Fear Periods in Dogs
If your usually confident puppy suddenly seems a little nervous, jumpy or afraid of things they used to ignore, don’t panic, you’re not alone! Many dogs go through temporary stages of heightened sensitivity known as Fear Periods.
What are Fear Periods?
Fear Periods are specific window during a dog’s development when they become more sensitive to new or previously neutral stimuli, and during these times even small or harmless events can leave a lasting impression. The majority of dogs go through two main fear periods:
Primary Fear Period (around 8-11 weeks old)
This often happens when puppies are still with breeders or just arrived in their new home. They may suddenly become cautious of unfamiliar people, objects and sounds.
Secondary Fear Period (around 6-14 months old)
This is the stage that can catch many owners of guard. During this phase, adolescent dogs may react fearfully to things they were previously okay with.
What Causes Fear Periods?
Fear Periods are linked to your dog’s neurological and emotional development. This is a survival mechanism and as their brain matures, they become more aware of potential risks within their environment, as they learn what might be dangerous.
How to Support Your Dog Through Fear Periods
Whilst the sensitivity is temporary, the experiences they have can have lasting effects. Therefore it is important to manage the situation effectively and properly. You can do this by:
1. Staying Calm & Neutral
Your puppy will look to you for cues, if you react with anxiety or fustration you could reinforce their fear, and they could start to mimic your behaviour. Therefore it’s important to keep your tone relaxed and body language casual.
2. Don’t Force Interactions
If your dog is scared of something, avoid pushing them towards it. Forced exposure can make the fear worse, it’s much better to give them space, let them figure the situation out and approach at their own pace.
3. Use Positive Associations
Pairing scary things with something your dog loves is a great way to help them relax and become more comfortable and confident.
4. Keep Experiences Positive
Try to avoid overwhelming situations during this time, overexposure, especially where it could cause overwhelm for your puppy can do more harm than good.
5. Be Patient
Fear Periods only usually last a few weeks. Consistent and supportive handling will help your dog come out the other side more confident and ready for life.
Make sure to Avoid:
Punishing fearful behaviour
Forcing your dog to “face their fears”
Over comforting in a way that reinforces anxiety
Ignoring persistent or escalating fear
When to Seek Help
If your dog’s fear seems extreme, lasts longer than a few weeks, or starts to turn into aggression, it could be worth consulting a qualified dog trainer or behaviourist in order to avoid long-term issues.
At Pawtential Instinct we can help support you through this time, and provide you with exercises to help improve your dogs confidence in day to day life. We focus on gentle, evidence based methods to build confidence without pressure and help your dog feel safe whilst preventing fears becoming ingrained long-term issues. Furthermore, we also have an excellent team of “stooge dogs” that can act as role models to demonstrate appropriate, relaxed behaviour.
Whether you’re dealing with mild uncertainty or more intense reactions, we can be there to guide you step by step and help you and your pup feel more relaxed and in control!
