My Dog Started Doing Something Weird Last Night...

[Rob]

My dog suddenly is terrified to come into our bedroom.  She always just runs right in and uses the rug to jump onto the bed (We've got polished concrete floors).

Suddenly, yesterday - and for no apparent reason, she freezes at the door way.  Looks terribly scared and will not come in no matter how much the girlfriend and I try to call her.

So, I did what any dog owner would do - I got dog treats and tried to lure her into the room with them.  She was going nuts all the way from the kitchen to the bedroom door but then froze and would NOT enter despite dog treats.

After 3 minutes of pleading with her - she turned to her left, scurried down the wall (along the t.v. stand), turned right at the wall with the windows on it, then scurried over to the bed and jumped up from the opposite corner - a much longer route - and she was terrified the whole time.  I again note that she has to use the rug ot jump onto the bed since the floors give her no traction.

Here's a little map of the room to outline what I just described:



Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense.

I'm not saying there's ghosts or anything like that - but I'm completely baffled as to why she would all of the sudden be terrified to enter the room.  She has no problem leaving the room and is fine and wants to stay and hang out once she makes it to the bed.

Any ideas?

Here's a picture:



It's only the older one (the black one - Emerson) - the puppy (Dante) is completely fine and normal and will go anywhere without freaking out.

Anyone's pets ever do anything weird like that?  If she's still doing it in a day or two I'm thinking of calling the vet - but I have no idea what they'd possibly say beyond telling me to call the ghostbusters...

[Xander]

Zowie, my best guess is a ghost.  Really, it could be anything.  A lot of animals (cats, horses) get spooked at the sight of some inanimate object, and there's no explanation.  Its sounds like there's not object there though.  I wouldn't worry about it enough to call the vet.  I hear those dog psychiatrists can get pricey.

Also, that illustration allowed me to replay it in my mind a lot better.

[Famine]

2 things, Zod.

First, can you put a thermometer on the "danger zone" about the area she generaly runs through, at around the time you go into your room for bed? Then check to see it it's abnormally low compared to other areas in the room.

Second, is Emmerson named after the school?

Kevin

[Rob]

2 things, Zod.

First, can you put a thermometer on the "danger zone" about the area she generaly runs through, at around the time you go into your room for bed? Then check to see it it's abnormally low compared to other areas in the room.

Second, is Emmerson named after the school?

Kevin

She's named after the poet - we call her Emmy.

I'll see if I can find a thermometer around the place this evening and report back.  - but we don't have the heat or a/c on so I doubt there's any difference.

[SilverZ]

Ghosts, I tell ya.

[C]

have you considered pet therapy? it may be necessary for an intervention.

[Rob]

It just started yesterday - and I'm not someone who after seeing Best in Show thinks it's acceptable to take a dog to therapy.

I'm gonna figure out how to fix this one in house if at all possible.

[Famine]

She's named after the poet - we call her Emmy.

I'll see if I can find a thermometer around the place this evening and report back.  - but we don't have the heat or a/c on so I doubt there's any difference.

Spectral entities need no heat or AC to be cold.

Maybe she just senses somthing weird and has decided she doesn't want in.

Kevin

[Rob]

I wasn't sure if you were insinuating ghosts or just a cold spot in the room.

Gotcha.  Will check this evening.

[SPIDERLEGS]

Maybe a pet from the previous tenant died there? Of course that doesn't explain why your dog just started acting that way.

[Rob]

The building is only like 4 years old - so I doubt there's anything spooky going on...

[SPIDERLEGS]

Not spooky, but scent related. Dogs can smell death. It sounds real, but they can smell whatever chemical change happens when something dies.

[Jeff]

Was there anything funky going on in that room?

Maybe the dog saw something "weird" that you were trying in there and now he's afraid to see it again?   


Or maybe it's just strange dog behavior.  My sister's dog did basically the same thing, just stopped going in her room one day.  After a bit of investigating, it turned out that her dog was freaked out by a new stuffed "Tigger" she got as a gift. 

When Tigger was on the dresser, facing out into the room, the dog wanted no part of it.  However, if my sister turned the Tigger around, the dog had no problem.  It used to be a fun game at our parent's house for a bit.  Walk towards Tigger and watch the dog get up and leave the room.

For some reason, that Tigger freaked out her dog.  So, is there any 1 new object that has been added to the room recently?  A figure, an article of clothing, something?  If so, try moving things arouns and see if that "fixes" the problem.

Jeff

[Rob]

The only thing I can think of is the television.  But I changed that on Saturday and the behavior started tonight.

I got a new bigger one for the living room - moved the one that was in there into the bedroom and trashed the old one.

I'll try the temperature thing and then I'll try seeing if she'll come in the room with the t.v. off.

[Morgbug]

Ok, no one else is asking, so I will:  did you have an "accident" on the floor Zod?