Strange Behaviour - Missy - Mastiff

Anyone any ideas of Missys strange habit?

When Max, Saffy and Missy want to go into the garden I open the back door. Now Max and Saffy run straight out, but Missy stands in the middle of the kitchen staring at me and wont go outside unless either I leave the room or push her out.

Now when it comes time for them to come back in Max and saffy run back in and Missy stands outside the backdoor and stares into the kitchen and no amount of coaxing will get her back in. I either have to leave the room again or go out and get behind her and push her back in.

Now in both instances I know she wants to go out or in, but something stops her.

The day we brought her home (last March) I explained in another thread that she had been kept in a shed for a few weeks and I noticed that when I went to the house to collect her that the ex owner had to push her in to the house from the garden, because she refused to come in.

Any suggestions?

Hi Roxy it is difficult to say what started this, some small incident the you would not even notice. Maybe the previous owner called Missy in one time and did something to her she didn't like (like grooming ), to some dogs just being called in means an end to games/the removal of pleasure. That is why you should never call a dog to you or to 'come in' if you are going to do anything to it , always go and fetch the dog.

Remember things you do to a dog easily become a routine or 'rewarded behaviour' eg you pushing Missy out.

If you leave the room Missy will go in and out because you are not there to 'reward her' (yes pushing her is rewarding her behaviour).

I would not make a big thing about it and would ignore the behaviour/no word no eye contact, if she wants to go out she will. If she won't come in when the others do ignore her and shut the door for a couple of moments than open it and walk away, I bet she will come in when she gets the idea.

I have done what you suggested Mini the closing the door on Missy when she wont come in and then she just sits at the back door patiently. 5 minutes later you open the door and she just stares into the room, even puts her front paws on the kitchen floor and stares in, but if you approach her she runs back into the garden, not in a playful way rather in a scared way. Iv never done anything to warrant this kind of behaviour.

Most of the time it doesnt bother me, but today she for the first time started to actually put her paw on my knee as the other two do, to be let out. So up I get to let her out and she runs and hides at the other side of the room until I move away from the door and leave the room, then she runs out and has her toilet, now she will come back in straight away if I havent returned to the room, but if I have returned no way will she come back in although you can see shes desperate to come back in.

The worst time is last thing at night when we let the 3 of them out for their last wee, we can be there for hours with Missy sitting outside at the door waiting for us to move away from the door.

Oh well I will have to learn to put up with it.

Perhaps it has something to do with the night she went missing? Maybe something "scary" out there in her eyes?

What happens if you put her on her lead to take her out into the garden - that might be a way of getting her to see it is ok to come back in with you.

Shes always been like this, not just from last week. I just thought she would grow out of it.

If you put her lead on she will happily walk in and out the door.

Hi Roxy,

I wonder if something has spooked her, my Ebony has stopped charging down the paddock with the others, she hangs back until they've all gone through the gate. I stopped to observe and saw that Tawny, the young pointer, was making a beeline for Ebony once she did go out, and, in excitement, knocking her off her feet. This must have been happening for a while and Ebony obviously was uncomfortable with it. I have to say that there was no malice intended, they play together really well but, as she has grown, (she's now 14 months old) she has become a solid mass of muscle and it does hurt if she runs into you.

Ebony is also reluctant to come back in with everyone, I have to now close the gate and walk away with everyone in tow. Once she can see the coast is clear she will come to the gate to be let in. The others all rush up to her as if she has been missing for hours and she is fine with that, its just going through the gate that has become a problem.

I was wondering whether it would be likely that Missy had got knocked/nudged into the door frame in the enthusiasm to go out or come back in.

Now you could be right there Scorpio as Saffy (Boxer) is one hefty lump and she has no manners at all, so in the past she may have pushed Missy out the way. But if that the reason that is laughable because Missy is bigger than her now.

Hi Roxy as I said it may be some small incident you didn't notice, like being pushed or spooked as Scorpio or Lizzie suggested, even a bang or a noise that Missy suddenly became aware of when going in or out of the door .
(I didn't know she went missing )
If it is fear related Missy may also be picking up on your reaction/uncertainty so your being 'not worried' should help too

How about trying to make her think going through the door is good , what is her very favourite treat? Could you put the other dogs somewhere else, open the door and put a trail of treats out through the door then leave Missy to follow them watching discreetly and say nothing,then 'good girl' when she passes through the door , then do the same thing when you want her to come in again and repeat till she is comfortable with doing this .

It may take some time but I wouldn't physically push or coax her , she needs to get the confidence to do it on her own