Scared of shadows/dark?

Just took Barney out for his evening walk and he appears to be freaked out by shadows. He bolts in the opposite direction, dragging me behind him! Is this a common thing? Will he just adjust with time? He seems to have a problem with walking at night.

Suki was like that as well. I'm not sure what caused it but the more frequently we took her out the better she got. Just be patient and don't force things. Treats are also a big help.

Phew! I was worried because its the first time he's been like this since we got him at the end of March. I'll take it slowly with him and try treats.

Thanks!

How old is he? Dogs go through fear periods at certain ages which can result in them being fearful of things that never bothered them previously, how we handle this sudden change of behaviour can determine how they perceive the new found 'boogie man' and whether the fear stays or they grow through it.

He's 4. We've only had him a month so we're learning all these things everyday!

Something's just spook them, darcy gets spooked if the ceiling fan is on and the table cloth moves lots of reassurance & patience and he'll soon settle down.

How has Barney been getting on?

Ellie wrote:How has Barney been getting on?

He was great sleeping the last few weeks, but the last few nights he's howled, cried and scratched the door. We changed his harness and he's pulling again - his last harness stopped it but rubbed his skin. Still trying to sort out his toilet trouble is still a worry (blood in the poo). Other than that, he's a lovely dog.