Hi All, bare with me this is long. on thursday last week my 2 yr old PJRT came running in the house from our yard, threw himself on his bed and looked terrified. I did not make a fuss but went outside to see if I could see what might have happened. I couldn't. our yard is completely secure and no one has access to it, they cant even see thru the gates and the neighbours are lovely. since then, he has picked at his food, vomitted and had diarrhoea. i have taken him to my vet and everything is ok health wise. he is also acting terrified around the same time every night. what can I do, i will never know wot spooked him so badly but need to help him. he is of a nervous disposition anyway. PLEASE help him and me ps, the vet has prescribed anit's just in case and he wears a DAP collar for general anxiety. I also have DAP diffusers.

by the way, anit's are antibiotics! I type too quick!

do you know if he's scared of other animals such as cats (maybe hissing at him) foxes or even a rat, thats something to think about as they could be gone by time you went out or even a strange noise you never noticed, from what you wrote your dog seems exceptionaly nervy

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Operant symbols

+P = Positive Punishment
-P = Negative Punishment
+R Positive Reinforcer
-R Negative Reinforcer

sleepybones, he is. he was left in a flat for six weeks from the age of 8 weeks to 14 weeks with someone visiting him once a day to feed him and it has taken me along time to get him to where he is. he is a sweetheart, a real pleasure to be around but I am aware of his hang ups. we have cats, and since he came along no other cats come into the yard. he is a massive hunter and if there was a rat i don't think he would be afraid of it, unless it bit him of course. when it happened, i tried to check him over but he wouldn't let me. i'm wondering if i paid him too much attention and alerted him to there being something wrong.

Thats significant, there is a critical imprinting period from when the memory cells first start to form (app 2 weeks) to 16 weeks. In your case so many things were never done, well, nothing was done.

I can't think of anything to say on it except keep going as you are & as you find, there is no expertise in a situation like yours except your own ongoing learning experience, the good and the bad, with that individual dog.

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Operant symbols

+P = Positive Punishment
-P = Negative Punishment
+R Positive Reinforcer
-R Negative Reinforcer

Dark! did something spook him in the dark! by spooking him that could be the daftest thing like seeing an object ( a wheelbarrow even) in the distance in bad light!

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He was obviously scared by something in the dark, if it was dark. No fireworks that you know of? Possibly a rat? What ever it is it obviously upset him enough to leave a lasting impression.

My Flynn is a great big boy but he can be scared of silly things especially in the dark, wind, smell of a bonfire and like a lot of dogs fireworks. In fact I heard a gun going off (live near a farmers field) a while ago and he thought it was fireworks so started pacing and trying to hide so I popped his Thundershirt on and he's now asleep.



Also have one for my jack russel cross as he can be barky on walks.



They are anxiety wraps, swaddle the dog and make it feel more secure. They don't work on every dog but I have only had good experience with mine, Flynn has been amazing and is not scared to go out at all after dark now but fireworks are another matter so he wears it when he hears them and settles straight away. May be good for your boy and you can get them from pets at home. Mine cost £25 each regardless of size but I got mine from the USA and had to wait for two weeks.

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

He's spooked around the same time at night...every night? ....has it been colder at night for example so that someone has set their time controlled central heating to come on and he can hear it? Could just be the dark or shadows from street lighting, bats flying in the garden, or as seemingly minor as a twig fell off a tree.

You know how to handle him by doing the right things the vet check and not paying too much attention to his reactions and carrying on as normal. Have a very sly look at the clock after he starts worrying maybe see if there is something new and regular=ish like a car with a squeaky fan belt passing.Good luck.

Do you think it could have been an owl. There was a spate of them in our area (I should really say there area) frightening small dogs.

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Bo - Cocker Spaniel x Border Terrier
Badger - Cocker Spaniel x Lakeland Terrier

Was it dark? That is exactly how Ferdie behaved the first time some idiot let off fireworks when he was asleep in the garden, two weeks before bonfire night.

It took months before he would go outside after dark. There was no vomitting or diarhea though.

The other thing that occurs to me is if perhaps someone has set a house alarm that comes on when they come home from work. It could be streets away and you wouldn't hear it, but the dog will. If it is the same time every night, it is a possibility.

I think it is pretty pointless you trying to speculate on what has frightened him, but it could be an idea to go outside with him when the time approaches with lots of treats, just to try and get him past the critical time.

I don't know if it would work, but it is worth a try and you may hear something yourself from out there.

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http://www.royston-pet-care.co.uk



Will always miss you, my little Joshie Woshie xx

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