To help human beings understand these canine fears, it must be learned that a dog's life contains crucial fear periods that occur from puppyhood to adulthood. Knowledge of this certain phase in a dog's life may educate dog lovers further on how to approach their canine companions, particularly their fears.
Chapters of fear
In PetHelpful's article, "Understanding Fear Periods in Dogs", …show more content…
In this period, it is crucial for dogs to learn how to stick with the pack for safety purposes, yet they must also learn about fear since it will be a crucial component for their survival.
In the book, "Dog Training for Dummies", Wendy and Jack Volhard relayed that puppies must learn how to run away if there is an unfamiliar entity that approaches them.
This was also the period where the dog's reactivity levels increase, prompting dogs to exercise defense, become protective, and become more territorial. It is also during the phase that dog owners frequently say that their canines' fear will just suddenly manifest.
Dogs are becoming fearful of novel stimulus or stimulus that was once encountered but did not fuel certain reactions.
Like the first fear period, owners must spare their dogs from traumatic experiences such as shipping dogs on a plane and various overwhelming episodes. They must put into mind that this fear period is set to contain bigger impacts that will prompt their concerns about the behavior of their canine …show more content…
First, owners must be calm at all times. Dogs can determine how their human companions feel thanks to their ability to read emotions and body languages. They can perceive if their human buddies are greatly concerned or a bit tense about their canine's fears.
The second tip is for people to act like it is nothing. Capitalizing on the dog's ability to read emotions, some people discovered that by saying the lines "It's just a _________, silly boy!" in a casual tone, dogs will be trained to perceive that the stimuli are nothing.
Counter-condition is a useful tip that owners can use if a dog acts fearfully towards a specific stimulus. The said strategy can be employed by giving dogs treats. The moment the dogs refuse to receive the treats is an indication that the stimulus is too much for the dog to bear.
Owners were reminded not to force their dogs to deal with the feared stimulus. Instead, they must allow their canine buddies to investigate whatever it is that is making him or her