# Calling behaviorists!



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Boy, that's a tough one. If she wasn't wanting to use the piddle pads I would wonder about a UTI, and if the weather had been really hot I would wonder of she had burned her feet on the pavement. None of this applies, though. It really does sound like something has really frightened her. Part of me wants to say that Miley may have picked up on your Mom's fear when strange men came to the door and she sent them away, but I don't think that would account for the extreme fear reaction Miley is exhibiting. Could there be coyotes lurking nearby? I know they can hide out in some pretty urban areas, and Miley could certainly smell them. If they are lurking about that could explain why she doesn't want to go out back on the patio either. We had an invasion of raccoons one summer and the smaller dogs did not want to go outside after dark. Maybe you could ask some of the neighbors if they have noticed any wildlife hanging about or even packs of stray dogs? I suppose you could check with your local police department and ask if there had been any recent nearby break ins... not sure how helpful they would be.


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

If it weren't for the incident and with your mom's friend & her dog I would wonder about pain issues. Does your mom have any steps inside the house or is the dog reluctant to get on/off furniture? It is very perplexing.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Charmed said:


> Could there be coyotes lurking nearby? I know they can hide out in some pretty urban areas, and Miley could certainly smell them. If they are lurking about that could explain why she doesn't want to go out back on the patio either. We had an invasion of raccoons one summer and the smaller dogs did not want to go outside after dark. Maybe you could ask some of the neighbors if they have noticed any wildlife hanging about or even packs of stray dogs?


When I see a strange reaction from a dog, the second thing I wonder is what are they smelling that I'm not.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Iwould suspect something she can hear or smell, especially as if your mother is like most people of 80 her own senses may not be as acute as they once were. But I would not totally discount her picking up on your mother's anxiety about intruders. When Sophy was stung by a wasp I thought I was being fairly calm - no racing heartbeat, no sweaty palms, just definite anxiety. Sophy, who is usually very confident, was racked with tremors in my arms, and hid under a chair at the vets - usually she is begging for treats with a wagging tail and happy face. As soon as I backed off, and let the vet nurse take over, she made a miraculous recovery. So sometimes even quite minor signs of anxiety are enough to produce a major effect in a dog that is very attuned to its owner.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

My mom did mention that when she took the dog out she seem to stand there and sniff the air a lot. There are coyotes known in her area. In the seven years it has never bothered her before but maybe suddenly it is? What's funny is the dog is seven years old and has never used piddle pads before. Yet when my mom put them down she seem to know just what they are for. it makes me sad because it kept my mom active and kept her moving around a lot. It also makes me sad for Miley because she so enjoyed her walks. I would get mad at mom because the dog didn't even know how to go potty in the backyard she had to be taken out on a leash. I guess that's not the case anymore. I also like that because of the dog my mom knows all her neighbors and they know her. They are always checking on her and taking care of her. I'm afraid that now that she's not walking the dog that the neighbors won't be as friendly with her. I did tell mom that we are going to look into a life alert type alarm to keep around her neck because of the intruders


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree that she is probably smelling and/or hearing something that is making her fearful. Could one of your mom's neighbor's who has a dog come over and try to take a walk with them to see if that helps a bit? It does sound really sad for both of them to not have their walks.


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