Does My Dog Sense Something? (chihuahua, barking, skin, puppy)

[djxpress]

The weirdest thing tonight, my dog was acting normally and then all of the sudden, so started freaking out. Her ears would go back and she kept on looking out the window. We went outside and she started sniffing the air. I didn't see anything or anyone and I couldn't smell anything. After a few minutes, I brought her inside. She was still acting weird, and I held her and was asking her what's wrong. As I was saying that, she would shake.

Now, unless it's the weather and she senses a storm or something, I don't know why she was freaking out. It's almost like she was possessed.

Any ideas?

[Jamerschris]

I always heard that dogs sense heart attacks and strokes. thats about it though.

[djxpress]

So you're saying that someone who walked by my condo is gonna have a heart attack? She kept on looking outside, but the only thing out there is cars.

[SheridanPDC]

Maybe she could hear or smell something that you couldn't? Dogs can smell a LOT better than we can... that would be my guess, but who knows?

[djxpress]

I dunno, it's really freaking me out, because she's never acted like that. Maybe we're going to have an earthquake? If we do, you heard it here first.

[Riley620]

Your dog probably smelt an animal or something. We used to have deer behind our apartment and my dogs would smell them before you could see them. I remember the first time I made brownies when Roxy was a puppy she went nuts running all over the apartment, nose in the air, trying to find the delicious smell lol

[Fontucky]

You've got hills around you. Probably heard/smelled a foraging possum, raccoon or skunk.

[djxpress]

Well it just started to rain, so I think that's what my dog was freaking out about.

[ShermanJoe]

When one of our dogs became fearful or went on alert about something (including the resident pug pup), we always made it a point to not "reward" their fear by coddling or fussing over them. Living here in a wooded area in the country, there's often some enticing smell drifting through, or perhaps sounds unheard by humans.
By acting "matter of fact/show me what it is, buddy", when something triggers cautious behavior, becoming fearful doesn't take hold. My pug puppy was upset by a fox barking the other night. No biggie, I told him.
I appreciate how observant my dogs (and equines) are; they often alert me to some cool thing I would have otherwise missed....

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by djxpress

The weirdest thing tonight, my dog was acting normally and then all of the sudden, so started freaking out. Her ears would go back and she kept on looking out the window. We went outside and she started sniffing the air. I didn't see anything or anyone and I couldn't smell anything. After a few minutes, I brought her inside. She was still acting weird, and I held her and was asking her what's wrong. As I was saying that, she would shake.

Now, unless it's the weather and she senses a storm or something, I don't know why she was freaking out. It's almost like she was possessed.

Any ideas?

Maybe she heard/smelled a coyote?

Even a chihuahua has a sense of smell that is hundreds or thousands of time more sensitive than the best human's, so it may not be too surprising that you were not able to smell what the dog smelled.

...But watch out for earthquakes.