Why Is My Dog Suddenly Scared Of The Hallway?

In this research you will know the answer to the query “Why Is My Dog Suddenly Scared Of The Hallway?“.

A pet owner has never experienced anything like this! He has had the dog for a few years now but now it suddenly develops a fear of walking through a nondescript hallway. In spite of this he still refuses to take a few steps across a hallway – despite the fact that he is a big strong animal that wouldnot mind chasing the neighbors cat into a tree. What can you do to prevent this from happening? Why does this happen? 

Most common places or things that dogs are scared of in the house

A dogs fear of objects is not one of the most prevalent fears you will find in them but if you look at some forums you will find plenty of people with this problem. It sounds silly but it is a serious problem both for the owner and especially for the dog.

Generally the problem is in one particular area of the house. A specific hallway the dog is afraid of such as the one leading from your bedroom to the top of the stairs is not bothered by the entrance hallway. 

There are also cases in which it only appears that the dog has a problem crossing the hallway when in fact it is afraid of the doorway and refuses to enter it. 

It is not uncommon for some dogs to develop an aversion to a specific corner of the house and would not go near it at all even if you put their food bowl in front of it. 

In addition to places dogs may be scared of common household objects such as appliances. 

Is there a dog that always hides under the bed when you use the vacuum? He cannot get out of the car until you turn off the ignition and hide it from view. Initially you might think its the noise but the strange thing is that the dog does not even notice when you use the washer or coffee grinder.

Why do dogs develop sudden fears?

All of these phobias seem to develop out of nowhere at least at first. 

You might be able to determine what caused a sudden fear after prolonged observation and a lot of nerve-wracking but always remember that phobias are by definition irrational. Still there are people who suffer from such crippling phobias as fear of trees rain or falling asleep.

If a dog is afraid of flies most people assume the animal was stung by an insect and is afraid of getting stung again but what did the hallway ever do to him?

When you have known the dog for some time and know him well you can assume that something bad happened to him in that hallway. The dog had a negative experience even though it wouldnot be considered bad. The dog may not have been able to tell you about that incident while you were away.

Why are dogs suddenly afraid of doorways?

When a dog goes through a door he has used many times before why does he suddenly refuse to go through it? There are many possible reasons for this. 

Someone may have unwittingly injured the dog by abruptly closing the door. In spite of the fact that the dog wasnot hurt and there wasnot any pain he may still develop such fear as a reaction to the shock of what happened.

We should also consider the possibility that the dog is suffering from separation anxiety. Theres a possibility thats the door to your study and the dog knows that once you close it he’d be all alone for hours while you’re locked in there. There is a possibility that the object called the door is not the thing he is afraid of but rather the presents. Dogs typically stay in one room of the house while their owners are at work especially if they are typically confined to a single room. Dogs hate being left alone and by refusing to go through a door they are somehow trying to prevent you from leaving the house.

There is a possibility that you might have changed something in the hallway or the room the dog is suddenly afraid of. Maybe the dog does not want to go by a particular item. Perhaps you bought new furniture for the hallway or changed the lighting which caused the dog to suddenly become phobic. There are mysterious ways in which the mind works and maybe its the shape or color of a certain object that evokes bad memories.

And hardwood floors?

Its possible that your dog has developed a fear of a place because of a recent move. 

In the case that you have recently installed that expensive hardwood floor that you’re so proud of it could very well be that the dog is not thrilled about it. In this case you should have consulted him. Honestly a dog usually becomes scared of walking across a floor after an incident such as slipping. This is because I was home from work the other day. 

You may experience this even if you have had the same floor for years. He may not have noticed where he was going or he might simply be getting older and not as steady on his feet. Perhaps the dog experienced a sudden pain in a joint somewhere a pain its not familiar with and wasnot expecting like us humans. At a certain age It is not surprising when one reaches a certain age that ones knees begin to hurt but a dog has no concept of old age and the damage it does.

It might be that your dog is afraid of the sound the paws make while walking on the new floor or that he hears a disturbing echo that your ears do not even notice.

How to train a dog to be less scared of hallways or doorways?

Most of the time you’ll never discover why your pet suddenly becomes fearful of a place or object and the only thing you can do is help him overcome this fear. 

If your dog is afraid of something such as a doorway or a hallway the easiest way to solve the problem is to train him by luring him with his favorite treats. In case your dog has a serious fear give him a treat he simply cannot resist. 

• Cut up his favorite meat burger deli ham into small pieces and show him the sweet smell as you take the bowl to the scary doorway. 
• You’ll need to walk through the door and across the hallway to get him that juicy treat. 
• 99% of the time the dog will give in to temptation in spite of taking some time to consider the offer.
• This exercise should be repeated as many times as necessary over several days until the dog stops thinking about the doorway and simply dashes for the treat.

Consider putting small rugs on the floor to make him feel safer if he slipped on it. The dog had no problems with the hallway after using this trick according to many pet owners who have used it.

In case the dog is afraid of a particular room in the house see if anything has recently changed in it so you can figure out whats bothering him. You can not do anything if you just painted the whole house. But maybe you can put the furniture back the way it was or bring back the old carpet he used to sleep on. In any case you can also use this trick with his favorite treats to help him forget about his fear.

Why is a dog fearful all of a sudden?

Many things or places can cause your dog to become fearful all of a sudden. As long as the dog seems fine for the rest of the time theres no reason to be concerned. 

You should be aware that a sudden change in your dogs behavior might indicate an underlying medical issue. Some diseases can cause anxiety in a dog such as hypothyroidism encephalitis or pre-diabetes. Your pets sudden change in behavior is cause for concern and you should consult your vet to rule out any serious health issues.

Some cases of anxiety may be caused by your dog getting old and losing his sense of smell or vision. It may not seem logical to link a sudden fear with old age but put yourself in his shoes. There is no doubt that your dog knows something has changed and without any explanation he will become anxious and the sudden change you observe is just a sign of the dogs anxiety.

In most cases you would not be able to figure out why your dog developed a sudden phobia unless you find a shrink who speaks dog language. Find out what triggered this sudden fear and try to change the setting such as putting carpeting on the floor or arranging the furniture the way it used to be. 

Remember that most fears are irrational even if your dogs behavior is driving you crazy. As the dog has no control over his feelings punishing him for refusing to go through a doorway or dragging him by the collar will merely compound his anxiety.

Make use of the old trick and use the juicy treat. It works every time!

If you want to read more about dog breeds read here: Dog Breeds Updates.

Why Is My Dog Suddenly Scared Of The Hallway? (Watch Video)