Hey Guys,

I am hoping someone has some insight into what is going on with my almost 4 year old male husky. He is very mild mannered and always been good with other dogs and humans. He grew up in a home with a backyard and has always had other dogs in the house. Recently I have remodeled my house and put my house up for sale and just moved to an apartment with my fiance and her dog, they have always gotten along very well. One night several weeks ago we were out for a walk around the apartment complex and he sniffed a bush and just started freaking out, tail dropped and he was frantically trying to get away and was on very high alert. There was nothing around and no explanation for his behavior. We even took her dog out there to the exact area and he had no reaction whatsoever. When we got back inside our husky continued to act freaked out and would not calm down. He had previously walked around the same area and complex with no issues. He has since started acting more and more like this when we are on walks and they are always totally unprovoked. He has started to growl at other dogs on walks. Last night he did the same thing at a different area in the complex but my fiance was walking him and could not control him, he pulled her to the ground trying to escape and she completely shattered her phone. In the midst of all of it he peed all over himself and it smelled awful, like nothing we had smelled before. I just don't know why he would be acting like this and don't know what to do but she is scared to walk him anymore as he is a 75 lb husky and quite strong. We don't want him running away and getting hit by a car or getting lost in a new area he doesn't know very well since we just moved there. If anyone has dealt with behavior like this before and has any tips or training ideas that will help him please let me know!!

Thanks,

Dustin

No idea, but, if this were me, I'd take him to a vet. Almost sounds like he got stung/ bit by something in the bush(?).

One comment, the change in the odor of his urine - especially if it were soon after the episode - could be nothing more than 'hormones' (for lack of a better word.)

Your description of 'freaking out, tail dropped' suggest that something about the odor of another animal marking scared him. Since he also does it at other locations it looks like the other animal might be wild / at large. Do you have, for example, boars / bobcats in your area that he might be afraid of?

I'd suspect a feral or stray, more likely feral canine, unless you walk in areas where someone walks a wolfdog or coy dog.

I have wolfdogs, high content animals and, other dogs react with wariness and some fear at the scent my alpha male leaves when he marks. Of course my own don't but, they are part of his pack. We also have coyotes here and, when they get to yipping, my boys howl and, the coyotes are silent and, never come in sight. A feral canine could easily have that effect.