I used to be a very regular poster a few years ago, but kids and life happened. I pop back occasionally to check things out but don't find myself posting anymore, until now! Penny, my fox red, is now 7.5 years old (where has that gone? I joined here when she was a pup!) And overall a very healthy girl. She has coped well with the addition of two children to our family (they are now 4 and almost 3) and has never shown any behaviour to give us cause for concern, until recently. Shes always been 'highly strung', shes very alert to her surroundings and rarely seems to switch off completely. But recently its gone to another level - she will react and bark to every tiny little noise outside, things that previously didn't bother her like car doors, people walking past, someone talking outside. Shes always been my shadow and has to be in the same room as me at all time but again recently is even more so, im constantly tripping over her as shes always under my feet. She whines when I go upstairs which previously never bothered her. She just seems constantly on edge. Nothing at all has changed at home - I have been a stay at home parent since my oldest child was born 4 years ago so us being home more during the pandemic isn't an issue as shes used to someone being around most of the day. Equally she has never suffered from separation anxiety as we go out every day so shes used to some alone time, again this has not changed during the pandemic either so I dont think this is to blame. I'm at a loss as to where this sudden anxiety has come from. Could it be an age thing? I dont feel that 7 (almost 8) is particularly old for a labrador but could it be age related? Something has really unsettled her lately and I just cant figure it out!
