Fearful behavior

Question
My husband and I are full time RV'ing.  We have been in the Little Rock, AR area for the past month.  Kuma has been great traveling everywhere with no problems.  He is a 5 year old Akita who has been fixed.  We have had him since he was 8 months old, having gotten him from a rescue organization.  I do not know how his life was before we got him.  We have been at the current RV park for about 3 weeks.  It is an older park with a lot of permanent residents.  There is grass and a field to the back of the trailer where my husband walks him at least three to four times a day.  As of yesterday, he has started to get spooked in the mowed field and around the park.  Behind the mowed field, there is tall grass and trees which he does not go to.  He is sniffing the air and his curly tail goes completely straight.  It is almost like he is afraid of something.  My husband let him off the leash and he ran back to the trailer wanting to get in.  When he is on the leash, he can't wait to get back to the trailer.  I was just wondering what this could be?  Could there be a dead animal in the back field that he is smelling?  He has never done this before.  He is scaring me with this behavior thinking there is something going in the park that I don't know about.  I would appreciate your input.  Thank you.

Answer
Hi Phyllis, In the Little Rock, AR area there are several    mammals (cougar, fox, bobcat, bats, deer, etc.) and reptiles (alligators, turtles). Kuma is probably picking up the scent of a cougar, fox, bobcat or gator and it is spooking him. Generally a dead animal scent will not spook them as they tend to roll in the "yucky" smelly stuff.  But foxes den in grassy fields and coyotes, cougars, and bobcats have wide territories. I'll bet there is some wildlife out there that is making him want to get back to safety. Let him be the guide. Their noses are great and he may well be protecting not only himself, but your husband also. When his tail goes strait and his nose is up, look in that direction and that is probably where the wildlife is located.  You have a good boy there. Thanks for writing. Your feedback is always appreciated.  Be careful, but enjoy.  Regards, Susan