Growling and Barking But Never Satisified

Recently Maggie, my 9-year-old Dalmatian-Lab mix, has been barking and growling at night. She either wants to go out or eat more food, but she is never satisfied. She growls and barks at me until she gets what she wants, but then she does it all over again a couple minutes later. Can you tell me what you think is wrong with her and how I can get her to be satisfied and stop barking? Thanks!
– Melissa, New York

Hi Melissa,

The first thing that came to mind when reading about Maggie and taking her age into consideration is the possibility of some slight cognitive impairment causing her recent behavior. I’d suggest talking with your veterinarian first, before working on a behavior modification program to rule anything organic out. Please let your vet know just what you told me, and if Maggie gets a clean bill of health, please let me know and we’ll go from there.

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