Dog doesn't want to be inside the house

[HuskyFluff]

Slightly bizarre issue that I may be overthinking.....

Since about January this year my malamute x has been getting more and more reluctant to come into the house. He wants to go out as soon as he's had breakfast after our walk (6.15am) and won't come in at all until dinner time (7pm), then he wants to go out again. I tend to not let him out before 8.30am as there's a risk he'll howl and wake up the neighbours (if you've ever heard a mal howl you REALLY don't want that intruding on your dreams!). He's quite happy with this, and once he's realised he's not going out he jumps on the sofa and goes to sleep. The problem is, if I have to bring him in during the day, I literally have to drag him in. Nothing entices him. If I bring him in because I'm going out, he chills out after a few minutes - when I check the dog cam he's usually lying down somewhere, looking fine. He wants out as soon as I get back though. If I bring him in because the bloke who mows the lawn needs to mow (today) he took himself upstairs and was throwing himself against the door to my ensuite. When I opened that for him, he went and threw himself against the bathroom door to try to open it. He's always been fine coming in at bedtime (he sleeps on my bed) but I did have to go out and fetch him the other day.

I've consulted the vet and we checked his sight, hearing and bloods. He's had a CT scan and we did a pain trial using gabapentin. Vets suggestion was Canine Cognitive disorder (He's nearly 11).

I got a behaviourist out, and he said it could be CCD, but that it could be separation anxiety. I just don't see this. When I leave him outside when I go out he's completely relaxed (I give him a treat before I leave). I asked the neighbours to keep an eye on him and he tends to sleep.

I don't actually mind him being outside per se. He has a double coat, a choice of 2 insulated kennels at either end of a 'veranda' which is enclosed on 3 sides and the garden is secure (the only way in is through my garage). It's the change in behaviour and the distress he shows when I have to bring him into the house.

Background info:
I got him when he was 2 in April 2016 (from a breed type rescue}
He lives with a husky who doesn't believe in the concept of outside
There has been no change in routine, furniture reorganisation, people coming to the house (I discourage that)
He's currently asleep on the sofa next to me
I work from home

If it hadn't been for the change in behaviour, and the distress when I bring him in during the day I wouldn't be worrying.

Am I worrying about nothing? Is there something else I could check? Could it be CCD? Anyone have any ideas?

Prosecco and cake if you've got through my ramblings...

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Have the 2 dogs had a change in their relationship at all?

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'd query a negative experience/bad association (which could be literally anything!!), pain (seems like you've excluded that) or overheating. Or yes, it could be CCD. My old dog has never really enjoyed being inside.

 

[tda]

I know nothing about the breed, are they big dogs, is 10 a good age for them or are they long lived

 

[HuskyFluff]

Have the 2 dogs had a change in their relationship at all?

There's been no change in relationship that I've observed. When I check the dog cam all looks normal when I'm away, and nothing's changed when I'm there.

I'd query a negative experience/bad association (which could be literally anything!!), pain (seems like you've excluded that) or overheating. Or yes, it could be CCD. My old dog has never really enjoyed being inside.

I'm wracking my brains but I can't think of anything - it's the inconsistency that's bewildering. At the moment he's fast asleep on the other sofa - no signs of stress at all. Apart from going to the yard and sunday lunch with a friend I'm with them pretty much all the time. During the summer the patio doors are always open, and the heating goes off in March and is still off now, although I suppose it's warmer at the time he wants to be out. I've tried an adaptil diffuser which didn't make any difference. The only thing that changed (and this is a stretch) is that I snapped my meniscus at the end Nov/beginning Dec which made me hobble a bit and shortened the distance (although not the elapsed time) of their walks. I leave the tv on for them so I did wonder if something might have startled him, but he's generally ok with all sorts of noises (not bothered by fireworks for example)

I know nothing about the breed, are they big dogs, is 10 a good age for them or are they long lived

He's about 45kg, so reasonably big. They tend to live for between 10 and 14 years. Think a large, muscular, freight version of a husky!

 

[meleeka]

Could he have gotten too hot at some point? My German Shepherd much prefers outside but she lived outside all her life before I got her. She finds it too hot indoors I think and would rather lay on a hard, cold floor than her expensive dog bed.

