What freaks your dog out?
A month ago we adopted a shelter mutt, a big rowdy guy about a year old. Walking him around early yesterday morning, before anyone else was out, we came across a big white balloon. There was just enough breeze to keep the balloon slowly tumbling across the lawns. My dog acted like he was seeing the devil himself; his hackles raised like I had never seen them raise, and he was frozen stiff. I calmly picked the balloon up and flicked it away to show him it was harmless, but for the next two blocks he walked sideways, not wanting to turn his back on the Thing from Hell.
Later I took him for a walk down by the lake shore. He had been there before, but not down to the water’s edge. I led him down a gently sloping concrete boat ramp to where some little tiny waves were sloshing up. He stepped close to the water to investigate, but he seemed to think these waves were weird watery beasts trying to mess with him. He started snapping at the crest of each wave as it splashed in, getting only a mouthful of water. It was hilarious at first, but he worked himself into such a frenzy that I had to haul him out and spend several minutes poking treats at him to calm him down.
Aside from these incidents, he’s not a particularly high-strung or timid dog. These just seemed to be, for him, encounters with the uncanny that he was unable to make any sense of, so he freaked out.
What’s on your dog’s freak-out list?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
25 Answers
When we had a dog, it was the usual things: thunder and vacuum cleaners.
We had a St Bernard that was totally petrified by lightning. I woke up one afternoon with her on my chest as I was napping on the couch. This dog went 180 pounds.
Fireworks. My Jack Russell is quite sound sensitive and any sudden noises tend to freak her out.
Anyone ringing the front bell generates a robust barky response from Sadie and as it should. Otherwise she very well behaved and only freaks out after a bath….she rips around the house like her tail is on fire for a good 20 minutes after her bath. It’s quite entertaining.
Nothing at all, except for a certain aisle at the local gardening center. Why she hates that aisle is a mystery to me.
Me coming home after a long day away. Even if Hubs and Spawn are home, when I get home he goes bananas.
He was Not Amused by the last thunderstorm we had, but none of us freaked out, so by the third thunderclap he was fine.
Number one was thunder/fireworks, number two was the vacuum cleaner. And he would hide in a closet or the tub.
I don’t own a dog now but…my goose Marwyn is terrified of umbrellas. When I would go out to put him in his barn at night on a stormy evening he would run for the barn when he saw the umbrella coming. haha I also used an opened umbrella set on it;s side at the entrance to my garage so he would not come in the garage and poop and hang out by the washer & dryer for hours. lol
I think anything that an animal does not recognize or is not conditioned to atomatically is cause for suspicion a predatory response IMO.
The chirp when a smoke detectors battery is running low turns our dog into a total basket case. She barks, the hair races on her back and she will shake with fear.
She hates the vacuum cleaner and barks the whole time it’s on. We now gate her in the kitchen when we run it because she tries to attack it if we don’t. It’s funny, because she doesn’t mind the blender and that’s just as loud. It must be the vacuum itself – she starts barking as soon as it comes into her line of sight and doesn’t stop until it’s back in the closet.
Certain people also freak her out. She usually loves everyone and will approach you and try to jump on you and lick your face off. However, there have been a handful of people since we got her that she just didn’t like for some reason. One of them was a kid, which was odd to me. She barks like crazy and acts as if she’d attack them if she got off the leash. She’s such a sweetheart normally, so it’s always weird to see her freak out like that.
She also freaks out in the car when she realizes we’re going somewhere she likes, such as the park or my parents’ house (she’s in love with my dad). She does this weird excited whining/yelling noise and if we mimic her she’ll do it louder and louder along with us. It’s pretty funny.
She saw snow for the first time in January and spent the first five minutes growling at it until she realized it was ice, and Daisy LOVES ice. So, she decided to eat it instead.
Other dogs. If we are driving, and she sees another dog just walking along on the sidewalk — she will lose her shit!
Barking and whining and howling and growling – all while scratching wildly at the glass. Her general attitude is, “How DARE there be another dog in this world. I will kick your ass!!”.
But then, when she meets another dog, face to face, she immediately rolls over and shows her belly.
Cars and trucks, people coming to the house, and for some reason, storm drains.
Water hoses, leaf blowers, and vacuum cleaners.
Bunnies on the other hand blow her mind. As opposed to other animals aside from humans. Then she enters full out kill mode.
Plastic bags, especially if you are shaking them out!
Cows. Not from the car but when we’re out in the field with them. And it’s not irrational on her part, by any means – she is wolfy-shaped, black and has prick ears so cows have tried their best to kill her several times, and she has grown very wary. It’s more of a healthy respect than freaking out, but I don’t doubt she’d plant her heels and do anything she could, including losing her shit, to get away if I tried to bring her up next to one for some reason.
The doorbell ringing, someone walking a dog, a nice couple taking a walk and the most ear shattering reaction comes from seeing a cat walking outside.
Another reason I want a house on a couple acres , fenced and away from people.
My parents once kept a dog for two weeks at their house. The dog hated the sound of my recorder.
My dog hates coffee beans. If I let him smell the can, he backs away from it.
Ayre will be 14 years old on Cinco de Mayo. and has been raise with two kids and three grandkids. Not much, if anything used to surprise him but, since he went deaf, life is one big surprise.
Whoa! Dude! When did you come in?
I don’t remember Milu being freaked out by anything. Either he was too brave a dog or I was too young to even notice.
And so do my fish! They’re only turned on by things, not freaked out!
Cats and Crows!
My dog freaks out around cats and crows. Whenever he sees a cat he goes crazy barking and chasing it.
Vacuum cleaners freak my dog out, as do certain masks.
This isn’t necessarily freaking out, but she is OBSESSED with tennis balls- if she spots one under a piece of furniture she will stick her head under it if she can’t retrieve it herself and bark and whine. She will also run to the door at full speed and jump at the door while barking if someone rings the doorbell.
@28lorelei Mine circles them and tries to herd them into a corner.
He used to try it with the lawn mower too, I have to keep in the house when doing yard work.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
