Hi we have a black lab male who is a year old today. He is full of life and training is going very well. He has suddenly decided that the back doorway and to some extent the back garden is scary. We got a new lab puppy six weeks ago and they love each other . Today he peed on his bed as he refused to go outside. Are the two connected and what do I do? I can tempt him outside with chicken but he will hold on for hours if necessary . Help
Hi and welcome to the forum. What are your dogs names? Do you know if maybe the older dog has caught himself whilst going out of the back door? Has he pushed through with the pup and possibly hurt himself? There is usually a reason as to why a dog becomes fearful of something. I would take small steps and reward him for going towards the door, then getting closer. You could leave a treat close to the door and can either make a big fuss when he gets it, or you could not say/do anything but put treats down when he's not looking, eventually leaving the treat in the doorway with the door open. By rewarding any small step it will reinforce that going out the back is rewarding. Hope this makes sense. Please do let us know how you get on
Hi Paula, and welcome to the forum. Our girl Lilly is 6.5 years now but sometimes takes a dislike to our back door too, without any obvious reason. With her, we open the door and she won't go out if we are standing there, but if you walk away she will go. I really can't think of any time we have trapped her or anything to explain this. It will go on for a week or so then stop. I know its not quite the same, but just in case its to do with someone AT the door, thought I would mention it. Jac and Lilly
Hi. Thanks for the responses. Soldier is black lab and just one and Tyka is chocolate lab 15 weeks. Spent yesterday afternoon with home cooked liver treat encouraging Soldier gradually out of the door and into the garden . Eventually he came outside and enjoyed a game . This morning he initially refused but then remembered that there might be liver treat outside and went to investigate! Think I will continue with games and food and hope any unpleasant memory will be replaced by happy ones. Puppy thinks the whole thing is a great game and it's doing wonders for her recall! Every cloud. Thanks again
That's a good plan Sometimes these things are associations that we would never make ourselves. There was a story on here a few weeks ago about a smallish dog who was retrieving a goose. The dog tripped over the goose and, for the rest of the day, avoided the patch of ground where he'd tripped. Blamed the ground, not the bird! So, it might have been a noise that went off as your pup was going through the door, or something even more obscure. It doesn't really matter, your plan of action is the same whatever - try to replace the bad associations with good ones
