phobia/fear of bare floors

Question
I have a 5 year old female chocolate lab.  I got her, Sundae, when she was 8 weeks old.  She's in good health, has an excellent temperament, and is fairly obedient.  Our family consists of 3 adults, and we have all lived in the same house for the last 7 years.  When we brought Sundae home we had just begun refinishing the floors in the entire house with a wood like product.  Slowly, as each room was being finished Sundae refused to enter the rooms.  We laid area rugs down and she will walk on those only, and sometimes she won't even do that.  After we finished the kitchen floor she refused to come in to eat or visit with me while I cooked (she had been coming into the kitchen for nearly 4 years) I tried not to feed her elsewhere, but she spent 2 full days without eating.  Slowly she is restricting herself to less and less space.  She refuses to enter any  other buildings or homes.  Last week I refinished the front  porch and now Sundae will not walk on those steps!  This is awful, she cries because she can't (won't) join the family.  This behavior is only getting worse.  I don't have a clue as to what to do.  When we go out for our walks she's great, there's a wooden bridge we walk across everyday without any  problems (when she was a puppy she was afraid, but I gently pulled and she followed).  I've tried coaxing, treats, meals, pulling, pushing, carrying.  She makes every attempt, she cries, she inches forward, sits down, cries, and tries again, but all to no avail.  She just can't bring herself to do it.  Is  there anything at all that you can suggest.  Thank you very much for you time and concern.
Evelyn

Answer
Hi Evelyn, It is not uncommon for dogs to fear different flooring. Sometimes it helps to take her to an agility course to help build her confidence. There are other products that you can take advantage of while building her confidence. We train service and therapy dogs, so they must walk on all kinds of slick and frightening floors. There is a product used to help keep riders stay in the saddle. It is a tacky substance that you can apply to her paws which will give her grip. There are also an array of boots which can help. I like the ones that are made for working dogs which are made of suede and have holes for the toe nails. They tie on rather than velcro. But there are many types. I think the ones with the nail holes are from FuturePets. It may take some time for her to get used to boots, so I recommend that you do it on a grassy area until she is walking comfortably. Walk her at a heel with them and she will soon forget they are there. The type with the rubber bottom work also, and may keep your floors from being scratched up, so you may want to experiment with both types to see which you (and your dog) like better. Leave me some feedback and a follow-up. I would love to hear how she responds to the training and how quickly her anxiety goes away. Warm Regards, Susan