Since puppyhood, Quinn has always slept in our room, first in a crate, then dog bed or our bed. Even when we go away for a night, she sleeps in our room (or a few times, with one of her human relatives). The past several weeks, she is refusing to come upstairs to our room at night, sleeping downstairs on her own. We used to say "bed time" and she would run up to her bed. I am concerned, because we have tried to lure her up the stairs a few times with treats, and she puts her tail between her legs and refuses to budge about half way, then bolts back down. I think something must have happened to scare her at bedtime, because she will wander up at about 4am and get in bed with us, and will come up while I get ready for work or randomly during the day. Any thoughts on how to work on this? She is very sensitive and one scary thing stays with her for months.
To be perfectly honest, and having dealt with my own nervous dog for what seems like an eternity now, I would just let her be. Let her feel whatever she's feeling and don't try to coax her. I found with Willow that trying to coerce her to do something she didn't want to just made her more stressed and less likely to do it. If she's happy to stay downstairs until she's ready, I'd let her do that.
I'm with @snowbunny and would just leave her. Trying to coax her to do sonething she isn't happy with is a bit like someone forcing you into a room full of spiders if you don't like spiders - not really going to help your dislike or whatever emotion is in play . It sounds as if Quinn is overcoming whatever has disturbed her slowly but surely.
Thanks - we have been leaving her be and last night she came up even earlier (1AM) so suspect she will eventually return to her old routine! I always have something to worry about
My girl Jet was nervous of stairs, up and down, when her toenails needed cutting. Something to check on Quinn?
