Scared Of The Pergo Floors -- Again

[Jenbo]

I adopted Myka in Sept 09 and it took her a while to get used to the slippery wood floors but she seemed to manage just fine after a week or two. Now she's scared herself again, by slipping and doing the scooby scramble and is hugely hesitant to even come off of the carpeted stair case for her food or a walk. so far, I've just left her food where I always do, and occaisionally I'll leave a small treat in the kitchen for her to find so that she walks across the floor when *she* is ready.

 

I don't want to rush her or scare her more, but some mornings she's missing her walk because she refuses to come downstairs. Any other ideas?

 

thanks!

Edited March 30, 2010 by Jenbo

[Guest AGirlNamedMe]

Have you considered putting non-skid rugs down on those floors?

 

Even temporarily until she gets over her nervousness?

[turbotaina]

Have you considered putting non-skid rugs down on those floors?

 

Even temporarily until she gets over her nervousness?

 

 

This is what I'd do. Then you can eventually space them out farther apart until she gets used to walking on them again.

 

We just replaced the carpet and vinyl in the living room and kitchen with laminate flooring. Turbo HATES it. HATES. Mostly because of his corn, but he was also slipping a good deal. But after a month on it, he's doing better. He's never been one to be scared of slick flooring, but the day after we got it, he did his usual pell-mell run into the house after a potty break, skid out on the floor and hit the kitchen table. He now sprints to the back door, waits, and then steps carefully inside

[Guest twogreytkids]

Non-skid throw rugs will solve the problem. I have Pergo floors throughout my house and throw rugs and runners are laid out in a path all around the house. My two kids just follow the path of rugs until they get to the carpeted rooms.

 

Marcy

[Jenbo]

Yup, will have to go with the rugs, the more scared she is the more she does the scooby scramble. She was ok for months and months until just recently but I just can't stand that she's scared in her own home.

[Fruitycake]

Another vote for rugs. Monty was frightened of my sister's linoleum floor in her kitchen because one of her cats yelled at him and when he was scrambling to get away he slipped. She was kind enough to move some of her rugs around and after being extremely low key about him walking across the floors and giving him treats and moving slowly around him in the kitchen he's perfectly fine with them again. Just a lot more careful about moving slowly and avoiding both of her cats when they are in there.

[fsugrad]

Totally agree. Toby and Robin have both done the scooby doo on roller skates impersonation on our wood floors as well. We laid down a few strategically placed rugs to help them out... helping to link them to the tile floor, which they've never had problems with, or the large area rugs in the house...We bought inexpensive rubber backed ones, so they don't slide on the wood floors, too. And gradually, as their confidence increased, we were able to remove almost all of them.

But I definitely remember both of them having relapses not long after we adopted them, and I'd have to pull out the runners to build their confidence back up again.

[Guest GreyRabbit]

Another vote for throw rugs temporarily. When we first brought Cosmo home he was terrified and would dart from rug to rug, slowly I started removing some of the trail and now he is able to fully walk through the kitchen to the door. Sometimes in the mornings when he is stiff I see a little hesitation (he still isn't a huge fan of slippery floors), but he moves forward because the reward of outside is worth it.

[Guest Heehoo]

Yep, space rugs. You might even go by a carpet store & see if they have carpet squares that you can have. I got laminent floors 5 yrs ago & strangely Jack won't walk on them, but I have a wooden floor square at the front door & then the kitchen linoleum is dark wood looking & he'll walk on them. We thought at first it was a depth perception thing since he's a fawn & the laminent floors are the same color.

He'll walk on Petco's black/white vinyl floors & he'll walk on concrete floors at the agricenter where the dog show is, but forget it when it comes to the laminent floors. So I went by the carpet store & they had all these carpet square samples they were throwing away, but gave to me instead. They're perfect for putting down except they don't have anything on the back to keep them from moving so I put 2 sided tape on them.

Oh & my kennel room, it has white vinyl floors, and Jack will walk on them.

[sobesmom]

We've replaced all the carpeting in our house with Pergo. We foster regularly - so this is a constant issue for us. And - a reoccuring issue for a dog that's used to it that slips and then gets spooked - like your situation.

 

I have a supply of 2 ft. x3 ft. non-skid rugs ($2 each at the Dollar store). Any time we get a new foster - I scatter them liberally about. As the dogs get more comfortable - I take away a few rugs - space them out. Keep that up until they get their "sea legs", and get used to walking on the "scary" floor. If someboday has a fall and a skid - put more rugs down. It's a transition thing. Give them a little "toe grip" ... then spread that out...until they get "ok" on the floor.

 

My goal for EVERY dog - is to get rid of the rugs. They're a TOOL - not a lifestyle. Every dog through this house (I think we're up to about 15 now) has gotten to the "no rugs" point. Many have had "relapses" ... so we've had to put rugs back for a little while ... then wean them off them.

 

Use rugs to help alleviate the fear - build confidence - and move past them.

[Guest Lgyure85]

This may sound odd, but you can put Sort-Quick (that pink stuff bank tellers use on their fingers) on your grey's pads to help keep her from slipping. It's non-toxic, so it won't hurt her, but it is obviously of no use until you get her back on the pergo. While she's working on it, and after she's comfortable, though, it could help lots!