# new dog now scared to come in the house, HELP!



## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

I got a 1 yr ond rescue 7 days ago. All was going well, she was really starting to come out of her shell. Her and my older GSD seemed to be getting along pretty well. I have a dog door with a fenced back yard. I came home from work yesterday, and Im almost sure she was inside. I took them out to play and mowed. When I feed them she didn't come in to eat...never seen that before. Left her go for a while and called her to come in and she didn't want to. After a while I tried putting her leash on and thought she would walk in with me but she was scared to death. This morning I took her around the front of the house and in the front door. The second she was inside she ran straight for the dog door and out agian. Tried it a second time and she wouldn't even go up on the front porch. I have know idea what happened! The dogs still get along fine, she's not scared of him. If she fell and hurt herself sure doesn't show it. She runs and plays outside same as always. Poor thing just sits outside the door looking in. I can tell she wants to come in with us but she won't. I tried food and she won't even come in for that. I opened the man door in case it was something about the dog door but nothing works. She was everywhere in the house 10 min after I got her home last week, so this is really not normal for her. Any good ideas???


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

If you have a crate you can put her in the crate in the house so she feels there's a safe place in there. What might help is to tether her to you- literally tie her lead to your belt loop and have her go everywhere you go- in and out of the house, all around the yard, laying next to your feet while you watch tv, etc. No big fanfare or commands, just simply going everywhere you go. She'll figure out that there's nothing to be afraid of. Try it for several days until she's secure


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## TaZoR (Jan 26, 2012)

Do you know anything about her past? Possible abuse? I think there was a trigger. Maybe she was exclusively an outdoor dog? I would not force her. Open the door, sit on the floor inside and talk to her. I wouldn't try and coax her, let her come in when she feels comfortable. Talk to her in intervals. Give her time to process the fact that you can be trusted. It took a long time for my last rescue to build a trust but then we were inseperable.


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## Marnie (Oct 11, 2011)

Everybody has their own way of doing things but I would not drag this out. Problems tend to take on a life of their own if not resolved quickly. I would close the dog-door and bring the dog in the front door. When she's inside, I would pet her, feed her and then ignore her and let her calm down. Take her outside every three or four hours so she doesn't have an accident inside. Bring her back in. It won't take her long to calm down and relax. Is she upset about the slick flooring inside. I've had dogs that couldn't seem to get used to the slippery floors. If that is the problem, get some big mats.


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## KennyFrench (Jun 13, 2012)

Is your house haunted? Do you need an old priest and a young priest? Just Kidding.

I am no expert, but... 

Had anything changed in the house just before this? Anything like the A/C not being on until yesterday and she doesn't like the noise or something like that. How big is your house? Can you put her on a leash and walk her through all the rooms to see if she's more agitated in any particular room? 

Almost anything can upset a dog, even something we (humans) can't see, smell, or hear. As for your older GSD, whatever is upsetting the rescue could be something that either doesn't bother the older GSD, or it's something he's gotten used to. 

I kind of agree with Stosh. Get a crate but don't close the door. Just let her know the crate is a safe place for her. You might even drape a blanket over it to block out any sights and limit any sounds that might trigger the behavior. And, if you were able to lead her around the house and found she is less upset in one room, I would suggest putting the crate in that room. 

I also kind of agree with Marnie. Put her on a leash and bring her in through the front door, but I wouldn't recommend locking the dog door. If she really cannot handle being inside and something really is scaring her, she really needs to be able to "escape" the situation. Trying to keep a frightened dog from being able to escape is not wise (IMHO). However, I agree not to let the behavior go on for too long. 

No matter what, talk softly, remain calm, be very patient.


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

maybe she was an outside dog and was hurt when she went inside? 
thanks for rescuing her. i am sure it will get better with time. good luck.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

She has a crate, I feed her in it but other than that she really doesn't seem to care about it. She was fine in the house from the time I brought her home! Nothing seemed to bother her that way. AC has been both on and off she doesn't seem to care about that either. Things were really going well now I don't have a clue. Right now she doesn't even want me to get close to her. She'll follow me around outside but when I go to but her leash on she takes off. Guess she figures I'm planning to take her inside. She loved my couch from the second she came in the house, that was her spot. I really don't get it.

All I know for sure was she was starved for the first 8 months of her life, and kept in bad conditions.