 

[Equi]

Do you have tile floors at the door he comes in?

 

[Supertrooper]

Is his stress re wanting to get out desperately related in someone being outside? As in as above someone working outside?

If he’ll relax inside at other times if there’s nothing going on outside, it may be that he just simply prefers being out but can and will settle inside if needs too

 

[misst]

I'd query a negative experience/bad association (which could be literally anything!!), pain (seems like you've excluded that) or overheating. Or yes, it could be CCD. My old dog has never really enjoyed being inside.

Another who wonders if it is a negative experience that has happened.

My super happy little JRT was absolutely terrified about 6 weeks ago by a massive thunderstorm that stayed overhead one night for about 2 hours. She shook panted and paced. It was 2am to 4am so we kept her with us in our room on our bed as usual. She did keep trying to leave the room but then paced the house and shook so we brought her back onto the bed. One huge clap of thunder later and she wee'd herself on our bed - completely abnormal behaviour. We reassured and just cuddled until morning. At no time did we tell her off.

Since then she will not come into our bedroom in the dark. She is choosing to sleep downstairs at night in one of the dog beds and then pops up about 2am to check on us and then goes back downstairs. In the morning she hears us waking up and reappears, climbs into bed and snuggles. She also sleeps on our bed in the day. Our other dog stays in our room. We are completely sure it was the thunderstorm even though she is 4 and a half years old and otherwise a happy dog and has experienced thunderstorms before. This was an especially bad one though. In all other respects she remains her usual happy self. She seems very settled and content provided she is allowed to sleep downstairs. If we try to keep her in our room she scratches the door and whines.

Could something like this have happened to your dog to cause the change?

 

[Dobiegirl]

Might be worth a trial of something like Acktivait to see if there is any change in his behaviour.

 

[Aperchristmas]

Could he be getting hotter as he gets older? As in poorer at temperature regulation, so he is more comfortable outside? Although his reluctance sounds extreme so it may be more than that.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

.....
Since about January this year my malamute x has been getting more and more reluctant to come into the house. ...
(He's nearly 11)....
He has a double coat....
Am I worrying about nothing? Is there something else I could check? Could it be CCD? Anyone have any ideas?

Prosecco and cake if you've got through my ramblings...

.... although I suppose it's warmer at the time he wants to be out. ....

Have you noticed any change in his coat quality? Did he shed as much as usual, and at about the same time in Spring, and Autumn as usual?
I'm wondering if there's any possibility that his inner heat regulation just doesn't work as well as it used to do, now that he's getting older? Maybe he's accepted continuing to sleep in your bed at night out of old habit, and/or maybe you have it a bit cooler indoors during the nights, but during day time, he simply think it's easier to regulate his inner temperature outdoors.

3 out of the 5 Spitz breed bitches I've owned, started having trouble with their inner temperature regulation when they got old. Since mine spent more hours indoors, than outdoors, they probably didn't have as impressive double coats as your Malamute x might have, but they were double coated. I'm not 100% sure I'm correct, but I felt as if these 3 bitches shedded a bit less of their double coats their last sheddings, and I thought their coats felt a bit thicker than when they were younger.

Either way, due to always having been told to never shave a Spitz coat, with one, Nessie, I only dared to shave the belly. The second, Jonna, I first shaved the belly, but eventually I shaved a little bit further, and a little bit further up on the sides, though I still didn't dare to go further than that the hair on the top of her body covered up most of the haircut.
With the third, Blomma, I finally dared to try to give her a sort of homemade lion cut.

But this is just a really wild guess, and I have no idea if it really is relevant to your dog at all. However, just in case you would think it could be worth a try with your dog, then I suggest starting with a belly shave, and see if that leads to any difference in his desire to be outdoors. Since he have 2 insulated kennels on what you call a veranda to choose between, I doubt a belly shave would cause him any problems if he still prefers to stay more time outdoors. Besides, if you're worried he'll get too cold, you could always add one or two extra dog rugs inside the kennels if you want to.


By the way, in case anyone wonders, for Nessie, I borrowed my dad's electric shaver, and used the trimmer part to shave her belly. Years later, after I had partly shaved Jonna x times, I bought an electric dog trimmer.

