Dog is suddenly terrified of the back yard.

[BradInATX 9208]

Got a really weird one here. Wondering if anyone else has similar experience. I did some google searching but didn't find much of substance.

Our 9ish year old black lab rescue was already pretty skittish as he was abused by his original owner pretty badly. He shakes badly during storms, is super submissive to other dogs, etc. He's an awesome dog, though, and we've never had any issues with him.

About a week ago, I noticed he had peed and pooped in the game room upstairs - very strange, but there had been a storm overnight. He did it again the next day. Later that day I went outside to light the grill, where he always follows me out to see what I'm doing and try to scam food. He was nowhere in sight. Found him shaking in the closet. I tried to put him on a leash and bring him out and he pulled against the leash with all of his strength which he's never done before - ever.

We have a dog door so he and our other dog go in and out freely. But he completely refuses to go. I've gotten him back there a few times. Putting his food bowl a few feet outside the door, he eats about half then runs back inside (this dog never leaves food). I took him for a walk and brought him back into house via the gate and back yard, which he did okay with but clearly wanted back inside. No idea what happened. Thinking maybe he got bit by something (we have mud daubers out there sometimes), otherwise I'm baffled. But it's something we need to get a handle on, because he won't go outside to use the bathroom at all. Taking him into the front yard isn't a long-term viable solution.

Any ideas? TIA

Edited June 18, 2019 by BradInATX

[immamac 42850]

Dogs don't really logic, so it may just be that for the rest of doggos life there won't be backyard time. 

I would try to carry my dog out there and take a bunch of treats etc, but if they kept running inside there's not really a way to get them to understand anything. 

[Updawg 2266]

I bet there was a big lightning/ thunder strike close by recently that spooked him

Had a dog that was never scared of storms but then when she got around 9 she was. I assume there was probably a storm while we were at work one day or something.

[fuggled 576]

You're going to feel pretty stupid when that zombie hiding in your backyard takes you out. That dog knows what's up.

[conVINCEd 21469]

Mine is getting a little older.  Sometimes she doesn’t feel like eating in the morning.  Ok.  Come home at night, food bowl still full, and she starts barking like crazy.  There has been food in the bowl the entire day.  Still barking like crazy.  I pick up her food bowl, take it into the laundry room (where we keep her food), and act like I am putting fresh food in the bowl.  I put it back down and the food is gone inside of 15 seconds. Dogs are just a little quirky at times.

[Gil Bang 25959]

OP, please keep this thread updated.  I've really curious as to what's going on here, and how you fix it. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

You should go check the well and see if Timmy is down there

[woohorn 1131]

You didn't find any empty peanut butter jars out there did ya?

[Wally Fairway 5550]

{insert - I'm not saying it's Aliens, but it's Aliens meme}

[Deej 76793]

Do you have an aggy neighbor?

[IDIOTsavant 8483]

28 minutes ago, Deej said:

Do you have an aggy neighbor?

Maybe it's not an aggy, but a big dog, like an akita.

[ztejas 43450]

[capnamerca 571]

Damn this is topical. Our 7mo ridgeback starting doing the same shit about two weeks ago. She's only ever taken a crap on one specific tier in our front yard, as the backyard is all torn up (pool install), and the fence isn't secure. So literally from the time she was a puppy and didn't know how to climb stairs (so we had to carry her into the yard), until now, never anywhere else save walks. Now? She won't even venture in that area unless you drag/push/bribe her. And I hate doing that, because there's clearly SOME reason why she doesn't want to go. Vet said to re-train her with lots of high-value treats. She apparently uses the bathroom fine on another one of the yard tiers, so we'll be switching to that for the time being, but what a beating.

[miguelito 11266]

[BradInATX 9208]

20 hours ago, Updawg said:

I bet there was a big lightning/ thunder strike close by recently that spooked him

Had a dog that was never scared of storms but then when she got around 9 she was. I assume there was probably a storm while we were at work one day or something.

This same dog came home from the pound not scared of storms, and over the course of a few thunderstorms learned to be scared of them from our other dog who is now passed. 

 

2 hours ago, capnamerca said:

Damn this is topical. Our 7mo ridgeback starting doing the same shit about two weeks ago. She's only ever taken a crap on one specific tier in our front yard, as the backyard is all torn up (pool install), and the fence isn't secure. So literally from the time she was a puppy and didn't know how to climb stairs (so we had to carry her into the yard), until now, never anywhere else save walks. Now? She won't even venture in that area unless you drag/push/bribe her. And I hate doing that, because there's clearly SOME reason why she doesn't want to go. Vet said to re-train her with lots of high-value treats. She apparently uses the bathroom fine on another one of the yard tiers, so we'll be switching to that for the time being, but what a beating.

Ah man. Good luck. At least hopefully you'll have the backyard to send her to once the pool is done.

