Captain is a german shepherd, 3 years old, neutered. We live in a house on the outskirts and have the same routine all weekdays: We get up at 6, we go out for a walk, then I get ready to get to work. I’m back by 1pm, I cook something, we eat and go for another walk. I usually stay home with him up until 9pm, when we go for the last walk of the day.
Captain loves people and is always eager to meet new neighbours, or just say hi. He’s really well-behaved and don’t usually bother people too much if he sees they’re not interested. He also loves playing with other dogs, except for a pretty mean Rottweiler whose owner is almost assuredly in some shady business. Captain also loves me, and I love this dog more than anything in the world. I adopted him not long after my son died and he became a pillar in my life giving me back… all that love I had lost. I adore this dog, more than anything in my life, as there is so little left. He’s honestly the last good thing I still have, and I’m so scared I don’t know what to do.
This morning started off as a regular one. Up at 6, wash my face, get dressed, and get out for a walk. Captain was just as eager as any other morning, running past me into the garden, a few brief sniffs and then sit by the gate, waiting for me. We get to the park, he does his business, as usual, and then he goes off his usual course. See, normally he’d go to the south side, where the other dogs are, but this time he went north, to the skate zone. It was deserted, naturally, but even more than usual.He went down into one of those concrete-pit-thingies and vanished. I got closer and found him paralyzed. Captain was standing down there, eyes locked onto a rock. A smooth, ovoidal rock. Grey. Nothing looks particularly strange for a rock, really. But Captain was… I don’t know, mesmerized by it?
I called him, but he didn’t react. I tried a couple more times; no answer. I started to doubt he was even aware there was sound, as his ears weren’t moving. I went down to the pit and kneeled beside him. No answer. I pet him a bit and called a “hey, Captain?” in a soothing voice, next to his face. No answer. But when I reached to grab the rock, he snapped. He bit me and, as soon as I put my hand away, he went back to his original pose, watching the stone. My blood froze. It was the very first time I’ve seen Captain act with such aggression. I never, ever have seen him go past some barking, much less to me. I gave him some space as I was bandaging the wound, which wasn’t too bad… fortunately.
I didn’t have much option other than taking out the leash and using it. I started pulling while Captain was still struggling, trying desperately to get back to the stone. He even managed to make me slip my grip on the leash, and he darted off back to it. When we finally got home, after much struggle, I had to lock him inside the guest room and it wasn’t enough. Captain went on full crazy scratching the door until the point he hurt his paws. I could see the blood underneath the door. My anxiety levels were up the roof, so I called the town’s only vet who told me he’d be here in 15 minutes.
Then, the sound of broken glass. Captain had broken the back window and got away. I ran to the back of the house knowing I wouldn’t find my dog there, but rather expecting not to see blood on the glass. There certainly was some blood, but not too much at least… I got my car this time and went back to the skate park, as I knew without any hint of doubt he’d be there. And he was. I needed to get Captain back to the house and be there for when the vet arrived, and I didn’t want the dog to be around any other people now, either. Thank God the park was still empty of people.
I pulled out the leash again, but this time I also took the rock. I’m not a particularly strong man, so the whole way to the car, which wasn’t far at all, was a real challenge. Not only I had to hold Captain with just one hand, but I had to constantly struggle with him not to get the rock on my other hand. All in all, I was bitten two more times, and one of the bites looked pretty nasty. I put the rock down inside the car, and Captain jumped right in forgetting anything had happened. I drove back home and, as I was parking, I started to notice a little whimper. At first I thought it was due time to change my brakes, but it was the dog. He was whimpering every time I was hitting the brake. The motion moved him, even if slightly, and he would lose direct eye-contact with the rock, hence the whimper. It felt like that put him in distress.
When we got home, I didn’t even bothered to try and get him down the car. At least he was safe and locked, alongside his rock. I had a bit of time to examine him, even if through the car’s windows, and he doesn’t seem to be badly injured, other than his paws, but I can’t really take a good look at them. I’ve been waiting for an hour and a half now for the vet to come, and he hasn’t. He isn’t picking up the phone either. Things haven’t improved, in fact, I’d say they’ve gone worse. It started around 15 minutes ago, I’ve been sitting beside the car and noticed Captain is… I don’t know, grunting? on a regular basis, like he’s following some strange rhythm. It almost feels ritualistic.
I feel like I’m losing my mind right now, I just want him to be okay. I’m trying to find help, but noone is answering the phone. I’ve gone to my neighbour’s and she won’t answer the door. I haven’t even heard her crazy Yorkshire barking like a madman when I rang, which is definitely bizarre… I just don’t think I can stay put waiting. I’m going to grab the car and get to the city, to a vet that actually cares. I feel stupid for not having done this earlier, and if something happens to Captain I’ll make sure to let Spencer, the town’s vet, that I was here waiting for him like an idiot.
Wish Captain luck, and send some strength for me, because the grunting is giving me shivers…
Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/12gpvke/my_dog_is_acting_weird_and_its_not_just_him_pt_2/