# Rude? Senile? Both? Neither? (14 year old mutt - non-GSD)



## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

So. 

At some point in recent months Neb decided the spot next to the middle corner of the sectional was 'his'. If Timothy (one of the cats) was sitting next to whichever human was there, Timothy'd get barked at. We discouraged this, Toby would move Timothy, I would refuse to, because why should Timothy have to move?

Now Neb barks at ME. I sit in the far corner not the middle corner. If I'm home alone, and Neb is lying there (he likes to lie there) I don't necessarily move him because there's an entire sectional and he's an old guy. He turned 14 a few months ago now. 

Last night Neb barked for awhile before giving up. Tonight Neb barked, regularly, for an hour and a half. He's not LOUD, but we do live in an apartment. I took him out, we fed them early - still barked. I get up to pee, he hops up where I've been sitting. 

Because I'm a sucker, and out of curiousity, when I came back I left him there and sat next to him. He's happy as a clam. All snuggled up.

Should I kick him off the couch? Undoubtedly. Is he a 14 year old dog who has had couch privileges his entire life, which I have no intention of changing? Yes.

My query is more - is this a sign of senility do you think? Or has he just become an entitled jerk as he's aged?

(In other news I was vacuuming this morning, very exciting, so exciting that despite having been out a few hours before he peed all over the floor. It's been a banner Neb day, but one day I'll wish he was around to pee on the floor)


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## Rosebud99 (9 mo ago)

I had a senior dog who developed doggie dementia. If his head was outside the door he thought he was outside and would stand there and pee.

As far as a spot on the couch...at 14 I'd be happy he can still hop up on the couch, no matter which cushion he picked.

Just what I would do.


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

I have a cat who is 20. She is very demanding recently in her old age. She yowls to be fed wet food only and given water from the sink after. I got her on a schedule and if I am late she yowls. 
She does this 3x a day like clock work now. Yes she has trained me well. 
So long story I'd give Neb his spot LOL
If he isn't acting dangerous just spoiled I'd let him.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Is he losing his hearing or sight?


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## Buckelke (Sep 4, 2019)

Let me get this straight - you have a 14 year old dog with a good strong bark who can jump up on the furniture? Count your blessings! As they age sometimes you have to make accomodations for them. Little things they want or just won't tolerate anymore. It's not a big deal. Neb has earned the right to acute spoilage.


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## peachygeorgia (Oct 5, 2021)

14? I'd just let him have the spot, LOL


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Oh my goodness everyone! 

I am NOT going to kick him off the couch at all! (He's lying next to me and I'm in MY spot haha, he's weird)

I was more just wondering if this is a sign of senility in people's opinion. 

He has definitely earned being spoiled!

@LuvShepherds his sight seems okay. Hearing - well, he has more selective hearing, I think it's starting to go a bit? Toby thinks he just chooses to ignore us. Sometimes he seems to hear fine and sometimes he won't respond, not even ear movement. But I'm not sure what the difference would be.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

He may be getting senile. All I can say is that I wondered about a few similar things with my ridgie mix. It seemed like she was loosing her hearing or sight or something. At the time I didn't realize dogs could simply loose their memories like some humans do. 
You may want to make a vet visit just in case. Their might be a protocol for helping Neb stay a bit more in-tuned if it is senility.


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## peachygeorgia (Oct 5, 2021)

Ah, i was just poking some fun, im not entirely sure, but I know our senior JRT/Poodle mix got very demanding in her later years, particularly 12-14, and she seemed normal, albeit losing some hearing.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Good call @car2ner - I called our vet and let them know what was going on. 

Demanding is a good way to describe it @peachygeorgia! 

I figure some pics of our good boy are called for  


__
http://instagr.am/p/CftqPVnAm8Y/


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Neb just asked to get up into "his" new spot, so I let him and of course took a pic - we're all snuggled in now.


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## Zeppy (Aug 1, 2021)

jarn said:


> Neb just asked to get up into "his" new spot, so I let him and of course took a pic - we're all snuggled in now.
> View attachment 589405


Look at his face. He is so sweet !!


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

He finds it comforting because it smells strongly of you there.
Yes, they do begin to take a few privileges in old age. Hans knows he’s not allowed on the furniture, and doesn’t get up there when we are not around... but every morning, here is what we find.









I snapped this pic from outside, on the patio. If he hears me approaching, he jumps off. 
It was the cat who first got him on that sofa! A couple of weeks after we got the cat, I received a similar picture while I was out shopping... here I was, afraid Hans would go after him, and instead, he was being taught to do forbidden things!🤣


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

When Nitro was younger, we had a misunderstanding. He thought it was ok to be on the sofa at night when we were asleep in bed, because no one told him he couldn't. I 'twigged' one night when he was standing next to the sofa, waiting for me to go to bed. As long as he's comfortable, now he older, he can sleep wherever he likes.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

He is adorable. I refer to the futon I use for a couch as the giant dog bed! Age definitely gets them privileges. Shadow makes the rules now, I just do as I am told. I'm not thinking it's senility, I think they have just had enough of our crap.


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## Zeppy (Aug 1, 2021)

Sunflowers said:


> He finds it comforting because it smells strongly of you there.
> Yes, they do begin to take a few privileges in old age. Hans knows he’s not allowed on the furniture, and doesn’t get up there when we are not around... but every morning, here is what we find.
> View attachment 589418
> 
> ...


The look on your cat’s face!!!
“Yes… my minion is learning well…” 🤣


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Oh my goodness so many lovely pics of our lovely oldsters! 

@Sabis mom perhaps it's not senility! He just knows what he wants, heh. He's always been his own dog, so yeah.

@Sunflowers to think he likes it because of my smell gives me the warm fuzzies. Shucks. And I love your cat's face! Reminds me of our Esme who we lost must be 5 years ago.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Sabis mom said:


> He is adorable. I refer to the futon I use for a couch as the giant dog bed! Age definitely gets them privileges. Shadow makes the rules now, I just do as I am told. I'm not thinking it's senility, I think they have just had enough of our crap.


Nitro has a daybed. The morning of this photo he had breakfast in bed. He'd been on medications that cause inappetence, and the meds needed to be taken with a meal. Sometimes you just have to do whatever it takes to get 'em to eat


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

@Dunkirk Nitro is such a stunner. I'm a sucker for seniors.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

jarn said:


> @Dunkirk Nitro is such a stunner. I'm a sucker for seniors.


Thank you!


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