Outdoor Anxiety

[chowwoman]

Ok, calling all dog psychologists! I'm having trouble figuring out what to do about a problem Mal'akhi is having. Let me give you an update on his history. He is a rescue, about a year old, and he was running free for about 4 months before he was caught. When I got him, he was extremely scared of any pop, crack or snap sound. I think he'd had rocks throw at him and/or been shot at in the neighborhood he'd been hanging out in... when he wasn't getting dogs pregnant...but I digress. Anyway, he was such a high panic dog and since our fencing wasn't secure enough for a dog like him, we walked him for the last 2.5 months. In the last 2.5 months, he's gotten past the sound fears and has made remarkable progress.

FINALLY we got the fence secure enough (it's a really BIG yard). When we first turned him loose, he just loved it. But now that I don't go with him to walk, etc., he never settles down while he's outside. After he does his initial business, he CONSTANTLY runs back and forth, looking for me or for the door on the house to re-open so he can come back into his safe and secure "cave". He seems so scared to be in the yard by himself. I've tried going out there and reading and even sitting on the ground, but he's not happy until he gets back into the house.

Any ideas, anyone, how I can communicate with him that he's safe out there???

[Jeff&Peks]

Sounds like a separation problem if he panic's when your not outside with him, he's not afraid of being outside or running in the house for safety he just wants you there with him to join in with the outdoor festivities. Your his security blanket...When did you find him? could it have been around the 4th of July or New years or some Hispanic or Asian celebration, People love pop pop for fun and alot of times they drag animals into their fun.

One other thing, is your yard all grass any cement around, sidewalk, patio? pekoe will only walk on grass to pee and poop once shes done she will run like hell to get off the grass, to Pekoe grass is just one big toilet, ok for pooping but not to get the paws soiled.

[kiwani]

But now that I don't go with him to walk, etc., he never settles down while he's outside. After he does his initial business, he CONSTANTLY runs back and forth, looking for me or for the door on the house to re-open so he can come back into his safe and secure "cave".

Exercise is one of the ways that dogs discharge stress chemistry, and exercise helps build calming chemistry (sense of well being). Just being in a fenced yard, isn't enough exercise, even if you engaged him in playing games. Dogs also need mental exercise, a change of scenery, socializing, and sniffing the neighborhood, etc. Boredom, being confined to one area, etc., is also stressful to a dog, and any stress lowers calming chemistry.

[sweetpea]

We dont have a fenced in yard so we have to put the girls on tie outs to let them enjoy outdoor time in between walks when we want to be outside doing yardwork or just sitting outside. During the winter with the snow and cold, I would just put one on the tie out in the back, let them do their thing and bring that one in and let the other one out in the morning and would do the same thing at night. At first we had no problem with our set up, kept everyone happy. They got to go out and enjoy the cold and I got to stay in my pj's longer. At night I could get in my pj's and they could still go out before bedtime. But one night it was extra windy, making lots of noise out back and ever since that night someone has to walk out in the back yard with Gracie. Doesn't matter if it is snowing, rainy, sunny, or what, we are not allowed to just stand on the back porch while she goes out into the yard to potty. There are mornings its rainy, I go stand in the middle of the yard, she stands on the porch and I'll be telling her this is just plain wrong!

She is scared of the back yard and I know its because the way it sounds when the wind blows. Yet I can take her to the front yard, put her on the tie out there and she's just fine. She walks around the yard, does her thing, lays on the ground and watches all 4 corners. She loves it. Then when she's ready she comes to the door and barks her demand to come in. Another thing with Gracie is I've always thought she was afraid of the dark outside. As a puppy she hated going outside in the dark. Fenced in yard at the time and we still had to go out with her to get her to go out. So her going out that night by herself on a strong windy night and already being a bit scared of the dark might have been enough to convince her the back yard is scary. Maybe something scares him or scared him about the yard.

[Larry Harris]

Have to love Chows, people say they a dumb so who are the ones that are trainied

[chowwoman]

Jeff, The entire back area is forest and rocks and undergrowth with mowed grass up around the house. I thought he wanted me out there with him too until I spent two days and several hours sitting out there reading and then lying on the ground. But he wouldn't even come up to me but would shy away. Keeps looking at the door, etc. I would think he would run up to ME to feel secure but he clearly demonstrates that he wants INSIDE the cave. (He was lost somewhere around Oct/Nov and captured by a rescue group around the end of January. We don't have that many Chinese around here.)

