Why is my 10-month Jack Russell suddenly scared and having accidents?

It may be time to speak with a local trainer or animal behaviorist in your area to see if they can observe what is going on in person. This can help them to formulate a plan that may help Peanut regain her confidence outside. Usually, this involves taking small steps by exposing her to being outside for longer periods, and offering treats and praise when she is calm and successful. If she becomes too nervous, taking a break and letting her calm down before trying again can help. If the anxiety continues, it is also a good idea to rule out any health issues with your veterinarian, as some illnesses can cause sudden behavioral changes or anxiety, especially if there is pain. Your vet can also prescribe an anti-anxiety medication if needed during your training plan to help make things a little easier on Peanut.

This does sound like unusual behavior for Jack. There was probably something in the yard that spooked him and now he is acting afraid of it. I would recommend taking him out in the yard (with a leash on if he won't go willingly) and explore the area together. He may lead you right to the source of the problem. My suspicion is that there was some type of animal in the yard and it is now gone but that Jack can still smell it. Since he is otherwise acting normal and still eating and drinking I would not be too concerned. Just keep a close eye on him over the next couple of days to make sure nothing else changes. If he starts acting lethargic or stops eating/drinking, then I would take him in to the vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

With sudden accidents, it is always best to schedule a vet checkup first to rule out any underlying issues such as infection, GI upset, neurological or muscular issues, etc. if she checks out healthy, it may be that something has startled or upset her, especially if this was the same time last year that she had accidents last, causing her to have accidents inside instead of going out. You may need to temporarily revert to a "puppy" style of potty training again, just to get her back into the routine of going outside until she is more comfortable with whatever caused the accidents to start. Using enzymatic cleaners on any accidents can help discourage her from going there again, and making sure to offer some exciting treats and praise when she does go outside may help speed up the process.

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!

Routine changes and stress can definitely cause regression in potty training. I would give Jack a few days (3-4) to settle back in and go back to a more puppy style routine of potty training (IE more frequent outings) to give him a chance to go outside and get back into the swing of things. If he still continues to have accidents, or you notice signs of illness such as bloody urine, attempting to potty a lot without producing much, changes in appetite, etc, bring him into your vet for an exam.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is hard to say for sure what the problem is without seeing him myself. There could be an ear infection bothering him or something else with the ears or he is becoming more nervous as he ages with certain noises and things being near his head if his vision is not very good any more. I would recommend having him examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!

Poor little guy! This could be a scary event for him, but I can't think of anything you are going to be able to do to help him emotionally. If he has any loose stool or diarrhea that can cause him to have accidents in the house, and this needs to be addressed by your veterinarian. Otherwise just give him time and he should get over being afraid. Definitely don't punish him as that will just make him more anxious and afraid.