Afraid of the dark? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Yorkie Owned · 11-08-2005, 05:34 PM

Is anyone's yorkie afraid of the dark??
I swear Mia is... she HATES to go outside to potty when its dark, even though she nevers has to go out alone. My husband always goes outside with them in the evenings when they take potty breaks and stays with them till they come back inside. We have to force her to go out, then she is the first one to come back in.
She will not go into any dark rooms, bedtime is ok, but she is sleeping with mommy and daddy

so that's alright.
But in the morning when I get up -it is still dark out at that time- she will not get out of bed to go potty. I have to carry her outside.
I have never heard of a dog being scared of the dark, but I really think she is...
Anyone else have this problem?

txshopper73 · 11-08-2005, 05:53 PM

I've not heard of that either. How old is she?

spydergurl · 11-08-2005, 06:00 PM

How old is she? Maybe she is just young and "inexperienced".

We live in the country and there are no lights out here and we have no fences. We have coyotes lingering around, so we ALWAYS stay with our girls. Mine aren't afraid of the dark and I have to keep telling them to stay with me. We have 3 BIG dogs that live outside and do a good job of keeping the coyotes at bay!

yorkieusa · 11-08-2005, 06:10 PM

I've seen some that won't go into the dark. I would install a light. If that's not possible, try some that are powered by the sun.

Yorkie Owned · 11-08-2005, 06:12 PM

She's 10 months old but I noticed this behavior out of her months ago. We live in town and have a large fenced in back yard.. To my knowledge there has never been anything other than birds and squirrels in her backyard

She loves to be out there during the day- would stay out all day if I would let her, but when the sun goes down she doesn't want any part of being outside.
We have a screened in back porch with a light, but she still isn't crazy about going beyond that.
I don't know why she is so spooked to go out...

az jude · 11-08-2005, 06:21 PM

Thought mine was the only "Scaredy Cat"!!!! I have to go out with her in the early morning if it is not quite daylight and also have to carry her out!!! When it is dark outside at night- does not even want to go out!!! Turn the patio light on and she only goes to the edge of the patio to do her "business" We have accent lights in the back yard so it is not totally dark. Also we have a 7 foot concrete block wall so they are totally safe out there!! She is 10 months old and has been this way sionce 10 weeks of age!!! What characters!!!!

simonandhallie · 11-08-2005, 06:32 PM

Simon is! He is 2 now and we sleep with a night light! If we are ever driving in the car at night time he starts to whimper and shake, he gets so scared. I think it's all the head lights! Mine are trained inside but if we leave and it's dark, he refuses to walk outside! I thought he would get used to it but oh well, I will just keep lights in Simon's life

Jo-Jo · 11-08-2005, 06:45 PM

We had our neighbor (who is an electrician) install an outdoor flood light so the boys would go out at night but Jo still doesn't like to go out unless we're with him. That boy will kill spiders, bugs, worms and one night he even went after a snake but he won't go outside alone to potty after dark...go figure! I should add though, he's fine with dark rooms in the house, garage, car etc...he's laying at the end of the hall chewing on a Nylabone in the dark right now...it's just the outside I guess. Oh, first we tried the solar lights around the outside of the fence...don't bother...they put out less light than a match and they aren't cheap!

yorkieusa · 11-08-2005, 07:59 PM

I would never let mine go out in the dark without me. I'm a chicken. I'm afraid of what may pop up out there. I have found opposums out there before, besides snakes. I'm also afraid of anything else unknown to me.

My yard is fenced in and has lights, but that doesn't keep critters from wandering in.

ldenise · 11-08-2005, 08:17 PM

OOOHH YES! big time afraid. Ahia will go out at night but she jumps at every movement or sound. it takes her forever to potty when it is dark out. the wind scares her too, but only if it is dark. she has always been this way tho.

chloeandj · 11-08-2005, 08:33 PM

Tinkerbell is afraid of the dark too. I realized this when we went camping this summer and she was soo afraid to go out to potty when I couldn't find the flashlight. She also will not go outside at night until I turn the outside light on, she will look at me and wait if I forget, as soon as I turn it on, she runs out. Sometimes she will still be afraid to go out on the grass to pee and I have to walk out with her.

toninm · 11-09-2005, 06:43 AM

that is funny!! Maybe she is going through her "scared phase"

kindness_001 · 11-09-2005, 06:52 AM

Wow sure glad mine arent scared. we had porchersaccross from us last night and the dogs ran them off. hehehe. what they get for shooting guns in the dark they could kill someone.

ilovemyabbie · 11-09-2005, 07:00 AM

Abbie was scared of the dark when she was little, now she goes out does her business. And gets back in before she misses anything. LOL She is crazy. She used to bark at her shadow on the ground. It was funny.

Yorkie Owned · 11-09-2005, 05:58 PM

I'm glad to hear Mia is not the only one- I just have to laugh at her sometimes- she has such expressive facial features and she will look at us like "what?? you don't think I am going OUT THERE do you?? Can't you see it's dark??"
She sure does her business quickly at night though

No messin' around!

11-08-2005, 05:34 PM	#1
Yorkie Owned YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 277	Afraid of the dark? Is anyone's yorkie afraid of the dark?? I swear Mia is... she HATES to go outside to potty when its dark, even though she nevers has to go out alone. My husband always goes outside with them in the evenings when they take potty breaks and stays with them till they come back inside. We have to force her to go out, then she is the first one to come back in. She will not go into any dark rooms, bedtime is ok, but she is sleeping with mommy and daddy so that's alright. But in the morning when I get up -it is still dark out at that time- she will not get out of bed to go potty. I have to carry her outside. I have never heard of a dog being scared of the dark, but I really think she is... Anyone else have this problem?