 

[P.forpony]

My bet is its temperature related.
When I lived in Canada my neighbours had Mal and a husky both gorgeous but I had a soft spot for the Mal and we used to have play time every day with my dog joining in.

But where I lived winter temperatures were consistently -20 to -30, the neighbours had a dog door, and the Mal was outside happy as Larry by choice almost all day every day.
When it snowed he'd dig massive nests all over the garden for rolling in, and in spring he'd always be lying on the last patches of snow left as it melted.

They're also stubborn as hell!
This one had perfected the toddler flop, where he just rolled over and went limp when the owner wanted him to do something, with clearly a huge grin on his face.

 

[HuskyFluff]

Thank you all for your responses. Temperature regulation due to his age hadn't occurred to me, so that's something to consider. The concensus seems to be temperature, trauma or CCD. I think I'm inclined to go with the temperature theory at the moment, and I'll bear it in mind/work around it. I'll stop stressing and just let him be!

@FinnishLapphund that lion cut is very cute!

When it snowed he'd dig massive nests all over the garden for rolling in, and in spring he'd always be lying on the last patches of snow left as it melted.

They're also stubborn as hell!
This one had perfected the toddler flop, where he just rolled over and went limp when the owner wanted him to do something, with clearly a huge grin on his face.

He's dug holes in the carpet and garden trying to build nests for himself... Also stubborn. I'd never heard it called the toddler flop before (stealing that one!), but yep, he does that too. I have to have my timing perfect with a treat and catch to get him before he flops, otherwise no chance..

 

[P.forpony]

Thank you all for your responses. Temperature regulation due to his age hadn't occurred to me, so that's something to consider. The concensus seems to be temperature, trauma or CCD. I think I'm inclined to go with the temperature theory at the moment, and I'll bear it in mind/work around it. I'll stop stressing and just let him be!

@FinnishLapphund that lion cut is very cute!


He's dug holes in the carpet and garden trying to build nests for himself... Also stubborn. I'd never heard it called the toddler flop before (stealing that one!), but yep, he does that too. I have to have my timing perfect with a treat and catch to get him before he flops, otherwise no chance..

The flop always used to make me giggle, the neighbour was a 6ft 4 beefy army guy and watching him trying to hug/drag this enormous limp Mal inside the house puffing sweating and swearing with the dog clearly laughing its head off, got me every time
They just have such expressive faces

 

[PurBee]

I wonder if you’ve had a visitor in your garden, like a cat, fox or rat/rodents?
My gsdxhusky definitely altered her behaviour to be out more when we had wildlife hanging closely around the house/barns more. Her guarding instinct was likely triggered. She’d prefer to lay by the door area, large patio area. Guarding all pathways which are 5 different directions heading out to the farmland that all lead up to the house.

When there was a strange cat hanging around nearby she was definitely insistent to be out - we didnt know it was the neighbours cat that had gone AWOL and living in our nearby copse, but our dog knew, as i suppose she could smell it, being a strange smell close-by. In the end we figured it out as she was barking at a tree, and said cat was up in the tree, which we rescued and took to the neighbours next door farm. Theyd said the cat had been missing for 3 months! Our dog during that time definitely prowled around more wanting to be out.
She was the type to lay outside, sniff the valley air, keep watch…but that went into overdrive when there was wildlife nearby. She generally was inside during the evenings but would rattle the door key to keep going out, even at night, when there was another animal in ‘her’ territory.
Maybe your neighbours have a new pet and the strange new smell of it is intriguing your dog to keep guard?

 

[CorvusCorax]

That sounds like more hunty behaviour than guardy behaviour.

 

[HuskyFluff]

@PurBee that's an interesting one to think about.

Neighbours on the left have had a young whippet cross for a few years - she barks like a mad thing when mine are out, but they just ignore her. Neighbours on the right have a terrier and a lab, also for a few years, but there's a fence plus the kennel run between us and mine have never shown any interest in them either. Pet free over the back, but also double fenced. I only get a cat in the garden when someone new has moved in, and the cat hasn't yet worked out that being in my garden is not a good choice. I heard furious scrambling the other day as a cat shot up the shed at speed, with a husky almost following it up there...

