# Post spay behaviour



## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

As most of you know bells was spayed 16 days ago and was quite poorly for 10 days afterwards. 

I'm pleased to say she is 100% in health now but she's changed and not for the better sadly  

Prior to her op she was 100% on recall, never ventured far from me on a walk, could recall her from a scent and she was a very chilled out little lady who loved nothing more than cuddles and fuss. 

Now she is unruly, getting destructive-destroying her bed which she's never ever done even as a young pup, toiletting took a back step (I put this down to her not being well) her attention span is now zero, if I give a command I get a beagle howl in my face (not aggressively) as if answering me back lol! And last night she took off on a walk and totally went deaf until I ran across the field to cut her off and it was only when I was nearly on top of her she suddenly heard and stopped  I felt physically sick as she was heading to a busy road and she's never done this. 

She can no longer snuggle with me, if I sit still I get jumped on and humped madly! :scared: and she's mouthing me and scratching me the whole time. Again previos to spay she only humped in the week leading up to season but this is ridiculous  I can't sit down with her anymore and it's only me that's getting humped!? 

She has had a complete personality transplant I swear! She is no longer tired after a walk and if anything seems MORE hyper when we get in????

Is this normal post spay? And if so please tell me it doesn't last forever?? It's almost like she's back at that teething naughty puppy stage and I'm sure she had the teen phase at 7 months as similarities between then and now. 

I honestly wish the spay hadn't of been an emergency as she was perfect before and now is a nightmare  x


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

This does seem unusual, could it be post op trauma?

Was she spayed for health reasons? 

I have to say that I've never noticed any difference in behaviour in any of mine once they have been spayed.


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

She had pyometra starting and was only 3 weeks after her season ended so must be a huge hormone change going on?? 

Plus she then had post surgery complications and had us v worried


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## bertlovesedi (Jul 18, 2010)

Hello, I have a friend who went thru a similar thing with her bitch but I am glad to say she settled back down again, although it did take a few months. Did the vet put her on any other medication than antibiotics?


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

Hi glad to hear your friends bitch calmed down (gives me hope!) 

She was on rimadyl and metacam (not at same time) x


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

I think the changes in hormones and the antibiotics as well and the being ill and probably quite stressed might be adding up to make her a bit bonkers. I'm sure she'll settle down soon.

I would deal with it in the same way as you deal with an adolescent pup. Just give her as little chance as possible to ignore you and ride it out. I would try and detach yourself a bit emotionally (totally almost impossible I know!) so that she's not feeding off any emotional/stressed reaction from you.

As soon as she humps, get up and step away with minimal fuss/reaction for example.

I'm sure your sweet little pup will reappear soon enough, she's had a tough month!


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## sue&harvey (Mar 10, 2010)

Oh Bella, 

It could just be the very unsettled hormones. (fingers crossed) He body and brain need time. 

Go back to a long line for recall, for her safety, even if she just drags it. 

Given time im sure she will be ok. Did laugh at the beagle howl bit though, bless her. 

Harvey does a very good howl, really hope cargo is sound proofed :scared: :lol:

Hope she settles soon


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## lexie2010 (Jun 7, 2010)

i would say all her behavioural differences are hormone related, do they do HRT for dogs??? or maybe there is a homeopathic remedy for it? sorry cant be more helpful, really feel for you and bella, hope you both come out of it ok.


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## Nellybelly (Jul 20, 2009)

Firstly, after my Bella was spayed she went on a mad humping mission, and ONLY with me...This has since settled. I even went to the vet about it, he said give it 3-4 weeks and it will settle. Thankfully he was spot on.

Secondly, my Bella also became (and still is) much more active after her spay... but thankfully not disobedient. I think she felt so unwell during, and also post season (she also had the starts of pyo), that after she had healed from her spay she felt really good, hence the extra energy.

Is it possible Bella's disobedience is due to the "teenage phase" and not her spay?