11-08-2005, 05:53 PM	#2
txshopper73 Donating YT 14K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 14,226 Blog Entries: 1	I've not heard of that either. How old is she? __________________ As always...JMO (Just My Opinion) Kimberley

11-08-2005, 06:10 PM	#4
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 21,173	I've seen some that won't go into the dark. I would install a light. If that's not possible, try some that are powered by the sun. __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

11-08-2005, 06:12 PM	#5
Yorkie Owned YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 277	She's 10 months old but I noticed this behavior out of her months ago. We live in town and have a large fenced in back yard.. To my knowledge there has never been anything other than birds and squirrels in her backyard She loves to be out there during the day- would stay out all day if I would let her, but when the sun goes down she doesn't want any part of being outside. We have a screened in back porch with a light, but she still isn't crazy about going beyond that. I don't know why she is so spooked to go out... Last edited by Yorkie Owned; 11-08-2005 at 06:16 PM.

11-08-2005, 06:21 PM	#6
az jude Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 149	"Fraid of dark too!!! Thought mine was the only "Scaredy Cat"!!!! I have to go out with her in the early morning if it is not quite daylight and also have to carry her out!!! When it is dark outside at night- does not even want to go out!!! Turn the patio light on and she only goes to the edge of the patio to do her "business" We have accent lights in the back yard so it is not totally dark. Also we have a 7 foot concrete block wall so they are totally safe out there!! She is 10 months old and has been this way sionce 10 weeks of age!!! What characters!!!!

11-08-2005, 06:00 PM	#3
spydergurl YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 516	How old is she? Maybe she is just young and "inexperienced". We live in the country and there are no lights out here and we have no fences. We have coyotes lingering around, so we ALWAYS stay with our girls. Mine aren't afraid of the dark and I have to keep telling them to stay with me. We have 3 BIG dogs that live outside and do a good job of keeping the coyotes at bay!

11-08-2005, 06:32 PM	#7
simonandhallie *I Love My Monkeys!* Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Falling Waters, WV Posts: 11,166	Simon is! He is 2 now and we sleep with a night light! If we are ever driving in the car at night time he starts to whimper and shake, he gets so scared. I think it's all the head lights! Mine are trained inside but if we leave and it's dark, he refuses to walk outside! I thought he would get used to it but oh well, I will just keep lights in Simon's life

11-08-2005, 06:45 PM	#8
Jo-Jo YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 397	We had our neighbor (who is an electrician) install an outdoor flood light so the boys would go out at night but Jo still doesn't like to go out unless we're with him. That boy will kill spiders, bugs, worms and one night he even went after a snake but he won't go outside alone to potty after dark...go figure! I should add though, he's fine with dark rooms in the house, garage, car etc...he's laying at the end of the hall chewing on a Nylabone in the dark right now...it's just the outside I guess. Oh, first we tried the solar lights around the outside of the fence...don't bother...they put out less light than a match and they aren't cheap! Last edited by Jo-Jo; 11-08-2005 at 06:49 PM.

11-08-2005, 07:59 PM	#9
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 21,173	I would never let mine go out in the dark without me. I'm a chicken. I'm afraid of what may pop up out there. I have found opposums out there before, besides snakes. I'm also afraid of anything else unknown to me. My yard is fenced in and has lights, but that doesn't keep critters from wandering in. __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

11-08-2005, 08:17 PM	#10
ldenise YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Rancho Viejo, Tx Posts: 2,698	OOOHH YES! big time afraid. Ahia will go out at night but she jumps at every movement or sound. it takes her forever to potty when it is dark out. the wind scares her too, but only if it is dark. she has always been this way tho. __________________ Buckeye, Ahia, Tressie, Archie & LDenise Dogs are really people with short legs in fur coats

11-08-2005, 08:33 PM	#11
chloeandj Tinkerbell, My Little Flutterpup Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Beautiful California! Posts: 6,112	Tinkerbell is afraid of the dark too. I realized this when we went camping this summer and she was soo afraid to go out to potty when I couldn't find the flashlight. She also will not go outside at night until I turn the outside light on, she will look at me and wait if I forget, as soon as I turn it on, she runs out. Sometimes she will still be afraid to go out on the grass to pee and I have to walk out with her.

11-09-2005, 06:43 AM	#12
toninm My Yorkie is my life Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1,187	that is funny!! Maybe she is going through her "scared phase" __________________ Toni & Dollar http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?i=212581

11-09-2005, 06:52 AM	#13
kindness_001 Yorkies LUV never grows old Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Owensville,In.47665 Posts: 889	Wow sure glad mine arent scared. we had porchersaccross from us last night and the dogs ran them off. hehehe. what they get for shooting guns in the dark they could kill someone. __________________ Megan, Killer, Cocoa Latte, and Ebony Lousie

11-09-2005, 07:00 AM	#14
ilovemyabbie YT Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: South Georgia Posts: 282	Abbie was scared of the dark when she was little, now she goes out does her business. And gets back in before she misses anything. LOL She is crazy. She used to bark at her shadow on the ground. It was funny. __________________ EVERYBODY can do SOMETHING ! A little is MUCH better than NOTHING !!!

11-09-2005, 05:58 PM	#15
Yorkie Owned YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 277	I'm glad to hear Mia is not the only one- I just have to laugh at her sometimes- she has such expressive facial features and she will look at us like "what?? you don't think I am going OUT THERE do you?? Can't you see it's dark??" She sure does her business quickly at night though No messin' around!