growling when sleepy

S

Sheltie family

Forums Novice
Hi,

I've had three Shelties in the past 27 years and thought I had seen it all. :smile2: However, this one, Sadie (almost 3 years old), gets wierd when she is sleepy. I get her up around 9 AM, she never naps or even lays down (that we see) on her own until around 1:30 which is when I put her in a quiet room to get rest (like you have to do overtired kids.) Lately, if I am late by an hour or so getting her to take her nap, I think I wake her up when I come into the room because she runs around barking hysterically. I calmly but firmly keep my distance and have her do a sit/stay then a down. But now, she gets a glazed-over look in her eyes as she growls at me when I tell her down. She complies and I keep her there until she settles. Within a few minutes she will usually offer me her belly when she is over the "fit" and then is our normal girl.

I have learned (after reading "Scaredy Dog" book) to stay calm, not reach towards her when she is like this, use verbal commands (she is well trained otherwise and knows tricks that I utilize) and not rush through the process. Has anyone else encountered this sort of behavior and how do you deal with it? I have an 11 year old daughter who she growled at today at bedtime. They are big buddies and this is the first time she did this to her. Sad thing is we never have been able to sleep with Sadie in the same room with us like we did our other Shelties, because of this wierdness. If she falls asleep on the bed with us watching TV and one of us gets up, Sadie does the same wierdness. I suspect it is when she is startled out of a deep sleep and disoriented and more "wild" than "domesticated." Any advice or insight?

Thanks,
 
That's interesting.

Is the growling a ferocious growl, or a growl more like she is "talking" to you or "complaining" to you.
 
Hmm...I'm not sure about the growling thing. But, I have a dog that has to be put down for naps, too. If we are up and about, so is she. She won't rest/relax unless we are, and even then she is sometimes too busy to go to sleep.

She gets really grumpy and pushy. I have to put her in her crate for a nap.

I'm just wondering..does Sadie get a lot of exercise? I've found that the best thing to do with my girl is to tire her out in the morning and put her in her crate for an early morning nap shortly after she gets some exercise.

I've also found that keeping her on a schedule helps her to relax.
 
I have to put my girls in their crates for an afternoon nap, too! They usually nap from about 12:30 - 2PM everyday. If they don't get their nap, they are so demanding and cranky with each other. So funny.
 
Sadie talks back some times when I make her do something she doesn't want to do, like lie down and wait before I allow her to eat her dinner. She'll bark or make a funny growling sound that isn't a true growl.

They also get cranky with each other and snap or curl their lips at each other when they're over tired. Nothing serious though. They're like tired kids. :lol:
 
My tri takes his sleep very seriously also and growls if anyone disturbs him. He even complains if the family is talking too loud while he takes a nap. He'll growl then get up and find another place to settle in. He'll come lay beside me if I'm watching TV, but as soon as I move or bump him, he's up looking for a more peaceful place to nap. He also does not share a crate well. He likes his own space and we try to give it to him at nap time.
 
Mine all nap throughout the day. But only Annie Laurie gets crabby. heavens forbid if anyone disturbs her after 8 pm "quiet hours." :uhoh:
 
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