Why does my dog purposely bang his head on the shed? Is it normal?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is probably behavioral, not medical. As the outside air hits him he shakes as we do, in stretching, in the morning. Dogs also shake their heads out of excitement. My dogs shakes his head and body EVERY TIME he gets up and A LOT when excited. It is normal for him and he's never had an ear infection. Stone is normal to be shaking his head when he goes outside. Have a great day!

There are many reason why our pets rub themselves along the furniture. You might think of this as a sign of affection. Your dog may be pressing his scent or marking his territory. This is usually a comforting type of behavior for our pets. You might consider adding an addition 30 minute walk into your pets daily exercise plan. This may help to relax your pet some. To rule out any medical cause, you'll want to visit your local Vet and have him/her examine your pet for any signs of irritation or infection. These may include redness of the gums or any inflammation in the ears. If your pet is experiencing any of these signs your doctor may request a dental cleaning and ear cleaning along with medications to treat the underlying cause of infection. Both are very important.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! If Louie is otherwise acting normally (normal appearance regarding appetite, thirst, peeing, stools, walking, playing, and sleeping), it sounds like either a noise or a smell has his attention and may be activating his instinctive response to be alerted and cautious. Mice or other pests are common culprits as dogs can often smell or hear them through openings such as electrical outlets or light fixtures in walls. Strange behavior can also indicate early onset neurologic disease, so if nothing can be found that he may be looking for, please have him examined by your veterinarian, especially if he starts having any other abnormal behavior, trouble walking, trouble hearing, or other signs of neurologic disease. Here is a link containing some other clinical signs of forebrain disease for things to watch for: http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_multi_headpressing Hope this helps!

Hi. It sounds like sparky has more attachment syndrome/separation anxiety and attention seeking behavior rather then disease related to head-pressing (which is what you were referring to). I would be much less worried about an internal health issue and focus more on his behavior. You can try positive reinforcement for him when you are home and when you leave him alone so he knows you are coming back. You can reward him for good behavior that involves giving you a little bit of space when you need it - like in the kitchen. You can give him activities and things to do while you are home so he can be more self-entertained rather then all of his focus on you. You can also speak to his veterinarian about some medications that can help with anxiety and these types of behaviors if you are interested. Best of luck!

I'm very sorry to hear this! Unfortunately dogs can develop dementia as they age which can make them act in odd ways including pacing and looking into space. This is not a condition that is easily diagnosed in dogs as there are no medical signs aside from.the symptoms. Another thing that could cause behaviour change in a dog would be any condition that effects the brain. Especially diseases such as tumours which will press on and effect different areas. I would be slightly concerned that the behaviour change in your dog may be due to a physical brain condition such as a tumour, the fact that Buddy paws his head makes me wonder if there is a physical source of discomfort. My advice would be to return to your vet for an examination of neurological function and an eye exam. Sometimes these tests will show nothing, but often there are clues to be found regarding tumours. For a definitive diagnosis an MRI scan is often required. In terms of treatment it is very limited for both conditions. Treatment usually involves managing pain and trying to increase blood flow to the brain to help cognitive function. Although if quality of life deteriorates then euthanasia is sometimes the only option. Best of luck.

If only Winston could talk! Unfortunately, it's impossible to know why he is doing this. Check his face for any redness or lesions. Check his ears and his mouth for any abnormalities. If you can't find anything, have him examined by the veterinarian. It's possible his neck is hurting or his face is itching due to an allergic reaction. I hope this provides some guidance.

Unfortunately, that's hard to say what the cause is without being able to conduct a neurological exam. It could be indicative a permanent nerve damage, pain in the neck or a congenital condition. I recommend to record the behavior on video and then ask the neurologist to view the video. The neurologist is the best person to accurately answer your questions about Dodger. I'm glad he's doing well and please feel free to post any additional questions.