What's YOUR dog afraid of?

[MyBuddy]

I have to believe that every dog that any of us has ever owned had at least one thing that frightened them. Storms, the vet, men (lol, I've seen that mentioned here many times!), vehicles, firecrackers, guns, chainsaw or other tools, Etc. Even if you think your dog is brave there might be one little thing that they're not really sure about.

For Kali the main thing is thunder. I don't even remember when it started. And sometimes I wonder if it wasn't perpetrated by me. I mean, I'm not terrified in storms unless they're really, really bad. But when you think about what you do in a storm I can imagine that they feel that anxiety. Say a sudden storm pops up... you're running around closing windows, yelling to each other, going outside and strapping things down or bringing them inside. All that sudden/fast activity that they see comes across as, What's happening!?!?

So that may have been what started it, I'll never be sure. But there are times when it is bad outside and she is just trembling! And half the time it's at night time. If it was during the day I might try and play with her to distract her.

But, alas, it's usually at night and the most I can do is take her in bed with me. Sometimes I put her under the covers so she doesn't see the lightning. But it doesn't help much.

But I do know what started her fear of a certain beep. Several years ago my husband and I picked up a new weather station and this one detected lightning! We thought it was pretty cool. So once it was installed it would send a beep to the weather station when it detected lightning and of course thunder. It would detect it far enough away that you wouldn't even hear it until it got closer.

Well, since this little one is afraid of lightning and thunder, she associated that tone with the accompanying thunder. Makes perfect sense doesn't it?

Well, we eventually took out the lightning detector.

And then one day the grandkids were here with a tiny little handheld drone that we bought them for Christmas. Well, it turned out that thing sounded a little beep just like the lightning detector whenever they started it. Kali was acting so strange. Clinging to me, tail down, finally even going upstairs to be with my daughter! She was up there getting dressed and she texted me telling me that Kali was up there with her which was very unlike her. She would never do that. I finally connected the dots and realized what was happening. I told the kids they had to play that drone downstairs in the basement.

After that I was always aware of something making the same type of beep and I knew she would react. It's almost the same kind of beep that's on your microwave. But she doesn't react to that. Maybe shes gotten used to that.

But there's a couple of other things that do have the same beep. One of them is my diffuser! Ugh. I find every time I turn it on, she leaves the room. Sigh. Even if I just start messing with it. Filling the water, anything. Sometimes she just looks at me like, "What the hell, mom? Are you going to put that thing on again?" And then when I press the on button, she slowly walks away. SMH I'm not sure how to undo that training. Except to just keep doing it. I have tried to give her some treats at the same time I'm pressing the button. She's done fairly well with that. And I probably will just continue that. Maybe with some really yummy treats that she can't resist. Or I was thinking about when the grandkids are here that they can be playing with her, again with some yummy treat that she can't resist, while I press the button. Otherwise she's just going to have to leave the room!

One of the other things she hates are snakes. That's a good one to be afraid of! But I noticed it years ago when I was trying to show the grandkids a snake. It was just a bull snake but they make a sound by breathing in and out that is just a big Sssssss sound. I noticed her keeping her distance and realized she knew that that was a snake by that sound and she didn't like it.

Well, the other thing that makes a similar sound is our air compressor in my husband's barn. She hates when that thing goes on because she knows the hose makes that Sssssssss sound. And God forbid you let the air out! I even hate that sound! It's so damn loud. He's got airlines going all the way out to my horse barn and when he's filling my tires in my barn she just keeps a wide berth!

So those are the only 2 things I can think of right now that I know she's afraid of. Other than that she's a pretty tough little dog.

How about your dog(s)? Tell us a story about their fears.

 

[Two Dobes]

Awwww....it's so hard to see them fearful. Glory has JUST started to be frightened of thunder....so now when it rains heavy; she starts to shake even if it doesn't thunder. I have CBD oil I give her if I know a storm is coming....doesn't help too much though. We have alot of people shooting in the distance around here, and if we are out in our woods; she will come back to me, and be glued to me the rest of our walk. Clarke never minded the thunder, or gunfire, BUT, hated the sound of me putting away cookie sheets!!! All I had to do was open the cabinet they were in, and he would run to another room, and peek back at me! . He also didn't like when we would scoop ice out of the ice drawer in the freezer. So odd. A female we had back in 2009 didn't like the sound of shaking out blankets when making the bed!!!

