Fear Periods

[Flaves]

I think Hunta, 6.5 months is going through a fear period.

She has withdrawn, is more fearful and careful around things she was fine about.

At home she is now unsure of small things.

We went to training in the car, adn whilst she doe snot like ht ecar, she has been getting better but she was terrified and when we got to training she shook and drooled until i sat out with her for th elast 20 minutes of the lesson. Shecalmed down and just sat curled up in my lap/legs as i sat in teh floor.

I don;t want to not expose her to the usual things we do but i don;t want to hurt her and do permanant damage.

Any ideas?

[sas]

During a fear period it is advised to keep them at home.

At 6.5 months she's already gone through her main socialisation period so I don't see how having her kept at home until the fear resides will be bad thing?

Also make sure you're not praising her for the fear

I'm not sure what others think but there is a Claming Paste you can get for Horses and Dogs, I'm not sure what people think about using it during a fear period though?

Edited June 24, 2007 by sas

[Flaves]

If it doesn;t mean i am reinforcing her fear by keeping her at home, i will do that.

I don;t want to harm her in any way.

[Cosmolo]

Has anything else changed that could result in her behaviour change? I ask because her age is not 'typical' (though not impossible) for a fear impact period?

[Flaves]

Cosmolo, the only thing that has changed is we have stopped interacting with them when we first get home, they are now ignored until they settle down, they are being fed after us now not before.

Other than that nothing.

Would that make a huge impact on her behaviour? Her change in behaviour started BEFORE we implemented these changes.

Could she be maturing hormonally? Although her breed don;t ususally have their first season until they are 12-14 months old.

I cannot think of anything else.

[Rom]

Hey, hope everything is Ok. Give Hunta a hug for me (when she is calm of course)

Maybe I could send down some more shoes? Help her keep her mind off the scary things maybe.

Hope someone comes up with something of more help for you

[Flaves]

Hey, How are you? How is Seikah doing?

I will give her a hug. I feel awful because she is so pathetic.

She is crying and drooling adn being a BIG baby.

We haev stricter rules now but this started BEFORE we implemented them.

She is healthy and very responsive when she is calm, if she is scared, you get nothing as she is so focused on being frightened.

Really sad to see her at training. I stepped back she was that bad, even the trainer commented.

[Rom]

Wow, wish I could do something to help

I wish I knew more so that I could suggest something.

Hopefully someone will come on soon with some suggestions.

All I can do is send you the best wishes I can muster, and that feels a little lacking

Siekah is fine. Come into season the Friday after I got back and has been a little sooky with it.

ETA: By the way, how are things going with the neighbour that complained about the barking? I don't want to raise any undue suspicion, but I hope that nothing untoward has happened from that direction.

Edited June 24, 2007 by Rom

[HuntinHound]

Hey Kristie

Not sure myself what advice to offer - IF however, it makes you feel any better LeLou is going through what appears to be a similar thing but only started a few days ago - coinciding with some dirty big pig hunting dogs returning to the property next door - they were there for a few weeks and then disappeared - are now back ... bugger (don't know what breed they are but their owners very proudly boast these guys occupation, oh and the owners of the dogs are just staying with our neighbours). She jumps at her own shadow and if one of the other dogs are in trouble we have bucklies of her coming near us but she doesn't sound as upset as Hunta ... Clare however is her normal 500% in your face little girl.

I have emailled a couple of people OS I know with this breed to see if it is something within the breed as we've only ever experienced behaviour like this in a Siberian we once owned who was coming into season. Hamiltons typically don't come into season for the first time till around 12-14mths of age but hey, these 2 girls might be going to make liers of us all??

Could also be that something has spooked her whilst you were not at home??

[Erny]

This one's not as clear as the initial "critical period" however it is generally stated as a period from 6 months of age through to 14 months. But as it seems to be connected to sexual maturity, this period may well be earlier for the small dogs and later for the larger breeds.

IMO you are doing the right thing by avoiding the reinforcement of Hunta's fear behaviour and I would be inclined to agree with others here who have suggested you avoid forcing or placing Hunta in environments/situations that might exacerbate that fear.

