# Can dogs been scared of the dark?



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

Since the clocks have gone back and I now have to walk Buster in the dark in the evening (cant walk him any earlier, as it is dark when I finish work) I have noticed he gets very stressed out only when walking in the dark. Last night I took him out and all he did was stop every time he seen someone, goes on high alert and just stood there and looks, he does not growl or bark (although he did growl at two people over a month ago when he was on lead in the dark, but not done this since.) when walking him he does lip licking and drooling. I know the walk is stressing my dog out. He's that stressed out during his walk he does not even bother to sniff anything or do any wee or poo and is very eager to get back home. Last night the walk lasted 10 mins. Just to add last year he was walked in the dark and there was no problem whatsoever.

So peeps two questions:-

1. Do dogs get scared of the dark?
2. Do you think a calming aid will be of benefit to Buster? And if so which calming aids to use?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

PS I have recently changed the route for his walk as the field where I normally take him is pitch black, but he had been showing stress signs when walking his normal route in the dark.


----------



## FrankieT (Nov 3, 2011)

Could it be that you are anxious as its dark and his picking up on that, and its just a bit worse as his unsure of his surroundings on a new route? I know that if Im walking on my own and see someone looking a bit dodgy approaching my 2 do pick up my reaction/body language and act more alert.


----------



## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

Yes clover is scared of the dark. She shows this by constantly shouting. Haven't found a solution for it


----------



## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Yep! definately!


----------



## Cav1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Yep - Yogi is quite happy to go out in the garden on his own during the day but doesn't like it at night!


----------



## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

Dogs like people can develop fears and phobias of anything that can be classically associated as a basis for the development of that fear.

I would have this dogs vision and eyes evaluated - and not just a once over so talk to your vet. Dogs, anatomically have the tools (tapetum lucidium) that allows them have greater visual acuity in poor light than humans do.


----------



## Mama Sass (Sep 8, 2009)

Basil really doesn't like the dark - if he is walked when it's dark you can see he's not enjoying it. There's no reason for it that I can think of.

When the clocks go back we have to change his routine - instead of 2 x 45 mins walks morning and evening he gets one long one at lunchtime. The change doesn't seem to bother him and he really enjoys his long walk so for us it's quite easily managed. Realise it must be a pain though if you can't do a middle of the day walk.


----------



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

FrankieT said:


> Could it be that you are anxious as its dark and his picking up on that, and its just a bit worse as his unsure of his surroundings on a new route? I know that if Im walking on my own and see someone looking a bit dodgy approaching my 2 do pick up my reaction/body language and act more alert.


Thanks for your response  however, I am probably the most least anxious person you are likely to meet. I am definitely not anxious but very relaxed when walking Buster.


----------



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

tripod said:


> Dogs like people can develop fears and phobias of anything that can be classically associated as a basis for the development of that fear.
> 
> I would have this dogs vision and eyes evaluated - and not just a once over so talk to your vet. Dogs, anatomically have the tools (tapetum lucidium) that allows them have greater visual acuity in poor light than humans do.


Thanks for your reply. Buster had his eyes tested about a month and a half ago, however it was a very basic eye test and I did not mention anything about his problem when walking in the dark. I will however, be taking him back to the vets and explaining that I would like a thorough eye test doing including testing his night vision.

Just to add, Buster sometimes is reluctant to go out into the yard when it is dark, he is more comfortable if my other dog goes out first (when dark) and then he follows, but on his own, he is sometimes reluctant. Also, he stays at the top of the stairs in the morning, its dark, I go up and put the light on and he seems happy to come down the stairs then.

It could be his eyes or fear based. I will update this thread when I have had his eyes tested again. I am not going to work on building up his confidence until I have ruled out it is not an issue with his eyes.


----------



## SleepyBones (Apr 17, 2011)

1. Do dogs get scared of the dark?

A. Dogs cannot be sterotyped for any behaviours. They are a man made synthetic species.

But generaly, they are not only not scared of the dark, if they are of a type which has some degree of hunting tendancy they absolutely thrive in the dark, the activty levels rise sky high even if they are a high drive, active dog in
daylight, their eyesight the other relevant senses, touch, audio seem much more acute.

2. Do you think a calming aid will be of benefit to Buster? And if so which calming aids to use?

A. I have no idea what Buster is generaly like, do you have any youtube vids? thats always the best way of showing people your dogs normal daylight activity.

What do you have in mind as 'calming aids' & what actualy happens with him? how old is he?


----------



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

Mama Sass said:


> Basil really doesn't like the dark - if he is walked when it's dark you can see he's not enjoying it. There's no reason for it that I can think of.
> 
> When the clocks go back we have to change his routine - instead of 2 x 45 mins walks morning and evening he gets one long one at lunchtime. The change doesn't seem to bother him and he really enjoys his long walk so for us it's quite easily managed. Realise it must be a pain though if you can't do a middle of the day walk.


Thanks for your reply. Me and the OH share the walks. They get a walk at 10.30 and then OH leaves for work at 1. Then I come home at around 5.45 so theres no one that can take my boys out before dark.


