Please help - poor little boy
- Thread starter TheBlackMoth
- Start date
Slinkyunicorn
Well-Known Member
Bless him! I have no real idea what could be wrong but if it was mine I would be giving him lots of Rescue Remedy - put it in water bowl (won't harm sister or other who drink out of it) and in his food or on a biscuit to make sure he was getting it.
Hope he feels better soon. Hugs xx
Hope he feels better soon. Hugs xx
itsme123
Well-Known Member
You're going to think I'm strange, and I'm not sure if you believe in this kind of thing, but is it possible he's picked up on a spirit??
I say that because my sister's collie changed suddenly, became really timid in the house (was fine out of the house) and years later she got a spirit person in (because there were odd noises and smells) and this lady sad there were several spirits that had been there for years...
we have a normally confident female cat who will sometimes become very timid and bolt through the house for no aparent reason...
I say that because my sister's collie changed suddenly, became really timid in the house (was fine out of the house) and years later she got a spirit person in (because there were odd noises and smells) and this lady sad there were several spirits that had been there for years...
we have a normally confident female cat who will sometimes become very timid and bolt through the house for no aparent reason...
kerilli
Well-Known Member
why not try lots of little games to distract him and get his confidence up? if he likes playing with a ball, or a cat toy on a string, or whatever gets him excited. or, get down on the floor with him and let him jump on you and have some fun, to give him confidence. i have 4 jrts and the only boy is a right wimp, and i've had to do this a few times to bolster his confidence!
or, keep him upstairs or with you as much as you can until hopefully he gets over his fright, poor little chap.
or, keep him upstairs or with you as much as you can until hopefully he gets over his fright, poor little chap.
CAYLA
Well-Known Member
As to what happened, u may never know, I would hazard at a guess, it happened whilst he was alone, as u state he runs for the stairs if u leave the room or move, as he fears he will be left alone nce more in the area.
The body language (ears back) shivering suggests fear/anxiety, so the possibility is something has frightened him in the area and he now assosiates the fear and the sceanrio on the area, all you can do now is remain calm as not to heighten his anxieties or feed on his fear, if he jumps up, allow him to, but do not fuss, change you tone of voice or overly pet him, I would also maybe temporarily block his access to upstairs whilst u are in the room, the more chance he has to escape the area the less he will remain to become settled once again.
Try a baby gate, and move it lower down every day, feed him treats on the stairs till the baby gate is eventually at the bottom, and he is eating his treats of the floor at the bottom, this way he can assosiate working his way back down with a positive.
Could u also try sitting on the floor in the living room and moving yourself around when he leaps on your lap, to entise him to follow you, dogs will naturally seek protection hiding behind the owner or on their knee, aslong as u don't fuss or respond and simply allow him to follow u, he is still having to move around the space.
Without physically reasuring him, u could try some positive assosiation, treats/game play/toys, and fussing of your other dog, dogs can pick up alot of confidence with the assosaition of beahviour from another dog/s.
Is it the whole of the downstairs or a particular room?
I have come across people saying their dog has had a bad slip/fall on the laminate whilst hooning around, resulting in dogs not being keen to step back on it, does he seem ok walking on the floor?
He should eventually calm down, but it can take a while and it u need to stay calm, vertually ignoring the behaviour and instead try and introduce positive assosiation with the room/down stairs.
The only other thing that would worry me, is if he has maybe had a mild fit, or the begining of a fit, as J.r.t's can commonly suffer and that has scared him, I board J.r.t that fits, and his first ever fit was in a crate, and he will not go back into a one, unless it's open, he is more than happy to sit and eat a bone in one, aslong as the door remains open.
The key to dealing with fear, is not to project any physical or vocal praise for the fear, NO "oh comeone what wrong little man, and holding your hands out", jsut a simple positive reinforcer treat/toy.
Usually these things take a little time, even clamers can help but take a little time in the system, try a DAP diffuser/collar also.
I have spelt virtually wrong in there somewhere, but I cannot find it, and have no time
The body language (ears back) shivering suggests fear/anxiety, so the possibility is something has frightened him in the area and he now assosiates the fear and the sceanrio on the area, all you can do now is remain calm as not to heighten his anxieties or feed on his fear, if he jumps up, allow him to, but do not fuss, change you tone of voice or overly pet him, I would also maybe temporarily block his access to upstairs whilst u are in the room, the more chance he has to escape the area the less he will remain to become settled once again.
