“My dog is acting so strange” said Sophie’s owner. Sophie is a five year old Labrador mix. “She won’t go into the kitchen anymore. She just stands in the hallway whining. I have to feed her in the family room. She won’t even come in for her meals.”
I asked if Sophie had ever slipped and fallen on the kitchen’s wood floor. “Funny you should say that” she mused. “Sophie was racing around the house one day and she did take a tumble. Could that be why she is scared of the kitchen?”
Sophie’s floor phobia is not unusual. However, its not always possible to pinpoint – as we could do with Sophie – how a dog’s fear originated.
Here are some of the other fears that I’ve encountered as a trainer:
THUNDERSTORMS – one of the most common phobias, along with other loud noises such as fireworks and sirens;
VACUUM CLEANERS – the movement and vibration of the machine, combined with the high-pitched whine, has some dogs racing for the closet;
SHOPPING BAGS – dogs that crave routine can get completely derailed by sudden albeit temporary appearance of a bag on the floor;
SEWER GRATES AND MANHOLES – some dogs will try to cross the street to avoid encountering these;
MEN WITH BEARDS or HATS, MEN IN UNIFORM – rescued dogs often have a history of abuse that makes these fears understandable;
STAIRS – typically basement stairs because of the empty space between the steps.
Readers, what are your dogs afraid of?
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