# Fear Stage



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

How do you handle training during the fear stage of development? Are they any precautions that you use or do you stop training all together?


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## marcy bukkit (Oct 4, 2007)

I back off as needed. I continue to expose the dog gently to things, I continue to train things he's comfortable with. I let the dog tell me what he is able to handle. I do a lot of play with the dog to help with confidence and positive associations.


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## Krystina Gursky (Feb 13, 2008)

I too am interested to hear what others do.

With my czech female we pretty much trained as usual. If she was having a really bad day we kept things light and fun but other wise just regular work. My other female we are using the approach that if she doesn't want to work then she'll have to watch. So far that approach is working for her.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Of my 3 Schutzhund dogs 1 Rott 2 GSD's I have never had a issue or even noticed a issue with them being scared skittish nothing I think I can count on one hand the times I have seen the hackles on all 3 of them combined up. The only things that dose come to mind was the first time they may have seen cattle or horses that I can recall. 
In our club if a dog is chicken shit they get washed out teaching or making a scared dog to bite is nutz and abusive! 
I have heard others here mention there dogs fearful nervy and aggressive but still wanting to make sport or protection dogs out of them. Just sounds very dangerous and stupid. :-? Why? ](*,) As if there isn't enough unprovoked dog's biting people/kids already. :evil: 
JMO if your going to do sport or PPD get a good dog.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Mike Scheiber said:


> Of my 3 Schutzhund dogs 1 Rott 2 GSD's I have never had a issue or even noticed a issue with them being scared skittish nothing I think I can count on one hand the times I have seen the hackles on all 3 of them combined up. The only things that dose come to mind was the first time they may have seen cattle or horses that I can recall.
> In our club if a dog is chicken shit they get washed out teaching or making a scared dog to bite is nutz and abusive!
> I have heard others here mention there dogs fearful nervy and aggressive but still wanting to make sport or protection dogs out of them. Just sounds very dangerous and stupid. :-? Why? ](*,) As if there isn't enough unprovoked dog's biting people/kids already. :evil:
> JMO if your going to do sport or PPD get a good dog.


I recant some of my remarks and rant. I didn't notice this is raising a working puppy post.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Mike Scheiber said:


> I recant some of my remarks and rant. I didn't notice this is raising a working puppy post.


OK, some of them which ones! :-k :-# 
Just messing...older dogs should never be worked in potection training if nerve issues arise. This is the reason for my post. It is hoped that with the wealth of knowledge this place has, someone has something positive and productive to pass along. With my Bouvier puppies, I started them out on noise, the radio. At feed time I bang the life out of metal feed pans. I use a riding mower close to the kennel and all have shown no major issues with this. All but the one that got its leg cut off for trying to trip the mower!


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

With my current prospect there was a short fear stage. Once the object of apprehension was identified I just did some drive building exercises to get him through it. I worked hard to build his drive and grip while he was growing up so I didn't take the chance of messing that up by doing bitework when he was in a fearful position. It worked out good.

Howard


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Just for a general consensus, at what age are people seeing this ? ?

For me it is usually at 7 months.

Also, for me, I have not seen much of anything come of it, but then again, I have not been around the "macho" clubs that have to do all the arm waving and such to get the dog to go. I woulod like to hear from the arm wavers what is up.:grin: 

So, yeah, at 7 months, I try not to let the dog around strange dogs, or decoys but other than that not much else goes on in my life.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Don't some people say that there are two typical puppy fear stages?


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

There are no fear stages :lol: 

I think too many people just push too hard too soon and create this problem, I think the term is podium syndrome.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

2 "fear"stages: from around 13-14 wks 'till 18-20 wks and around 7/8 mo. They come along with big developing body & mind steps.
Fear is a big word, you see esp. with the young puppies, that they notice things they haven't before.

I help the dog out with giving cofidence by going together to something he is looking strangly at,praise when they go to explore what the find strange, mostly will ignore much of the behaviour.


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## Mike charatin (Apr 9, 2008)

I have heard with germanshepherds there are actully three fear stages dont know if I agree but can say if the pup is showing timidness or fear of something take your time and give lots of praise with pup. I would not encourage any bite work while dog is maturing through this stage.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I can't see how fear stages can be attributed to certain breeds alone.

I've had several breeds and I have also noticed that at about 7 months things we've passed each day turn into UFOs, but I go up to the object and if the dog comes with me and sniffs at it and the next day ignores it, I wouldn't call it "fear". I would say real fear is if the dog won't go near it. I also think making a big fuss about it can make the dog even more uncertain.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Don't some people say that there are two typical puppy fear stages?


Connie I've used a few different vets and they say the same thing. At about 8 weeks of age, a puppy can be in a fear stage. Events which are VERY stressful can imprint bad behaviors down the road. They don't like giving shots at that age. 

I would see anything at 5-16 weeks as being a posibble bad exposure/issue time. It is hard to think that any one breed could be faced with more "fear" than another. We have all seen people who RUN up to a puppy to see it and have the puppy freak out and bolt. Or when older dogs dominate a young one. Loud noises are an issue that I try to deal with from day one. Every time I feed them, I bang the metal pans, so it must be feeding time. Nothing wrong with that noise.:razz: 

I still do bite work through the teething stage and around 6 months of age other issues can take place. As long as the puppy wins the rag or tug, we train. No stress with success. I let them see folks and go to new environments, I just make sure they are winners in the venue.


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