Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:10 am Post subject: Frightened to go to bed at night
We have a 4 year old yellow boy dog called Perry who is usually fairly obedient and has a good daily routine. He sleeps in a kennel in the garden every night and daytime while we are at work. He will go outside to the garden via the patio door when asked to, usually without fuss. But in the last week or so, when he is asked to go to bed at night (no problem in the day), he will tuck his tail between his legs and run in the kitchen or upstairs as if he is frightened of something and we can't seem to encourage him to go outside, and we don't want to drag him out by force. We have been trying to work out what he might be afraid of. He has never been like this before. The only thing we can think of that he might be frightened of is thunderstorms as we have had a couple of the last week or so, but we've had them before and he's not been bothered about them before. Any suggestions or explanations would be appreciated. Thanks
What have you been doing since he started this action? Have you just taken him by the collar and taken him outside (using your best jolly hockey sticks voice), or have you been asking him "what's the matter" and then fussing/comforting him, perhaps even letting him sleep indoors. If you have been doing the latter then he's probably worked out that if he acts scared, you'll let him stay indoors with you (which is, at the end of the day, is what all dogs want to do ). Also if you have been trying to comfort him, he may feel that there is actually something to be scared of now (he acts scared and in his eyes, you're acting scared too).
If you want him to continue to sleep in his kennel, then be firm but fair. Take him by the collar and tell him "out you go, or night night" or what ever you choose to say, in your best jolly voice. You'll have to act like there isn't a problem and completely ignore him when he's looking scared. Do your best to get him to the kennel with the minimum of fuss. It might take a few evenings of this, before it finally sinks in that everythings ok and all back to normal now. HTH
He refused to go out again early evening when I had to go out of the house. He was really shaking in 'fear'. But I had to pull him by the collar which was hard work as he is a strong dog.
When it came to bedtime ... no fuss at all!!! So I think he's got the message!
We get cats in the garden all the time as we have 2 of our own and he gets on fine with them. Other cats he tends to chase away. If it was anything else, it would have to jump a 6 foot fence. If it was something or someone else, we would have heard it.
He is still refusing to go out at night, but I will keep trying.
I asume you have made a decision to keep him outside for whatever reasons, and that it isnt conveniant for him to sleep indoors?
I do hope you get some more advice or the problem sorts itself out, must be something wrong if the poor chap is shaking with fear
He is used to being outside. He has been doing so since he was a puppy. I now have noticed something else weird. When walking him yesterday, I let him off his lead to have a run around a field, as he does every day, but when he started sniffing around a particular area next to someone's fence, he showed that same frightened signs (tail between legs and keeping himself low). A fox scent maybe???
but when he started sniffing around a particular area next to someone's fence, he showed that same frightened signs (tail between legs and keeping himself low). A fox scent maybe???
Or could it be that the person who lives behind that fence has accessed your property and maybe tried to steal your dog or at very least been nasty to him in some way. Just a thought...but there are some very nasty people around ........
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). Also if you have been trying to comfort him, he may feel that there is actually something to be scared of now (he acts scared and in his eyes, you're acting scared too).
