This is often considered the 5-month-old puppy fear stage. In a poll of 69 respondents that brought their puppy home before 6 months old, 48% said their puppy was either 5 – 7 weeks or between 8-10 weeks old. Subscribe to get all the latest updates and news from Big Dog Mom™ right in your inbox! I just adopted a 5 month puppy who came from an organisation where he lived in perfect harmony with many other dogs. It can last a few months or continue for much longer. If you don’t plan to breed you… It usually passes somewhere between 18 months and 2 years. Nutritional Supplements and Medications For Dogs, These periods of development are referred to as puppy fear periods. It is also within this stage that at least 50% [READ: Nature Versus Nurture and the Drivers of Canine Temperament] of the dog’s eventual temperament is developed. Welcoming a new puppy home can be difficult. Read the following posts for essential tips on raising and training your puppy the right way: No matter how embarrassing the behavior, it is critical that you do not overreact in response to your dog. Control their environment so they don’t feel they have to defend themselves. Things like vaccines, cold examination tables, taking rectal temperatures, placing the puppy on a scale, nail trims and being handled by strangers, are all experiences that you want to make sure you are doing, but not right in the middle of a fear period if they can be avoided. Stephanie Seger is the owner and writer of the award-winning blog and purpose-driven brand Big Dog Mom™ and founder of the Dog Nailpro™ Method. 4-Month-Old Puppy: What to Expect What are typical behaviors and issues associated with a 4-month-old puppy? However, as the puppy ages and enters later stages of development, reactivity levels rise causing them to act defensively, become protective and more territorial. Simply turning on this momentary foe is now an invitation to follow me around the house and lay in my path. By the time a puppy is 10 – 12 weeks old, he will have been accustomed to feeding and grooming himself. FREE Resources | VALUABLE Information | ALL Things BIG DOG. I have a 4 month old Great Dane puppy who is very fearful of pretty much everything, but she is especially skittish around people when she's out of the house. Interestingly, dogs whose genetic heritage has programmed them to be alert and focused outward will often have a more pronounced fear period. Hi I have a 4-month-old collie who has always been quite nervous about people trying to touch him on a walk but has suddenly started barking at random people on walks. I have found touching the object myself, and then encouraging my puppy to touch it with a happy, nonchalant attitude, is the best approach. And we can bump that up to 49% when I add Sulley to that list as well since I flew him home at 8 weeks old. There was no tail wag or wiggling puppy butt. The behavior that gets practiced, and is discovered to be effective, gets reinforced. I rescued a 10 week old pit bull/great dane mix about 6 months ago. Guys, my puppy is 8 months old and she finally stopped biting! In addition, some breeds of dog may be more likely to be more timid. Punishing fear will only exacerbate it and potentially solidify it. Stay tuned to Big Dog Mom™ for more on puppy development prior to 8 weeks. Make crate-training fun with toys and treats. 4 month old Wary or strangers and baking at other dogs Discussion in 'Labrador Puppies' started by Benji, Aug 6, 2019. Me, (thinking, usually….though now I’m not so sure), The men, oblivious to Junior’s body screaming at them, asked, in broken English, all the, I was having flashbacks at that moment. Not far from the home, not forcing her to be alone, not when there's too many loud noises or potential for surprises like foot traffic. Do not encourage “watchdog” behavior at this age. During these stages, puppies may show fear of items, situations. While making small talk, I let Junior inspect at his own pace, watching every lip lick, every eye flicker, tail set, stiff body. From agitation to curiosity, he made friends once again with the vacuum cleaner. Junior had seen similar men in our neighborhood countless times before, had heard leaf blowers, seen hatted men, and said hello every chance he got. plugged in at home when you bring your puppy home for the first time. No. With a BS in Microbiology, an MBA, and a passion for writing and big, slobbery dogs, Stephanie is committed to serving large and giant breed dogs by empowering, educating, and inspiring the people who love them. When his personal space is violated, the dog has two options — to retreat, or, to convince the intruder to retreat. Many will go through a fearful time when they begin teething between four and five months of age. Mastiff Puppy 101: Wild Puppy to Gentle Giant, Guaranteed! We've had visitors of the house give her treats, and it definitely works, so should we start using this method with all people she encounters? