Why Is My Dog Scared to Go Outside? Reasons & How to Help
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When your dog doesn’t have a spring in their step at the sight of the leash anymore or flat-out refuses to leave the house, it’s understandable to be concerned. The good news is that the most common culprits for your four-legged friend’s trepidations are normal. Join us below as we dive into how you can identify fear-motivated behaviors, reasons for your dog being scared to go outside, and how to help them get back to normal.
How to Tell Your Dog Is Scared of Going Outside
Sometimes it’s obvious, but other times, your dog’s fear of going outside may be more subtle. Different dogs scared of going outside can display various levels of fear, but the most common signs are:
- Hiding
- Whining at the sight of the door or leash
- Tail between the legs
- Refusing to walk on a leash
- Sitting or lying down on the leash
- Chewing their leash or harness
- Spontaneous urination
- Their ears are laid back on their head
- Heavy panting
- Destructive chewing or digging
The 6 Possible Reasons Your Dog Is Afraid to Go Outside
There are a lot of possible reasons your dog is scared of going outside, but some are more common than others. Let’s take a closer look at some of the possible reasons your pup is petrified of going outside.
1. Puppy Panic
Also known as new puppy panic, this phenomenon is really just a new puppy, usually 8 weeks to 12 weeks, leaving their mother and littermates for the very first time. Pups at this age don’t understand what’s going on and can manifest a fear of nearly anything in their new environment during the first couple of days. Among them, a fear of the outdoors or the leash is common.
2. Overstimulation
If your dog’s ever been startled by a loud noise, like a gunshot, heavy traffic, fireworks, or lawnmower, they may have automatically associated that event with being outside. In the future, your dog may be leery of going outside because they don’t want to experience that sensory overload again.
3. Poor Socialization
Poorly socialized puppies have little to no exposure to the outdoors, and that lack of exposure can make going outside a very scary proposition. If they’re not taught by 14 weeks or so how to properly behave when going outside, your dog can become scared or even aggressive at the prospect of putting on their harness.
4. Previous Negative Experiences
Dogs with traumatic histories may be scared to go outdoors for myriad reasons, from being bitten by bugs or snakes, being hurt with a shock collar, or any number of things. Nearly anything that can inspire fear in your dog can leave a lasting negative impression on your pooch, and their lingering fear can make them refuse to go outdoors to stay safe.
5. Inexperience With Leashes
Dogs who don’t have much experience with leashes may have a tough time adapting to it, especially if they’ve been allowed to freely roam a yard in the past. This anxiety can make them scared of going outside unless you counteract their negative impressions with new, positive memories.
6. Injury or Illness
Injuries affecting your dog’s mobility can make them wary of going outdoors. This can be as serious as elbow or hip dysplasia, or an injury sustained outdoors. For instance, if they hurt their paw outside, it would be hard to walk on. Dogs attach importance to the strangest things sometimes, but they remember stuff like a thorn in the paw!
The 3 Ways to Calm Your Dog’s Fear
It can be frustrating when your dog simply refuses to go outside for their daily walks, especially if they have an accident in the house because of it. It’s okay—just take a deep breath. Dogs of all ages can fray your nerves, but there are three main tools you can put to use to assuage your dog’s fear of the outdoors, so arm yourself with that valuable knowledge below.
1. Socialization
Eight to 14 weeks is the socialization period or window in which a puppy’s soaking up everything in their environment. That means they’re learning what’s normal and what’s not, from your home to the route you take on your walks. Carefully exposing your pup to all sorts of new places, people, and animals during this key window will reduce their anxiety and fear of going outside later in life.
2. Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is your most powerful training technique as a dog owner, and it’s how you’ll help your dog get over their fear of going outside. You can start by simply rewarding or heavily praising your dog anytime they look at the leash or door without showing signs of fear, which will teach them that outside = good!
Expand this when your dog goes outside. While they might cower or whine in fear your first time out, hold strong and ignore the bad behavior altogether. Dogs are distractible, and chances are they’ll find something to check out. When they do, swoop in and shower them with a treat and praise. You can accelerate this by bringing your dog’s favorite toys outside for some playtime, which will further reinforce good behavior by associating outside with spending time with you.
3. Don’t Force It
Take things at your dog’s pace. If they’re absolutely terrified of going outside no matter what you do, back off and try again later. Dogs don’t learn well when forced to learn, and it’s very easy to accidentally reinforce their fears. If your dog won’t go potty outside at all, you can buy some puppy pads for the meantime until your dog is willing to go outside. Slow and steady wins the race!
Conclusion
It’s not always easy to understand why your dog is scared to go outside, but there are a handful of common causes that can help you narrow down how you can best train your dog. Stay patient and use consistent positive reinforcement and you’ll slowly be able to help relieve your dog’s fear.
Featured Image Credit: VictoriaG1988, Shutterstock