----------



## SleepyBones (Apr 17, 2011)

After I posted the above I read the rest of the posts, I was very surprised to read so many seem to find the dark an aversive.


----------



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

SleepyBones said:


> 1. Do dogs get scared of the dark?
> 
> A. Dogs cannot be sterotyped for any behaviours. They are a man made synthetic species.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your response. Buster is will be 3 in January and his neutered. He is an American Bulldog. I acquired Buster in February 2010. He had a lot of training issues when I got him i.e. pulling on the lead, didnt know basic commands etc. The one good thing about him when I got him was he has always been a confident dog with people and other dogs. Last year when walking him in the dark, he did not have any issues.

With regards to how Buster is during daylight walks, He is really confident, plays with other dogs, plays with toys, just a very confident dog when walking in daylight. No problems whatsoever there. He does not go on high alert, his body language is relaxed and confident.

With regards to calming aids, I was thinking something like a thundershirt, however, I will not be doing anything with regards to building his confidence up or buying any calming aids until he has had a thorough eye test done.

I will update when he has had his eyes tested.


----------



## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Henrick has always been scared of the dark, he spent his first 8 weeks in a summer house (shed) at the end of the garden, his mum was ill so wasnt with the litter and I think it possibly started there, I leave the light on for him in the house and when we are out in the dark he just sticks close to me and hes fine with that. Hope you manage to get Buster feeling more confident but Im not sure what to suggest to help, the anxiety medecine I got for the dogs during the firework season helped them both a lot, it might be worth trying that for Buster, it was from Pets @ Home.


----------



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

cloversmum said:


> Yes clover is scared of the dark. She shows this by constantly shouting. Haven't found a solution for it


if it isnt Buster eyes thats the problem, and it is in fact fear based and I manage to build his confidence up, I will let you know how I did it, as I have a few ideas to help him but I am not prepared to do anything yet, until he has his eyes tested.


----------



## Thundershirt (Nov 3, 2011)

You might want to check out our product, Thundershirt. We have helped many dogs with all different kinds of anxieties and think it would be worth a try to help your dog with his unique fear Hope it helps and we wish you luck!

-Thundershirt


----------



## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Jugsmalone said:


> Since the clocks have gone back and I now have to walk Buster in the dark in the evening (cant walk him any earlier, as it is dark when I finish work) I have noticed he gets very stressed out only when walking in the dark. Last night I took him out and all he did was stop every time he seen someone, goes on high alert and just stood there and looks, he does not growl or bark (although he did growl at two people over a month ago when he was on lead in the dark, but not done this since.) when walking him he does lip licking and drooling. I know the walk is stressing my dog out. He's that stressed out during his walk he does not even bother to sniff anything or do any wee or poo and is very eager to get back home. Last night the walk lasted 10 mins. Just to add last year he was walked in the dark and there was no problem whatsoever.
> 
> So peeps two questions:-
> 
> ...


Not sure what breed and age he is, but there is such a thng as night blindness and reduced vision at night that dogs can have. They may still be fine in the day.

Dogs can get scared in the dark. Being as dogs mostly learn by association, then its highly possible/likely if a dog experiences something at night/In the dark he can well make a negative association with night/darkness. Can even be a one off with some dogs, like being out at night and a firework goes off,
after that they ont want to go out in the dark, or at least become very nervous and stressed.

You can get DAP dog appeasing pheromone collars that emit a artificial version of the pheromone a mum dog emits to calm and soothe pups, you can also get it in spray form, that you can spray on a bandana and put it around the dogs neck, they are actually called Adaptil now recent name change
Online Vet | Get Cheap Pet Medicine and Treatments Online From Vet-Medic - Vet-Medic is where I get mine, cheaper then vets certainly.

Other things are scullcap and valerian Dorwest Herbs, they may do other thngs too Dorwest

KalmAids had some reccomendations too
http://www.nutri-science.net/pets/pdfs/KalmAid DL.pdf


----------



## LexiLou2 (Mar 15, 2011)

In October 2010 we went through 6 weeks of Lexi been scared of the dark, we did lots of positive things with her as she was scared of te dark in the house as well as outside, so she got rescue remedy daily to help her relax, me and OH spent a lot of time turning all the lights off and just sitting and chatting like everything was normal, feeding her treats in the dark etc.

She started to improve after about 4 weeks and probably took 2 months to be 'better' however she is stil nervous when out on walks in the dark.


----------



## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

One of our dogs doesn't like the dark so much...but I am not sure if that's because in the dark, he can't see things as well so they make him jump more...

At night time, I have to walk right to the end of the garden, or he'll just stay in the bit illuminated by the outside light and not go for a wee!!

He's fine on a walk though.

Naomi


----------



## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

Update 

I changed Buster's route to a new one where it is well lit and he has gone back to his confident self now. I should have said this in my original post, but I had also stopped taking my other dog out with Buster during the evening, as he has arthritis, but my other dog is doing well on medication now, so I have started taking them both out together and Buster is a lot happier. 

I do think it has more to do with the route being well lit than my other dog coming with us, as Buster is walked on his own for 3 hours on a Saturday and Sunday and is totally fine. 

I'm pleased he's back to his happy self.


----------