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## lucysnewmum (Feb 25, 2010)

poor Bella...she has had so much going on this last month....no wonder she has gone a bit nuts....
give her time and things should settle down again.
it is unusual to spay so soon after a season (most vets recommend 3 months after) but i do understand there were medical reasons for the urgency.
her teenage hormones, coupled with her breeding ones, will have been doing a merry dance alright! hence the craziness.

treat her as you would a pup....back to basics and not too much high energy fuss. keep her as calm as you can (difficult i know) and be calm yourself. any slight incline that you are uptight will send her into chaos again. 

practise calming exercises like putting her in a down/stay.
keep her on a long line for safety as already mentioned until things settle down and the recall is once more pretty solid. 

my lab went bonkers for around 3 months after her spey (and she was 2 yrs old at the time!). she chewed, destroyed, and ate anything she could, humped pillows, teddies, my slippers, etc. she even started 'singing' at night time (delightful key it was too :lol. but once things settled down she was a better dog for the operation. much calmer, laid back and not so manic as she had been previously. am sure Bella will soon return to her adorable self and peace will once more reign in the household.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

sarybeagle said:


> ...Bella was spayed 16 days ago and... poorly for 10 days after...
> ...she is 100% [healthy now but she's changed...
> 
> ...she was 100% on recall, never ventured far from me on a walk, could recall her from a scent and...
> ...


no, SB, it is not normal - and i would say the complete upheaval of schedules was a huge contributor.

she was in estrus, and i am SURE her exercise was curtailed for what? *about 3-weeks? * 
leashed-walks only, no off-leash runs, only inside fences, limited contact with other dogs [cuz she would flirt with Ms 
and snark at Fs], so no off-leash wrestling, chasing + wild play... 
and just *3 weeks* after she is back to off-leash runs, dog-play, etc, she is SICK - and has a sudden surgery.

for 16-days post-surgery she feels really punk - has no interest in play or aerobic exercise, BUT also gets no practice 
at her former skills: recall from intriguing smells, recall to be leashed [a punisher BTW - i return? fun stops], 
being compliant and settled indoors, and all the rest.

she has had basically 6-weeks total of limited off-lead access, no aerobic exercise, no training / rehearsal of known 
behaviors [recall with distractions, etc] - she has been feeling **awful!* and now she feels great! 
her energy is up, she is impatient with restrictions and immersed in the joy of having her freedom back - 
it has all gone to her head, and she needs to re-train all the things she KNEW before, to get back 
her former easygoing compliance - right now, i would bet she is unwilling for the fun to end, as she had none 
for so very long.

i don't think she is *choosing* to misbehave - i think she is over-excited and out of practice.  
i would go back to a long-line held in my hand at first, and REWARD returns then let her go off again - 
and then let her run inside a fence with the long-line dragging, for at least 4 or 5 days successfully 
recalling her, Before! letting her run outside a fence with a dragging long-line as insurance.

then after proofing her with the dragging long-line i would try a run with a shorter drag-line - maybe 10-ft, 
as a step between, then let her run with her 6-ft leash dragging, THEN... maybe 2 to 3 weeks from now, 
try her in a dog-free area without a drag... 
cautiously 

how would U behave as a child, after 6-weeks staying at home, allowed to eat at the family table, but no school, 
no visitors, U feel yucky, U have no interest in play or any physical activity, U are lonely, bored and sick... 
*and then U get better! :thumbup: * U cannot go back to school immediately, but U feel GREaT - 
how would U behave on a long car-trip, stuck in the rear seat, jammed with 3 younger siblings for 2-hours? :scared:

hang on - she will be back, and *better than before* with a refresher course. 
all my best, 
- terry


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

Thank you terry that's a fantastic insight. Yes she had 27 days of walking at 11pm on lead and long line in a field, she wasn't well during season either so as you say almost 6 weeks of not feeling 100% and now she does. 

Ironically yesterday I got humped once and I didn't react I just walked off and she then began destroying her bed more so I got her to do training and she was a little more switched on (answered me back every other command lol) and then....she came and laid on me on sofa and fell asleep  

This weekend we are taking her out to new places as we have only met 1 other dog since June when her season started!! And she reverted straight back to jumping all over the dog (a rottie who didn't know what to make of bell lol) and previously we'd got her to greet another dog calmly and with 4 paws on the ground so we do need to go back to the basics again. 

She's also taken a huge dislike to people wearing hats????? She howled and howled outside a shop with me yesterday each time a shop worker came out as they wore hats and then some man came along with a baseball hat on and hackles up head down howling and pacing. Why the sudden dislike of hats? DH practically lives in his and ds wears one often so it's not a new thing and infact dh had his on yesterday? 