Try a baby gate, and move it lower down every day, feed him treats on the stairs till the baby gate is eventually at the bottom, and he is eating his treats of the floor at the bottom, this way he can assosiate working his way back down with a positive.
Could u also try sitting on the floor in the living room and moving yourself around when he leaps on your lap, to entise him to follow you, dogs will naturally seek protection hiding behind the owner or on their knee, aslong as u don't fuss or respond and simply allow him to follow u, he is still having to move around the space.
Without physically reasuring him, u could try some positive assosiation, treats/game play/toys, and fussing of your other dog, dogs can pick up alot of confidence with the assosaition of beahviour from another dog/s.
Is it the whole of the downstairs or a particular room?
I have come across people saying their dog has had a bad slip/fall on the laminate whilst hooning around, resulting in dogs not being keen to step back on it, does he seem ok walking on the floor?
He should eventually calm down, but it can take a while and it u need to stay calm, vertually ignoring the behaviour and instead try and introduce positive assosiation with the room/down stairs.
The only other thing that would worry me, is if he has maybe had a mild fit, or the begining of a fit, as J.r.t's can commonly suffer and that has scared him, I board J.r.t that fits, and his first ever fit was in a crate, and he will not go back into a one, unless it's open, he is more than happy to sit and eat a bone in one, aslong as the door remains open.
The key to dealing with fear, is not to project any physical or vocal praise for the fear, NO "oh comeone what wrong little man, and holding your hands out", jsut a simple positive reinforcer treat/toy.
Usually these things take a little time, even clamers can help but take a little time in the system, try a DAP diffuser/collar also.
I have spelt virtually wrong in there somewhere, but I cannot find it, and have no time
TheBlackMoth
Well-Known Member
Thanks Cala. I think we are actually rewarding the rear at the moment as it is so worrying. We have a large sitting/dining room with wooden flooring. He is never alone in there as he always follows you if you move. He has always been a little wussy - but now he seems almost terrified. His shaking is very upsetting as he is obviously in a state. I have started closing the doors so he cannot get upstairs and then he sits by the door shaking unless I go and get him and make him sit with me.
He is fine in his crate though. I will try and get the situation calmed down a bit and not reward his extreme behaviour.
Bloody dogs eh!
He is fine in his crate though. I will try and get the situation calmed down a bit and not reward his extreme behaviour.
Bloody dogs eh!
MurphysMinder
Well-Known Member
You haven't got a piece of electrical equipment earthing out or something. My Mum had a GSD who started behaving like this, we then found that the cooker was giving off mild electric shocks and think she may have been zapped by it. Although this was a good few years ago and possibly there are more safety cut offs nowadays. Another long shot, he hasn't had his ears boxed by one of the cats has he, and perhaps feels a need to keep out of their way? Sorry probably useless ideas but can't think of anything else. Agree about not rewarding the fear, and also with the rescue remedy idea, it used to work wonders with one of mine on November 5th.
TheBlackMoth
Well-Known Member
It's possible - but I don't think so. It is quite possible that a cat has boxed his ears but he somehow seems frightened of the sofa which is very weird as it's where he spends all his time.
We have started playing with him in the room to try and distract him and at the moment he is happy under the blanket by my feet. Daft dog. I will try rescue remedy as well.
We have started playing with him in the room to try and distract him and at the moment he is happy under the blanket by my feet. Daft dog. I will try rescue remedy as well.
MurphysMinder
Well-Known Member
Another thought, could he have jumped off the sofa and got a claw caught or something and hurt himself?
ladyt25
Well-Known Member
Hmm, could be something along Charlie's theory or could be something much more simple but you've just not put your finger on it yet.
I am sure he will come right but you do have to be careful not to 'reward' the scared behaviour I guess.
A dog one of the previous landlords of our pub had used to all of a sudden start chasing 'something' round and round and barking frantically and the pub was renowned for being haunted. The pub is very old but i personally have and an 'encounter' at a 1930s semi I used to live in when at college so do have a belief in these things to a degree and obviously dogs are more tuned in and perceptive than we are.
I am sure he will come right but you do have to be careful not to 'reward' the scared behaviour I guess.
A dog one of the previous landlords of our pub had used to all of a sudden start chasing 'something' round and round and barking frantically and the pub was renowned for being haunted. The pub is very old but i personally have and an 'encounter' at a 1930s semi I used to live in when at college so do have a belief in these things to a degree and obviously dogs are more tuned in and perceptive than we are.