# HELP! Too attached to his toy, won't eat or go for a walk



## yeagerbum (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi! I haven't been here for a while and I hope everyone is doing well! I have a situation that is escalating quickly here. Starting from yesterday noon I noticed that Yeager was behaving strangely because he usually follows me to the door when I leave, but instead he was just sitting in front of his favorite toy. Then last night, he wouldn't come into my room to sleep, but would rather be next to his toy, he whimpered for it until I opened the door and gave him the toy. He was still eating and going out for walks so I wasn't too worried.

This morning, he ran back from our walk to make sure his toy is okay and wouldn't let it out of his sight for a second. He would start trembling if I looked at him, I think he was afraid I'd take away his toy. He became very protective of it and would threaten to bite if family members went the toy's direction. I couldn't get him to play chase with me, eat dinner, or go out for his afternoon walk which is extremely strange. Now he's not trembling anymore, but would still not do anything without running back into the room to make sure his toy is still there. Oh and he whimpers randomly..even when he's staring at the horse...

What's going on here? I'm very worried, he's finally napping now but he seemed anxious for the day. Should I hide his toy? I tried hiding it to see if he would go back to normal but he just anxiously sniffed everywhere and even threw up. Also, I have to go out of country next week and leave him with my parents for 3 weeks, I haven't even packed yet and I'm afraid packing will make him even more anxious. Sorry for the long post, but I'm so worried and confused now :smhelp: any insight would be appreciated, thanks!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Sarah - good to see you again but too bad it's for a problem. Never heard anything like that. The only two things that come to mind is if he hurt himself somehow -- because of the trembling, not acting normal and throwing up. Any idea if he could have gotten hurt? Am thinking he might go to his favorite toy for comfort. How long has he had the toy? Has it always been a favorite? Number 2 would be if he knows you're leaving. Have you been packing at all? Suitcases out. Unusual clothes that he associates with you leaving or getting specially dressed up? Tyler knows when I put on my shoes (vs slippers I wear at home) that I'm going out and he wants to go. So that's all I could think but I know there are many others here who are far more knowledgeable. Hope everything will be fine before you leave.


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## yeagerbum (Apr 20, 2010)

Snowbody said:


> Sarah - good to see you again but too bad it's for a problem. Never heard anything like that. The only two things that come to mind is if he hurt himself somehow -- because of the trembling, not acting normal and throwing up. Any idea if he could have gotten hurt? Am thinking he might go to his favorite toy for comfort. How long has he had the toy? Has it always been a favorite? Number 2 would be if he knows you're leaving. Have you been packing at all? Suitcases out. Unusual clothes that he associates with you leaving or getting specially dressed up? Tyler knows when I put on my shoes (vs slippers I wear at home) that I'm going out and he wants to go. So that's all I could think but I know there are many others here who are far more knowledgeable. Hope everything will be fine before you leave.


Sue, thank you for the response, I hope you and Tyler are doing great. 

I didn't notice anything unusual yesterday, he was behaving okay during our morning walk and for breakfast, I thought he ran back because it was cold, and then it all went downhill after that. I'm not sure if this is a psychological issue or a physical issue. He's had this toy since he was baby and it's always been his favorite, although he's never been aggressively protective of it before. I haven't packed at all, no suitcases out or anything so I don't think he knows yet...I hope he'll be back to his normal self soon


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Hey Sarah

very nice to have you in SM again. I missed you and Yeager.

awwh sorry to read about his behavior recently. hmm I have no answer. First thing I would do is have him checked for any physical problem though. 

I do hope you will find an answer. 

Are you leaving soon for this coming trip? Is Yeager close to other family memebers?


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## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

My Darla has OCD with a couple of her favorite ball toys. She'll continually repeat the same ritual for hours on end, by herself. Jumping up to the top of the couch with the ball in her mouth, rolling the ball off the couch, jumping off the couch to get the ball. 

Yes, I've taken the balls away from her when she's not looking. Yes, Darla walks around looking for them. At that point I'll give her one of her favorite bones to make her happy. 

I was so worried about her little brain being over stimulated with this activity. I'm talking 7 hours straight. Never had a problem pertaining to eating or walking, though. 

We play catch together. My Darla is a retriever. LOL

I hope it all works out for you and your little beauty.
xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoox


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Sarah, I can only imagine how upsetting this must be for you. I don't have answers for you ... but, hopefully, someone can help you. If it were me, I would talk to the vet about this.

My gut instinct is telling me that maybe Yeager is feeling very insecure about something. It amazes me how tuned in our fluffs are to what is going on around them. 

Whenever Snowball comes in from outside ... he runs and gets his favorite tuggie toy and squeeks it like mad! Although I have gotten him so many new toys over the past five and a half years ... he still loves this one kind of tuggie toy. 

If it were me, I wouldn't take away Yeager's toy ... especially since he became so upset and threw up. I hope you can speak to a professional about what might be bothering him.

We recently had a problem with Snowball deciding to guard his favorite snack ... snap peas. I swear, he would take the snap pea and sit next to it on the carpet for almost an hour ... just to see how we would react! It was crazy! And, if we would look as though we were going to get too close, he would put it in his mouth and softly growl. When he started doing that I told him not to growl ... and just to eat the snow pea! He tested us several times ... but, when I became firm with my voice (not yelling or raisng my voice) and told him to stop growling and guarding his snap pea ... he ate it. I have no idea why he started doing that, but, I knew it was not a good thing. So, I worked on nipping it in the butt. 

Please keep us updated on Yeager. I have to tell you that he is an absolute doll doggie! He is adorable ... his eyes are gorgeous.:wub::wub:


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Though it well could be a behavorial issue, if it was me, I'd want to have vet check to be sure there isn't anything physical going on.... or maybe it could be the two are 'connected'...( physical discomfort bringing on the behavorial problem.) 
Hiope you can get this resolved soon!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I have missed you here Andrea & little Yeager! Glad you are back.
I don't have a clue what to say about your baby's behavior but we want to send him lots of kisses & a few hugs for you. I, too, would probably check w/the vet just to be sure nothing is amiss.
Sigh. they do make us worry, don't they!


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## yeagerbum (Apr 20, 2010)

Thank you everyone for the kind responses :grouphug:
Yeager seemed to be feeling better yesterday, we got him to eat food and use the pee pad indoors, he still wouldn't go out for a walk, but he could leave his toy for a few minutes. This morning he's worse again, refusing food and staying right next to his toy at all times. We managed to fit in a schedule with the vet tomorrow morning, so we will see.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Sarah - I'm wondering if he could have stepped on anything that injured his paw or been stung when you were out that time, saying he ran back and that's when it all started. Make sure the vet checks his paws. Keep us posted and hope it's nothing.


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## yeagerbum (Apr 20, 2010)

UPDATE: 
Yeager is back to normal! Last night I literally dragged him out for a walk, he resisted for a couple of blocks and then started walking on his own. I also took away and hid his toy while he wasn't in the room. He frantically searched for it for like an hour, and then slept! This morning he went out on our walk without resisting, and ate some breakfast afterwards. I'm so relieved!! We took him to the vet this morning just in case, the vet said she doesn't think there's anything physically wrong with him, but took a blood sample to see if there could be hormone imbalance. Looks like this is a behavioral issue.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Good to hear.  My poodle cross did that whenever we went away. When we came back she went back to normal. Seems a sign of insecurity, I think they sense when something is happening.


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