're playing together probably a bit too wild so Crystal has hurt herself and is a bit carefully now. May be her reaction is now to show it in this way.

Hope she'll forget about it and comes back to her old habit soon! I'm not sure about PMS but could cause her sudden changing mood, too! Have noticed that Ullana is acting in the same way during that period of time sometimes very aggressive, too. :blink: Girls, Lol! 

Alexandra :wub:


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## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

Crystal sounds like me, LOL!! Perhaps she's just showing who's the boss type of thing.
xoxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxoxoox


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Well I was really taken back by the thread title. I thought boy I must really be PMS'ing if it's coming across on SM! :brownbag: Then I realized you were talking about Crystal the Maltese. :HistericalSmiley:

You know, I do think females are more moody but is maybe Crystal developing a play bark/growl? My Zoe has always done this and it puts other dogs off because they don't know how to interpret her growl/bark. It can get her into trouble with other dogs who are more dominant. It's taken Jett a long time to figure out her growls. Callie's kind of got it figured out but not for sure so she's much more cautious. Just a thought.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Well it could be hormonal of course, we know what that can do to a girl...... I like Crystal just said, it could be just play. Lola is a huge growler, but she doesn't mean anything by it. She groans and moans and complains. You can usually tell if she really means it or not though. In tug o war she sounds really ferocious.


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## jodublin (Sep 27, 2006)

Both suga and shiloh act like this funny as summer does not ,i think its to do with hormones ,quite normal in my house .


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

Are you sure it's not just play growling? It sounds to me like she's just trying to egg him on. Does her body posture suddenly change to say "stop it" too when she growls--like does she curl her lips and show her teeth or anything like that? Or does she continue with the playful "come and get me" posturing? If it's the latter, she's probably just experimenting with growling during play out of instinct and it's neither aggressive nor defensive--just fun (for her).


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Thanks for the thoughts, guys. I so look forward to seeing them play without Crystal turning it off :huh: (she's been doing it these days each time a chance to play comes). 

Lastnight, I got the guinea pigs out of their house to room the room with only Crystal being around (Snowy in another room with sis), Crystal was acting her 100% self towards them. Showering them with kisses, wagging that tail while watching them:wub: and making sure to be close to them. Then when I let Snowy in that room (after putting guinea pigs back in their houses), she went to her "no playing with you Snowy" mood :huh: 



muchan said:


> Why don't you supervise her more in the coming days?


I will do that when back to them tonight; just before going back to bed. I plan to film it too. I guess when it comes to new behavior I notice in a pup / fluff / precious animal who lives with me, I tend to be interested in trying to figure out what is causing it or what does it mean. I hope Crystal will return to herself. 



Alexa said:


> Another reason I could imagine is that they're playing together probably a bit too wild so Crystal has hurt herself and is a bit carefully now. May be her reaction is now to show it in this way.
> Hope she'll forget about it and comes back to her old habit soon!


could be although from all our watching to them when playing, non made a "yelping" sound / as of getting hurt sound. I'll see how will these two do these days. I'll film a couple of round play if Crystal allowed the first min of it. 



KAG said:


> Crystal sounds like me, LOL!! Perhaps she's just showing who's the boss type of thing.
> xoxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxoxoox


could be. Can a group of pups change the pack leader?
Between these two (their small doggie pack), Snowy is the leader who shows Crystal how to do things (fetch, play ball, swim, dive, greet strangers...etc). It has always been this way. Snowy is the pack leader (well actually, he only has Crystal to lead lol). And Crystal has ALWAYS been the follower. Naturally, that is how she has always been acting like. Whatever Snowy does. she'll do. A complete follower to him. Could it be that she wants to change that now? or maybe, just showing him that she is the boss in this game? 

I wish I can go into her puppy head and ask her  



Crystal&Zoe said:


> Well I was really taken back by the thread title. *I thought boy I must really be PMS'ing if it's coming across on SM! :brownbag: Then I realized you were talking about Crystal the Maltese.* :HistericalSmiley:
> 
> You know, I do think females are more moody but is maybe Crystal developing a play bark/growl? My Zoe has always done this and it puts other dogs off because they don't know how to interpret her growl/bark. It can get her into trouble with other dogs who are more dominant. It's taken Jett a long time to figure out her growls. Callie's kind of got it figured out but not for sure so she's much more cautious. Just a thought.


woopsie, sorry Crystal the SM member :HistericalSmiley:... see, this is what happens when I name a malt after you :innocent:

When playing this little puppy-wrestle game between Snowy and Crystal, there was always a growl from Crystal's side. However, it always was this sort of soft, cuter tone, nut case, *playful* sound kindda growl. It never turned Snowy off. The game was going on for too long. Her gowl now is different. So different :blink: could it be that she changed her style of playing? I will film that and share. 



silverhaven said:


> it could be just play. Lola is a huge growler, but she doesn't mean anything by it. She groans and moans and complains. You can usually tell if she really means it or not though. In tug o war she sounds really ferocious.


I am think about filming the new style of Crystal's growl. maybe it will be helpful  



Aarianne said:


> Are you sure it's not just play growling? It sounds to me like she's just trying to egg him on. Does her body posture suddenly change to say "stop it" too when she growls--*like does she curl her lips and show her teeth or anything like that?* Or does she continue with the playful "come and get me" posturing? If it's the latter, she's probably just experimenting with growling during play out of instinct and it's neither aggressive nor defensive--just fun (for her).


Her body language still goes playful, BUT her face expression, eyes and mouth, and tone of growl goes to "stop it". 

There has always been growl from Crystal's side when playing with Snowy. But that growl was different than this one she is doing lately. That one was of a softer tone , and this naughty playful growl. This one though, turns Snowy off because it is an angry sort of growl / with a face (eyes and teeth) that confirms it. I'll keep my camcorder ready in hand when I see them in this "deciding to play" moment.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Kat - When I read the title I also thought -- gee, (human) Crystal's airing her mood swings here -- brave. :thumbsup: then I saw it was from you and knew whom you were talking about. :blush: Not much help here having a boy. You know guys, they just kind of go with the flow, just like Snowy. Nothing gets to my little one for the most part. Maybe Crystal does want to change up who's the boss at your house. I guess you're last in line for the boss thing. Hmmm...1. Snowy 2. Crystal 3. Romeo 4. Dante, etc... 10. Kat. :smrofl::smrofl:
Videotaping might help and also I'm hoping Jackie will chime in.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Hi Kat! I'm no help since I only have my one little boy...he thinks I'm the moody one! :innocent: 

That does sound odd if Crystal is all of a sudden acting like that and has never done it before...hmm wonder what's going on in that cute little head of hers! :wub:


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