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Post #24 Maltipoo is Acting Afraid of Rooms
- By The Team
- •
- 07 Sep, 2016
- •
Owner is concerned about odd behavior of being hesitant, scared to walk into certain rooms
Question:
I have a 6 year old Maltipoo (Kaci) who has been showing some weird behavior. When I first got her 2 months ago, she would go down stairs to basement and back up alone, and go to dining room down a one step without any issues. Several weeks after we got her, she would not go to the basement. Now more recently, she will not go to the addition. I thought she might have walked around while we were sleeping and maybe slid or got startled due to her nails. I had her nails checked and clipped although they were not too long. She'll go to dining room on a leash a little hesitant, but after a few tries , she does it. I don't understand this. If she does go to dining room, she won't go out and sits there shaking tremendously. What could cause this? What else can , I do to make her feel less scared and more confident? Also she makes gagging noises as if she had a fur ball stuck in her throat, but does not cough up anything...
Thank you for your attention, Rose
Answer:
Hi Rose. A Maltipoo being so hesitant to enter into certain rooms in the house is indeed peculiar behavior. You did the right thing by having her nails checked and trimmer. And we, as well, at first glance, thought that maybe something had startled her. However, in thinking about this, we see that the two rooms do have something in common: Steps. Granted, when your Maltipoo goes to the basement this is a lot of steps and the dining room is only one; however that seems to be the common factor here.
This would lead us to believe that this has something to do with the steps. It could be that she fell going down the basement stairs and that experience has scared her so much that she is now understandably hesitant. If so, this would resolve itself, the more times she experiences the steps without issue.
This said, refusal to leave the dining room and shaking a lot does not really play into this theory. Shaking may be due to being very afraid or very cold. One would assume that being former is the obvious answer; though the latter cannot be ruled out.
While it may be impossible to know what is scaring her to this degree, trying to make her more confident is indeed the right call. We'd suggest making the dining room the funnest room in the house. Get her a some great new toys and some tasty treats, sit down on the floor in there and see if you can engage her. Don't be overly soothing; you'll want to act in a matter-of-fact manner.
Do please let us know if things gradually improve with this.
In regard to the gagging, though this could be reverse sneezing (harmless), one other possible issue that fits this description is an issue with the trachea, including collapsed trachea. If this does not resolve within a few days, a veterinarian examination is warranted. It will be helpful to take a video of the coughing attack for the vet to see and hear exactly what is happening. In the meantime, if you are using a collar, stop immediately; you'll want to have her on harness any time she is on leash to prevent further injury should this be a tracheal issue.
Love, Hugs & Maltipoo Kisses,
The PetMaltipoo Team
Readers, do you have any thoughts about what might be making this Maltipoo act scared of these rooms? Please let your thoughts below!
I have a 6 year old Maltipoo (Kaci) who has been showing some weird behavior. When I first got her 2 months ago, she would go down stairs to basement and back up alone, and go to dining room down a one step without any issues. Several weeks after we got her, she would not go to the basement. Now more recently, she will not go to the addition. I thought she might have walked around while we were sleeping and maybe slid or got startled due to her nails. I had her nails checked and clipped although they were not too long. She'll go to dining room on a leash a little hesitant, but after a few tries , she does it. I don't understand this. If she does go to dining room, she won't go out and sits there shaking tremendously. What could cause this? What else can , I do to make her feel less scared and more confident? Also she makes gagging noises as if she had a fur ball stuck in her throat, but does not cough up anything...
Thank you for your attention, Rose
Answer:
Hi Rose. A Maltipoo being so hesitant to enter into certain rooms in the house is indeed peculiar behavior. You did the right thing by having her nails checked and trimmer. And we, as well, at first glance, thought that maybe something had startled her. However, in thinking about this, we see that the two rooms do have something in common: Steps. Granted, when your Maltipoo goes to the basement this is a lot of steps and the dining room is only one; however that seems to be the common factor here.
This would lead us to believe that this has something to do with the steps. It could be that she fell going down the basement stairs and that experience has scared her so much that she is now understandably hesitant. If so, this would resolve itself, the more times she experiences the steps without issue.
This said, refusal to leave the dining room and shaking a lot does not really play into this theory. Shaking may be due to being very afraid or very cold. One would assume that being former is the obvious answer; though the latter cannot be ruled out.
While it may be impossible to know what is scaring her to this degree, trying to make her more confident is indeed the right call. We'd suggest making the dining room the funnest room in the house. Get her a some great new toys and some tasty treats, sit down on the floor in there and see if you can engage her. Don't be overly soothing; you'll want to act in a matter-of-fact manner.
Do please let us know if things gradually improve with this.
In regard to the gagging, though this could be reverse sneezing (harmless), one other possible issue that fits this description is an issue with the trachea, including collapsed trachea. If this does not resolve within a few days, a veterinarian examination is warranted. It will be helpful to take a video of the coughing attack for the vet to see and hear exactly what is happening. In the meantime, if you are using a collar, stop immediately; you'll want to have her on harness any time she is on leash to prevent further injury should this be a tracheal issue.
Love, Hugs & Maltipoo Kisses,
The PetMaltipoo Team
Readers, do you have any thoughts about what might be making this Maltipoo act scared of these rooms? Please let your thoughts below!
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