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. How you handle these puppy fear periods will determine whether you have a bomb proof big dog on the other side or the “alarm” of the neighborhood. A few questions Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums > Doberman Specific Chat > Puppy Corner > 3 month old Mila- crate training and fear of strangers The consequences of removing puppies from their littermates and mothers even earlier than 8 weeks are both far-reaching and impactful. fun! Mostly men but pretty much all people. Everything about the experience of traveling to a new home can cause fear in a puppy, so avoiding those things during this fear stage is important. A single frightening or painful experience during the fear period can have a lasting impact for the rest of your dog’s life.”. Use treats consistently and liberally to make positive associations! A long and protracted growl is not necessarily sign of an impending attack, rather the dog is warning us that he feels decidedly uneasy. with fake vaccines (a pen), mock examinations, and known people pretending to be friendly strangers. Here are some early development and training tips for your 4-6 month old puppy. It is natural for some dogs to be shy of things that are new and unfamiliar. I know how excited you are. Your email address will not be published. Be mindful that as those men go about their business and walk away, your puppy’s confidence is emboldened as he effectively “scared away the bad man” (who was leaving anyway). If you need professional help Later that night, I got the vacuum cleaner out and, while I finished up other tasks, left it sitting in the hall. This was a very interesting read thank you! the top 5 things you need to know about fear periods in dogs. Find the tips and advice you need to handle fearful or anxious behavior in your Is your dog or puppy shy and leery of people; afraid of strangers, certain situations or objects? Protection breeds (Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers) and herding breeds (collies, cattle dogs) will need increased positive socialization during adolescence. That's because toddlers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the world and its potential dangers. This particular puppy fear stage is believed to be related to the surge in growth that occurs at this age which may cause some physical discomfort. By Nancy Frensley, CAP2, CPDT Behavior & Training Manager Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society, The Dark Side of Socialization: Fear Periods and Single Event Learning, Puppies Taken from Litter Too Soon Develop Behavior Problems as Adults by Karen Becker, DVM. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. He was a “man-dog” with a mission. This was a familiar scene with friendly strangers. Like with Junior, these new fears seem to pop up out of nowhere. If you are getting a puppy, be sure to ask about their socialization with … This can occur in dogs that were separated from their siblings very early on and who don't know any other dogs in their adopted family. They were strangers. The longer a puppy gets to stay with his dam, the more time he has to develop traits and good habits that will help him in the short and long term. But even the chi-attack was brushed off as a minor insult. I Need My 4 Month Old GSD Puppy To Bark On Strangers by oluomoadebayo: 11:45pm On Sep 05, 2014 Your dogs are still a puppy and don't ask much from them now. I bring her to work with me every day (retail setting) to socalize her but For a 4-month-old puppy, frequent naps are needed. But of course, the men were enamored with Junior and couldn’t help but talk to me as we tried to pass…. Never force your puppy to interact with the feared object or person. See How the Puppy Reacts The pup's response to fear depends on the circumstances and how confident (or not) the pup may be. Your email address will not be published. There may have been a past traumatic experience that is causing your dog to be afraid of other dogs.Dogs that are naturally submissive may also be fearful when encountering a more dominant dog. the scary vacuum cleaner), the negative association is lessened or eliminated. He cries if someone he does not know even looks at him. Veterinarian visits and car visits should be made fun and upbeat. There always are. Things like vacuuming can still be accomplished, but just do it one room at a time while your pup is 8 to 10 weeks old. During this time, a puppy is very sensitive to traumatic experiences and a single scary event may be enough to traumatize the puppy and have life-long effects on his future behaviors. If