# Agoraphobia in dogs



## Chezjoie (Apr 10, 2010)

We have a 10½ yr old border collie which has developed agoraphobia. She's always been nervous and frightened of loud noises ... fireworks, thunder etc. This started when she was 2 and we were involved in bad road accident with her in back of car.

In the past couple of months she's developed agoraphobia and is terrified to go out for a walk. She is quite happy in the garden, OK getting in the car, and happily goes to our allotment (unless there is any shooting within earshot), but take her for a walk and she just flees. 

We're in a rural area, so lots of shooting and bird scarers, but now she panics & runs even if there are no 'pops and bangs'. When she comes home, she is in 'a state' for a few hours afterwards.

Has anyone come across this and how did you deal with it?


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## rottietao (Dec 16, 2009)

hiya sorry i don't have any advise for that degree of agoraphobia, my alfie's attitude - interest in being out are nowhere near the situation your experiencing with your frightened girl .... 
im sure on this site you will get all the advice you need ..... best luck , must be really difficult for you both !!!!!


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

Yes I had a dog with a morbid noise phobia (mainly fireworks, gunshot and thunder) and he ran home from walks more than once. His association with fireworks was so strong that he wouldn't step foot outdoors in the dark, all year round 

It's a long battle, but there are several steps you can take to making her feel more relaxed in situations where there maybe gunshot.



Desensitise her to the noise by using a CD with those noises whilst in the home. Start off with it so quiet you cannot hear it - she'll be able to hear it! And play her favourite game whilst it plays. Turn up the volume slowly over a period of weeks/months and continue to have her associate the sounds with great fun.



Try an Anxiety Wrap Anxiety Wrap or a tight fitting dog tee shirt to create a swaddling effect. I was really cynical when I purchased one of these but the results were immediate and long lasting. Again, start with small sessions of wearing it and always when there are no noises that she'll develop an association with. Treat and praise her, remove it and repeat over the following days, leaving it on for a little longer each time

But perhaps the best thing for you to do would be to contact a behaviourist, this fear might have deeper meanings than just noises alone and a professional will help you tackle everything at once.

Best of luck. Rachel


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## Chezjoie (Apr 10, 2010)

Thanks for the advice - will investigate a wrap. I've also been put in touch with a 'dog whisperer' courtesy of Twitter. 

Sadly I don't think there is much we will be able to do with her. A dog breeder friend thinks it is the onset of senility, and I fear she could be right. Think a younger dog would be easier to deal with. On the plus side, she's happy as a sandboy in the house & in the garden. What old lady could ask for more?


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

When you say 'dog whisperer' do you mean a Jan Fennell practitioner? If yes, you might want to do some research before going down that route. I'm not poo-pooing the idea, but they can 'qualify' in as little as 2 weeks I think and they promote some outdated methods.

These links will point you in the direction of some experienced behaviourists...
Canine and Feline Behaviour Association
The Institute represents trainers and dog handlers in the private sector

It's lovely to hear that she's content at home, long may it continue


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## Chezjoie (Apr 10, 2010)

THanks for that. No, she's not a Jay Fennel practitioner. She trained as a 'people pyschologist' and moved on to dogs. Seems to be well qualified and came recommended. We'll see what she has to say. 

I'm sceptical too, mainly because of Meg's age. If it is senility, I don't imagine any form of NLP-type treatment is going to help. I'll keep you posted! 

Thanks again!


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

alphadog said:


> Try an Anxiety Wrap Anxiety Wrap or a tight fitting dog tee shirt to create a swaddling effect. I was really cynical when I purchased one of these but the results were immediate and long lasting. Again, start with small sessions of wearing it and always when there are no noises that she'll develop an association with. Treat and praise her, remove it and repeat over the following days, leaving it on for a little longer each time[/LIST]
> 
> Best of luck. Rachel


I just had a look at the reviews, might help my Zig with her firework/bangs/whistles phobias. It's a bit pricey though, and I'm a good sewer, could make one myself. What sort of fabric is it, stretchy or not, how heavy (eg T-shirt fabric weight, jeans fabric weight) and just how the hell do you get the dog into it?! Is there for instance a zip or velcro strip along the body length?


