My Dog Always Hides in the Closet! Why They Do It and How to Help Your Anxious Pet

Okay, so the other day, I noticed something weird with my dog, Max. He's usually a pretty chill dude, always following me around or napping in his favorite spot by the window. But lately, I've caught him sneaking off to my closet and hiding out in there. At first, I thought it was kind of funny, but then I started to get a little worried. Why would a dog want to hide in a closet?

Started Doing Some Digging

I started paying closer attention to when Max was doing his closet thing. It seemed like it was happening more often when there were loud noises outside. We had some construction going on in the neighborhood, and there were a couple of thunderstorms that week. I remembered reading somewhere that dogs can get anxious from loud noises, so that was my first clue.

Then It Hit Me

I decided to do a little experiment. The next time there was a loud noise, like a car backfiring or something, I watched Max's reaction. Sure enough, he got all tense and started looking around like he was trying to find a place to escape. I called him over and tried to comfort him, but he was still pretty freaked out. That's when it really hit me that the closet was his safe space.

What I Did About It

• First, I made sure the closet was actually a safe place for him. I moved anything that could fall on him or that he could chew on and get hurt.
• Then, I put some of his favorite things in there - his comfy bed, a couple of his toys, and even an old t-shirt of mine that I didn't mind him having. I wanted him to associate the closet with positive things.
• When I heard loud noises coming, I started going to the closet with him. I'd sit in there with him for a bit, petting him and talking to him in a soothing voice, you know, just letting him know everything was okay.

It Worked!

It took a little time, but eventually, Max started to chill out a bit more, even when there were noises outside. He still goes to the closet sometimes, but it's not as often, and he doesn't seem as scared. I think he just likes having a little den where he can feel secure. He even takes naps in there now, which is pretty cute. I also noticed that when new people came over, he'd sometimes retreat to the closet. I guess it's just his way of dealing with things that make him a little nervous. Overall, I'm just glad I figured out what was going on with him and could help him feel more comfortable. We got new noises, Max seems better now.