 

[Rits]

None of the dobes are really fearful of anything, I'd be a little concerned if they were. Suspicious? Sure as is the breed is known for natural suspicion but they aren't fearful of anything.

Java the lab and Paige the Heinz 57 mutt weren't either until they got older. They were really good about fireworks and storms but once they hit a certain age/moment in life, those things started to cause anxiety. I looked it up back then and it's very commonly related to hearing loss which is inevitable as they get older.

Another thing to consider is undiagnosed pain. The noises startles them which makes them jump and triggers pain somewhere in their body. Dogs generalize too so if she hears this sound and associates it with pain, she may by default leave to attempt to avoid the pain she thinks is coming. Is she on any joint supplements? I know little chihuahua's can have patella issues.

 

[Katyusharocket]

Oh those beeps things make can all sound so similar, too. I have a handheld cold laser therapy light, it's beep sounds exactly like the beep that Katyusha's e-collar makes, and that one was a little adjustment for her, but she is fine now and somehow knows the difference (or, just that she knows she isn't wearing her e-collar).

For Katyusha, It's so cliche but she runs for the hills when she sees me touch the vacuum cleaner. Our Thor always just loved to be vacuum cleaned, but only with a shop-vac type, so I was kind of surprised she never learned to not let one bother her by watching him come a runnin. This past July 4th, she was doing just great hearing the fireworks from inside the house, no problem at all, so I invited her to the front porch, wondering if she would like to see them. The flashes scared her and she ran right back inside! Also found out just this past Saturday that Drive thru car washes are a big nope for her. She climbed from the back seat to front and then couldn't find good footing as her back feet were amongst water bottles, poor thing ended up being a lump of jello in my lap, shaking and all.

Toby is unique. He is very unconcerned and unbothered by it all. He mostly always has been, other than in the years he had his vision, he never did like an active flyswatter situation. He would flinch if he saw something unexpected or moving quickly, perhaps. That has gone, all of it, along with his eyesight. Doesn't matter what goes boom or moves quick or falls to the floor or drops. He just sits tight where he is, then moves on, whether it hits him or not. Example: The car wash that turned Katyusha into a puddle didn't bother him even a little. He just stayed in the back seat, smiling. He is not afraid to venture around anywhere his nose takes him. And maybe he is fearful, but his loss of vision has made him less reactive about pretty much anything? Just keeping his head down? The one thing that does get him is when he realizes that there are stairs to go down, and they aren't ours at home. He will go up stairs to go into a friend's house, but when its time to leave and he remembers he has to go down them, that's a struggle. It usually takes two of us to help him.

Thor was pretty much a bundle of nerves abut everything except the shop vac. Couldn't even watch WW2 documentaries with him in the room. CBD did help that tremendously later in life. I wish I would have known about that sooner.

 

[JanS]

Aww poor things. Thankfully I haven't found anything these two are scared of yet. None of our dogs care for it when hubby washes the outsides of the windows but it's so loud when he blasts the spray on the window and they don't understand where it's coming from. Elroy and Olive aren't afraid of it but they also keep their distance.

 

[JanS]

Java the lab and Paige the Heinz 57 mutt weren't either until they got older. They were really good about fireworks and storms but once they hit a certain age/moment in life, those things started to cause anxiety. I looked it up back then and it's very commonly related to hearing loss which is inevitable as they get older.

Oh yeah, that happened with Albert and Della when they hit 9 or 10 years and I attribute that to a bit of hearing loss too.

 

[MyBuddy]

Awwww....it's so hard to see them fearful. Glory has JUST started to be frightened of thunder....so now when it rains heavy; she starts to shake even if it doesn't thunder. I have CBD oil I give her if I know a storm is coming....doesn't help too much though. We have alot of people shooting in the distance around here, and if we are out in our woods; she will come back to me, and be glued to me the rest of our walk. Clarke never minded the thunder, or gunfire, BUT, hated the sound of me putting away cookie sheets!!! All I had to do was open the cabinet they were in, and he would run to another room, and peek back at me! . He also didn't like when we would scoop ice out of the ice drawer in the freezer. So odd. A female we had back in 2009 didn't like the sound of shaking out blankets when making the bed!!!

