My dog's become scared of the wood floors! What do I do?

Question

I have a 2lb Yorkshire Terrier who turned 4 years old last month and since late December, she's become completely terrified of the wood flooring in the house. This is the first time I've seen this behavior and I'm not sure of what to do.
 She stays on the carpet or rug areas only. She'll whine and cry at the bottom of the carpeted stairs if we're all downstairs in the living room where wooden flooring separates the two places.
I moved her food bowl onto the carpet upstairs near her bed and have been her ferry across the wooden floor but I don't want it to get any worse - I know that ferrying her across is only supporting her fears so I need to find a way to get rid of her fears quickly.
She's completely fine with being on concrete outside but wooden and tile floors are terrible for her.
How can I fix this behavior?
I've put her on the wooden floors on purpose but either 1) she stands there shaking with wide eyes not moving in complete terror or 2) she quickly runs off as if it would cause the death of her.
Any tip would be great.

dorothy s · Accepted Answer

Slippery floors are very dangerous for dogs. Dot a few carpet squares around the floor for her to use a stepping stones

? · Answer

When was the last time her nails were clipped?  If they're too long, she can't get any traction on indoor hard floor surfaces.  Concrete is rougher, and she could get some traction on that.  Ditto re her hair; if she got some long hair under a paw and slipped, she may have hurt herself, and now she's afraid to slip again.

There's a product sold for dogs in competition called "Tacky Paw."  It's traction in a can.  

http://www.shop.com/Tacky+Paw+Wax+Shaws+Paw+Wax-11581776-p+.xhtml

The trick will be convincing her that  the Tacky Paw works.  You might want to put it on her, and then carry her into the middle of the kitchen floor and put her down between your feet on the tile floor.  She'll feel the difference.

I suspect that once she regains her confidence, you won't need the wax any more.

? · Answer

Dogs dig in their claws when the run around. They dig in on rugs and they can scurry about with no problem. Your dog has had an episode when digging in her claws which caused her to slip and maybe even hurt herself. She knows she won't do that again. Long claws do that and slippery floors do that, Just as stairs that are slippery and they have slipped on them.They will be scared of going up or down slippery floors.
Throw rugs might do it or at least some runners for her to navigate on.Trimming her toenails shorter might help if they are quite long. She likes to dig in her toenails though.
Think of how you would act on the ice with just your shoes on. How do you move knowing you will slip and fall down, OUCH!  It only takes slipping once to remember the ouch.

? · Answer

she got hurt on that floor. she slid or something. my bull boxer is like that. but he will walk across the floor. hes to big to carry. maybe get down and show your dog thats its ok to get on the floor. and make sure no body bothers her while shes walking across it. your going to have to be careful with this one. my best friend has a cane corso who will not go down the stairs in side the house, but outside he has no problem with em. all i can say is get down on all 4's and show her its ok. go very slow.

? · Answer

Make her face her fears then let her go back to carpet keep doing it all day until she can do it with ease. Watch ceasar millian

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My dog's become scared of the wood floors! What do I do?

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