Tarka is now the grand old age of 3 years and 8 months old. Since she was a tiny puppy, she has had a phobia about slippy, shiny floor surfaces and won't walk on them. If caught on such a floor, she crouches low with her legs spread out and claws flexed and looks like bambi on ice. Either she goes rigid with fear and has to be carried off the floor, or she attempts a weird, panicky scuttled exit with paws in all directions and much frantic scrabbling. For her entire life with us she would not go in the kitchen more than a few feet, having her front paws on the floor (which is a not particularly slippy Amtico-type flooring) with her back paws on the hall carpet and reversing out when required. This has caused problems in holiday homes in the past, with Tarka having to be carried (!) to the back garden. Until this last couple of weeks. Suddenly, she has just started to casually walk through the kitchen and out the back door, wandering absent-mindedly over to the kitchen table, checking out the dishwasher (a pleasure previously only known to Lochan), and just behaving like a normal dog. When we look at her in astonishment and call excitedly to one another "look, Tarka is in the kitchen" she just looks at us as if she has been doing this all her life and what is the fuss about. I've tried to work out what has changed (nothing as far as I can see), and what goes on in her head but I think it best not to try to get into their heads too much as surely down that road lies madness...... Bizarre.
Re: Slippy floor phobia Wow - good news though! I agree about their furry minds - sometimes it's best not to wonder too much! Charlie currently has a "thing" about the veg garden steps. I'm just ignoring it....
Re: Slippy floor phobia We've got one of those too ! Holiday, homes, both our parents houses, various shops, pubs.......all news floors are to be treated with huge trepidation as they may contains crocodiles! Clearly someone's been in and got rid of all the crocodiles in your house ;D Well done Tarka you big, brave girl
Re: Slippy floor phobia [quote author=Lochan link=topic=7087.msg97024#msg97024 date=1406275829] I think it best not to try to get into their heads too much as surely down that road lies madness...... [/quote] Wise warning.
Re: Slippy floor phobia Clearly she's been surreptitiously doing a course of hypno-therapy. Brave girl, Tarka!
Re: Slippy floor phobia Very strange when she's been grown up for some time, but will certainly make life easier.
Re: Slippy floor phobia Strange coincidence as my Lab was the same on my bathroom floor! He hasn't been upstairs for ages and then just walked into the bathroom as if there had never been a problem. I put it down to age as he is now 8 but in view of your Tarka who is much younger, perhaps they have been having secret counselling on phobias!
Re: Slippy floor phobia It's obvious ! Those little green men who called on us the other day have been up to you, mind melded with Tarka and cured her of her slippery floor phobia.
Re: Slippy floor phobia Ha Ha. Yes, holiday homes are a nightmare for us, and not keen on Pets at home either. Year before last near Skye, she kept refusing to come in of an evening and would just hovver by the front door. MInd you, that is also when she had a lie down protest in front of the car and blocked us going out for the day. Had to bodily pick her up and lift her into the car. If you can find out what solved it, let us know
Re: Slippy floor phobia The worst one for us was a professional photography session for the dogs which OH bought me for my birthday. When we arrived the studio was completely white with shiny floors and walls, and the dogs were supposed to mill happily around playing with balls, boots, walking sticks etc. Tarka went into a panting panic attack the minute we arrived, was carried in to the studio to see if she would settle but remained panting, panicking and standing crouched rigidly on the floor gripping with her claws. Had to be very quickly carried out to the car and Lochan had her photos taken alone. All forms of laminate or solid wood flooring have been works of the devil for her, shiny ceramic floor tiles were a no-no, lino and similar floor tiles awful although the non-slip stuff at work has always been fine. And now she couldn't care less. Although thinking about it, it was Lochan's birthday last month and someone bought her a toy lamb. Is this a resurgence of the lambie network, and they are messing with my head through Tarka????
Re: Slippy floor phobia [quote author=Lochan link=topic=7087.msg97244#msg97244 date=1406361086] Although thinking about it, it was Lochan's birthday last month and someone bought her a toy lamb. Is this a resurgence of the lambie network, and they are messing with my head through Tarka???? [/quote] Tarka is currently holidaying on a round the world trip, having just left Dubai on her way to Australia then Canada. "They" have left a clever imitation in her place - who obviously doesn't know about Tarka's floor thing. Be very careful....
Re: Slippy floor phobia You didn't mention the lambies before........... Think you know the answer now. Your photographer shoot reminded me of one we tried as a dogless family, but on that occasion it was Sophie who wasn't playing the game and had a tantrum as a toddler so we had to give up Come to think of it, we never did get around to doing that family portrait gift : I am going to have to think carefully what to replace by aging PITA floors soon.......
