dog sitting out in cold - why?

[wildflowergardener]

Hi. My dog is trained to ring a bell on the door when he wants to go out. Lately he has been ringing constantly (it seems like it) I'll open the door then he won't go out. A couple of times he finally will go out, then I'll go check on him a bit later and find him lying either on the porch outside or outside on the walk.

It was 4 degrees this morning, and is currently about 13 degrees. Any possible explanation. He is a long coated dog. I wish he could tell me why in the world he would want to do this. A couple of times I've had to go out there and carry him in. I don't let him stay out there very long before checking on him.

He's about 14 now and does have arthritis - I don't know if pain could have anything to do with it - though he acts like he's fine. Do dogs have hot flashes?

Meg

[undeterred]

1. The poor guy.

When its this cold he's probably feeling pretty stiff. Possibly the extreme cold numbs the arthritis pain or maybe he just gets too cold too move. Don't leave him out for too long, his circulation may not be as good as it used to be, and even long haired dogs get cold if they aren't moving around much.

[wildflowergardener]

2. bringing in

No - I don't let him stay out to long - if he doesn't come in fairly quickly I go out and get him.

I did think perhaps his arthritis medicine could be wearing off in the evenings - he gets it in the morning, and that might have something to do with hit. He has a doggie door so he could come in any time he wants to.

This is much colder than usual - which would make me think he'd be quicker about coming in than usual, not the other way around.

[undeterred]

3. Its hard to know.

Maybe the cold feels good to him. Is he on Derrimax?

[wildflowergardener]

4. Derramax

Yes - he gets half a pill of deramaxx in the morning.

Meg

[Coyote_Bandit]

5. I have a long haired dog

with a thick coat. He's about 9 years old. He frickin ***LOVES*** cold weather. Even really cold weather. Even though he has some knee problems. I don't understand it either.

[wildflowergardener]

6. hot?

I suppose he could just be hot - I guess I don't know what it feels like to wear a heavy fur coat 24 hours a day. He often sleeps on the floor instead of his bed, which I think is cooler - maybe that's all it is.

Meg

[Coyote_Bandit]

7. I've always thought

that his coat acted as an insulator. I'm pretty sure it helps protect him from overheating in the summer. Still, he loves the cold weather and prefers the cooler areas of the house.

[MadMaddie]

8. Meg what is the breed of your dog!

I have a friend who has a husky and when it snows and it's cold she will stay out all night if she could. She likes to burrow in the snow and sleep.....Of course my friend doesn't let her stay out because she has arthritis too....

[BrklynLiberal]

9. My German Shepherd does the same exact thing. He hits the bells on the porch door

when he wants out. It has been below 15 degrees every night this week I let him out and he lays down and looks out over the yard and seems to just want some fresh air and see what is going on around him When he wants to come back in, he knocks at the door, and I let him back in. He is never out there for more than 10 minutes.

Obviously the cold does not bother him, and if he wants to get some air..it is OK, as long as he does not want me to sit out there with him :))

[mahina]

10. Sorry to ask, but does he show any signs of dementia?

It happens to dogs too. If they want to go out right after coming back in, sometimes dogs that are getting dementia forget that they were just out.

My friend told me she thought my Mollydog was getting dementia. Turns out she wasn't. Just a thought, if other actions are consistent, something to ask your vet about. Best of luck, hope all is well with your doggie. Aloha.

[Butch350]

11. Doggy dementia??

Elderly animals can at times act like our elderly parents and loved ones. Animals can get forgetful, do weird things
that seem normal to them.

[badgerpup]

12. Had a friend whose dog did similiar stuff...

Bear was a handsome Samoyed/Golden Lab cross (yep, momma got out and partied one critical night)- bigger than either parent, white with gold-tipped ears, the wisest brown eyes you can imagine, the up-over-the-back Samoyed tail (otherwise it would have been a WMD)...and a coat as thick as the earth's crust.
He'd lie outside in the cold and snow during winter with just his nose inside the doggie door so he could keep tabs on what was going on in the house.

Lived to a very venerable 16 years...which is ancient for a such a large dog.