Dog Runs Like Crazy Inside for No Reason

April 9, 2013 11:39 AM

So, we recently moved from a small apartment to a big apartment, about 3x size of the old one. Tiny dog has adjusted well, except for one thing: he runs around the house, to get from Point A to Point B. Walking no longer occurs. We'd really like him to walk like a civilized beast again, if possible.

Our dog, a small rat terrier, used to live with us in a tiny one-bedroom, and is a lazy little guy who doesn't even enjoy walking on a leash. He spends his days sacked out near his human(s) if we're there, or in his crate if we're not. Since moving to this big new space, however, he's started running from room to room, as though he cannot get to the kitchen fast enough from the living room. This was never a problem at our old place, because the kitchen was two steps away from the living room. Now that it's clear on the other side of the house... zoom. He is extremely fast, and does a full sprint following us from room to room, guaranteeing that he will beat us to whatever room we're headed towards.

His speed and stopping tears up the carpet loops and is probably making our downstairs neighbors unhappy, though we've not heard a complaint. It's making me super crazy because it's irrational; I know dogs are not rational creatures but it is just so bizarre for him to run from room to room just to get there faster. There's no reward for getting there first. Note, this is a dog who actively opposes exercise; he hates walking on a leash, and when let off-leash in a play area, even alone, he clings to our ankles. Not actively fearful of play in general, just... not into it.

Can anyone recommend a training method that will encourage our dog to walk instead of run inside the house? Or is this a lost cause?

posted by juniperesque to Pets & Animals (10 answers total)

The laziness and anti-play sounds a lot like mine (a Jack Russell). Is he always near you in the house, or does he walk (or run, I guess) around alone? Since he follows you around (just running ahead), you could get him to stick close by (walking) by dangling a treat as you go from one room to another. Of course, I'd hesitate to do that for my dog because it would just make her clingier.

Could you leave more doors shut most of the way to block his path?

All that said, I bet he'll get used to it and chill out. In his tiny brain, he thinks you're still on vacation or something.

Also, unanswerable blah blah without a picture.
posted by supercres at 11:57 AM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

Try putting him on a short leash and walking him back and forth inside the apartment. He tried something different in the new environment, it wasn't a bad experience, he got used to it and will keep doing it until he gets used to something else - hopefully walking calmly from one end to the other.

Another option might be putting dog gates between the rooms temporarily until he gets used to not running.
posted by Yorrick at 12:00 PM on April 9, 2013

Was your old apartment carpeted, or otherwise with a floor the opposite of your current one? He could be feeling flush with his new stability (or, alternatively, nervous about slipping and sliding and thus trying to Get It Over With). And/or, he's still suffering a sort of overall anxiety related to moving, and racing around helps vent it.
posted by acm at 12:04 PM on April 9, 2013

Yeah, I would guess that acm has a point about venting anxiety - moving can be stressful on a dog. Our dog always charges around full-tilt immediately after a bath (which is of course just the most stressful and horrible thing anybody has ever endured ever) - she runs like her ass end is just a bit faster than her front end, which is kind of hilarious to watch.

If it is stress, he'll probably settle down over time as he gets more comfortable with his new surroundings, but since it sounds like this is mostly happening as he accompanies you from room to room, maybe you could start teaching him to sit and wait for your okay before he passes through any doorway? This is a common approach to teaching a dog not to dash out the front door, but it might also be useful in curtailing your dog's charge through the house ... at the very least, if he's stopping at every door he won't be getting up quite such a head of steam.

(and seconding the call for pictures!)
posted by DingoMutt at 12:27 PM on April 9, 2013

My childhood corgi would always do this in new places, now that I think about it.

This is something you just need to give a few weeks/month for him to calm down.
posted by emptythought at 12:31 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

Is it possible he wanted to run around your old place but just didn't have the room?
posted by obol at 1:35 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

This is a long shot, but could this be a dominance thing? Is he racing to get to the other room because he *has* to get there before you do? Does he race to the other rooms when you're not going there, or is it only to beat you there? I ask because my dog, Brandy will race to get everywhere before our other dog, Cocoa because she's insistent that she's gotta be first in all things before him. She'll even race across the yard and push him out of the way to get into the door before he does.

Just a thought.
posted by patheral at 5:11 PM on April 9, 2013

I know you say he isn't digging exercise but I think if this dog was tired it would be different. He is a terrier. I really think he finding an outlet for his energy would be very good for him. I wouldn't like running on a leash at all but if someone made me I'd get used to it. I think it would be good for him. That being said rat terriers are REALLY smart so maybe mental stimulation would help a bit. My dog loves the rolly ball that you have to roll a certain way to get his food (instead of getting it in a bowl). I'm afraid it doesn't sound like that would help the neighbors any.
posted by beccaj at 5:37 PM on April 9, 2013

Could it be that he's nervous about the new place, and doesn't understand that you're staying there for good? My dog does a version of this when she sees me getting ready to leave the house - she doesn't want to be left behind, so she runs ahead of me to the door, whether or not she's coming with me. If that were the case, I'd think a bit of time in the new place would be all that will help. Though keeping him on a leash in the house might make him feel like he always gets to be with you, which could help make him feel safer.
posted by violetish at 6:01 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

My dog also does this in new places. And he runs inside when he is super excited or stressed out (like after a bath or when someone he really likes comes home). Your dog might be doing the same thing. Once he's used to the new place, he'll probably stop.
posted by Polychrome at 4:05 AM on April 11, 2013