Puppy Psychosis

Roger, our Schnauzer, has developed a worsening phobia of wood flooring over the past few months.  I don't get it.  We've always had hardwood floors, even in our Tucson house where we raised him during the first year and a half of his life.  Now he just stands and wobbles like a clumsy tapdancer while trying to figure out how to cross the living room floor. 

On the interwebz, I've read similar complaints from others, and the advice offered is that it's because the dog can't get any traction on the slippery surface, but that doesn't seem to fit here.  Roger has never had this problem before, regardless of the length of his nails or how recently buffed the floor might have been (which is practically never). 

Anyway, we're off to by an area rug now.  We'll see if that helps.

Comments

[Robguy]

At least it's only wood floors - one of our corgis has developed a nervous condition where he licks his front legs until the hair is gone and they start to bleed. I tried taping up one side and he just started working on the other. He looks like he's slit his wrists.

For the slipping - they sell a wax you can put on the dogs paw to help them grip. I never thought that was a good compromise since the wax would eventually transfer to the floor. Good luck with the rug.

[Gabriel]

one of my schnauzers has a problem walking across manhole covers. they are really special dogs!

[urspo]

we have had a series of schnauzers, and some of them did not like surfaces too smooth to get a good 'traction'.