Do your dogs cop an attitude every now and then? Are they uncharacteristically aloof or aggressive in situations that they would normally be fine with?

If so, do you know what puts them in that mood? Can you see it coming? And what do you do when it happens?

Eddie is one of those dogs who can get cranky, and I generally see it coming. Almost always, it comes when his sleep patterns are interrupted, namely he doesn't get enough sleep.

It happens on vacations when we do a lot of driving. He doesn't sleep often while we drive, so he finds himself awake 16 or more hours a day. That's a big change from his day-to-day routine, when he sleeps most of the day while I'm at work.

It manifests itself when he's around other dogs. He demands more space than usual and will be aloof, growl or even snap when another dog gets too close.

Since we've discovered that, we've gotten pretty good at managing it. If he doesn't sleep on the road trip, he gets some quiet time when we reach our destination. It may be in a tent or a trailer, but we give him a chance to nap before he has to deal with the new surroundings.

So is it just Eddie, or do others notice mood changes in their dogs?