The UK is renowned as one of the largest pet loving nations in the world with the most popular pet by far the family dog. While many humans are struggling with the lockdown the subject of containment phobia regarding animals has been discussed at length. A phobia of being contained in a relatively small space is not exclusive to humans and it would appear that many dogs do suffer from a containment phobia.
Is containment phobia rife amongst dogs?
In order to understand the whole concept of dog containment phobia we need to look back over hundreds of years when dogs were not domesticated and literally ran wild. Yes, they would have their own “patch” so to speak but they would not be confined to a particular area and certainly not a small area. It is only as we have begun to domesticate what were essentially wild animals that containment phobia has started to emerge amongst dogs.
Is it right to suggest that containment phobia is rife? Perhaps the best way to put it is that it is unnatural for a dog to be confined in a relatively small area.
How does dog containment phobia show itself?
We will now take a look at some of the more common examples of containment phobia amongst dogs, and indeed amongst other pets, which you will likely come across on a regular basis.
Locked in a room
When your dog has free reign over the house and can go from room to room with no barriers they will certainly be more settled. Yes, they may spend most of the time in one particular room or follow their owners around but there is no element of containment phobia. However, have you noticed that once you close the door on any room, whether you are in the room are out of the room, they start to claw and get frustrated?
This is the start of containment phobia and while some dogs will lay at the door waiting for their owner to open the door, others will scratch frantically to “escape”. This increased tension can lead to friction between owners and dogs and a relatively innocuous scenario can very quickly escalate. In this scenario it is best to de-escalate and calm your dog down rather than shout and bawl because that does no good – they will feel under attack as you would in their shoes!
Living crates
Many people swear by crate training with their dogs as a means of introducing a degree of discipline and control. There is some debate about this particular strategy as to whether it works and whether it is cruel. What you will tend to find is that some dogs will see their crate as their home and an area in which they live and control. Many will quite freely walk into their crate on a regular basis go to sleep and enjoy the peace and quiet. However, this general relaxed nature seems to be more apparent when the crate door is open?
Have you ever seen those puppy dog eyes looking at you when the crate door is closed, when they can’t freely leave of their own accord and need to wait to be let out? These comments on this subject will attract a degree of discussion and disagreements but as a dog owner I have seen the way in which my pet looked at me when we had a crate (which we don’t have any more).
Containment phobia can escalate very quickly
Dogs are very much creatures of habit and some of these habits are not helpful and not healthy. For example, dogs can be obsessed with digging to the point where they are literally out of breath but they keep going. You will see this degree of obsession with some dogs suffering from containment phobia as their frustration and their anxiety comes to the fore. They may literally scratch the floor until they are shattered, sometimes bleeding, they may jump up and scratch the door and in some cases they can harm themselves but keep on going.
If you see an episode of extreme containment phobia with your dog you will see their frustration and anxiety to be free very often overrides the hurt felt through physical injury. It is only when the phobia dies down and everything moves back to normal that you will be able to examine them for any injuries. We have seen some extreme and very alarming cases of containment phobia which have resulted in significant injuries.
Containment phobia and mental anxiety
While for many people watching their beloved dog work through an episode of containment phobia can be distressing, we can only imagine the mental anxiety this causes. We know from research that breeds such as border collies, which are bred to be active 24/7, can suffer from extreme mental anxiety when not active (and often develop repetitive obsessive habits). Indeed many working dogs are given a type of mild sedative if for some reason they are unable to work, in order to bring them down. This will help to battle the inevitable buildup of frustration and anxiety.
If you speak to pet behavioural experts in vets they will often talk about obsessive behaviour which can come about as a consequence of containment phobia. If for example your dog scratches a particular area of the room, or acts in an obsessive manner, then you need to address this as soon as possible. While not impossible to “rewire their brains” and stop them from this obsessive behaviour the more “natural” it becomes the more difficult it is to change.
Conclusion
We often forget that dogs, and other pets, once ran wild across the countryside with no hint of domestication. While there is no doubt that many people love their dogs, see them as part of the family and do everything for them, containment phobia is a natural instinct within any animal which feels “caged”. Many people may argue differently with regards to the use of crates but you will notice the animal is more relaxed when the crate door is open and they can come and go of their own free will. So, dog containment phobia is a real issue and one which you would do well to appreciate as an animal lover.
Why not put ourselves in their shoes, over hundreds of years they have gone from running wild in the countryside to domesticated and sometimes locked in a relatively confined space. In that scenario, you would probably experience outbursts of containment phobia!
