Lassie he is not

[theoconbrio]

Last night I turned the oven on to make pizza. Apparently SU had made a pie that spilled as she pulled it out, but she didn't see it. So when I cranked the oven up to 450 the drippings started to burn, which of course I didn't notice until there was blue smoke throughout the whole house because I am an idiot. I was running around opening windows and turning fans on, and SU (who was sitting on the couch with Theo) said, "Hey, something's wrong. Theo's really shivering!" I went over and sure enough, he was shaking uncontrollably and licking his lips, lying very low and still on the couch. We had no idea what was going on. I thought he was going to throw up so I tried to scoot him into the kitchen (away from the carpet). NO DICE. Instead, he ran to the sliding doors to the back deck and pawed and whined. I opened them and he ran out and sat in the corner, staring pathetically.

We realized that he was afraid of the smoke. After about 15 minutes, when the house had cleared out, I tried to entice him back inside. NO DICE. So I threw a Cheese Nip (tm) in the doorway, which he of course ran over and ate. So I tossed one an inch inside the door, and then another, and another, all the way into the kitchen. By then he was happy again, and we had a good tug & toss with his stuffed gorilla.

SU said, "Some watchdog he is. Isn't he supposed to run to us barking and then lead us out of the house to safety?"

It was all very strange. I've never had a dog do this before out of fear (shiver and stay still instead of running away or barking). Have you experienced it?

[Kayte85]

I had a lab (lab and newfoundland mix) who was afraid of smoke also, and he acted the same way. just sat very still and wouldn't move. He would growl if you tried to move him, it was wierd. But we are also talking about a dog who slept in the bathtub at night. LOL! He is just a wierdo all around.

[Buckyball]

Well I have not seen Buck react to smoke. But he is afraid of cardboard boxes. He doesn't shake but he does pathetically sit in a corner and whine!
And then quickly scurries over to the door and whines and cries to be let out. Once he is out you really have to coax him to come back inside.

They sure are big babies sometimes :P

[jzgrlduff]

I've never had a dog do this before out of fear (shiver and stay still instead of running away or barking). Have you experienced it?

Oh yea. You just described Tucker. :-\ It's a good thing though, the shivering, because we always know when he's not feeling right. He'll sit there looking at us pathetically, shaking like a leaf.

[Emma the Lab]

Awww poor Theo!!!

[labby]

Poor Theo. Most dogs I think are afraid of smoke. He's just showing he's smart.

[imported_zoezoe]

Poor Theo! He says be sure to clean the oven, dad!!

[imported_bearsdad]

That how Bear reacts when the smoke detector goes off in the kitchen - runs and cowers in the farthest corner of the yard.

[MicksMom]

...Have you experienced it?

Sure have. Caleb gets very aggitated when there's smoke in the house. Not only will he not go in the kitchen, he doesn't even relax in the livingroom the smoke clears. New YEar's Day we had a grease fire (thankfully contained to one burner), and I left him out in the "pee-pen" until the smoke cleared.

[zoesmom]

Zoe is afraid of smoke; the grill, something burning in the oven (like your incident), fireworks (she seems to tolerate the noise; it's the smoke she doesn't like).

If in the house, she'll go far away from the source and lay down and wait.

She's not Lassie either.