We have people that shoot around here too and she doesn't seem to be bothered by that. Cookie sheets, shaking out blankets and the ice cubes were pretty unusual! Sometimes they just develop a fear and you don't know why.

 

[MyBuddy]

None of the dobes are really fearful of anything

Thankfully I haven't found anything these two are scared of yet

Oh quit showing off!

I don't know why it would concern you if they were. I know you did some real due diligence with the puppies and I'm sure you do it with all your dogs but sometimes they can just develop something and you don't even understand why. Or inadvertently it happened and you didn't mean it to happen. But I hope yours continue to not be fearful of anything. That's awesome!

 

[MyBuddy]

For Katyusha, It's so cliche but she runs for the hills when she sees me touch the vacuum cleaner.

That's one thing none of mine were fearful of. Even the robots! Buddy used to let it almost bump up to him before he would move!

found out just this past Saturday that Drive thru car washes are a big nope for her. She climbed from the back seat to front and then couldn't find good footing as her back feet were amongst water bottles, poor thing ended up being a lump of jello in my lap, shaking and all

Awww, poor thing! Those can be scary with all those Boogeyman clawing at the windows! I don't blame her.

 

[Cferg]

Oh yeah, that happened with Albert and Della when they hit 9 or 10 years and I attribute that to a bit of hearing loss too.

My heeler never had a problem with fireworks till she went deaf. I figured it’s because they can feel the pressure but can’t hear it. Or possibly even see where it’s coming from.

 

[Rits]

I don't know why it would concern you if they were.

Because it means I didn't do my due diligence then or that I pushed them too hard before they were ready (called flooding). Or that my doberman doesn't have good nerves, which is not something you want in the breed. We are talking truly fearful, scared as sh1t, trembling, shaking, flightmode. Not suspicious barking but then recovers and approaches the thing. That's ok and correct dobe temperament. I know not all dobes are destined to be bred either so some of the reactions here, are totally ok! Not to be insulting but they are pets that aren't intended for breeding. Just like not all pets are going to have the conformation to want to use to breed. But the goal for a breeder is to produce pretty pets and stable pets with the right temperament. So that's why for me personally for my own dobermans, I would be concerned. I hope that makes sense! And old age fear due to pain or loss of hearing like I listed above is a different story and nothing to do with their temperaments but their health.

 

[MyBuddy]

Because it means I didn't do my due diligence then

Then I guess I didn't do my due diligence with Kali with her fear of thunder! I just realized one day that she was looking afraid. Heck even Buddy would cling to my side during a bad storm. It wasn't anything terrible but I knew they were afraid.

 

[Rits]

Then I guess I didn't do my due diligence with Kali with her fear of thunder!

I think you must have missed what I said earlier?

once they hit a certain age/moment in life, those things started to cause anxiety. I looked it up back then and it's very commonly related to hearing loss which is inevitable as they get older.

Another thing to consider is undiagnosed pain. The noises startles them which makes them jump and triggers pain somewhere in their body. Dogs generalize too so if she hears this sound and associates it with pain, she may by default leave to attempt to avoid the pain she thinks is coming. Is she on any joint supplements? I know little chihuahua's can have patella issues.

Also Kali isnt a doberman! I wouldn't expect her to behave the same as a doberman. and you weren't her breeder. You rescued her she wasn't under 16 weeks old when you adopted her either, was she? That's kinda where the window closes for socializing/exposure.

But anyways, I'm sure her sudden fear is likely due to age and nothing you did wrong! Java and Paige were the same, bombproof then as they got pretty up there in age, pretty anxious about loud noises. I know their hearing was going because they wouldn't always respond to me.

 

[remy]

Remy doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything.

My previous dogs (bully mixes) also became fearful of things like fireworks when they got older. They never used to bother my male, but during his last few 4th of July’s he had a really hard time settling down. He would pace around and pant all night (while fireworks were going off.)

My sister has a mixed breed dog that the shelter found at 4 weeks old. It’s obvious he has poor genetics and temperament… poor thing is fearful of everything.

