He's Scared Of The Freezer

[XTRAWLD]

I find this kinda funny actually, but I will have to fix it eventually.

 

I discovered why Ryder now stands at the other side of the kitchen or goes to the other side of the house when I'm in the kitchen fixing meals. He's afraid of the freezer....or to put it better, what might fall out of the freezer. The second that door opens, he's gone. He doesn't even have to be in the same room, he knows the sound of the freezer door (which apparently is different than the fridge door) and he gets up and walks to the furthest corner of the house.

 

I keep Burpdog cookies in there, and I take out the bag to show him good things come from there, but he wants nothing to do with it. Being away from the kitchen in the middle of meal preparation isn't a bad thing at all, but I do not want to have a fearful dog in my home. I'm sure there have been occasions where a box or tupperware has fallen and crashed to the floor scaring him. He is a dog that is scared of big bangs as it is, I'm sure you may have heard the stories of crazy pulling when he hears a bang on our walks, and me trying to work with him through those fears.

 

I will try to open the freezer in his presence and try to keep him in the vicinity for starters with lots of reward and praise, but has anyone had to overcome something similar? I feel bad.

[Trihounds]

Oh boy, good luck. I would think a 'treat spitting' freezer might help him get over it...ie: freezer door opens and a Burpdog goes flying (gently) in his direction (assuming he is far from the freezer at this point). You may also be able to Burpdog him before opening the freezer and get him gradually closer before opening it.

 

In our house, we have the opposite problem. Open the freezer door and Brucie comes running from wherever and not even for Burpdogs...plain old ice cubes!!

 

Good luck!

[XTRAWLD]

In our house, we have the opposite problem. Open the freezer door and Brucie comes running from wherever and not even for Burpdogs...plain old ice cubes!!

 

Good luck!

 

Exactly...Kasey usually comes running, and Ryder runs in the other direction!

[Guest BrianRke]

Mine love when I open the freezer. Thats where the chicken feet are!!!!

[Fruitycake]

Maybe you could start him with an even milder approach, like walking to the freezer and reaching for it and tossing him a treat without opening it. And when he doesn't get all wary at that, touch it and treat, then pretend like you're going to open it (make the gesture without actually pulling on it - however you usually pull on the door), and then get the absolute GREATEST snacks in the universe and a hungry dog and just pull on it a little bit and drop the treat. Our freezer squeaks a little before the seal pops, so I'd do it to just a little bit of flex and the barest of squeaks and treat.

 

Good luck!

[XTRAWLD]

OK. First the freezer and now working in the garage.

 

I'm not sure what to make of this, but my Ryder is quickly becoming the biggest chicken.

 

Because of the loud nature of an air compressor, we take the dogs out of the house on a walk before using it IN the house. We used it for putting trim down after we finished flooring last year - so I would take them for a walk while hubby used it. In general, the sound of an air compressor has always scared Ryder. When we first got him, he was scared of roofers and nailing shingles. It took a good few months for him to get over it, but yet to this day, he is startled of loud bangs - this is no secret. We do try to prevent bangs as much as possible in the house, but sheesh, some stuff just happens....a dish clanging too loudly, and yes I'm sorry but I DO have to open the freezer sometimes....

 

2 weekends back now, on Friday before I was home, hubby was working in the garage with the air compressor and tools. Totally different sound - not the sound of a nailer, but of course the sound of the compressor itself could be heard. In the garage is not as loud as in the house, and Ryder just can't handle himself.

 

On Saturday (again I wasn't home), hubby was working in the garage but hadn't yet fired up the compressor. NO NOISE WAS MADE - hubby was just in the garage working. Hubby found Ryder crunched between the couch and the wall as a safe place.

 

 

So now he's anticipating us going into the garage and making noise.

 

This past Saturday I was home and hubby was working in the garage (no compressor being used at all, no noises, just working in there) while I was in the house. I was able to witness Ryder start panting, and looking for somewhere to go. He was calm and not frantic. I opened the garage door and asked Ryder to come over, even hubby called to him while he was in the garage. He just paced, didn't come over to us. He eventually laid down on the carpet. I actually put a blanket down in the space between the couch and the wall (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em?) He went to the blanketed space. He did take a cookie from me at some point that day. Later in the day, hubby was going to use the compressor briefly, and we thought because I was home and BESIDE RYDER that Ryder would be ok. Nope, he started shaking, panting and sitting in that space.

 

So we can't open the freezer and we can't work in the garage without him freaking. What's next? We can't just not do stuff....how do I get him to relax? Home was a safe place for him when the world outside was loud. Now his world inside is too loud for him too. He used to be so fearless, stuffing his head in every nook and cranny, bump into things that would send Kasey into a panicked scramble....

[Guest Tequila]

As a temporary fix, I would suggest asking your vet to write a script for Alprazolam (Xanax), while you are working on de-sensitizing him. (ie: show him that treats come out of the freezer.... and maybe even give him treats in the garage, to show him the garage is a "good" place where good things happen).

 

Again, this would just be a temporary fix. But if he's panting and clearly stressing, it might be helpful for him to have the Xanax to calm down enough to work through his issues. If he's in full panic mode, he night not even want to accept treats. You would be the best judge of what works for him .... does he accept treats during a panic attack?

[XTRAWLD]

You would be the best judge of what works for him .... does he accept treats during a panic attack?

 

Depending on how bad he's feeling he will accept treats. I know when he doesn't, he is having issues dealing with noise, because he is a very food motivated dog. He was very stressed years ago on our walks.....that was easily fixed much to my surprise with a long, full sensory overloaded walk.

 

I was thinking if we are working in the garage to have him there with us when we are busy if there is room. Otherwise, have him at the door on leash with one of us while the other is busy and see how that goes over. The "immersion" technique is what I have been using to help with his sound issues. Is there anything else I should use at a time like this? If he's REALLY distressed I will go the med route, but I would like to avoid that as much as possible.

[Guest Tequila]

If what you've been doing is working (immersion technique), then continue with what works best for you.

 

Like you, I try to avoid any & all meds. There was a time when Tequila would run around frantically in the middle of the night, panting and whining. She was so worked up that I worried about her heart -- with it beating so fast. She was in a total panic, for no logical reason. We searched everywhere for the source of her panic. We even spoke with an animal communicator (who told us she was afraid of a ghost, and the ghost would "startle" her). Given her actions, the "ghost" explanation was the best fit for her behavior -- because nothing else made sense. However, I don't know how to get rid of a ghost (and that's another discussion entirely!). So...... what we ultimately ended up doing was starting her on a low dose of Xanax to try to help her sleep through the night. It worked! We slowly weened her off the Xanax (after about a month), and she was like a NEW dog! She needed to calm down enough to learn that whatever she was afraid of, wasn't going to hurt her.

 

(NOTE: Before going with Xanax, we tried every "natural" way possible -- Rescue Remedy, a "Calming Collar" that is scented, DAP Diffuser, long walks & extra exercise to tire her out -- every possible logical solution to help her, but nothing worked. Until the Xanax).

 

We still keep Xanax in the house, but she ONLY needs it on really windy days. If there are high winds in the forecast (for example 40mph and above), we give her Xanax about 8 hours before it's supposed to get windy. Otherwise, she runs frantically through the house like a basket case.

 

So..... this is what worked for us. You might be able to get through it without using any meds....but as a temporary solution, it's sometimes helpful. If Ryder is accepting treats, you probably don't need meds. But if he "tunes out" everything else, and won't accept a treat, or any form of comfort, it might be an option.

 

Good luck and please keep us posted. You will get through this