For a really long time my dog (4 year old Husky Lab mix) has always been scared to cross my kitchen floor. He has to go through to go downstairs, and to go outside. Usually he goes, but very slowly. But just recently (like the past few days) He won't go at all. And he cries b/c he really has to go outside, but he can't go through the kitchen! So we take him on walks, but I am still concerned why he is so scared to walk through the kitchen. Do you know what possibly could be wrong?
2007-03-01 04:04:57 · 19 answers · asked by Trisha 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Do a test. Put down a blanket or carpet runner across the floor and see if he will walk across it. If he does the floor is too shiney and he thinks it's not safe for some reason. So get a rug. If he does not walk on the runner then he is afraid of the kitchen. Go one step at a time. Lure him with a cookie to put just one foot on it. Give him lots of praise. Wait till the next day and encourage hime to put two feet. Lots of praise. Do one step a day, until he goes willing without encouragement.
2007-03-01 08:30:40 · answer #1 · answered by Deb t 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely your dog is afraid of the floor. Many have a shiny floor phobia, it's quite common. The dog probably perceives the floor as slippery or perhaps could be frightened by the reflections it creates, it's impossible for us to know without being inside the dog's mind.
What to do:
1 - keep nails short.
2 - when the dog is acting nervous or unsure of himself, do not give affection at this time. Use calm even voice, not a baby-sing-songy voice. Do not pet, do not coddle. Doing so will only nurture his fearfulness.
3 - put the dog on a leash. Back up from the floor as far as you can. The next room would be ideal. Visualize your sucess of crossing the floor as you get as much of a running start as you can, bringing your dog with you on a short leash by your side.
4 - Make sure you do not hesitate yourself, as you cross the threshold onto the shiny surface. Keep your eyes forward and your momentum going the dog will have no choice but to follow you. If he stalls or hesitates, you must keep moving forward as though you don't notice his hesitation. If you do, he gets the wrong signal that he is in control of the situation.
5 - Once you have him in the kitchen, as long as he is not displaying nervousness, praise and treat.
6 - Whenever he is successful, or in the kitchen, make sure there are lots of good treats for him to help him associate the kitchen with good things. You might even practice placing a bowl of something really special (not everyday treats) at the far end of the kitchen to encourage him to come in on his own.
7 - Practice this daily. Repitition, repitition, repitition. When he's at the place where he can enter comfortably, practice walking him around the kitchen on lead. The more the dog is in the kitchen and nothing bad happens, the more receptive he will be to this experience.
2007-03-01 04:17:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Many dogs don't like shiny floors. I have one that doesn't like tile, linoleum and light colored wood floors. (She's insane). :) She does the same thing if I leave her in one room and cross a linoleum floor and she won't follow me. I ended up getting her mostly past this by taking her to a Petsmart and setting her on the tile floor. I let her stand there until she calmed down, and then I started to pet her and praise her. (Note: Do not pet and try to console a dog that is acting afraid. It just reinforces him behavior, and makes him think that he really does have something to be afraid of). I also let her spend some time in the laundry room that has a linoleum floor. Now she will walk on hard floors cautiously. It is all a little more complicated than that, but is tough to explain on the internet. If your dog isn't just afraid of the floor, it is possible I suppose that he is afraid of some appliance in the kitchen. Basically, the only way to get anyone or anything to handle their fears is controlled exposure to that fear.
2007-03-01 05:39:13 · answer #3 · answered by majolica2002 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a lab mix that is the same way. She hates walking on the tile floor of the kitchen, but has to cross through the kitchen to get to her food dish.
One thing to check is make sure your dog's nails are well trimmed. Many dogs do not like the feeling of their nails on a hard surface when they get long.
If the nails are short enough, then put him on a leash and take him for walks through the kitchen. Make sure he gets plenty of praise when he gets through. Or try making a trail of dog treats through the kitchen so he will have to keep going deeper in to get at the next treat. Keep the experience positive and he will get over it.
My lab is still hesitant about the kitchen tile, but she will cross it every day.
2007-03-01 04:12:57 · answer #4 · answered by searchpup 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is very possible that he has had a traumatic experiance on the floor. This could be anything from being hit by a family member to sliding into the stove. our bearcoat shar pei wouldn't go thru the kitchen for the longest time because he slipped on the tile and ran headfirst into the stove when there was company. He is a big scardy cat tho.
I would suggest associating the kitchen with GOOD things, like his food(slowly move it into the kitchen), treats, lovings, etc. Try tossing toys there to get him more interested in the kitchen.
Its tough to tell with dogs, but once something bad has happened somewhere, they usually wont go back to that place willingly.
2007-03-01 04:12:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Poor thing is definitly scared of something. Might have slipped on the floor or associates it with a feeling or sound that occured while it was walking across the floor. I would try slowly getting him used to walking across the floor by giving him his favorite treat as you coax him to make small step-whatever he's comfortable with- across the floor. Use LOTS of praise and of course be patient.... with that mix he's going to be a really smart dog, so it could take a while.
2007-03-01 04:12:44 · answer #6 · answered by Just Me 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My dogs were afraid of the kitchen floor because they slipped when they walked on it. They eventually got over it, but still walk on it very slowly. They are the same way with the bathroom floor.
2007-03-01 04:15:07 · answer #7 · answered by catfan 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Something has obviously tramatised him about your kitchen-was he ever punished or yelled at in there?? you know for going potty or jumping on countertops?? Does the floor seem strange to him-his nails clicking on ceramic or the play in a floating wooden floor may disturb him. When you coax him gently into the kitchen make good things happen there-feed him pet him praise himjust sit on the floor and be with him until he realises that noyhing bad will happen-check with everyone else in the house to make sure nothing happened to him in there
2007-03-01 04:15:27 · answer #8 · answered by Shiv 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe something happened to him that hes afraid of in the kitchen. Animals are strange sometimes, My loves to be in the living room, but if the cieling fans are on you wont ever find him. Also my dog had a hard time on hard wood floors he would slip around and hated them, it may be that he just is too afriad to walk on the tile.
2007-03-01 04:09:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's the slippery floor. Many dogs have this problem and itr will not get better by coaxing or furthering the neurosis that is already there. Put his food down there and let him decide on his own if he is hungry enough to get there and eat it. Do not reassure him about it because he will get worse. Make him cross it on leash to get out and do not even acknowledge the fact that he has a problem with it. If he just has this one problem, he will get over it, but, if the problem runs deeper, meaning that he is weak nerved, the problem will always be there.
2007-03-01 04:24:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