 

[MyBuddy]

You rescued her she wasn't under 16 weeks old when you adopted her either, was she

No, she was 5 months old when we adopted her.

I'm sure her sudden fear is likely due to age

Her fear of thunderstorms is not sudden. It's been years. I can't tell you how many but it's been a long time.

 

[jazzies mum]

This had me thinking! Jazz is fearful of some dogs in some situations but that fear comes across as anxiety with both fight and flight in operation at the same time.

Her true fear is really of only one thing - storms with high winds. We had a ferocious storm several years ago which tore down most of the trees close to home and removed some roofs. She panicked and bolted out the door before I had managed to batten down all the hatches. It was too dangerous for me to go out after her for about 30mins and when I did it was with fear in my heart that she would be under a tangle of fallen trees. Luckily she appeared out of the dark, terrified, drenched but with no serious injuries apart from scrapes and scratches from running through rough scrub. Now if she hears the big winds coming she is off into her bed and huddled down quick smart. Can't blame her.

 

[Ravenbird]

Asha doesn't have the trembling type fear of anything. But several things she doesn't like: the vacuum. LOL. She just goes into the other room. She doesn't mind the robot vacuum but will not stay in the same room with the manual one. It's not the noise though because she hangs out while we run the chainsaw and gas wood splitter - both deafening noises. LOL, Reckless actually LIKES to be vacuumed, which is an awesome way to remove a blowing coat. Asha also doesn't like anything she can't feel in control of, like being handled by the vet, or big crowds and noise. I took her to a 4th of July parade and she observed and didn't growl or bark because she knew better, but wasn't having fun. Same with the big cluster show we went to in Tucson. Her WAE test she was on the end of a 6 foot leash and allowed to express her true self every step of the way and I think that's one of my favorite videos of her ever. She's totally in her element and free to express herself. Watching the confo classes she was miserable. Doing obedience trial she was polite but not bright eyed and happy like the WAE. She doesn't mind thunderstorms in the day but is concerned about them at night. Not bad, she just stands up (not pacing, just standing) and watches the door and windows. I'm hoping it doesn't turn into something worse as she gets older. I totally ignore her behavior so I don't coddle her, encourage her emotions nor do I scold her. Not sure what would be most helpful.

 

[Kaiser2016]

One of them is my diffuser!

I use a diffuser too and noticed that certain essential oils irritate their noses. When I looked up the diffuser website, they did have warnings about usage around animals and one tell tale sign is if they leave the room. If you are just running water for some moisture, then maybe it is the beep that annoys her.

Interesting how she associated the lightening detector beep though. Very smart! Kaiser does something similar when the house is armed or unarmed. He associates the announcement with that of someone coming home (because I usually disable it from my car when I enter the neighborhood so it definitely indicates me coming home) but he only reacts to it if one of us is missing. If we're both home, his ears perk up but that's it.

As for fear, every time I reach for something that is a spray bottle, Kaiser will run away from it. Like Vetricyn. If he wears a collar I can hold him and spray him, but usually he doesn't wear a collar so I just spray the contents into my palm and apply it without the spray bottle near him haha. I know this 'fear' stems from us using a spray bottle on him as a deterrent in the very early puppy days.

 

[Kaiser2016]

Reckless actually LIKES to be vacuumed,

Love this! Haha, wish I could vacuum the cat but she hates the vacuum. Kaiser actually loves the vacuum! He gives it a play bow and barks at the attachment when I'm vacuuming the stairs. I'll point the hose end at him like a game and he loves it.

 

[MyBuddy]

She panicked and bolted out the door before I had managed to batten down all the hatches.

THAT had to be scary! For you too! Gone 30 minutes! Wow. Poor Jazz.

Reckless actually LIKES to be vacuumed, which is an awesome way to remove a blowing coat.

That's always a plus with a long haired dog!

If you are just running water for some moisture, then maybe it is the beep that annoys her.

Believe me, it's the beep! Its any item with that same beep. It's all from the 'conditioning' due to that darn lightning detector. It's association just like Pavlov dog experiment. The beep sounded, she heard the dreaded thunder. Now she thinks any time she hears that, it's going to thunder. Even when it doesn't. I need to change up the association. Beep, hot dog! Beep, cheese! Then she'll be begging each time she hears it!