I have a two year old English Springer Spaniel called Teal. Since she was a pup, if she is in a situation where she is frightened, she totally freezes up, making her legs and body go totally stiff.

This caused me a lot of concern a few months ago when she was swimming, I think she fell off a rock in the water and totally froze, so I had to go into the water to rescure her!

Other occasions when this happen's are when he is jumping up/down something steep, I think it is only a matter of time until she really hurts herself.

I have two other older dogs and have never noticed this behaviour before, she is a little timid around new dogs, otherwise she is a perfectly healthy happy little dog.

Has anyone seen this before??

Look forward to your replies.

Hi Lisa, When dogs are frightened they will fight flee or freeze. It could be nothing so when it next happens do not just look at her go into ultra happy mood and over the top to see if you dispel the possible fear it may have. The only thing i have seen is a little dog run across the lawn and then fall over fast asleep so yours is nothing like that. Just try making a joke about it. I have a Rotwiler that hates water and falls into the swiming pool and panics. It cannot try to swim to the end where the steps are. For your dog falling into the water may have been traumatic for her. Up and down hill???????????? I would have to see it. Try lots of happy mode and play.

Hi Alan, thanks for the reply. We do try to make a joke of it because to be honest it does look quite funny! Yes, she also does the freezing up hill as well...or if you can class up hill as getting into the back passenger door of a car! :-)) Where my other dogs jump walls to get to the other side we joke that Teal has to find the disabled access!!

Thanks again.

Lisa.

I not been any help as you are doing what I suggested. It could be the opposit that maybe joking about it makes you happy so the dog keeps doing it but doubt it. Timidness with new dogs is normal so long as happy after the meetings. I assume when you say she is a normal healthy dog the vet knows of this just in case and if he does what did he say. You say the hill = climbing into cars. Is she not a good traveler and not like cars. I would have thought the other two whould have trained her to their normal life style as they sound typical dogs.

Hi Lisa

You're not from Wigan and your family had poms are you??

Hi - No, not from Wigan, but I don't live far away. My family only have a little red patterdale-no poms.