For the last several months, Loco has refused to go off our property once darkness descends, unless we are right there beside him. We have to accompany him down the road while he does his thing, which is not a bad thing since it's the law here anyway. It's the change in Loco that has us stumped - he's simply scared of the dark and doesn't want to spend another second out there that isn't necessary.
What spooked him? We can only guess...
Once a cat was sitting in the bushes that Loco chose to squat beside, and he got a sharp claw poked into his butt - made him squeal. Maybe Loco is scared there are more cats sitting in the bushes waiting to get him?
Some people walk down the road armed with rocks or sticks to scare away dogs. A few weeks ago Loco was headed down the road with me behind him, and then he spotted a man ahead of us, walking away from us. As soon as Loco spotted the man he tucked his tail between his legs and tore off back home. Maybe Loco got a little too close to that man or someone else and received a knock on the head from a rock or stick and now he's scared of strangers?
Almost every night there is a boat tour from Cancun that visits Playa Tiberon. We can hear the music from the time they arrive to the time they leave, and some nights they shoot off fireworks over the water. Loco is terrified of the boom, so does he associate the music with the boom and therefore assume that if there is music, a boom can't be far behind so he'd better stay home where he's safe?
Loco used to sleep under our bed upstairs, but since we got a door at the bottom of the staircase we've been leaving the cats and Loco downstairs alone for those nights when we sleep upstairs. Loco sleeps under the bed in the downstairs guest room every night, which is where we also sleep when we have guests. Twice now, when we've been sleeping upstairs, Loco has managed to force open the accordion door in the staircase and sheepishly tip-toe into our bedroom and slide under the bed. The first time he heard thunder, so we understood. But last night? There was nothing we could hear that led us to believe Loco came up out of fear of a boom. We are forced to conclude that our dog is simply scared of the dark.
It's rather ironic that the dog, who is supposed to protect us from all evil, needs to sleep under the bed we are sleeping in because he's scared. Somehow he feels safe under the bed and in the same room as 'mama' and 'papa'. Who is protecting whom here?
9 comments:
Sue, Saby hears sounds that we can't hear. Sometimes, she follows us right on our heels or hides in the closet and we can't figure it out. And a little later, a storm will blow in. I'd love to know what happened to her to make her so afraid. I'm betting the cat swiping and maybe a human with a stick left a deep impression on Loco outdoors. And he's probably got that fear of loud noises. Dogs are like little kids!
Poor Loco .. give him a big hug and kiss from me.
That's Loco coping. Lora barks at the little red Augakan truck that hit her a year and a half ago and tries chse it if she's off leash. But anything else, bombitas, etc. she runs into to her carrier....even opening it's door if need be. And now she knows when I am getting ready to leave, it's just easier to get in there and stay. She is quick to go into it when told, too. Under a bed that has room for her fat body would be where I think she'd go if I had that kind of bed. Pobrecito Loco!
I must admit, every since I was snuck up on and bit from behind, I am very aware and leary of dogs running loose. If I have to walk down a street, I am armed with rocks. I seldom have to throw them. Just raising your arm usually does the trick.
scared of the dark? NAW, not me ! It's whats under the bed that scares me.!! Debbie was sooo mad at me when she came home and saw i cut the legs off the bed !!! BUT, i'm not scared anymore:-))
Beck - they sure are like little kids!
K - ok on the hug, nix on the kiss (you never know where he puts his mouth - lol!)
Zina - there is just something about being under the bed, I guess, that makes him feel safe.
Wayne - I am armed sometimes too, as I never trust street dogs that I don't know. Can't blame people for that, better to be safe than sorry and most dogs that are just bent on giving you a good scare will turn tail as soon as you move your hand as if to pick up something to throw at them. Loco never bothers people but he used to follow them if they were carrying food.
Carl - I'm with you - under the bed lives spooky things that will grab my feet or any other part that dangles over the edge. It would be fine with me if 'under the bed' did not exist but Loco might have a tough time of it.
hard to say what goes on in their little brains....my big ferocious male St Bernard will stand in the window at night and whimper and whine...but if I take him out into that same dark night to do his thing...he's fine...exploring everywhere...go figure....
I think our pets see 'ghosts', or at least things we don't see. Here that would be aluxes (Mayan leprechauns). Last night Loco wouldn't eat or even stay outside because there was a children's party down the street with someone using a microphone. He is truly ridiculous!
Poor Loco. I'd be a bit nervous if a cat swatted me from a bush when I was in the middle of doing my business.
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