Kiwani, We have a wonderful method for exercise. It's called "find the bunny". First thing he does is pee/poop, then he'll exhaust himself trying to find the bunny and then when he gives up on catching the very smart rabbit, then he becomes antsy and starts running back and forth looking at the door, running up on the deck, running back off, etc. He refuses to sit or lay down to rest so I get to feeling bad for him and let him back in after 30" to an hour. Seems cruel to make him stay out there longer.

I'm sending him out there 3-4 times a day trying to get him used to it, but he just doesn't ever relax out there.

[kiwani]

Kiwani, We have a wonderful method for exercise. It's called "find the bunny".

That would just increase his stress chemistry.

[chowwoman]

Exercise is one of the ways that dogs discharge stress chemistry, and exercise helps build calming chemistry (sense of well being). Just being in a fenced yard, isn't enough exercise, even if you engaged him in playing games. Dogs also need mental exercise, a change of scenery, socializing, and sniffing the neighborhood, etc. Boredom, being confined to one area, etc., is also stressful to a dog, and any stress lowers calming chemistry.

So chasing a rabbit isn't exercise and running around in a big yard isn't exercise? The dog isn't confident enough to play games yet, he doesn't get that...thinks he's in trouble or something. The entire reason we spent months fortifying the yard is so he could exercise. Walking him and taking him to dog parks wasn't getting it done.

[kiwani]

So chasing a rabbit isn't exercise...

Encouraging prey drive as exercise increases stress chemistry. Why flood his body with adrenaline if he already has an imbalance of excitatory/inhibitory chemistry? What is his body going to do with all that adrenaline in a fenced area?

The dog isn't confident enough to play games yet
The entire reason we spent months fortifying the yard is so he could exercise. Walking him and taking him to dog parks wasn't getting it done.

"Confidence" chemistry is the same as "calming" brain chemistry. Training him to curb reactive behavior, also helps build calming/confidence
chemistry. There are a couple of threads about Kai and dog parks mentioning exercise...

[Jeff&Peks]

"Encouraging prey drive as exercise increases stress chemistry"

So you mean when I'm walking Pekoe and tell Pekoe "Kitty lets get him" and we both run after the cat is a good thing? I will have to show that to the neighbors when they say leave the poor cat alone.

I never let pekoe get them but the chase is fun.

[chowwoman]

Ok, so I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how to get him to understand that he's ok outside. Please don't tell me to exercise him more. That's ridiculous.

[Laura]

Do you still take him for walks each day? I know that has nothing to do with the fear of the back yard thing...just curious...

[Jeff&Peks]

Ok, so I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how to get him to understand that he's ok outside. Please don't tell me to exercise him more. That's ridiculous.

How about staying outside with him and watch closely to see what it is that he is afraid of. Take short times of walking back in the house to let him know your coming back. It could also be the new fence you put up thats bugging him, Grass, fence, something in the yard, back yard, front yard, can he see outside the fence? it could be a hundred things but you have to watch him to find out what. If It is you leaving him then you have to take it slow and keep the times down he is by himself extending the time every day.

It could be the smell of a flower or plant he doesn't like, Chows are weird you have to out think them.

The exercise advice isn't ridicules, chows need a change of scenery and have to get out no matter how big your property is. Alot of Chows run off only because they can't see outside the fence, let them see what's going on outside in the world they will never leave. Plus Kawani nor I have any idea how big your property is thats why she suggested it. In Ca your lucky to have a yard 6 ft wide, a chow would go nuts locked in that everyday. Most chows especially mine won't poop in her own yard she would die first so I have to walk her.

[kiwani]

Ok, so I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how to get him to understand that he's ok outside. Please don't tell me to exercise him more. That's ridiculous.

You can't have a conversation with stress chemistry, because it doesn't think, it just reacts. The thinking part gets disengaged. If he gets *over-excited* about hunting the rabbit, he's going to be pumped-up with stress. His body has to deal with all that stress chemistry, and a three mile hike would help him burn it off; otherwise he's stuck running around "pumped-up" with stress chemistry inside the fenced area.

Instead of encouraging him to become excited about the rabbit, try walking him in your yard with the leash on, and not focus on hunting.