I don't think I've seen any evidence of guarding behaviour in either of my dogs though, so I think I'd be surprised if it were that.

Curiosity and a very high prey drive in spades though!

 

[HuskyFluff]

Well, there was a new development last night. He's always been fine in my bedroom - normal routine is I get ready for bed, he runs upstairs and jumps on the bed, we have a small discussion about who sleeps where and then settle down and go to sleep.

Last night he was very unsettled. He normally curls up at the bottom of the bed on the left. Last night he was all over the place, obsessively licking my pillow, then he licked my face, then he took some tissues off the bedside table. Licking my face usually means he needs a pee, so I took him downstairs and let him out, where he just went and lay on the decking. I gave him 5 mins, then brought him back in, where it continued in the same vein - he just wouldn't settle. He lunged at the husky, growling, unfortunately I was in between them so got a malamute head in the teeth. He then stood on my face as he seemed to have no awareness of where I was. He was also panting really heavily, and obviously distressed. If he were a human I would have said he was having a panic attack. I spent about 15 minutes stroking him, and talking to him and he finally went to his usual place at the bottom of the bed and fell asleep. Fine all through the night. Went back to bed this morning after walking them (as I hadn't slept very well) and there was no problem. Be interesting to see what happens tonight.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Would definitely bring him back to the vet.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I understand he's a malamute from the post now but I had to laugh when I read the thread title, thought to myself 'is it a husky' then saw your username OP!

ETA: having now read the thread I would also be heading back to the vet

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Trouble is that sometimes multiple things occurs around the same time. Maybe he both have CCD, and have begun to have trouble regulating his inner temperature.
Even though he doesn't intentionally want to hurt you, it could still happen by mistake, so be careful if he starts acting similarly tonight.

 

[HuskyFluff]

Would definitely bring him back to the vet.

Yep. I'm also considering changing vets, as I've found out recently that they were taken over by a large corporate a while back (I got suspicious when prices rocketed, vets didn't last very long and the care seems to have gone downhill in favour of pushing expensive diagnostics/treatment rather than looking at the dog in front of them and treating accordingly). Slight dilemma though as they did all the initial investigations.

I understand he's a malamute from the post now but I had to laugh when I read the thread title, thought to myself 'is it a husky' then saw your username OP!

ETA: having now read the thread I would also be heading back to the vet

I agree. Ironically, the husky doesn't approve of outside. It's acceptable for peeing, pooing and walks, but otherwise sofas and beds are where he thinks huskies belong. He actually lies with his head on a pillow... Back door is permanently open and he never goes outside of his own volition!

 

[HuskyFluff]

Trouble is that sometimes multiple things occurs around the same time. Maybe he both have CCD, and have begun to have trouble regulating his inner temperature.
Even though he doesn't intentionally want to hurt you, it could still happen by mistake, so be careful if he starts acting similarly tonight.

He'll be 11 soon which is getting on a bit for a big dog, so it could be multiple things.

I will, thank you - it was just so unexpected. I half expected a black eye this morning as a large malamute paw in the face is not insignificant!

 

[HuskyFluff]

Saw the vet yesterday (I'm getting old - he looked like a 12yr old Harry Potter!) - apparently I'm managing the situation well, so we'll look at drugs if it gets any worse.

I think I'm going for a 2nd opinion

 

[meleeka]

Saw the vet yesterday (I'm getting old - he looked like a 12yr old Harry Potter!) - apparently I'm managing the situation well, so we'll look at drugs if it gets any worse.

I think I'm going for a 2nd opinion

What drugs would he give, and for what?!

It sounds like what he was really saying was "I've no idea, so we'll just sedate him".

I hope you get somewhere with the second opinion.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I'm sorry, I can't remember the post or the title but it was someone who's dog would settle over night. It was an actual issue that I had never heard of before. Sorry for being so vague, hopefully someone can remember better than me!

 

[planete]

Our bitch with CKD has trouble regulating her temperature, and has spells of heavy panting and being very unsettled. If the dog seems to be normal in other ways it would perhaps be appropriate to do some basic tests to rule out physical causes?