25 replies to this topic

[Emilyjade]

Hello there,
This is my first post and I am here seeking advice. I dont know, maybe Im looking for comfort, reassurance or just someone to tell me I am being overly silly. Things happen and I cant really explain the reasons why.

My husband and I moved into our new home, its about 4 years old. Its a fairly large house, too big just for the two of us to be honest, but we are planning on having children soon. He unfortunately travels away for work often and most nights lately I am left on my own. This in itself does not worry me, but recently weird unexpalined things seem to happen around the house Iin particular this one bedroom) which kinda makes me think is something is going on, should I be worried.

One of the upstairs room we have turned into a guest bedroom. I spent a lot of time lovingly decorating it. Its picture perfect, well, to me anyway. For some reason, whenever I close the door to that room, my two dogs just go absolutely crazy, scratching and whining at that door, to be let in. At first, I thought they may have left one of their toys/bones in the room so I opened the door to let them in. They bounded straight for the bed, scratched and pulled at the quilt cover until its completely off  and proceed to rip into the mattress.

My first reaction was point finger at the door while yelling them to get off and out, tails between their legs. Then I went looking to see what they were so excited about. I looked under the mattress, bed, in fact pulled all the sheets off, nothing. Completely new bed, sheets, quilt etc.

One night whilest watching the television in the lounge room, I heard my two dogs again, growling and scratching, you guessed it, same door. Angrily I went up and opened the door to see what the commotion was about, walked into the room, but the two dogs refused to enter. Instead they just stood at the entrance and whined. This same event happend for the next few nights to the point where I actually got scared and asked my best friend to stay with me, pretending to tell her it was just so I can catch up on the latest. Nothing happened. I even showed her the room and purposely lingered there. The dogs werent even interested, they just stayed downstairs by the fire.

So Im on my own again, and the dogs are at it again. That bedroom door now has some pretty seriously deep scratches on it. The dogs are desperate to get it at whatever is inside, but wont enter the room themselves. They just hang at the door entrance. I am now too scared to go near that area of the house at nights. I have told my husband this and he thinks Im just being silly.

Am I just being silly, paranoid maybe because Im alone? Or is there more to this. Should I be worried. Please help me.

Thanking you.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

I'd say something's clearly pissed off the dogs, it's possible that they think you are in danger and as a member of their "pack" they need to protect you.

[Armchair Educated]

Ummmm i have know idea what would be in your room but i can try to guess at some of there behaviours. Moving to a new house can stress out pets alot, when you were in the room and they were shut outside they might of just wanted to get in and be with you. Dogs have a pack mentality and when your friend was round it would of affected them as they wouldnt have the same responsiblitys as they would when your friend was there. Your dogs are used to your habits and could see that you were looking to her for reassurance rather than them. ( you proberly hugged your friend when she entered the house and any one who has two dogs knows if you give one affection the other one wants it too) Theres alot of new smells in a new house which might drive your dogs crazy tying to get to it. ( i assume youve got two male dogs, have they been spaded, if a female dog had been there before they might be able to smell it on the matteres). I have heard of dogs seeing spirits and have had an experience my self but try fabrezing your matress. hope every things fine

[ZaraKitty]

Try to feed them in the room? Maybe burn some incense and send some positive energy in there. If nothing changes seal off the room.

[behaviour???]

OK...Not quite an expert at this, but why dont you take them in after removing all valuables from the room, and see what they pick?

[Knight Of Shadows]

check the room for small animals or insects that may provoke your dogs this way

[ealdwita]

I have exactly the same problem in my house. Neither of my dogs will enter what is now our 'utility' room, but until the beginning of the 20th.Cent. was the 'Buttery'. Two 'apparitions' have been recorded in the house which dates from the 16th.Cent.

If your dogs are damaging the door, I suggest you leave it open as we do, and like ours - they may soon ignore it. (But after 2 years - they still won't go in!)

Edited by ealdwita, 12 July 2012 - 02:16 PM.

[P4UL N0153]

Echoing the rodent/insect sentiment. Dogs acting skittish usually relates to something making them feel uncomfortable. I would leave the door open to the room, see if this helps with their behaviour.

[Seeker79]

Hmmmmmm... Force them in and see how they react. I'm curiouse.

[Emilyjade]

Thankyou everyone for your time and input. Granted, some of the suggestions freaked me out a bit lol and others are logical I guess. I took the bed out but the dogs have no interest in the bed. I thought that may have been the issue. They are still just hanging outside the door to the room and wont go in. I went in the room and closed the door on them, of course they then went berserk as expected but as soon as I opened the door, they just whined, but still refuse to enter. I pulled one in with me, cant handle two as they are too big. When he was inside the room, he was very submissive and stuck very close to my legs. I went out pretty fast and so did the dog. It seemed pretty happy to be out of the room, the big chicken lol.

I guess I wouldnt have worried so much if the dogs acutally entered the room and chased, scratched, bark at whatever sound, smell, sight that they can pick up, that would be normal and would suggests perhaps a rodent/pest in the room. However ever since that one time when they attacked the mattress, they have since refused to go into that room.

I have made an appointment with our local pest controller to do a full inspection on Monday to make sure there are no pests of sorts in the house. If I get the all clear and this drama still continues, I dont think I will be at ease until we move out.

[Rat Girl]

You say they DID go in one time.....and you told them off bad enough to run out with their tails between their legs. Thats a scared dog. I've never yelled at my dog enough to make him display this body language, and I'd be upset if I did. Dogs do need discipline, yes, but a dog shouldn't be so scared of your discipline that it runs out with its tail between its legs.

It makes me wonder if you have scared them from going in there from your reaction to the last time they entered. They still want in, because its new, but they remember the last time they went in, and how it ended.

[IamLegend]

There's probably a smell in the room that's irritating/interesting them. Leave the door open so they get used to the presumable smell. You may also want to check for rodents/insects. Bedbugs perhaps?

[Moon Gazer]

I have no idea but your story gave me the heeby jeebies! sounds like something straight out of a horror movie, like its setting the scene lol.  I'll be checking for updates on this thread, that would probably freak me out too.  Good luck, hope you can figure out what it is.

[Super-Fly]

Burn the mattress, plenty of fire.
not in the house of course.

Then buy a new one.

Is it a new bed and mattress?
or not.

Thanks,

[bLu3 de 3n3rgy]

^The bed is not the issue - she took it out.

If it was just a scent they were picking up, i don't think the door being closed would make an awful lot of difference. Plus when dogs are on a scent they make it very well known via their body language, sniffing and pointing into the air. Esp scents they are weary of come with exaggerated posing. It doesn't sound like a scent issue to me, unless the dogs are doing this. The fact they go berserk when the door is closed suggests it is blocking their line of sight and that even though they are not wanting to cross the line into the room, they are clearly wanting to watch / guarding mode. maybe it's a sound frequency being emitted from something, that humans can't hear in there.

Getting the place checked for pests is a good idea and maybe it can be explained that way, either way, let us know what the verdict is.

Have you tried taking them outside to that side of the house and see if they look up at that room / wall ? Another thing to try is see if both dogs are truly reacting to this. Separate them for a couple of hrs or until are settled, then take one at a time to the room and see how they are on their own. When I had 2 terriers, they egged each on all the time lol. Despite one being deaf and ancient and half blind he would react in relation to what the younger dog did, which would make the younger dog even more over the top and so on.

Edited by bLu3 de 3n3rgy, 19 July 2012 - 04:59 AM.