Having a dog issue ......

[BorisTheSpider]

Let me say that I'm a tarantula and reptile person , so problems with my dogs ( actually my roommates dogs ) just throws me for a loop . Anyway , everything was going fine with the dogs . They are a Rottweiler , a Sheppard and a sorta Chow/Lab kinda dog . They seem to be normal in every regards , at least in terms of eating , sleeping and interacting in a normal pack mentality . The problem is that suddenly the Chow/Lab won't go outside . When he forced out and I do mean forces as he won't willing go , he just sits on the porch right outside the door . He won't willing take a step into the backyard . As soon as he comes in he craps on the floor . The other two run and play the whole time that they are outside , and the chow/lab use to as well . But now he almost acts like he is afraid to be outside . I know that he isn't being tormented by a mean neighbor or anything like that . The only change that has occurred recently is that one of the roommates has sorta moved out . The weird thing is that the former roomie didn't really spend much time around the dogs . She honestly didn't even like the dogs . I have heard of dogs having a very negative reaction to losing an owner , but losing a "casual acquaintance" ? If this person no longer being around is the problem then what do I do ? I don't want to have to get rid of him because it's really not his fault . I just want him to go back to silly happy old self . Anybody have any ideas ?

 

[BorisTheSpider]

???????????

 

[clam1991]

Idk maybe try baiting him out or taking him to a park maybe hes just feeling down in the dumps still eating and everything?

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Everything is normal except for the suddenly being afraid to go outside .

 

[clam1991]

well i say stick with making him go outside is there anything at all thats diff then before outside like if its really hot and its got a lot fo fur?

 

[H. laoticus]

Have you consulted a vet? It doesn't seem normal at all. How is it interacting with the real owner?
How is it interacting with the other dogs inside?
Any physical illness?

 

[Galapoheros]

I feel that something happened that you don't know about. Dogs can have hyper reactions to things sometimes. I remember when I was in school, one of my roommates had a dog. I blew into the top of a plastic coke bottle to make "that noise". I saw the dog acted weird when I did it, I thought it was funny and showed another roommate. The other roommate kept doing it over and over again. I could tell the dog was getting weird and I tried to get the guy to stop doing it but he kept on. The dog acted weird for weeks!, and just because of that noise from the coke bottle. Then I had another roommate later that had two small dogs. They had a habit of peeing on my pillow when I wasn't there. I finally lost it when I caught one of them doing that and grabbed that dog with both hands around it's neck. I wasn't trying to choke it of course, I just wanted it to understand something. It was trying to bite me and I was saying "no!, no!, no!.." I dropped the dog on the bed and it ran off. But it always acted different after that, I went too far I think. So that makes me think something happened that you don't know about. Since it craps in the house every time like you said, it kind of sounds like somebody got angry about it going to the bathroom in the house and it got confused and is afraid, not knowing what to do(?)

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Have you consulted a vet? It doesn't seem normal at all. How is it interacting with the real owner?
How is it interacting with the other dogs inside?
Any physical illness?

Vet said just make him go out and things will work themselves out !?! I found that answer to be completely useless !

His behavior , eating and sleeping habits all seem to be normal , at least while he's inside . But put him out and he won't go more then 5 feet
from the back door . He has even taken to urinating and dedicating right on the porch .

What I can say is that he came from the pound and that he had been returned not once but twice for what they said was destructive behavior . At first he did like to gnaw on things but a few chew toys stopped that right away . He has never shown the slightest amount of aggression or anti-social behavior . The dogs couldn't be better friends . They have a solid pack mentality with a well established pecking order ( he is without question the bottom dog , though ). And he himself is very healthy . I'm just puzzled how someone that didn't have very much interaction with him could trigger this behavior by moving out . But , all this started within a day or two of her leaving .

 

[BorisTheSpider]

I feel that something happened that you don't know about.

I have known the neighbors for years and none of them would ever doing anything to my dogs . Besides , if that was the case wouldn't my other two dogs be acting strange as well ?

 

[Galapoheros]

Is it impossible the other roommate did something?, or maybe she brought somebody over that did something? ..just throwing possibilities out there.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

I doubt it seriously . She is very nice person and I don't think that she would harm an animal . Besides , if she was the cause then I would assume the behavior would have started a while back and would now be getting better with her gone .

 

[H. laoticus]

I've had a similar experience to Galapoheros.
From the start, I didn't like my friend's dog and through some conditioning, that dog doesn't like me now, either.
It acts awkwardly around me and definitely doesn't listen to my orders. When I call to it, it turns to look a good 5 seconds at me, then walks off :wall:
When other people do it, that dog runs and jumps to them.
I'm starting to think it looks at me just to say, "screw you."

Anyways, have you noticed anything that happened with the dog while it was outside? Maybe something traumatic happened. Does it get picked on by the other two?

 

[Laceface]

Does the dog act actually scared? Or just resistant to going? I've heard of this happening to people rather frequently, but have no idea what might cause it. If it were me, I would leave the door open, and play outside with the other dogs often. Perhaps with yummy treats, see if the other dog changes his mind.
Also, does he go for walks? Does he mind going outside a different door? Will he go for a walk? You could try walking him with the other dogs, and see if their closeness makes him feel more secure.

 

[ErinKelley]

It would be interesting to see what would happen if that roommate came back for a night..