My grandma has a 13 year old Yorkshire terrier, my family and I visit once a year. She has been fine every single time but this year 3 days into our visit she has just started to bark non stop. She doesn't rest at all anymore and is always walking around barking, it has started to affect her vocal chords. Normally we put her in the kitchen and she never barks out there but sits next to the door waiting to come in. When she is barking her tail is wagging we really fast. We take her out once a day for a walk and she doesn't bark then. When we leave the house my grandma says she sleeps and doesn't bother barking at them, last year she would fall asleep on me and relax on me.

Does anyone know what is wrong with her, or how to stop it?

I would suggest a visit to the vet it may be senility or something like that or it may be something easily cured. But a check up would be my first action.

How could it be cured by a vet?

I'd say that's probably a question a vet would be in a better position to answer.

It maybe going deaf. Mine is an oldie and he has recently started barking every so often. He has selective hearing

I agree about a vet visit, it could be a ear wax build up.

I would say possibly deafness as well.

But it sounds a bit more like stress - she's an old dog, and even though she may be fond of you, your visit has disrupted her routine, and dogs , particularly old ones, love their routines.
It is possible that one you go home she will settle down again.

Well if it's a health problem a vet has more chance to cure it than we do on a forum !

Exactly.

My old boy was about 13 when he started showing symptoms of what I thought was deafness and/or senility. After a vet trip, it turned out to be Cushings. The medication made him a new dog. Nearly three years later he is slowing again and may really be a bit deaf (vet is aware), but medication gave him a fantastic quality of life compared to what he had.

Could be dementia. Our old man was 17, deaf and back end beginning to go when he started walking around constantly all day and all night. He had dementia and it was awful to watch. Vet said he was still strong in his body and heart but his mind was gone. Such a shame.

That's great, always wonder why people don't do what you and I do and just pop along to the vet, forums are great but vets are qualified !


It's sad isn't it, but senility doesn't always mean sadness our late Rosie Chihuahua was senile last two years of her life it was the first time in her life she suddenly loved people, dogs, cats, and having a swim. All things she had hated when she was well !

She pottered about at home at night and I used to sit up with her so she had company. She was finally PTS because she had cancer her senility we coped with.

Mollie is getting forgetful and a bit barky, vet says she is in early stages so we will make her life as good as we can while we are able.

My old jr was the same, mind you, he always had 'selective hearing!', but his last 12 months, he would bark at nothing and sometimes would just stare at nothing for ages, as if in a trance, his eye sight and hearing wasn't great, then unfortunately he got diabetes, we would have to inject him, it was a defo no, he was nearly 15, and I wasn't going to start shoving a needle in him, he would of ended up hating me, so we made that horrible decision, 6 years ago, and still miss him

Yes the old selective hearing ... Bed .. What?! Chicken .. I'm coming Bless them.


That's so sad but agree I would have done the same. I am finding most vets like to line their pockets even if they can see you are distressed.

You never stop missing them no matter how many years go by

Thanks Bella, I did feel guilty at the time, could have kept him alive for a few more months, but when he was eating, and peeing at the same time,I just looked at him and knew what I had to do, vet came here, and he didn't even bark at her, it was as if he knew what was happening, he just fell asleep, and yes you're right, you still miss them.