What a surprise! My Rat Terrier Snickers which is 5 years old has been acting different the past 2 weeks. I am 17 weeks pregnant with my first and Im wondering if Snickers is acting up because I am preggo.  This past week I have caught him tinkling on the floor and today I went in to my brothers room and he had peed in the middle of his bed. He NEVER pottys in the house so this is a huge surprise for me. Snickers is a loving dog, he is always beside me or laying on my tummy! Im not sure what to do? Im worried he is sensing the baby and is getting upset! Any advice?

THanks so much*

I wouldn't be surprised that he can tell a change in you (they can smell a change in a person's chemistry which your hormones will produce when you're pregnant) BUT there's no reason he would be "upset" by that.  Most balanced, well behaved dogs simply accept a newborn as part of their pack.  He might be nervous or upset IF you are though.

I would have him checked for a urinary tract infection as inappropriate urination can be a sign of that...especially the peeing on the bed thing.  Just to rule out anything medical before working on behavior issues.

How old were you when you got him? Maybe he feels like he has to protect you, from your brother. Has there been any extra tension in the home, since you announced you are pregnant?

In my first few weeks of pregnancy I got very nauseous however I thought I had a stomach virus (!) so I had no clue I was pregnant.  I had a mare at the time who kept sniffing my tummy and gently pushing her muzzle into my tummy....she never did that so I was puzzled as to why she did it.  Then I finally went to the doctor for my "tummy virus" and found out it was morning sickness and I was actually pregnant.  So I know animals sense a pregnancy very early on - my mare senses mine when I was only 8 weeks along.  Probably a pregnant woman's smell changes from the hormones changing.