What To Do During Puppy Fear Period
How to help your puppy through a fear period.
What to do during puppy fear period. The puppy will interpret such responses as praise for being frightened. You may encounter some increased aggression and renewed testing for position and authority. If a pup is scared to leave its crate, ignore her!
Try not to make a big deal about the thing your dog is afraid of, but incorporate it into future training sessions. She will have to exit eventually on her own. In short, this means that, if something deeply frightens your puppy during this time, they can develop a specific phobia of that object or situation in adulthood.
Here are some tips for helping your dog through a fear period. This helps a puppy feel more comfortable. The fear can be of a person, dog or object.
1 to 4 years maturity period: This may include things like being approached by a stranger, interacting with another dog who is not so polite (just one reason why you should probably keep your pup away from the dog park), hearing loud noises like fireworks , or experiencing other scary situations. End on a positive note with lots of treating/praising.
Because at this stage the owner may be dealing with a dog barking and lunging and pulling on the leash, this fear period has a bigger impact, causing the owner to worry about the dog's behavior. For example, during the second fear period (four to six months), it is common for puppies to start barking at the trash can if it’s moved to a new place. Dogs often pass through the puppy fear stages without any necessary care, however, a pet parent’s response to an adolescent dog’s fear can help prevent lasting behavioral issues.
We also strongly recommend that you seek out professional puppy training during these fear stages. The first fear period, it is best to avoid traumatic experiences during this time such as shipping dogs on a plane and any other overwhelming experience. In nature, during this time, puppies are getting out of the den and starting to explore the world around them.