[sweetpea]

If it were me and I was dealing with this with Gracie, I would walk around the yard with her a few times a day, even if I had to put the leash on her. Get her seeing that its ok. If its a really large yard, maybe he's afraid of getting lost? Like Jeff said, it could be one of several things that has him feeling uneasy. It took me awhile to figure out what Gracie was scared of with our back yard. She is fine as long as we go out with her, but if she has a choice, she wants to go out front. Thats all I can think of.

[Ginger Bears Mom]

After he does his initial business, he CONSTANTLY runs back and forth, looking for me or for the door on the house to re-open so he can come back into his safe and secure "cave". He seems so scared to be in the yard by himself.

We experienced this backyard fear immediately upon bringing Ziggy home, we made him stay outback, would ignore him at the door and would just be out there doing something, it has only been the last month or so that he now prefers to stay in the backyard by himself regardless of the weather. Monday last we had heavy rains all day, I tried calling him in he looked at me plopped his hiney in a huge puddle and gave me a look that said no.

About the time we were having the fear issue Kiwani made the post about the exercise tried giving him more walks and physical exercise and he has turned around almost completely. Our nickname for him was "terminator".

We kicked the soccer ball around a lot until he began to enjoy being in the backyard on his own.

Hope this helps.

[chowwoman]

Chows are weird you have to out think them.

AMEN to that!!! *L*

Sweetpea, what was it that Gracie was afraid of?

Ok, the reason I got so irritated at the exercise idea is the following (and yes, the dog can see through the fence): the back yard is huge...probably close to an 1.5 acre, not sure exactly, but about 2,000 linear feet of wire we ran, give or take. Before he was off leash, and in spite of it being foresty, we would walk the perimeter and zigzag across it. Even then I could tell he was mentally mapping it the way he was doing it. He would walk the familiar and then take a new path back to the familiar, and so forth, every day. So I don't think he's afraid of losing his way home. I do think it has something to do with the "I don't ever want to be lost again" thing. I don't know how to reassure him that it's safe, he can't get out, and he doesn't need to be afraid. Occasionally he'll hear noises in the distance, but not all the time, and there's no way to prevent a truck noise or kid screamin' somewhere in the area.

The only dog park we have is only a fraction of the size of the yard and frankly, he doesn't like the other dogs. He seems genuinely annoyed by their noseyness *L*

Walking him elsewhere on lease if the most ridiculous because he can't get near the exercise he needs dragging me behind him on the leash. I don't walk as fast as he wants to walk and I don't have that kind of stamina to walk "3 miles" like someone suggested. That's just the way it is. It would be a slow walk at that.

He's our 4th chow in the back yard. Maybe he just wants to be a house dog. Oh, and I can't play
soccor ball with him because tossing balls still scares him. Tossing anything scares him but he's getting better. Maybe Gingerbear's Mom's suggestion is best to ignore him until he's used to it, but right now, it feels a little cruel.

PS I wasn't my idea to pursue rabbits either, and I don't encourage him, but until the rabbit relocates, a dog will do what a dog will do. Warnings have been issued to the ground hogs, squirrels, possums, skunks(!), snapping turtles, snakes and stray cats living in the area.

[sweetpea]

When its windy (which is all the time it seems), the tin or guttering or something on this old back porch roof makes noises. The stronger the winds, the louder the noise. She spooks easily on really windy days no matter where we are, but the back yard close to the house just makes her really uneasy. Today it was really windy, I had to make her go out to do her thing, it was after 12 noon before I managed to get her to out there. It's actually funny, but what she'll do is run to the front door, when she realizes I'm making her go outback she'll run away and drop to the floor and go limp so I can't make her go out! She hates going out there. Yet, yesterday morning I got her off the porch and she decided she wanted to sit out there for awhile before coming in.
You know, even though you have a huge yard (sounds like a dream yard for my two), I'd still take them on walks. If not for the exercise, at least for some fun adventures.

[Ginger Bears Mom]

ignore him until he's used to it, but right now, it feels a little cruel.

To clarify on ignore, we would putter around outside, while doing so we would talk to him in a reassuring voice, little by little he began to calm down, then bit by bit he began to pay attention to us and move away from the door. Day by day we saw improvement until something new would scare him. Wind, tree frogs, falling branches, you name it he ran to the door. We would walk the yard while he was out there and slowly he began to follow. It just took time and consistency with a lot of reassuring conversation.

