Dog afraid of area around Rathfarnham Castle

MaryEdel

Hi

This is my first post. I joined boards.ie to see if anyone else has had the same experience as we have. I bring my dog for regular walks around the knocklyon, rathfarnham area and generally everything is normal. EXCEPT when he gets to an area outside Rathfarnham Castle. He begins to act very strangely and refuses to walk along the footpath. He seems to be particularly afraid of a couple of lamposts just before the castle coming from the Bushy Park direction, heading towards the Yellow House.

Has anyone else had any experience like this. It is very weird!!

DamagedTrax

where did he come from (pup or rescue)?

he may have been attacked previously in the area and is smelling the attacking dogs urine. if he's a rescue he may have been badly treated in the area and is remembering smells. if he's a submissive dog he could be smelling a very dominant dog and getting uneasy. there could be many reasons.

my bitch was mistreated and dumped in blessington area. she's been back once with me and while she wasnt afraid she certainly wasnt acting her usual confident self.

a dogs sense of smell is everything to them, including memories.

Spunk84

It's a GHOST scaring your dog !

mikemac1

Can you blame him?

The Hellfire club is nearby

Dogs have a sense about these things

OP, I think you should ask over in Paranormal forum

Zillah

The grounds around that castle are quiet large, he might be smelling wild life. My first thought was a badger, though I'm not sure you'd find a badger that far from the countryside, but there's loads of foxes around the whole Knocklyon/Rathfarnham/Churchtown area.

MaryEdel

The dog is a rescue but he was found wandering around the Carlow/Kilkenny area. So it would be unlikely that he had a bad experience there before. (Although I think this is the most logical cause of the behaviour). This is the ONLY spot around the area we walk him that this happens (and we cover quite a lot of ground).
Regarding foxes, he LOVES to chase them so I don't think its a fox scent. If it was a badger, or some other animal, surely he would have the same reaction in other places?
I'm going to ask friends with dogs to do the same walk and see what happens..
The theory of the paranormal is an interesting one, although I dont believe in all that stuff. But checked on the internet and apparently a black dog saved his master from an ice pond around there and is said to haunt the place!! Also a boy died at the gate house... but I would be very skeptical...

sambuka41

Zillah wrote: »

The grounds around that castle are quiet large, he might be smelling wild life. My first thought was a badger, though I'm not sure you'd find a badger that far from the countryside, but there's loads of foxes around the whole Knocklyon/Rathfarnham/Churchtown area.

There are badgers in that area, I work out that way and seen a badger a couple of months ago, dead on the side of road, had obviously been knocked down I also grew up in Sandyford and there's some up there too, nearly hit one late at night,they are big animals!!

OP how is your dog with kids? Isn't there a children's park on the grounds now?? I know the commotion of those parks can be a bit much for my little one (we are working to desensitise that). All the shouting and screaming. Would that have put your dog on edge?

My dog is terrified of the Hellfire club, she just will not go in! In her defence that's probably very smart idea considering the crap that's in there!!

annascott

I have had a similar experience in Trim. There is a lovely river walk leading to an old ruin (an Abbey I think) and a disused ancient graveyard. I have been there in the morning with my dog, but if ever we are walking at dusk, she refuses to let me go beyond a certain point. Barking, blocking my path, running and jumping up to push me back. This has happened four times in the same spot.
I have no idea why this happens, but dogs sense things that we don't. Take notice and go with what they are trying to tell you.

Zapperzy

Freaky replies! I was just going to suggest when you mention the lampposts maybe they're making a funny noise that you can't hear? I know some of the ones around my estate are dodgy and sometimes buzz, and I can hear those ultrasonic mouse repellents which are quite uncomfortable so maybe your dog can hear a noise off a dodgy lamppost similar to a mouse repellant?

MaryEdel

Thanks to all for your interest and suggestions. We never know what goes through a dog's head!

tk123

Zapperzy wrote: »

Freaky replies! I was just going to suggest when you mention the lampposts maybe they're making a funny noise that you can't hear?

+1 I was going to say it could just be the lamposts? My guy gets like this some times - could be a skip outside a house that wasn't there before, or at xmas it was somebody's lights in a garden lol but he gets spooked - sometimes he barks at whatever it is or sometimes he digs his feet in and won't move. For example - he's afraid of this b&b sign and has to be pulled across the road!:rolleyes:

kylith

I'd say it's to do with the lampposts. They're probably emitting a noise you can't hear, but he finds uncomfortable. My neighbour's dog got kind of the same after getting shocked by a wire from a lamppost. I recommend going there with a good, bombproof dog and getting him to show yours there's nothing to be afraid of.

IMO when people think a dog is freaked out by 'ghosts' it's just a noise out of our range of hearing that causes the behaviour.

DamagedTrax

kylith wrote: »

IMO when people think a dog is freaked out by 'ghosts' it's just a noise out of our range of hearing that causes the behaviour.

or is it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHjFxJVeCQs