my dog is an older sephard mixed! we took he in off the strees a few months ago! she live on the streets for about 2 months!! when i feed her in the morning and when she sees me looking at her she will hold her front paw up like it's hurt!! she has been to the vet., and they can't find anything wrong!! she will do this a few times a day, but when i feed her or take her out on a lease, she' fine and uses this same leg!! she'll even runs and plays!! i was just wondering if anyone has hear of a dog doing this for attention! or do you think it is something she learn living on the streets to get food and love!!???
2006-11-14 06:21:27 · 15 answers · asked by rblankenship_rblankenship 5 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I've never heard of a dog doing this but I'm sure that's what he's up to - smart animal! I did have a friend with a cat that had a broken front leg and after the cast was removed would "limp" around to get attention. If it didn't work, he's limp out of the room and come back in a few minutes limping on the OTHER leg!
2006-11-14 06:44:29 · answer #1 · answered by Colleen 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Dogs communicate with body language. It may be a submissive gesture. Perhaps once upon a time someone taught her to "shake" and that's an appeasement behavior for her (many dogs do this by leaning their whole body against you, offering their paw, or licking your face/hands - it's their effort at pleasing you). When she's occupied by other things like walking and playing, being submissive doesn't cross her mind. However, dogs know how to get what they want. If she realizes this certain motion gets a sympathetic or soothing response from you, she'll do it repeatedly.
My dog got a rabies shot in his hind leg and it left him a little sore and he milked it, as if to say "I told you going to the vet was a bad idea". He was limpy and pitiful and I was very worried at first. I called the vet and they said to give him an aspirin. Mysteriously, when he went for walks he had a little bounce in his step like nothing was wrong. Then back at home he was sucking up the sympathy again. He also puts on his sad puppy dog face when he sees the dog shampoo cuz he hates to take a bath and knows what it takes to make me give in.
2006-11-14 07:12:43 · answer #2 · answered by Sandy Sandals 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a cat that did this once, years ago. Had to stay with a friend for a few days and while there, he acted horrible and as if his leg was in awful pain. Brought him immediately home so that I could supervise his potential injury and the little guy was now bouncing off the walls and had nothing wrong at all!
2006-11-14 06:46:46 · answer #3 · answered by Shadow's Melon 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely! Dogs are smart and she probably learned what she needed to do to look cute in order to survive. Dogs remember the attention they got when they were hurt - one of my will still hold up the paw he cut and needed stitches in a few years ago. Your dog just needs lots of attention and some reassurance - who knows how scary her experience was !
2006-11-14 06:35:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. My dog has done this. She has injured both of her rear legs. Of course, at the time of the injury I examined both legs for cuts and superficial wounds, so she was getting attention and being touched. Months after the second injury, we were on a walk and she was being slow. I was exasperated and told her to hurry up. She looked at me and lifted a paw and hobbled forward. I just said, "oh, come on faker" and she trotted right over to me and walked normally. Dogs figure out quickly what gets them attention and special treatment!
2006-11-14 06:32:56 · answer #5 · answered by melissa k 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a shepheard mix that is 16 years old, he has alway chocked when you pulled on his collar, so we had to use a harness to walk him, the vets all told us he had a very sensitive throat. But when he was about 10 we got a second dog, and we noticed when they played she would drag him around by his collar and he NEVER made a chocking sound. But to this day if you touch his collar with your hand he will start gagging. So yes the stinkers will act.
2006-11-14 08:13:06 · answer #6 · answered by wubbauu 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definately! My 10 yr. old Aussie/Border Collie mix is the biggest drama queen. She does it because she knows I'll check her over and make a fuss about it. I check her over because I never know if she's really hurt or not but I don't want to take the chance on missing an injury.
2006-11-14 08:44:16 · answer #7 · answered by Coop's Wife 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You bet, my dog had a small thorn in her paw, I removed it and made a big deal out of it and gave her lots of love and a treat, guess who limped the next day and there was nothing wrong? Dogs are so smart.
2006-11-14 06:30:08 · answer #8 · answered by mimi 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes dogs are just like people. They'll do what they can to get what they want. But yeah. If you got her off the streets then who knows what she's experienced. Check from time to time to see if perhaps something else is wrong, but otherwise I say just to love her. It sounds like she's long overdue for it!
2006-11-14 06:54:18 · answer #9 · answered by Kaity 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Max has learned that when my son tells him no or corrects him for anything he yaps and comes running to me, puts his head in mt lap and tries to show me his paw. LOL he's a big boy(German Shepherd) and for him to act like this drives my son nuts~ calls him the little brother he never wanted, always crying to momma~ yet they go everywhere and do everything together.
the typical boy and his dog.
2006-11-14 07:02:10 · answer #10 · answered by JO K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