# Dog doesn't want to go for a walk at night



## dim (Dec 21, 2014)

My parents have a terrier mix who is 6 years old.
This past year she has developed a very bizzare and annoying problem. She just hates the idea of going for a walk after it is dark.
Whenever my dad gets home from work at night she instantly runs and hides in one of several places as she knows this means it is nearly time for her walk.. If you try to get her out of the hiding place she attacks- not with her full strength to the extent that she draws blood (at least she didn't with me today) but a lot more than merely playing, it hurts and she leaves some temporary marks

Once you catch her and have hold of her she chills out a bit- shakes a little but is otherwise fine and non-aggressive. Once she has her harness on she is ready to go, eager to go out for her walk and once outside she is mostly her usual self- though a bit more eager to get home than normal perhaps.

Any idea what on earth is wrong with the dog?

I guess this has something to do with fireworks. Ever since she was a puppy she has freaked out at bonfire night. But this being terrified of the dark at any time of year thing is a rather recent development.

She always used to like to run and play and make a game of trying to catch her to put her leader on before going for a walk but it was just a game for her then and she was never aggressive, she was fine with the base idea of a walk. 
This though...its not good for anyone.

What is annoying is that if you don't take her out then she hides and is scared all night...take her out though then she gets home and is ready to play and be normal.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

Perhaps stop walking her at night at least for a while? So that she learns that your Dad getting home isn't the start of a battle and learns to trust you all again? The more you force her out of her "safe" hiding places the more she will escalate her defensive aggression I would have thought.

I'd say to get a vet check and referral to a reputable behaviourist who will be able to help you with your issue.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Get her eyesight checked too. My older dog has cataracts, and finds low light/dark situations frightening - dusk is worse for some reason. Reluctance to go out when it was getting dark was the first sign. I don't make her go out at night, apart from toilet breaks in the garden and I have one of those automatic lights for that.


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## dim (Dec 21, 2014)

She has great eyesight. I don't think its that. Our old dog had cataracts and she was totally fine with going for a walk at any time. 



Dogless said:


> Perhaps stop walking her at night at least for a while? So that she learns that your Dad getting home isn't the start of a battle and learns to trust you all again? The more you force her out of her "safe" hiding places the more she will escalate her defensive aggression I would have thought.
> 
> I'd say to get a vet check and referral to a reputable behaviourist who will be able to help you with your issue.


They live in Scotland and both have jobs so...not taking her out when its dark in the winter is pretty hard to do. In the morning they can usually hold it off until sunrise but in the afternoon it's quite impossible.

The trouble with just letting her hide is she will stay there all night in fear. Either causing herself pain by holding her business in or ruining the carpet over night.
Its just those initial moments of getting hold of her at night which are really bad. Once someone has hold of her she's not so bad. When she's home from the walk she's back to her usual self and wants to play, cuddle, and be happy.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

dim said:


> My parents have a terrier mix who is 6 years old.
> This past year she has developed a very bizzare and annoying problem. She just hates the idea of going for a walk after it is dark.
> Whenever my dad gets home from work at night she instantly runs and hides in one of several places as she knows this means it is nearly time for her walk.. If you try to get her out of the hiding place she attacks- not with her full strength to the extent that she draws blood (at least she didn't with me today) but a lot more than merely playing, it hurts and she leaves some temporary marks
> 
> ...


Could be that she has had a scare that she associates with night and darkness and the fear has become deep rooted. Dogs learn by association that unfortunately goes for bad things and experiences as well as good. Where some will have a fright or unpleasant experience and shake it off and forget it, for others it can become a phobia. It can be a location or place that something to them bad happened, or it can be other things like night and darkness. 
It could be fireworks, a neighbour of mine has a staff, who has never been keen on fireworks, this year though he was extra bad, and he still wont go out on a walk when it starts to get dark even now.

Another possibility is that there are eye conditions that can start as or cause loss of night vision, the sight is fine during the day and in light, but in dim or reduced light they have problems seeing. It may be worth getting her eyes checked out. Sometimes though for certain conditions GP vets don't have the expertise or necessary specialist equipment for all tests unless they also specialise in ophthalmology too. Going to your normal vet would be a start and if he/she thinks it is a possibility they can refer you to an ophthalmologist for more investigation to check and rule it in or out.


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