you notice your dog tensing up, whining, or growling around strangers of a particular gender, you can prepare your guests accordingly. He's been raised around lots of family and has another four legged pal, an adult female jack russell. A four month old afraid of people is not a huge issue, but he's going to grow up to be a 100 pound GSD with sharp teeth, and the fear may turn into aggression. It started out like every other day. If people come to our house he won't He's great with us, however he seems to have a huge fear of strangers. Dogs appear fearful of novel stimuli or stimuli met before but that did not trigger a significant reaction. They may crouch, shake and try to run away, submissively urinate or, tell the scary thing/person to go away by showing an aggressive display, which may include snarling, lunging, or other unruly behavior. Use food treats and happy talk to encourage your puppy up to scary objects. During development, a dog becomes socialized with familiar people, animals, objects and situations. Is it due to lack of socialization, tempermeant or an event that triggered this fear. There is NO ADDED COST to you should you use these links. Wake up, feed kids, feed dogs, attempt to make myself presentable. While some of these fear periods go unnoticed by dog owners, in other cases owners are left scratching their head, or worse, responding. I've taken her to work with me on a weekly basis since I got her, and Have visitors toss good treats toward your puppy without approaching him or her. A scared puppy isn't happy and can feel afraid for many different reasons. Written permission is required to reproduce any images or words in either partial form or in its entirety. Unless, her temperament problem is really serious, you can help her, but please start now. For example, why is he afraid of strangers. These only reward fear and suspicion, not bravery, and confidence. If the puppy wants to initate contact, that's why. Here are a few helpful tips you can use with your puppy during a fear period to ensure you make it through unscathed. And fortunately for Big Dog Mom, sweeping has never been easier with these two BFFs. Fear periods in dogs continue past the one year mark for many dogs and puppies as they are still developing and maturing. During certain fear periods, the reactivity level of puppies rises causing him to act defensively, become protective and more territorial. And unfortunately, this is the time most puppies are separated from their mom and littermates and are sent to new homes. Help your pup overcome his fears and grow up to be a confident, friendly dog. For more ideas on things you can do with your puppy prior to 16 weeks, read: In preparation for this post, I reached out to the Big Dog Mom Community to find out what age their puppy was when they acquired him. Required fields are marked *. We have a 4 month old German Shepard puppy that we've had for about 4-weeks now. But of course, the men were enamored with Junior and couldn’t help but talk to me as we tried to pass…. Many will go through a fearful time when they begin teething between four and five months of age. Veterinarian visits and car visits should be made fun and upbeat. I just felt like I needed to celebrate this, so I made another account. I was having flashbacks at that moment. Puppies begin to receive their personalities. How to Socialize a Puppy At Home: 15 Creative Tips (That Work), In preparation for this post, I reached out to the. Slowly. Shipping the puppy or allowing the puppy to undergo elective surgeries (like spay and neuter) at this time is not recommended. She has decades of experience as a big dog owner, over 30 years of which has been devoted to health, nutrition, and behavior of large and giant breed dogs. A better approach is to allow your puppy to investigate whatever he fears on his own and praise/reward any initiative he or she takes. Whether it’s a 3-month-old puppy suddenly scared of everything or an otherwise outgoing 6-month-old puppy scared of strangers whom they have decided are a threat that must be protected against. Pam Dennison states in You Can Train Your Dog, “One day he’ll be fine with something or someone, and the next day he’ll be terrified…. The men, oblivious to Junior’s body screaming at them, asked, in broken English, all the usual questions about Mastiffs. Do not overdose your puppy with scary loud noises and exposures during his fear periods. But on this day, at 8 months old, like a light switch was turned off, Junior didn’t recognize his “friends” anymore. Let the Games Begin Socialization Tips for Your 4 Month Old Puppy After your 4-month-old pup has received all shots he is ready to meet his friends at the park, daycare, and puppy training classes. 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