Change in dog’s behavior might signal health problem

Dear Cathy: We have a border collie mix that we’ve had since he was a puppy. He used to eat his food in the hallway between the basement door and the wall.

We noticed as he got older that he would not go near his water or food, so we moved his dishes into the kitchen area on the rug. He stopped eating his food by the kitchen table, and now we have to move it into the middle of the living room.

We noticed that he’s scared of walls and doors. I don’t know why he’s so scared of everything it’s almost like he’s afraid that the walls are going to fall on him. Please help. — Robyn, Lehighton, Pennsylvania

Dear Robyn: It’s hard to know what’s making your dog fearful, but when dogs suddenly change a routine behavior, there may be a few reasons.

Your dog may not have heard you come around the corner one day, or he heard a loud, unfamiliar noise, and got startled. Dogs often associate fear with their current circumstances or location and never want to be in that location again.

When dogs act differently, there could also be a health problem. It doesn’t matter what the health problem is; it just matters that the dog doesn’t feel right and may change a behavior as a result. If your dog is a senior, doggy dementia can sometimes contribute to unexplained behaviors as well. Take him to the vet and rule out both physical and mental health issues.

If your dog is healthy and it’s just an undetermined fear, retrain your dog to become accustomed to hallways and doors again through play and reward. Start by dropping high-value treats on the hallway floor and near doors or smear peanut butter on the walls or doors at lick level, so he discovers these treats naturally and begins to feel safe in the space again. Try to play ball with your dog in the hallway.