Meet the agoraphobic dog too scared to venture outdoors

It's one word guaranteed to have almost any dog scrambling to the front door in a bundle of excitement.

But for Sam the German shepherd cross just the merest mention of "walkies" is enough to have him scurrying in the other direction.

The 12-year-old suffers from agoraphobia and is terrified of venturing outdoors.



For him, the idea of splashing around in a muddy puddle in the middle of a raid-sodden field is a nightmare.

Any attempt to take him out into the great unknown will see him dig his paws into the ground and arch his back in a bid to remain within the safety of his home.

Mystery surrounds why Sam has developed a fear of the outside but one theory is that he spent too much time confined in a small first floor flat when he was puppy.