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Nervous Dog indoors

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  • 05-05-2009 1:43pm
    #1
    Caroline123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭


    My staff bull terrier is very nervous indoors. he doesn't seem to like walking on the wooden floor. He literally runs to his bed or the couch as soon as he comes in. we've tried taking his bed from him and he sits on the floor shaking and will not move. we've tried sitting on the floor with him, placing treats all around the room for him to get but he just sits there trembling. Even when my friend brings her dog over he looks like he really wants to get out of his bed but just cannot get the courage. outside he is absolutely fine.
    Anybody encountered anything similar and how did you over come it?


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    #2
    RosieJoe
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭RosieJoe


    Caroline123 wrote: »
    My staff bull terrier is very nervous indoors. he doesn't seem to like walking on the wooden floor. He literally runs to his bed or the couch as soon as he comes in. we've tried taking his bed from him and he sits on the floor shaking and will not move. we've tried sitting on the floor with him, placing treats all around the room for him to get but he just sits there trembling. Even when my friend brings her dog over he looks like he really wants to get out of his bed but just cannot get the courage. outside he is absolutely fine.
    Anybody encountered anything similar and how did you over come it?

    Might just be a dislike of the wooden floors. Is he like this on carpet? If you have no carpet in the house throw a duvet cover on the ground to see how he gets on.


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    #3
    Caroline123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭Caroline123


    he seems to be terrified in every house except my boyfriends mums house. there are 2 other dogs there so we think that's why he is more confident there. our wooden floor is varnished so perhaps he finds it slippy but we thought he would be used to it after 6 months! he is so playful outside so it is really awful seeing him shake so much indoors!


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    #4
    RosieJoe
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭RosieJoe


    Caroline123 wrote: »
    he seems to be terrified in every house except my boyfriends mums house. there are 2 other dogs there so we think that's why he is more confident there. our wooden floor is varnished so perhaps he finds it slippy but we thought he would be used to it after 6 months! he is so playful outside so it is really awful seeing him shake so much indoors!

    Has he always been afraid to walk on the floor or is it a recent development?


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    #5
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    Did he have a wee slip on the floor once and it spooked him out or is this a more recent thing?

    Would putting down carpet runners (long skinny mats) work so he could walk on that as he heads to the next room. Wooden floors are very slippy for dogs some don't mind going flying others are very cautious.


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    #6
    Caroline123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭Caroline123


    since we got him the end of oct he has been terrified. I'm thinking perhaps i should throw away his bed as he seems a bit dependent on it, if he can't see it from the back door he will not come in! if he is lying on the couch and i open the backdoor for him to go out he had to get down and go to his bed first and then from there outside!
    if i put on his harness and stand at the front door he will follow me but if anyone calls him or tries to pet him he just ignores them and keeps going to the front door! he is on a mission to get off the floor as quickly as possible!
    strange behaviour after 6 months i think.


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    #7
    molly(",)
    Closed Accounts Posts: 59 ✭✭molly(",)


    my dog flys around on the kitchen tiles and the carpet try get her to even walk on the bedroom floor were there is wooden floors just doesnt happen !!she gets really nervous we have her 6 years and nothing will get her to walk happly on the wooden floor !!


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    #8
    cesarbart
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭cesarbart


    Dont make a deal of it and dont give any affection for any insecure or negative behviour otherwise our reinforcing the behaviour(fear). thats all i can say


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    #9
    rororoyourboat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭rororoyourboat


    Have you just recently put wooden floors in? This happened to my dog when we replaced the carpets a few years ago. To be honest, we ignored his discomfort, though we never forced him onto the floor or anything. We just treated him as we always did and within a few days, he was flying! Sorry if this isn't much help to you OP, I hope your doggy starts to feel better soon! :)


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    #10
    spiderdog
    Closed Accounts Posts: 132 ✭✭spiderdog


    my old boy hated slippy surfaces......like your lad.....he`d make a run for his bed from the door.
    i just placed rugs randomly and he used them as stepping stones:P
    also.....have you tried a plug in DAP diffusser to calm him.
    he`s prob only relying on his bed as he knows he wont slip there, so if you place rugs down he`ll gain confidence.


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    #11
    Molberts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,560 ✭✭✭Molberts


    ah the poor fella, and people think staffs are tough/scary dogs :rolleyes:

    I'd second the DAP diffuser suggestion, it worked wonders with our annoying but loveable rat nervous jack russell :)


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    #12
    Caroline123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭Caroline123


    Thanks guys. We are moving house in a few weeks and the floors appear a little less slippy in this house. I am thinking I will throw away his current bed and put a fluffy mat in the living room. The DAP diffuser looks like it might calm him down indoors - i'm going to invest in one. have any of you used one before?


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