My dog suddenly fears the backyard. How do I help her overcome it?

It's very possible something scary happened in the yard, or there is an animal under the ground making noises she can hear but you can't. If this is a sudden or new behavior, ruling out any health issues with your vet is also a good step to take. You can try to get Delilah more excited about the back yard in a few ways. If she likes walks, taking a "walk" on leash through your backyard may distract her enough to enjoy her time. Bringing a favorite high-value treat such as pieces of chicken or hotdog and only giving them every time you're in the yard can also help her associate the backyard with good things instead of scary. Checking to make sure there aren't any animals or items that can startle her and getting rid of them may also make the yard more welcoming.

I'm sorry to hear that Coco is so frightened of being outside! Unfortunately, what you are describing is very common in dogs that did not receive adequate socialization as young puppies - all pups need to get "out and about" to see the world and have lots of different experiences during their socialization period, which is from 6 to 16 weeks of age. It sounds like Coco didn't get much socialization during this period, which is likely why she is so fearful now. It will be difficult to get her comfortable with the world at this age, but not impossible. You will need to take things very slowly and make sure that being outside is always a fun and positive experience for her - this may mean simply sitting on the porch with her feeding treats or playing with a toy for a few minutes, then taking her back in. You can work up from there as long as she is comfortable. Ideally, it would be best to work with a veterinary behaviorist on this - he/she can evaluate Coco in person and help you put together a detailed plan to help work on her anxiety. Prescription medication is also helpful for some dogs with severe anxiety like this, so you could discuss this option with your veterinarian as well.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The behaviour you are describing sounds like Ginger had something happen to her in the yard there that has scared her. The most likely is that she was bit by a bug or stung by a bee in that location. Other possible causes are that another animal got into the yard and got in a fight with her in that location. I would try to encourage her back to that location of the yard gently and with positive reinforcement. Maybe get a chair and sit out there with treats, and show her it's ok, and sit outside and pet her in that spot. Best of luck with Ginger.

Is it possile to go out another door, or to a different part of the yard? If not, you need to teach her, in very small doses, that it is okay to go out. Do not baby her ("Oh, poor puppy! It's going to be all right.), or she will pick up on your tone of voice and be even more scared. Instead, speak to her with confidence (Come on, Lola, let's go out!). If she gets through the door, stop, rward her with a treat, and stop the exercise. Next time, try to get a very little bit farther out the door. Keep inching out in increments until she is comfortable going outside again.

I suspect something may have happened to him in that spot. Possibly a big bite? A loud noise that scared him? Many possibilities. I would walk over to the area and if he follows you give him treats and lots of positive reinforcement. Keep doing this for several weeks and hopefully the “good” memories will outcompete the bad one. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'm sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, I see this fairly commonly - it's one of the main reasons that I don't recommend invisible fences :( I would recommend working with Sophia over the next several days (or weeks, if needed) to help her learn to feel safe again in the yard. You can start by just sitting in the doorway with her and feeding her treats. When she is comfortable and relaxed in the doorway, try taking one step outside - stop and feed her treats there as well. Gradually work your way back out into the yard, step by step, with lots of praise and treats as long as she is comfortable. If she gets nervous or tense at all, just back up to where she was comfortable and start again. It may take quite a bit of time for her to learn to feel safe again, so you will need to be patient. In the meantime, you may need to drive her down the street to another grassy area to potty if she is too afraid to use the yard.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes dogs can get scared even when there does not appear to be anything scary in sight. Remember that they can hear and sense much better than us so he may be perceiving something that is near which you may not. This can improve but it can certainly become a bit difficult at times. I recommend that you start taking him out for longer periods but very slowly over the next several weeks. Encourage him to stay out with treats and positive words. Also, in the beginning just take him out without walking initially just to get him used to his surroundings. Eventually little by little he will learn that going outside equals getting treats and attention and will improve with time but it does require time and patience. You can consider using the Thunder shirt for him which you may find online and can help a lot in these cases. Good luck and have a great day!