Is This A Fear Period?

[Eileen]

My 9 month old stafford girl has been very well socialised since her first week home. She has always been submissive to older/bigger dogs at the dog park. Lately this seems more pronounced. She has also snapped (just at the air) toward a few bigger dogs that have ignored her "I would prefer not to play with you" body language. This in itself is a bit odd, cos she has always been BUSTING to get near other dogs to play with them.

I am hoping this is not going to turn into a problem, but I do not have enough "dog with other dogs" knowledge to know whether this is normal or she is becoming fear aggressive?

eta if this is not normal, it would be great if someone could point me in the right direction of how to "unscare" her.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Eileen

[Mystiqview]

Eileen,

Is your bitch whole or desexed?? From 9 months, you can expect hormonal changes. An idea.

With this kind of issue.. It is very hard for anyone on a forum to really comment cause we cannot see the interaction between your dog and the other dogs.

With 'agression' issues, that is what is really needed. An experienced person to actually SEE what is happening... Sorry..

[Eileen]

Oh ok. Thanks for your reply, maybe if it continues I ought to get someone to look at her. She is undesexed.

[Mystiqview]

Undexed bitches can get very homonal.. I would keep an eye on her. She maybe coming on heat.

[Erny]

Difficult to tell on the small amount of information given and without seeing your dog. Your dog has "always been submissive to older/bigger dogs at the dog park". Could be that your dog has always been a bit on the "concerned" side and given her maturation, now feels she needs to do something about it. So it might not be the second fear impact period - it might be something that's been developing but 'signs' of that have been missed (sometimes those signs can be quite subtle and to those who don't know, easily missed). Maybe this component is exacerbated by the second fear impact period. ... it is sometimes quite awkward to separate things and to distinctly tell.

What you need to do is to make sure that your dog sees you as a capable leader - and a capable leader is one who will ensure that their dog is and feels safe from what it fears (and that the dog perceives that) and that the dog can always trust in that leadership. Note that this is done with a "calm-assertive" attitude - be careful not to inadvertently reinforce fear behaviour by molly-coddling and trying to re-assure your dog.

If you're not sure whether your "leader" relationship is perceived by your dog as well as it can be, and/or if you're not certain how to manage and deal with the situation concerning other dogs, I would recommend that you organise to see a trainer/behaviourist or, if there is someone capable at your dog school, chat with them.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Erny

[Eileen]

Undexed bitches can get very homonal.. I would keep an eye on her. She maybe coming on heat.

What is wrong with me??? She is desexed. DESEXED!! I think I was so busy imagining how hormones could be affecting an undesexed dog while I was typing my answer, I accidentally wrote undesexed. Sorry for the confusion.

eta Thanks Erny, that is helpful. When she was little and she got a fright, she used to run toward me and up my legs so I would pick her up. I don't that anymore, I try to walk her away with me between her and the other dog. I use a strong clear voice and upright body posture.

I guess I will keep an eye on her, and if it persists, call a behavourist.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Eileen

[Mystiqview]

Eileen,

Sorry then..

Erny's post is good as always.

[Janba]

Oh ok. Thanks for your reply, maybe if it continues I ought to get someone to look at her. She is undesexed.

Edited because of your post about desexed

Edited December 29, 2007 by Janba

[sas]

I'm somewhat confused with my nearly going on 10 month pup what is a 2nd fear period and what is hormonal. He's never had a bad experience with another dog but seems not very confident at times when meeting some other dogs like he's not sure what their reaction is going to be and stands talls and looks down on them...most dogs are smaller than him.

Because he's such a big puppy whose a big idiot he can't have play times with many dogs because he'd injure them.

[Erny]

I'm somewhat confused with my nearly going on 10 month pup what is a 2nd fear period and what is hormonal.

Sas - the second fear impact period is generally depicted by the sudden fearful behaviour of a dog to stimuli - even stimuli it had not previously exhibited fear behaviour to before.

Now - without me hitting the 'books' on it again to refresh my memory, but I'm pretty sure the Second Fear Impact period is hormonally based, whereas the "Critical Period" (in the pup's early weeks) is more developmental. That's probably a bit "cut and dried" as an explanation and I'd need to give it more time to word it better.