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## Marnie (Oct 11, 2011)

Call the rescue you got her from. They want what is best for the dog. It is possible there is someone from the rescue close to you who could come by and evaluate the problem. I personally would never, never leave a frightened dog outside by herself. I would bring her inside and lock the dog-door. She will calm down inside, there is no need to worry about that. If she was OK a couple days ago, she will be OK again within a few hours of being in the house. Don't leave her outside where she can escape. And do call the rescue. They will help you.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

Here is another strange thing...there were a couple of times she spooked when I did something and I thought she must have been beat. It took me a couple day to see a pattern but it seems that when I take a shower she seems to think something is wrong with me then or i'm not the same person??? I know sent if everything to a dog but I never heard of anything like that! 

I get up in the morning, she's all over me. We go for our walk and play ect. I take a shower before work and after that she's not to crazy about me. I come home from work and she's all over me. Take a shower and it starts all over. She'll always follow me around, get close enough to touch me and take off. I thought she was getting a little better with that, but I sure don't understand it either.

Other than these two problems she seems great. House broken, walks well on a leash, fun normal dog that like to play with everything. My other GSD sure doesn't scare even though he's more than twice her size. I was planing to start trianing today but now I'm just trying to get her to come inside!


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I agree with Marnie - make her come in. I wouldn't make a big deal of it once she is in the house. I'd utilize the older GSD to help her focus on you instead of what ever it is scared her in the house. Example: If your older GSD loves a specific game. Try to engage both dogs in the game, keeping your tone light and playful. Or walk through your house with both dogs singing lightly and playfully..."This is the bedroom! Gooood bedroom! This is the hallway! Gooood hallway!" I've played that game many times treating the dogs when I say 'Goood'! (Treating because they are following me from room to room.)


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

She's not scared outside. She'll lay under the trees, sleep, chew on her ball ect. I can tell she want to come in...comes right up to the door but just will not cross that line.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

well i picked her up and brought her in. She's on the couch now


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## Marnie (Oct 11, 2011)

kane626 said:


> well i picked her up and brought her in. She's on the couch now


Good. Take her out often so she won't have an accident and then bring her back in. She will be fine.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

it's been two hours now and she's not the least bit interested in getting off the couch. Doesn't really seem scared up there but her feet aren't touching the ground! Can't get her off to play or anything else. I sure wish I could figure this out


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

Do you know her background? I know you said that you got her about 7 days ago, but I was thinking that maybe she was a strictly an outside dog and that was why she wasn't coming in. Maybe she was abused inside her last home and she's having bad associations with being inside the house.
I can't make any recommendations, but maybe that's your cause?


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

What kind of floors do you have?
You should leave the leash on her and let her drag it around. She will be easier to get hold of.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

carpet everywhere but the kitchen. She was fine with all of it till last night???


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

my best guess is she slipped on the kitchen floor at some point and she's now scared of any of them inside. I have to pick her up and put her on the floor. Got her to walk arounf a little bit them she just digs in and lays down. Took her outside and she's her normal playfull self but just won't get off the couch inside.


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## Katerlena (May 30, 2008)

Glad shes back in the house. I have a rescue we adopted nearly 2 years ago that was badly abused and every so often there will be a trigger as Marnie described and shes behaves strangely or panics but then eventually she gets over it and we are all good. I always try to praise her and reward her for normal behavior and ignore the flukey stuff (although in your case you had to get her back in the house!)


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

I hate having to force her to do anything...i'm just trying to get her to trust me. She seems relaxed laying here on the couch, so it's not that she doesn't to be inside she just doesn't want to walk anywhere inside! When I get her off the couch it straight for the door and when I get her in it straight for the couch.


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## Katerlena (May 30, 2008)

Just take things slowly you have only had her a week it takes time for them to trust and bond. For the first 6 months my rescue was really fixated on her crate she'd feel very safe there and she'd get nervous if she saw me in there fixing her bedding. Now she could care less! I noticed my girl always felt safe outside too even to this day if something gets her nervous (e.g. the toenail clippers) she likes to get out and go run in the yard (which is fenced in) and I have to coax her back in (good thing I don't have to pick her up shes too heavy for me!)

You will find theres lots of great resources on this site for behavior and training too

Thank you for rescuing her and hopefully you will post some pics of her in the future when shes settled in.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

Thanks to everyone for all the help! She seemed to forget herself for a little this morning and was running around in the house a little. We went for a big walk. When we got home I had push her in the door to go eat her food. I left her go back out after she was done. Sitting out there looking in the door again now.


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## kane626 (Jul 18, 2012)

update, she'll get off the couch now if I call her but still will not come in on here own


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