All the things you are doing at the moment in relation to leadership will benefit.

Sas :

At 6.5 months she's already gone through her main socialisation period so I don't see how having her kept at home until the fear resides will be bad thing?

I agree with Sas, provided the socialisation during the critical period was broad, complete and positive and that Hunta was otherwise 'confident' about the world and minus any issues prior to the onset of this present spat of behaviour. Train at or around home and in environments Hunta feels confident in.

[Flaves]

By the way, how are things going with the neighbour that complained about the barking? I don't want to raise any undue suspicion, but I hope that nothing untoward has happened from that direction.

They are good, have spoken to them and i have to say i don;t really beleive them about the barking happening 'all teh time'. Very inconsistent with their stories.

They wouldn;t do anything except throow a bucket of water over as per my instructions and there have been no buckets so i do not thinnk that that is happening.

I don't think anythign has happened whilst i was not at home, the people surrounding us work all day as we do, so unless someone has come home and done something. But the other 2 are fine.

I will keep her at home and in her 'safe' environments until she comes out the otherside of this period.

HH, it would be great if any other breeder has any ideas. I have been checking her bits to see if they are swollen or changed in anyway to see if she is coming into season and no changes that i can see. Hopefully she holds off so i can get her desexed before it happens. And barks isn;t acting any different to her, Mitchi is being really nice to her. Last night Mitchi went up and snuggled with her and licked her on the nose. VErY cute considering Mitch is usually very cranky towards her.

Erny we are making progress, this happened last night after i spoke to you. AND Mitch ate her dinner no probs out of my hand.!

[Tangwyn]

Hi Kristie,

My pup just went through his second fear period. It lasted between 5 and 6 1/2 months of age. During this time he was scared of stupid things like sticks floating in the water, a charred log in the paddock or anything new that appeared in the house. I didn't stop taking him out and doing things with him, although I avoided both making the situations more traumatic and rewarding him for the fear behaviours. This meant that I didn't force him to confront the things he was frightened of - if he wanted to retreat I let him - and I NEVER praised him until he made steps toward making contact with the item. With the floating sticks I actually went in the water and touched the stick myself, then started playing with it and looking like I was having a great time with the stick. Eventually he would start to creep forward and then finally touch the stick. By the end I would have him playing with it.

For me, keeping the dog at home was not an option as he's a big dog and needs mental and physical stimulation that's impossible to provide in my yard. If keeping your dog at home IS an option, and you are worried about the possibility of long term trauma or accidentally reinforcing fear behaviours then it could certainly be worth a try.

Although its a big worry at the time please feel reassured that this fear period will pass and you'll get your lovely little dog back soon!

Edited June 24, 2007 by Tangwyn

[Flaves]

Tangwyn, thanks heaps.

It makes it better just knowing others have gone through this.

As she is an energetic dog, i don;t want to just keep her at home all the time.

So i will take her places but not force the issue.

[leopuppy04]

Hiya Kristie,

My 11mth old just wen through her 2nd fear period - joined with post-season blues, hormones raging and everything else. Her behaviours weren't as adverse as Hunta's, so I would advise what many have said on this list - keep her at home until she becomes more confident in herself - particularly if she is lacking confidence in the home envirnoment also.

Kinta as 110% confident at home and only in certain areas did she show a mild fear response. So I only took her out in 'controlled' environments and was fussy with what I did with her - ie: at a show, I would keep her in a crate until we went into the ring etc. I think this helped her as she was able to 'absorb' the environment yet it full knowledge she was 'safe'. I kept up heaps of rewards for calm, confident behaviour and although I knew she was more 'sooky' I wouldn't really 'mollycoddle' that - she now seems to be back to her usual self - 8wks post season and about 2 -3 weeks after she initially started showing signs of her 2nd fear. If she was any more adverse, I would have kept her at home, but I was completely confident in the areas I was taking her that I could control her experiences as much as possible. BUT with what you describe for Hunta - keeping her at home sounds like the best decision.... She'll find her feet again