Odd Behaviour

[Ample Prosecco]

Our dog is 10. She is the friendliest dog who loves other dogs and walks. And walks with other dogs are her favourite thing in the world. The w - word, or the arrival of the dog walker sends her beside herself with joy and excitement! She really, really loves walks.

But today she would not get into the van. When she was encouraged in she just sat there ignoring the other dogs, shaking and crying. When they arrived at the walk site she would not get out. Still shaking and crying. So the walker brought her home and she is perfectly fine now. All the dogs were well known to her. There were no new dogs today.

Yesterday she ran away from an Irish wolfhound puppy who was a bit boisterous. Never seen her run from a dog before. And she has played with big, boisterous dogs - including puppies - many times before. So I think her running away yesterday was the first sign of a problem not the cause of today's problems. But why would she suddenly be scared of other dogs, when she has always, always loved other dogs. And when nothing has happened. She was walked by family over the BH weekend and was fine till yesterday, so it's not as if something could have happened last time she was out that no-one has told us about.

Any ideas?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Vet. Sounds like a pain response. She may have tweaked herself or has had some sort of negative experience getting into van and or/playing with another dog and has made a link between these things.
You may think nothing has happened, but something may indeed have happened.

 

[twiggy2]

I would guess at back pain

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I have just taken her out myself on her own. SHe had no issue jumping in an out of the car and was charging all over the place, chasing balls. It was the other dogs that were bothering her. I wonder if that puppy really did scare her? It was huge!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If she is no better for the walker tomorrow, I would take to the vet. It is amazing what they can do when excited.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I would still pop her to the vet to be on the safe side. Is the van caged out or are they all travelling loose? Which would be a huge no for me.

Maybe I'm a fuddy duddy but if I had a dog in double figures who was exhibiting out of the ordinary/possibly pain related behaviour I wouldn't be expecting them to jump anywhere or chase anything, I'd keep them rested/quiet.
As mentioned, drive will carry a lot of dogs through niggling pain and you see the evidence elsewhere.

 

[SilverLinings]

I don't mean to sound overly suspicious but are you absolutely sure nothing 'bad' (from the dog's point of view) has happened when she has been out with the dog walker recently? Or that she hasn't been out of the dog walker's sight for long enough to have a negative encounter with another dog? If you are certain then I would second the other posters that it sounds like either a pain response, or a response linked to a memory of pain either around another dog or the van.

ETA I hope she returns to her usual self ASAP with no ill effects