Fear of walking around the house

[Yury]

Hi, All

I have a problem with one of my dogs. We recently moved into a new house and one of my dogs (named Buddy) is behaving weird. Ever since we brought him and the other dog over to the new place a couple of days ago, he refuses to walk into various areas of the house...Simply refuses to go into the main floor kitchen and other areas. He also doesn't really feel like eating.
The other dog of ours has no problem whatsoever walking around the whole place.

I know, it's a stess for him, so many changes - the new place, also we bought over my girlfriend's cat, which makes 2 cats in the house...

However, I am worried. The thing is - he did behave like this before - once we washed him in the basement bathroom of the old place and ever since it was nearly impossible to get him to go to the basement, which he had done before with no problem at all. It was not that big a deal, since he felt comfy everywhere else iin the house....

Soo....I would really appreciate some general directions cause am this point i dont't have an idea really. How is this kind of problem can be approached ?

Thanks a lot...

[VTJess03]

Hi, and welcome to Pet Talk (or as others around here refer to it, PT).

How long has it been since the move? Maybe given a little more time, he will get used to the new house. Just stay calm, and don't try to force him into those areas of the house, but when he goes there to start checking them out, reward/praise/treat/etc. Could it have something to do with carpeted areas? It sounds like he avoids places that are hard floors, and the places he likes usually have carpet. Maybe he's just got 'cold feet', (pun fully intended) LOL :D

[Yury]

thank you :)

not long, just a couple of days.

actually, somebody suggested to me yesterday that the floors may be a problem and i think that is correct. I tried to 'move' him using a few pieces of carpeting, i would place a piece next to to the one he was on and call him to the that piece. that way we made it all the way to the dreaded kitchen :)
right now i left the pieces 1-2 feet apart so there is a bit of bare floor between them so he get used to walking on the floor.

as to cold feet...i dunno, he is notably scared when there's too much of the open floor for him to cross, so i rather see that as an anxiety problem :)

[MajesticCollies]

This might be totally off base, but....Did he have any shots recently? My Brutus boy has Rabies Vaccinosis and when he had his first shot he became scared of various floors, steps and different conditions around the house. It took me a year to get him resocialized and that shot out of him. It seems everything was a tramatic situation for him. Wont say thats what it is your dealing with but resembles what my Collie was like after his shot.

[Yury]

This might be totally off base, but....Did he have any shots recently? My Brutus boy has Rabies Vaccinosis and when he had his first shot he became scared of various floors, steps and different conditions around the house. It took me a year to get him resocialized and that shot out of him. It seems everything was a tramatic situation for him. Wont say thats what it is your dealing with but resembles what my Collie was like after his shot.


well, he's 3 years old, had tons of shots done before and none of them recently...

[ylrebmik]

When he was a puppy...was he the same way? He might just be having a hard time adjusting to everything and very unsure of it. That might be part of the reason but just give him more time to adjust. When we brought Lizzy home it took her a week to go down the stairs herself. She was even iffy about the grass for a day!.. same with the carpet.. and the tile... just give him time. Lizzy at first only went down the stairs when we weren't watching. She also didn't eat much at first. I'm guessing everything is a big shock and adjustment for him.. just make him feel like he is loved and at home. keep trying and if it continues post back.

[Yury]

We don't even know what he was like as a puppy, we only got him when he was one year old. we found him so there was no history whatsoever, we even had to guess his age.

but, he is a mix of things. high energy troublemaker and at the same type quite sensitive and can get scared.

so my plan is to spread small rugs, blankets and whatever would come in handy around the house and increase spacing between them gradually so he gets used to walking on the floor more and more.

[ylrebmik]

Lizzy gets like that.. crazy phycho full of energy.. low maintance.. ankle tag along.

[VTJess03]

Good luck! Let us know if it works. Just be patient; it could take a few weeks. Belle and I moved a month/month and a half ago and is just now starting to settle down to the 'new' things here.

[Yury]

ok :)
thanks for your replies, guys

[ylrebmik]

how is everything turning out?

[Yury]

showing small signs of improvement, he can walk into the kitnchen over a 'road' of covered floor and there he begins to wander off the coverings.

[ylrebmik]

Thats good, i'm glad to hear it.

[catnapper]

Nicki is like that. She freaks out to walk over the kitchen when its wet or cold. We have bath mats stretching from one end to the other. I've found that trimming nails as short as possible and trimming the fur between the pads helps a LOT. They also sell paw wax to help grip on slippery surfaces.

[Yury]

ok, i think we are done :) he runs around the entire house now.
thanks, everybody :)

[VTJess03]

yaaayyy!

Congratulations!

[Yury]

Thank you :)