rascalsmom Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Jack has been with us since November of '09, a little over a year. Once he learned how to do the stairs, he joined us every evening in our basement family room. All the dogs have a bed there, and they would all come down with us every evening. In the past couple of weeks, though, Jack will not come downstairs. If he does happen to come down, he is clearly uneasy, and runs back upstairs within minutes--usually he won't even lie down at all, sometimes he'll settle onto his bed but within a few minutes, gets up and run upstairs. If one of us goes upstairs to see what he's doing, he's either in the family room upstairs, in our bedroom on his bed, or in the hallway. If we try and get him to come downstairs, he gets rather stressed out and won't do it. Also, Ruby has trained her daddy to pass out treats downstairs, as soon as he comes home from work. Jack was going down there for the daily treat, too, until a couple of weeks ago. He won't even go down for the treat now! This is very odd. Any ideas? Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Swifthounds Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Any household changes? New furniture? something moved? Newly shined floors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Any household changes? New furniture? something moved? Newly shined floors? Hmmm....I was going to say no, but I can't. We are getting ready to move and things are in a bit of an upheaval. Not with furniture but with boxes packed, etc. Although there aren't any boxes stacked up in the family room downstairs....the majority of boxes are in the dining room (which they don't have access to) and the workshop in the basement (also no dog access due to cat box being in there). So I don't know if that can be it or not...the 'relaxing' areas are pretty much the same as always. Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Do you have a working carbon monoxide detector? Basement room--furnace--piles of snow...first thing that came to mind is that he is hearing or smelling something you cannot. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Yes, we have a functional CO detector. Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Something probably happened either on the stairs or in the basement to kind of freak him out. Probably something so small you didn't even notice - a bump by another dog, a slip off a riser, something falling from a bookshelf. Just keep encouraging him to go down and really make it fun and happy and upbeat when he does, and let him hang where he wants. See 4my2greys thread about her girl suddenly becoming fearful of her food bowl. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinw Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Phoenix started acting like that when he began to lose his eyesight, only he wouldn't go upstairs. Has your vet taken a look at his eyes? Quote Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Buddy had trouble going UP steps near the end of his life--but Jack has no trouble at all going up or down. He goes up in two leaps, and he goes down nicely, too (though fortunately not in two leaps! ). I doubt it is his eyes...he just acts like, once he's downstairs, "gotta get out of here!". Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Something probably happened either on the stairs or in the basement to kind of freak him out. Probably something so small you didn't even notice - a bump by another dog, a slip off a riser, something falling from a bookshelf. Just keep encouraging him to go down and really make it fun and happy and upbeat when he does, and let him hang where he wants. See 4my2greys thread about her girl suddenly becoming fearful of her food bowl. I just read through that thread--sounds like Rascal and her "food bowl phobia". Anyway, what I took away from that thread was not to make much of the situation. We really haven't been making much of it, but last night Jack came downstairs, and I greeted him (casually: "Hi, Jack"), and then DH greeted him (more enthusiastically), and he ran back upstairs. Maybe we should just not acknowledge it when he DOES come down? To be honest, I'm a little nervous about his reaction to moving. He is definitely the most sensitive of the three dogs.... Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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