 

We had some slight progress this morning. I took him in the car to drop the kid off at day care, and walked him on-leash through the gate into the the backyard. Gave him a few treats and he was good. Let him off leash and he hung around in the yard to eat more treats. Then when the treats were gone, he ran to a tree and peed/pooped on it, then quickly ran inside. We're not all the way there, but some progress. Just going to keep working at it.

Edited June 18, 2019 by BradInATX

[Jkwellborn 6702]

Mountain lions must be out. You haven’t watched or read “Where the Red Fern Grows” around him have you?

[Kennythetiger 9383]

Our grade school principal read this to us and bawled his eyes out so this hits close to home for me.

[RDCanecutter 26443]

12 hours ago, Jkwellborn said:

Mountain lions must be out. You haven’t watched or read “Where the Red Fern Grows” around him have you?

I was wondering this same thing. Once in a blue moon some cougar will run through a suburb, and the following things always happen:

1. Dogs act like they're in a vampire movie

2. Humans all go "there's no way there's a cougar here"

[Jkwellborn 6702]

Our grade school principal read this to us and bawled his eyes out so this hits close to home for me.

I teared up the first time I read in in elementary or 6th grade.

Had a redbone coon hound in high school because of the book too.

[Deej 76793]

12 hours ago, Kennythetiger said:

Our grade school principal read this to us and bawled his eyes out so this hits close to home for me.

That was just a ploy to try to let him touch you.

Edited June 19, 2019 by Deej

[Clintonaldo 2574]

4 hours ago, Jkwellborn said:

I teared up the first time I read in in elementary or 6th grade.

Had a redbone coon hound in high school because of the book too.

I was telling my office 2 days ago how a young Clintonaldo was in 6th grade crying like a fucking bitch when we watched the movie. 

[Bevo 13577]

On 6/18/2019 at 8:54 AM, Deej said:

Do you have an aggy neighbor?

That was my guess, an aggy yard boy.

[Deej 76793]

Hamm?

[SHOOTER12 8810]

On 6/17/2019 at 8:21 PM, Updawg said:

I bet there was a big lightning/ thunder strike close by recently that spooked him

Had a dog that was never scared of storms but then when she got around 9 she was. I assume there was probably a storm while we were at work one day or something.

My best friend "Rocky" who we lost after 17 years was never afraid of storms or noise until 1 crazy new years incident.

We were lighting off fireworks as was the norm, but when we set off the 300 count Saturn missile battery we didn't notice that he had followed Mrs Shooter (very protective) to where she lit them.  He was very close and was scared beyond belief from that day on.  This was a dog who went with me shooting and hunting with no reservation whatsoever. He was terrified of storms and the very SIGHT of a gun from there on.

[BradInATX 9208]

We're on the upside (I think) boys. I've been coaxing him outside via various methods. Through the front yard, using the pork belly I smoked the other day, etc. He won't quite go out on his own, but he'll follow me out, do his business, and laze on the deck like the fat old lab he is when I'm out there. Hasn't peed inside since Tuesday. Getting there.

He's my good old dumb boy.

 

(Bonus "I give no fucks" pound mutt included in pic)

 

 

 

 

 

[dcbc 14484]

The old adage, Your Dog Wants Steak, applies.  Keep making the backyard a kick ass place where he gets amazing human food and he'll forget all about whatever it was that spooked him.  You're doing it right.

[Archer 474]

On 6/19/2019 at 10:00 PM, Clintonaldo said:

I was telling my office 2 days ago how a young Clintonaldo was in 6th grade crying like a fucking bitch when we watched the movie. 

I’ve spent the past 3 days crying like a bitch between drinks so this hits close to home. 

[TTU13 108]

I have the same issue with my dog time to time.

It’s correlated to how bad the storms are. We have to get real excited when we ask her to go out and then go out with her and slowly walk into the grass. Eventually she’ll follow us.

Sometimes we have to pick her up and place her in the middle of the yard. She’ll stand there looking around with one foot raised, then eventually do her thing once she realizes it’s safe and start trotting around the yard like normal.

Afterwards we usually give her a treat.

[LonghornD 49]

Any snakes or other animals in the area that might be getting into the yard at night?

[BradInATX 9208]

On 7/1/2019 at 10:55 AM, LonghornD said:

Any snakes or other animals in the area that might be getting into the yard at night?

No snakes that I've seen. We get raccoons and possums sometimes.

To update, the issue seems to be fixed. We just stayed diligent with taking him through the gate from the front yard and re-acclimating him to the back. After awhile we started feeding him outside. First right by the door because he wouldn't go further. Then about a foot farther out each day until he was on the edge of the deck. Treats and good boys when he would do his business. He's now going out on his own. Still a little nervous but it's fading, and no accidents inside in a couple weeks.

Of course just in time for fireworks which terrify him. Keeping fingers crossed for no relapse.

Edited July 3, 2019 by BradInATX

[Jkwellborn 6702]

Dog played you.