Fear, Loathing and Your Dog

Shy or fearful?

Is your dog suddenly shy or fearful of new things? Have they become afraid of something, person or place that she has not been afraid of in the past? It could be due to a period in their development.

Puppy Development Stages

Dogs go through two "fear periods".

Dogs go through two “fear periods”.  The first period happens at approximately 8-10 weeks of age and the second between six and 14 months of age. The fear may manifest itself in behaviors like overly cautious behavior, growling, lunging, hiding or barking. Just recently a client with a German shepherd puppy was concerned because one day he began growling at strangers when just the week before he had been fine.

There are ways to help.

Most dogs move past these stages without any special attention on the part of their people. The second period seems to have more lasting impact on dogs, and how you react can make a difference in how it affects them, and there are ways to help your dog as they are experiencing it. 

Behavior and Training