I have a Chihuahua/terrier mix I adopted about 1.5 years ago, he is estimated to be about 3 years old right now. He has a very calm personality, and almost never barks. I typically am able to walk him off leash with no problems, he follows right by my side where ever I go. He has almost always been an off leash dog, for over a year now - even with many other dogs around he has been such a pleasant off leash dog. I've never had any problems.
As of 3 days ago, he has been really afraid to go outside. He will go outside but I can't get more than one block without him going back to the house on his own. It seems to be getting worse and worse each day, each day he goes a little less distance before going back to the house - today once he got outside he just stood there shivering and I had to pick him up and put him next to a tree to do his business. He ALWAYS comes when I whistle, and/or pat my legs and now he totally doesn't respond to either gestures. He just stands there afraid and shivering and staring at me. He is also now gone back to being afraid of big trucks and buses driving by.
Whats also weird is he still seems somewhat excited when I get ready to go outside and put his collar on. He is even excited all the way walking from my 3rd floor apartment down the stairs, it just right when he gets outside he freezes up! It's so strange!
The good thing is he is still house trained - he wont go to the bathroom inside the house (thank goodness). I am just a bit worried, confused as to whats going on since most cases I read about dogs afraid to go outside almost always deal with reverted house training as well.
A bit of background which is a HUGE explanation:
When it all changed:
I took him on his weekly visit to his "dads" house and all was normal, I came back to my apartment in downtown and we went to sleep. The next morning I took him out as usual and he was totally fine, normal behavior.
That day, when I got home and took him out I noticed he didn't go to the bathroom right away as he usually does I also noticed he didn't seem as excited and confident while walking, he seemed really cautious and a bit afraid and his tail was down- he always goes #2 at a tree, a post, a corner, a wall..near or against something. But this time he took a few more blocks than usual and then just copped a squat in the middle of the side walk. Not totally unheard of but just not in his usual habit- I was a bit surprised and let out a little "Oh!" because 1) he almost never goes in the middle of the sidewalk and 2) he stopped right in front of me almost tripping me. This did cause him to stop mid poop and unfortunately I think I scared him. He seemed to think he was in trouble, I tried to praise him and even hold, hug, pet him to let him know I wasn't mad. I walked and walked him for blocks and blocks and I couldn't get him to finish, I knew he didn't go all the way. So I just gave up and went back home. I tried to walk him again later that night because I knew he didn't finish but he seemed so afraid I couldn't even get more than 2 blocks before he wanted to go home. And when we did get home, he tried to squeeze through the gate of my building! He really can't fit but he seemed so scared that he wanted to get inside as soon as possible before I could even open the gate!
Each walk has just gotten progressively worse, he goes a shorter and shorter distance before wanting to go home, and he continuously tries to squeeze through the gate before I open it.
Also some info that might be helpful, the old house is huge and makes my new place look like a shoebox. I try to walk him a lot and play with him to keep him stimulated. He also has his cat brother to keep him company, they get along really well, they play and wrestle and clean eachother.
I just don't know what happened, he is suddenly very afraid to go outside and go on walks and doesn't follow me anymore, or come when I call. he is STILL house trained though.
Of course I will try putting him on leash, giving him treats, praising him during walks, etc. He seemed to be adapting really well with the the change in homes for the last 2 months he's been totally cool with it. Is it maybe that the permanence of the changes are now setting in? Should I stop bringing him back and forth between houses so often? Are there other thing I can be doing to remedy this, besides the obvious praise, treats, leash?
I feel to blame because my life changes are also his life changes and he didn't ask for any of it, and there's really not much I can do, this is his new life now. I guess what I'm really looking for is advice on how to handle this because it seems to be more mental stress than any type of physical health issues. I've been checking him and monitoring him as much as possible, he seems perfectly normal health-wise and he is eating normally. He also doesn't really seem sad at all. I don't think it's anything a Vet will be able to help with, I think he needs a doggy therapist! What do I do?! onder: onder: onder:
(thats's him in my Avi - his name is Thumper)
As of 3 days ago, he has been really afraid to go outside. He will go outside but I can't get more than one block without him going back to the house on his own. It seems to be getting worse and worse each day, each day he goes a little less distance before going back to the house - today once he got outside he just stood there shivering and I had to pick him up and put him next to a tree to do his business. He ALWAYS comes when I whistle, and/or pat my legs and now he totally doesn't respond to either gestures. He just stands there afraid and shivering and staring at me. He is also now gone back to being afraid of big trucks and buses driving by.