Hope things begin to calm down.

[Laura]

I agree that regardless of the size of the yard he needs to be walked daily. Going for a walk is about more the exercise. It is new sights, smells, sounds...a sensory experience. One thing Caesar Milan and I agree on is that the house and the yard are just one big kennel. Dogs need to leave and come back and experience new things just as we humans do. I am not an outdoorsy person...I have to make myself take my two for walks alot of the time but I would go nuts if I never left the house/property day after day and it is the same for them. It's like being in a cage...a large one but a cage nonetheless.
No clue on why he seems afraid of the yard. Maybe it is the size...maybe he sees it as not a yard...an extension of the house...but as being out..free...let go. I would walk the perimeter with him daily for a week or so and see if that helps. Also it is warmer out now and my two don't want to be outside much at all. They used to stay out and play...now it's basically potty and they want back in. I have had Chows that wanted to be outside and ones that wanted to be inside so maybe he is just the inside type but he shouldn't be afraid of the yard.
You might want to purchase a harness to help with the pulling on walks. My two were dragging me around and I bought them gentle leader harnesses and now walks are no longer about me fussing or getting my arm ripped out of the socket.

[janet]

chowwoman, out of curiousity, do you have any electricity towers near your yard? power lines??? sometimes they give off sounds that we cant hear, but dogs can. it may be spooking him.

[kiwani]

the back yard is huge...probably close to an 1.5 acre, not sure exactly

Two acres isn't that large, especially to an anxious dog who needs
exercise to burn off stress chemistry. It's an average rural lot size, with little chance of getting lost in it.

I don't know how to reassure him that it's safe, he can't get out, and he doesn't need to be afraid...

As mentioned earlier, there's no way to have a conversation (communicate) with stress chemistry, because stress chemistry doesn't think, it just reacts.

The only dog park we have is only a fraction of the size of the yard...

I didn't say that you should take him to a dog-park, I did mention that there was a thread about Kai and dog-parks that mentions exercise. There's 'exercise', and then there's 'EXERCISE!' One type helps slow down the brain chemistry, and the other type feeds the excitement.

Walking him elsewhere on lease if the most ridiculous because he can't get near the exercise he needs dragging me behind him on the leash. I don't walk as fast as he wants to walk and I don't have that kind of stamina to walk "3 miles" like someone suggested. That's just the way it is. It would be a slow walk at that.

I suggested the hike as a way for him to burn off stress, but also as a more low-key routine to help slow down his racing brain chemistry. A slower pace would help. Any training routine to help him *inhibit* behavior will help build calming/confidence chemistry (serotonin). Brain chemistry affects behaviors, and behaviors affect brain chemistry.

[chowfrnd88]

What I would do is walk your sweet boy around the neighborhood and let him sniff, etc and then go in the backyard and let him loose while you're doing just what you mentioned. So you could be reading out there or something (that counts as ignoring him ). He'll be tired and calm from the walk and that should help him be calmer in the yard. Stay out there for a little while only the first couple of times, then slowly increase the amount of time you're outside. When you walk him, make sure you vary the path each time so he doesn't get habituated. The mental stimulation and exercise they get from those walks tires them out, you can see each time after a good walk how calm and relaxed their faces look. That'll be the best time to try letting him in the backyard.

I absolutely agree with Kiwani and Laura. They need physical and mental exercise that they can't get in the back yard alone. It's still all the same location and after a short while they can't get any stimulation from smelling the same familiar smells anymore. You'll see them walking, pacing or running in the same path (it's a stereotypy) and that means they're "stir crazy" in human terms. You can try walking varying paths around the neighborhood.

His anxiety could very well be from not being used to the backyard and with him being off-leash he may be worried that he'll get seperated from you again, but all of the suggestions Kiwani, Laura, and I and some of the otehrs have given should help with that.

Good luck!! Post some new pics when you get a chance.

[chowwoman]

I just wish I knew what credentials Kiwani has to diagnose things the way she/he does *L*

[chowwoman]

Wanted to give you all an update.

Sometime on Monday a switch went off in Mal'akhi's furry lil' brain and he figured the whole thing out about being outside. I feel much more at peace myself actually. Thanks for all your "advice."