I remember reading a case review in Dogs Today Magazine about a dog who had started acting oddly, showing extremes sudden separation anxiety..all in a dog who was middle aged and had led a very settle life.

It turns out that he had started to hate the room he had been left in daily fr a few hours happily since he was puppy.

The cause was found out ...a mouse had made a nest in the bottom of the washing machine and the sound had spooked the dog silly. They removed the nest, increase the dogs confidence in that room....and everything returned to normal.

Sometimes there are very simple causes that we miss, but really affect animals...so we try to attribute their behaviour to more complex or sinister causes.

Yes Catrina - I can believe that would really unsettle a dog. Bella goes nuts if a cricket starts scampering around the verandah - and used to be really spooked out by the electronic Airwick automatic air freshener - when it let out the tiny whoosh/hiss every so often!

Worth remembering most dogs can hear a lot of things we cannot and can smell things from much further away than we can.

I'm very sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure - I'm sure some dogs must also be sensitive to that too.

This is all too spooky for me Why don't you give these guys a ring? I watch their programmes and they do a lot of work in your area?? Might end up quite interesting??
http://paranormal.about.com/u/review...State.2pI-.htm

There are quite a few, but these guys have the very best mediums they can call in to investigate with them. Worth a try and it could well be free because of their tv programme?

Yes but did 'nt the OP say that the horses were affected as well

It could be a mouse or something that my dog is hearing. But how do you explain the bag of sugar moving.

You've got very big mice. Sorry apologise couldn't resist that.
I find all this type of stuff very interesting. It will be interesting to see what your friend comes up with and if you can do some research on the house or plot its built on to see what has happened in the past.

A battle between two Indian tribes took place and from what my friend told me my land was snack dabb in the middle of the battle. Now this battle predates the civil war.

Just been researching Medicine Lake and came across information about proposals to erect two geothermal power plants there,not sure whether this has been done.A law suit was filed by native tribes as they consider the land to be sacred,their aruguments against also include changes in the atmosphere,effect on animals living there.Very interesting reading,especially the fact that experts confirmed that whatever set up is going on underground is perfect for generating steam.Make you wonder what possible noises and movement animals can detect from that.Can't post a link,but its worth a read.I just typed in;
Geothermal power plant Medicine Lake

Both interesting theories.
Wonder if MB can confirm about the geothermal plant.

I'd be interested in this too. As I said on another post I heard my Dad call my name the night before he died and two days before he was taken into hospital I smelled my Granny's perfume.

Weird thing happened to hubby as well last week. He was outside having a cigarette, leaning against the gate and facing the house. He saw a woman reflected in the window passing behind him, when he turned round nobody was there. Now you can see a fair way in all directions round our house as we are on a corner, and even round the corner you could see someone walking away. He saw nobody. Not a soul. Might be something or nothing but struck me as odd.

Odd.