Dogs odd and sudden attachment to item

fishoutofwater

I bought a bundle of second hand watersports gear a couple of months back and it included a neoprene spraydeck which when I looked closely at it saw it was covered in dog hairs . thought nothing of it really... Because it had a couple of holes that needed repaired I put it at the back of the shelf in the utility room where all my gear lives. It might even have been in a bag I'm not sure.

I was away this weekend and brought most of the gear with me so the deck was more obvious. The dogs also sleep in the utility room at night and are in there if we're away by day.

Anyhow I came back to hear that the older female dog had pulled the deck down at some point, and had suddenly become really attached to it... pulling it down again, not wanting to leave it etc. It was put back at the back of the shelf and while she seemed ok yesterday and didnt really "have" it, she was reluctant to leave the room and kept looking up at it.
This morning we took it out... and had to put her back in while putting bins out (gates open!) and she was getting really distressed in there, whimpering etc and we could hear her tearing the place apart looking for it

I took it outside and brushed the dog hairs off it and not it's in the bath soaking (have to do that to fix it anyway). I opened doors and windows to dilute whatever smells were coming from it and sprayed air freshener around as well esp at the stairs so she doesnt twig that it's up there.

She's in the room with me now and while she's ok she's still sometimes getting a little bit antsy and getting up and going back to the utility room looking for it.
It's just so weird!!

She's nearly 8 we think.. we've had her for nearly 6 years and she was spayed shortly after we got her. She's never had an attachment to anything before or had any noticeable separation anxiety. when she gets a new toy she does love it but they tend to get ripped to bits fairly quickly and then cast aside. She's normally an independent madam who needs nothing or nobody!

I'm hoping that the bath soaking will neutralise whatever dog smells are coming from it, if not I'll take it and use it in the river or sea.. .maybe that will work... if not then I assume I'll have to get rid! (of the deck not the dog!)
More worried about the dog as it's such a departure from her norm..... could it be a sign of something odd going on hormonally with her. Can that even happen since she was spayed so long ago?

aonb

Odd thing to attach herself to! Maybe the combo of it being neoprene, and was used by a dog to sleep/lie on/travel in a kayak?! - makes it very attractive to her... soft and smelly and rubbery. I have a dog who is VERY attached to his stuffed toys - is never without one really - and some are preferred over others, no obvious reason. Odd that your girl should suddenly attach herself to an object if she is not that way inclined. SInce she is usually a very independant and non-anxious dog I wouldnt worry too much about her - I would be anxious to remove the splashdeck in case it becomes a real compulsion with her. if she is showing no other signs of 'oddness' I wouldnt worry - but if there is any other signs of change in her behaviour/personality I would have her checked over by the vet just in case...

tk123

Ah OP would you not just let her have it?

fishoutofwater

tk123 wrote: »

Ah OP would you not just let her have it?

I was thinking along those lines myself this morning given that it has holes in it anyway! but then she wouldnt leave her bedroom at all this morning and was getting so distressed when she was separated from it and so out of character for her I just thought it best to nip it in the bud!