She had her 1st season at 7 months, then her 2nd at 14 months so should be due around xmas. Her last season was the end of may.

For the past week she's off her food, has been sleeping in odd places & being ignorant towards me, like not responding immediately to her name so I have to go off hunting for her.

One of her new places is in a sports bag under the stairs. Tonight I gave her a new cuddly toy to which she has taken under the stairs, looks very concerned if I pick it up & has stayed put with her new 'pup'
She seems very appeased with it!

I've made her den more comfortable, given her a couple of pillows and a blanket & she's cuddling up with 'pup' and not ragging it to pieces as is normal!

Will this pass? I thought she'd display phantom behaviour straight after her season? She is definately not pregnant for real & no sign of another season due. Anything else I can do to 'help' or will she just snap out of it in her own time. She looks a bit depressed & I dont like seeing her so down

I've been up & down the stairs every half hour so god help me when its for real!

Vix

To be on the safe side have a vet check her out, it is probable a phantom but just to make sure nothing else is wrong. If the vet says she is fit, then take away all toys and make life unconfortable for her, lots of exercise and play, shut her into the room you are in so she can't go and nest. But get her checked first, just in case.

First of all, take her to the vet, just to confirm that there is no underlying illness, but this sounds like a full-blown phantom. The best thing you can do to help her get over it quickly is to take everything soft out of her 'den', take away her cuddly toy, and prevent her from this 'nesting'. It sounds harsh, but the longer you let it continue the longer it will, and the more upset her hormones will become. Don't let her sit and brood, but take her out and about with you, keep her active, lots of walks, 'jolly' her along. She is likely to produce milk, so watch out for mastitis, because if this starts you may have a very unwell bitch.

If it is indeed a phantom, please don't indulge her in it - she will be much happier the sooner she gets back to normal.

Snap

She's already under treatment by the vet for juvenile localised demodicosis so hasnt long seen him

She's left the 'pup' with me whilst she goes off sunbathing in the back LOL!

Vix

If she has not seen the vet since she has 'changed' or you did not mention it, then I still think they should look at her before you start the snap out of it routine. Her behaviour is like a phantom but the same symptoms can indicate some far more serious problems.