New Weird Behavior
Ok, need some insight / help with a new issue. Brody, our 5 year old male has all of a sudden deicded that he doesn't want to go outside first thing in the morning. For 5 years, every am we go and let them out of their kennels, they race to the door to go out. Over the past week he won't go out. He'll go out later in the day, just not then. This morning, DH let him out, I was upstairs, he started running up the stairs to go out, froze half-way up and would not come up. I put his leash on, he cam to the tope of the stairs and put on the brakes (laid down, would not move) the collar literally came off over his head. I picked him up, carried him out and everything was fine. Is this just a show of "Alpha Dog" any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks for the input all.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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Don't know what is causing it, but I do know it has nothing to do with Alpha dog behavior.... has something changed upstairs or where he goes out? He may be visually spooked by something. Try to get down on all fours and look around, you may see something you're not noticing from your height. If he's afraid of something, forcing him will make it worse. Better to lure and reward, or simply sit with him and pet him when he's "stuck" to see if he can process this on his own. My Corgi eats in the laundry room and, every meal goes by the upright vacuum cleaner with no problem. One night there was NO WAY he would enter the laundry room in spite of his food and raw hamburger over it. I was truly puzzled, then figured out my husband (husband's are always fun to blame!!!) had put the vacuum cleaner in turned differently than I do, so that it was leaning SLIGHTLY forward, a matter of inches. Since it's way taller than the dog, it was enough to appear threatening.
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Permalink Reply by Becky S on
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I'll give it a try, but really as far as I know nothing has changed over the past week. Vacuum is in the closet, and like I said he'll go out any other time of day. I'll try a lure tomorrow (today was the first try with the leash). I don't think it's Alpha dog either, DH's answer to any time he's a little stubborn about something. thanks for the insight
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Do your checking at the time of day you're having the problem, it may have to do with light conditions. To check this you can try letting the dogs out an hour earlier or later than usual and see if it makes any difference. Also, act normal, not like you're expecting a problem. By making some changes in the routine, you may get some more insight into the situation. I'll be interested to see if you figure it out.
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It's not always the same time every day... some days I sleep in a little later. But I think you might be right about being a lettle tense and expecting a problem, so calm, cool and maybe some treats...he's definitely treat oritetnted lol thansk for the insight
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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My Sparty will go out first thing in the morning and late at night. The rest of the day he will not unless coaxed out with a treat. Lately Izzy has been doing the same thing. I think they are just waiting for their walk later in the morning so they can potty out of our yard. I wonder if that is what your guy is thinking?
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Permalink Reply by Jen, Brody & Buddy on
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Have you recently gotten a new puppy? or had another significant change? If not, have you checked him over for any bites or has he been limping or anything? He could have been chasing an animal and gotten bitten and now he is wary to go outside. Has the weather gotten significantly hotter? Any new landscaping outside? New paint? New flooring? Any guests visiting? Do his nails need to be trimmed? I know that sounds weird but my long hair chihuahua does odd things when her nails are too long. Has his BM's been normal? Did he do something bad where he stops and was he disciplined in that area? He could be cautious if that has happened. I know my Brody heard a garbage truck in a particular place outside and now he avoids that patch of grass like the plague.
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no new puppy (Lilly is 3), weather has been nice, no storms, he's eating, peeing pooing, playing like normal, will go up and down the stairs any other time of the day, just not the first thing in the AM, no changes inside or outside the house, nails recently trimmed. He doesn't stop in the same area each day, some days comes all the way up the stairs and stops. This AM he stopped at the bottom of the stairs and laid down. I got out a favorite cookie, he wouldn't come for it. I went down to him and he rolled over on his back, wouldn't touch the cookie. He let me carry him up the stairs, put him at the patio door he went out and I gave him the cookie for going out. He has since gone in and out twice without any problem and up and down the stairs without a problem. Guess I'll just be patient, reinforce going out = good boy and hopefully this too shall pass.
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He could have something hurting him after being confined at night, like stiffness or something in a joint that gets better with movement and is aggravated by the stairs first thing in the morning.
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that could be, he usually does a long stretch right after coming out of his kennel and might need a little more time to "limber up". Thant's more likely than something in the yard he doesn't like as he'll go out once I get him to the door. But with him it could be just about anything, he's wigged out over hot air balloons flying over, a kite caught in the tree next door. OUr neighbors just put in a trampoline, so after supper we can't let him out as he goes bonkers barking at the bouncing heads (all he can see over the fence)...sigh. They aren't out there in the AM, and it doesn't stop him from going out, in fact if I forget to check for bouncing heads he will bolt out the door full on bark to get them out of there!
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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on
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Perhaps he's had a recent fright outdoors -- a raccoon, cat, strange dog, wild animal, ill-bred child...? A pal once came home to catch the neighbor kids taunting his dog through the fence, throwing sticks and stones.
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thanks everyone for the feedback. This AM when I went downstairs, I made sure to have all the lights on, took it a little slower, gave Brody time to stretch, kind of walked behind him and only a little hesitation at the bottom of the stairs. So hoepfully this has worked itself out and we'll be back to usual routine.
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