Whats also weird is he still seems somewhat excited when I get ready to go outside and put his collar on. He is even excited all the way walking from my 3rd floor apartment down the stairs, it just right when he gets outside he freezes up! It's so strange!
The good thing is he is still house trained - he wont go to the bathroom inside the house (thank goodness). I am just a bit worried, confused as to whats going on since most cases I read about dogs afraid to go outside almost always deal with reverted house training as well.
A bit of background which is a HUGE explanation:
- I recently moved out of my boyfriends house (we are still together - just living a part). We got our cat and Dog together. The dog is definitely more attached to me and we can't split up the cat and dog so I took both with me in the move.
- I moved from a more suburban area of san francisco to downtown very busy city area lots of people, cars, trucks, buses - the works.
- I have been in my new apartment in a more busy part of town for about 2 months now.
- I frequently go back and forth from my house to my boyfriends house maybe 1-2 times a week, and I take my dog with me.
- He's my road dog - I take him every and any where that will allow him, he's pretty used to traveling around. I even take the cat back and forth once in a while. They have both learned how to travel on the bus and public transportation and taken very well to it.
- When I first moved here my dog loved it, new territory to explore, new trees to mark, new doggy friends to meet etc. He was totally fine walking around no leash and all, it's been 2 months and it took about the first month for him to finally stop being afraid of big trucks and buses on the streets.
When it all changed:
I took him on his weekly visit to his "dads" house and all was normal, I came back to my apartment in downtown and we went to sleep. The next morning I took him out as usual and he was totally fine, normal behavior.
That day, when I got home and took him out I noticed he didn't go to the bathroom right away as he usually does I also noticed he didn't seem as excited and confident while walking, he seemed really cautious and a bit afraid and his tail was down- he always goes #2 at a tree, a post, a corner, a wall..near or against something. But this time he took a few more blocks than usual and then just copped a squat in the middle of the side walk. Not totally unheard of but just not in his usual habit- I was a bit surprised and let out a little "Oh!" because 1) he almost never goes in the middle of the sidewalk and 2) he stopped right in front of me almost tripping me. This did cause him to stop mid poop and unfortunately I think I scared him. He seemed to think he was in trouble, I tried to praise him and even hold, hug, pet him to let him know I wasn't mad. I walked and walked him for blocks and blocks and I couldn't get him to finish, I knew he didn't go all the way. So I just gave up and went back home. I tried to walk him again later that night because I knew he didn't finish but he seemed so afraid I couldn't even get more than 2 blocks before he wanted to go home. And when we did get home, he tried to squeeze through the gate of my building! He really can't fit but he seemed so scared that he wanted to get inside as soon as possible before I could even open the gate!
Each walk has just gotten progressively worse, he goes a shorter and shorter distance before wanting to go home, and he continuously tries to squeeze through the gate before I open it.
Also some info that might be helpful, the old house is huge and makes my new place look like a shoebox. I try to walk him a lot and play with him to keep him stimulated. He also has his cat brother to keep him company, they get along really well, they play and wrestle and clean eachother.
I just don't know what happened, he is suddenly very afraid to go outside and go on walks and doesn't follow me anymore, or come when I call. he is STILL house trained though.
Of course I will try putting him on leash, giving him treats, praising him during walks, etc. He seemed to be adapting really well with the the change in homes for the last 2 months he's been totally cool with it. Is it maybe that the permanence of the changes are now setting in? Should I stop bringing him back and forth between houses so often? Are there other thing I can be doing to remedy this, besides the obvious praise, treats, leash?
I feel to blame because my life changes are also his life changes and he didn't ask for any of it, and there's really not much I can do, this is his new life now. I guess what I'm really looking for is advice on how to handle this because it seems to be more mental stress than any type of physical health issues. I've been checking him and monitoring him as much as possible, he seems perfectly normal health-wise and he is eating normally. He also doesn't really seem sad at all. I don't think it's anything a Vet will be able to help with, I think he needs a doggy therapist! What do I do?! onder: onder: onder:
(thats's him in my Avi - his name is Thumper)