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## cheekyscrip (Feb 8, 2010)

I WOULD PUT IT TO AGEING, with loss of our faculties the confidence diminishes and the need for security and comfort increases, i also think that she might find walks more tirng now, might be some arthritis or similar problems....worth of checking anyway - and if it is her old age plus never was comfortable with outside noises - I aqould say let her just be happy wherever she feels good, best of luck for both of you...


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

Please get a full vet work up done on her and a referral for a qualified pet dog behaviourist/behaviour counsellor. This is important as fears and phobias are incredibly tough to deal with and almost always involve an underlying physiological issue.
If its not this severe they will also be able to determine this.

Just because we expect dogs to develop issues related to age it doesn't mean that they should be presumed normal - a full vet work up is essential.


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## shutterspeed (Mar 23, 2010)

Bach Rescue Remedy might work.
My 9 year old was never scared of thunder, untill a year ago. I give her RR and she just goes to sleep.


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

Burrowzig said:


> I just had a look at the reviews, might help my Zig with her firework/bangs/whistles phobias. It's a bit pricey though, and I'm a good sewer, could make one myself. What sort of fabric is it, stretchy or not, how heavy (eg T-shirt fabric weight, jeans fabric weight) and just how the hell do you get the dog into it?! Is there for instance a zip or velcro strip along the body length?


I really can't recommend them highly enough, perhaps other people have had experience of them too, I know Leashedforlife is a fan - I'll start a new thread to avoid drifting off the op's topic


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

Chezjoie said:


> I'm sceptical too, mainly because of Meg's age. If it is senility, I don't imagine any form of NLP-type treatment is going to help. I'll keep you posted!


hey, joy! :--)

noise-phobias get more + more generalized with age, if they are not addressed specifically before the generalizing starts; IOW if B-Mod had been used back when her *only* trigger was thunderstorms (seasonal) or fireworks (specific), she would not be generalizing to bird-scarers, gunshots, backfires, slammed screen-doors, dropped pots, etc, etc.

but that does not mean she cannot be improved considerably from her current state of near-catatonic fears outside - far from it. 
see the * Kitchen Sink dogs * post on the Dog-Body-Language sticky for CALMATIVES and other helpful tips for reactive dogs.

? i;m not sure what NLP is? 
-------------------------------------------- 
but regarding age, the *oldest* dog i have ever worked with (so far) was a 17-YO Rough-Collie; Risa was a sweetheart, but utterly and totally un-trained; she had never learnt to do ANYthing on cue, not even sit.

she was a mostly-good dog with decent manners around people; that was =It=, full stop; she pulled like a tugboat, 
sat, lay or stood, as she pleased; barked or was silent, on her own whim.

i was a full-time college-student and she was my landladys dog; i did not have hours on end to devote to training her, but in a little over 2 weeks, she had an in-house sit, down, come + stay - all verbal OR hand-signal, 85% on first cue; and we were well on the way to walking rather than being towed along the sidewalk like barges on a canal by a mule.  she could also be told to *hush* when we were on the phone, or visitors came to the door... unless they were Mormons or Jehovahs Witnesses or Avon reps, in which case, she could bark her head off  and welcome to it. 
she also learnt Play-Dead... all except her tail-tip, which kept a slow thwap... thwap... in anticipation of her praise - 
and to shake-hands with either paw - 
if U proffered Ur right, she offered hers; offer Ur left, she did the same.

Risa may have been ignorant, but she was not un-trained due to any innate stoopidity on her part, in her youth; 
nor any cerebral deterioration in her old-age; nobody in the family of 4 had ever thought it important to bother. (shrug)

if U do not want to shell-out for an Anxiety-wrap, 
the T-Touch ACE-bandage figure-8 body-wrap can imitate some of the all-over body-compression - its like an overall elastic-squeeze, so the wider the ACE-bandage the better, so that it does not fold in half or become a tube running over the dog; Four-inches wide is much, much preferable to 2-inches wide, and side-by-side 2-inch-wide bandages will not perform as well; they have to be overlapped, and any inequity in tension between the 2 bandages results in gaps here, and wrinkles elsewhere. 
How to apply the TTouch Body Wrap

T-touch itself can also be helpful - 
The Tellington Touch or TTouch For Dogs 
there is a Book - Getting In T-Touch With Your Dog 
the diagram for DIY Ace-bandage wraps for the dog is in the book.

cheers, 
--- terry


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## Chezjoie (Apr 10, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies. Speaking to a dog psychologist tomorrow so we'll see what she has to say.


