New Phobia

[Guest BillF]

Over the last couple of weeks my 5 year old male Tip has developed a fear of going in the backyard. This only happens at night. He's fine during the day.

 

I first noticed this about two weeks ago - he started peeing in the house in the evenings. We went to the vet and had blood and urine checked. That came back clean. Over the long holiday weekend I finally saw the pattern.

 

I have two dog doors - one from the house to the garage, one from the garage to the backyard. During the day Tip will use both doors and go out to potty. At night Tip will go into the garage, but stays away from the door to the garage. He has pooped in the garage once, and peed there twice, but he hasn't gone in the house recently.

 

The fireworks over the weekend didn't help, but if I remember correctly the peeing in the house started before the fireworks. This is the season for thunderstorms in Alabama. Maybe he was outside and the thunder scared him. We have a six foot wood privacy fence. I don't think anyone has been harrasing them when I'm not there.

 

Here's what I've been doing so far- Walks after dark in the neighborhood, with plenty of praise when he goes. During the day I'll take some treats outside and reward him for coming outside. He does that during the day but not after dark.

 

Tip has always been a little nervous. I've had him almost two years so I doubt that will change. He's been housebroken since day one. What's odd is that weather (or fireworks) don't seem to scare him when he's inside. He and Olive (my other grey) will look up at loud noises but then settle back down. I don't get any panting, drooling, pacing, or other symptoms that would make me say they are stressed out by the noise.

 

We took a walk at night last weekend. There were no fireworks on our street, but there were some in the neighborhood. Tip would stop and look toward the louder pops, but again, he didn't seem stressed about it. He would turn back and keep walking.

 

Usually when I go from the house to the garage Tip and Olive are right on my heels thinking we are going for a walk or ride. But if I turn toward the door to the backyard Tip heads straight back into the house. I don't want to drag him into the backyard - I wonder if that would do more harm than good.

 

I installed a motion sensitive porch light yesterday. But that would only help if he will go out the door. Ill try turning it on at night and see if I can get him on the porch in the light.

 

Any ideas to help me get him back on track?

 

Thanks

Bill

[Guest BrianRke]

I would try spending some time outside when it gets dark and see if he will come out on his own. Do something interesting back there that might intice him to go out, like eating something that smells great, or playing with a ball. Something out there must have spooked him when he was out at night. It could be most anything but it doesnt sound like it was fireworks or thunder.

 

Im not sure I would force him to go out there, like you said, that may do more harm than good. It would be best if you could get him to go out on his own accord.

 

Hopefully this will resolve itself sooner than later as the days are getting shorter.

[Batmom]

Changes in vision? Or something that happened to spook him.

 

Once a big branch falling nearby spooked Joseph and he was very leery of the back yard for a time.

[GeorgeofNE]

Have his vision checked.

 

My last dog was fearful at night, and it turned out he had some a vision issue that ONLY effected his night vision.

 

Also, check every inch of your yard, as it's possible there's an animal living back there you don't know about--perhaps a nocturnal one?

[Guest Tes623]

Sooner goes through "fear of the backyard at night" every year about this time because of fireworks. He eventually gets over it and is fine until the fall when hunting season starts and he gets scared all over again because we can hear the gunshots. I don't have any advise how to help yours get over it, Sooner just does it on his own.

[Guest Gemma]

I agree with the suggestions to check his eyesight.

 

My boy Peyton is very confident and not sensitive to being touched unexpectedly but, at night, if you brush against him without warning, he will jump a mile. He has pannus and it has started to effect his night vision.

[Guest BillF]

The vet looked in his eyes when I had him there. I don't know if there is more testing that could be done.

 

This morning around 5 I heard him up and moving around. I heard him go through the first dog door into the garage. I got up and went out there - thinking I found find him peeing in the garage. But the garage was empty. He had gone out the second door into the yard. The motion sensitive light I installed had turned on.

 

I watched him through the window and he did his normal bathroom routine - run like crazy, poop, run like crazy, lie down on the porch.

 

Im going to write this one off to fireworks. But I don't remember anything like this happening last new years, or july 4th. Maybe he happened to be outside when a very loud or close one went off.

 

Can't wait till new years.

 

Thanks for all the input

 

Bill

[Batmom]

Glad he seems to have gotten over it.

[Guest lynne893]

It's gotta be the fireworks. Our Greta has been having the same issue. She was FINE until around 4th of July, then she wouldn't step foot outside after 3pm or so. Even though I don't hear fireworks in the early evenings all the time, I think Greta does. She's fine after she's slept her anxiety off and wakes up the next morning.

[Guest KennelMom]

Changes in vision? Or something that happened to spook him.

 

pretty much my thoughts

[Neighsayer]

Another vision issue here. I had to put in a light on the porch between the two doggie doors so Meeka would go out at night. she is fine during the day. Good luck!