Possible behaviour problems/depression as a result of previous owners?

We got daisy from a kind of friend who gave her up in bad circumstances (her husband left her and she couldn't keep on all of her dogs) so we weren't really told much when we got her.

She can be quite nervy sometimes and shakes but a few weeks ago she started doing this thing where she'd walk around with her head down really slowly, almost tiptoeing and be unresponsive. She went back to normal within a few minutes and even though it worried me I put it down to her being unsettled because she'd been staying with friends over the weekend while I was away.

So it happened again about a week later just before bed so decided I'd see what she was like in the morning and take her to the vets - happened again in the morning and just as we were about to take her we realised she'd been eating bits of this plant that looked like a yucca (no idea what it actually is - old housemate left it) still took her and he said it was probably that BUT we moved the plant about a week ago and she did the weird head down tiptoe walk tonight (that's the technical term for it )

Spoke to her previous owner tonight and she says she used to do it all the time and she was mistreated before she even lived with her. So I'm not sure whats going on or what the way forward is - she seems to do it after she gets told off more than anything (came home today to find that she'd chewed up loads of paper so had to tell her off).

I'm not a very experienced dog owner so I need some guidance! Please

It sounds like she has been treated harshly when she has done "bad" things in the past. It may be a guilty look and she may be expecting a smack or something.

One of mine used to cower if I walked in with a Newspaper. She had obviously been disciplined that way before.

It will take time to build the trust and for her to realise that things are better now. Also if your friends relationship broke down there may have been shouting and a lot of tension in the air, This would not have helped. Staffords like a Happy home.

Would not hurt tp speak to vet if it continues. Look out for patterns of behaviour. Is it when she has done something bad, ripping up papers etc.

Telling off too severely is probably not going to help. Leave her plenty of toys around and something to keep her busy to avoid chewing/ripping. They can't help themselves, then feel bad lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOdRgsK6wZ0

Is it like this?

Yeah! it is exactly like that but she does it around the house. Really weird isn't it?

It's quite common in bull breeds and sight hounds, but I don't think there's been a lot of research into it. A friend's lurcher does the same! Totally understand why it's worrying but don't think it's much to worry about

Now reading about it.. 'trancing'.. weird! Daisy doesn't do it under anything though just wanders around.

Worried me because my sister had 2 boxers that had brain tumours and they acted how Daisy was a few weeks before they started having seizures and had to be pts. Thanks for the vid though, put my mind at rest!

I don't know an awful lot about it really hun just remember seeing a friends dog doing what sounded similar to what you're describing but she's been doing it for years and is a happy healthy girl in all other aspects just be vigilant and do as much research as you can, if you're concerned I'd see a vet, ask for a second opinion if you have to hope all goes well! She looks gorgeous! X

Wow not seen that before. Weird.
You could try videoing her next time, then if you go back to the vets you can show then exactly what she does. They never perform at the vets!

Wow, never seen or heard of that before. Learn something every day.

What is that all about?

Strange huh? I only learnt about it a few weeks ago, sure there's some more info online somewhere for anyone interested! Need to get around to reading up on it myself!

That's so strange! What a lovely dog that is in the video though!!

Never heard about this until now. Heres an article about it
http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/does-your-dog-behavior-trance-trancing

I agree that too harsh a telling off wont help matters. All you need is a firm voice, they response so much better to it. Do you leave any toys for her to play with when she is left on her own? Pixee can have that guility look as if she has done something, when in fact she hasnt as we have learned, we just ignore that behaviour from her as its something to do with her past that we know nothing about, and over time she has stopped doing it so much. Just give her time to get settled and be patient with her.

I have two staffs and one of them keeps weeing in Roxie's bed. I know it is Maisey that does it but as I have never caught her can't tell her off. Roxie is the one who looks all guilty when I see it though but she just wouldn't do that. I am such a soft touch I never tell either of them off but we got Roxie when she was nine months old from a family who were moving abroad and I think she had quite a stern up-bringing as she still does 'the guilty' look whenever anything is chewed, or if one of them has had an accident    Maisey just doesn't give a monkey about anything as she gets away with murder - even when caught in the act she won't give us the 'guilty look' just wags her tail and gets silly.

even when caught in the act she won't give us the 'guilty look' just wags her tail and gets silly.

lol that made me laugh, Axl is the same he'll roll over on his back and give me a goofy look works every time!

If Rocky has done anything naughty while we are out we just let it go, no point in telling off after the event, they don't know why you are telling them off later in the day.

Staffy lover wrote:I agree that too harsh a telling off wont help matters.  All you need is a firm voice, they response so much better to it.  Do you leave any toys for her to play with when she is left on her own?  Pixee can have that guility look as if she has done something, when in fact she hasnt as we have learned, we just ignore that behaviour from her as its something to do with her past that we know nothing about, and over time she has stopped doing it so much.  Just give her time to get settled and be patient with her.  

This is one of the first times I've ever really told her off harshly, I'm not good at being the strict parent! She is pretty much allowed to do what she wants but when she chewed paper up the other day it was the first time she's done anything like it, so I thought a bit of a harsh telling off the first time she did it would discourage her from doing it again.