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## Seon (Mar 1, 2013)

We also have an 8 year old collie cross who is noise phobic and in the last couple of weeks it has become virtually impossible to get her to go out. We have tried the CD, we have consulted a behaviourist (who didn't tell us anything we couldn't have worked out ourselves), we have also tried the wrap and nothing has worked. We are at the end of our tether as she is a brilliant playful dog indoors. Any advice?


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

Seon said:


> We also have an 8 year old collie cross who is noise phobic and in the last couple of weeks it has become virtually impossible to get her to go out. We have tried the CD, we have consulted a behaviourist (who didn't tell us anything we couldn't have worked out ourselves), we have also tried the wrap and nothing has worked. We are at the end of our tether as she is a brilliant playful dog indoors. Any advice?


Try giving the lady at Doreen Paige a call:

www.*doreenpaige*.com/

There was a young collie that came here training a couple of years ago that was extremely noise sensitive and we used a combination of the Doreen Paige 'Insecurity' and a Thundershirt, along with very careful management, to overcome his fear.

Worth a phone call.


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## jude7 (Dec 19, 2017)

Chezjoie said:


> We have a 10½ yr old border collie which has developed agoraphobia. She's always been nervous and frightened of loud noises ... fireworks, thunder etc. This started when she was 2 and we were involved in bad road accident with her in back of car.
> 
> In the past couple of months she's developed agoraphobia and is terrified to go out for a walk. She is quite happy in the garden, OK getting in the car, and happily goes to our allotment (unless there is any shooting within earshot), but take her for a walk and she just flees.
> 
> ...


Hi Chezjoie I could have written your problem myself. The only difference is that my collie is 7 in Jan.
Did you ever sort him out????? If so HELP
I feel so sorry for my dog as he such a happy chappie but won't even play ball in his favourite spots anymore.
Hope you still on here if not can anyone else help!!!!!


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## jude7 (Dec 19, 2017)

Hi Chezjoie I could have written your problem myself. The only difference is that my collie is 7 in Jan.
Did you ever sort him out????? If so HELP
I feel so sorry for my dog as he such a happy chappie but won't even play ball in his favourite spots anymore.
Hope you still on here if not can anyone else help!!!!!


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## Kimmikins (Apr 9, 2016)

jude7 said:


> Hi Chezjoie I could have written your problem myself. The only difference is that my collie is 7 in Jan.
> Did you ever sort him out????? If so HELP
> I feel so sorry for my dog as he such a happy chappie but won't even play ball in his favourite spots anymore.
> Hope you still on here if not can anyone else help!!!!!


This is an old thread, so you'd probably be better off starting a new one.

However, my 3yo kelpie mix rarely goes out for walks from our front door. If he does it's when he chooses (normally in the dead of night) and the route he chooses. He goes in the car to a field we hire for him about twice a week, but other than that I pretty much respect his choice. And he's actually much happier for it!
We play lots of games, do training and he has food toys and puzzles coming out of his ears.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

jude7 said:


> Hi Chezjoie I could have written your problem myself. The only difference is that my collie is 7 in Jan.
> Did you ever sort him out????? If so HELP
> I feel so sorry for my dog as he such a happy chappie but won't even play ball in his favourite spots anymore.
> Hope you still on here if not can anyone else help!!!!!


Has your collie always been noise sensitive or has it started recently. Many collies are noise sensitive to a greater or lesser degree unfortunately. How do you react when your dog starts stressing and what have you tried to help him. What exactly is he frightened of - thunder - bangs - etc?


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