Nellybelly we were sure we had teen phase at 7 months. Xxx


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## new westie owner (Apr 30, 2010)

Aww poor Bella she has had a lot going on relief now its over hopefully she will settle soon


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

Behaviour is getting worse  lots of wee's in house after being house trained for 6 months, very boisterous and I'm now unable to sit down without her humping me! She will even wake from sleep as soon as I sit down!


She's also getting worse on walks. She sees another dog and it's howl like mad, desp to get to other dog and jumping, straining on harness and generally looking like an out of control dog  which is making me feel a HUGE failure. 

We very rarely meet dogs on walks and I think this is why she goes hyper as during season she never met a dog, then illness and surgery meant another 2/3 weeks no dog contact. But how do I meet dogs if no one is walking them? 

I'm speaking to the vets next week as I'm struggling with her tbh and she's waking at 5 am now every morning for a wee etc.


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## sue&harvey (Mar 10, 2010)

sarybeagle said:


> Behaviour is getting worse  lots of wee's in house after being house trained for 6 months, very boisterous and I'm now unable to sit down without her humping me! She will even wake from sleep as soon as I sit down!
> 
> She's also getting worse on walks. She sees another dog and it's howl like mad, desp to get to other dog and jumping, straining on harness and generally looking like an out of control dog  which is making me feel a HUGE failure.
> 
> ...


Ahh sary, don't think you are a failure, you have done everything Bella needed.

Could you book into a training class, and explain the problems you are having. That way she gets to socialise but also reminds her to listen to you, when other woofers are around. They will understand. As for the toileting inside, see what your vet says, but go back to basics with her. Treat her as you would a pup.

You have both been through a lot. Chin up 
Big licks from Harvey to you both


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

Regards the weeing - could she have a UTI as a result of the infection in her lady areas? UTIs can also send people and dogs a bit barmy iirc.

I would also be looking to seek help from a professional trainer/dog behaviourist if you are really feeling swamped by it.

When she humps, stand up and turn your back on her - when she stops reward her. (I obviously don't know if you are doing this already or not so please forgive me if I am telling you to do something you have already tried )

Can you arrange play dates with other dog owners?


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

Such sudden changes in behaviour are NEVER normal, spay or not. I would be concerned about low level infection and def go back to your vet.
I know the poor baby (and you) have been through _alot_ and that is likley to have an effect too so back to basics on training too. But medical check first.


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

I'm pleased to post that I've not been humped since Saturday afternoon  I went right back to time outs as I had been rewarding her as soon as she stopped but it almost seemed as if she humped to be rewarded-she would hump and then sit waiting to be rewarded without me saying a word!! But she soon disliked being taking out the room and I've now got my cuddly baby back 

Walks are still a huge nightmare with her howling and pulling the moment she spots a dog in the distance and my god she is strong!! So I'm getting in touch with my trainer to help and also to give me the confidence on recall again. We've really gone back to basics on standing a short distance apart and recalling for a treat and increasing the distance to then have long line trailing but I'm constantly on edge waiting for her to bolt which prob puts her on edge too. 

I've also increased walks a little to give her that extra energy burn off and extra training sessions. 

We've had no wee's in house either so all in all getting much better than it was last week where I just was at the end of my tether  

Xxx


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## Nellybelly (Jul 20, 2009)

sarybeagle said:


> I'm pleased to post that I've not been humped since Saturday afternoon  I went right back to time outs as I had been rewarding her as soon as she stopped but it almost seemed as if she humped to be rewarded-she would hump and then sit waiting to be rewarded without me saying a word!! But she soon disliked being taking out the room and I've now got my cuddly baby back
> 
> Walks are still a huge nightmare with her howling and pulling the moment she spots a dog in the distance and my god she is strong!! So I'm getting in touch with my trainer to help and also to give me the confidence on recall again. We've really gone back to basics on standing a short distance apart and recalling for a treat and increasing the distance to then have long line trailing but I'm constantly on edge waiting for her to bolt which prob puts her on edge too.
> 
> ...


That's a good update Hopefully it's the beginning of the end of the issues


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## sue&harvey (Mar 10, 2010)

Phew really pleased things are in the up. Hopefully the howling and pulling will lessen soon too. 

Great update, :thumbup:


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