# Fear stage?



## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Sophie is a very outgoing confident puppy. Recently, sometimes when it is dark out and we go out to potty, she acts worried. There is a flood light on when we are out there. Last night for instance I went out with her and she had her tail down (not tucked but it's never down) and kept snapping her head back and forth to watch things. She was cautious when walking around the yard and would head back to be near me which isn't like her. 

The night before we were out and she was chasing the blinking light frisbee in the dark and racing around without a care. So it doesn't happen consistantly every night. 

I am wondering if she didn't see a shadow or hear a neighbor over the fence make a noise or something that spooked her initially. Again it's not like her to get spooked she has not been afraid of anything, many of which most puppies I think would have some concern over.

I don't know much about the fear imprint stages (I read up on them on the internet) as I've not had a dog where I noticed any difference during that time before. Does this sound like a fear stage thing?

I never make a big deal out of it when she acts worried, if she comes to sit against me I just calmly step off and say something upbeat to her. I also of course don't force her to do something she doesn't want to. Just want to understand why this has started (it's not severe by any means) but don't want it to escalate.

(when she very first did this it was in the house and she kept peering around the door to stare at a wall in the living room, little twerp had me convinced there was a ghost in the house!)


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

How old is Sophie? Puppies DO go through fear periods, but their eyesight is also developing, and things in the distance that they might not have noticed at all before can suddenly worry them, particularly in the dark. (Or if the object is very dark) 

If it happens just occasionally, try to get her to play with you a little, or give her some cookies to get her mind on something happy. If that doesn't work, use your jolly voice and allow her to move to a distance that she feels safe. 

A word of warning, however, if you see a drastic and sudden change in her approach to things. It COULD be a fear period, but it COULD also be that she is sick or hurting. Pixel suddenly became VERY nervous when we went for a lesson at our training center, where she has been several times a week since I brought her home. Nothing bad has ever happened there, and it is well lit. It turned out that she had a urinary tract infection. A few days on antibiotics, and she was back to her cheerful self.


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## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

Django who is 11 1/2 still gets spooked every blue moon when we go out side at night to go potty.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

yeah she could be entering into her second fear sensitive period. It varies significantly in timing depending on breed and individually. You've got the right idea,by not forcing exposure to scary stimuli. I know you're a reader so use classical conditioning to help her in these situations and she'll be fine.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Karen she is I think just a little older than Pixel, she turned 6 months yesterday. I didn't even think about it being connected to her eyes developing. Makes sense since every incidence has been in the light, but after dark when shadows etc. 2 nights ago when she was acting concerned out there I got out her beloved flashing frisbee and tossed it, she would chase it but would stop and stare around for a minute before picking it up. Then bring it to me and drop it and stare around again. Last night she played with it like nothing happened. 

Yikes glad it was just a UTI for Pixel not that that's good but better than the start of a behavior issue. I have seen similar in Sophie, when we started handling class she had a ball, great attention, happy bouncy. Then a month ago she had 3 weeks in a row there where suddenly she was so distracted and not into it at all. I bent over backwards to get her "happy" back but she was a totally different dog. I didn't realize at first she was even having pain with her teeth. But once vet dislodged the 2 problem ones she's been great in class again.

Very interesting about Django! The night Sophie was real concerned out in the yard it was a full moon.

Thanks Dave! That puts my mind at ease and to know I'm on the right track in dealing with it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dee Dee said:


> Karen she is I think just a little older than Pixel, she turned 6 months yesterday. I didn't even think about it being connected to her eyes developing. Makes sense since every incidence has been in the light, but after dark when shadows etc. 2 nights ago when she was acting concerned out there I got out her beloved flashing frisbee and tossed it, she would chase it but would stop and stare around for a minute before picking it up. Then bring it to me and drop it and stare around again. Last night she played with it like nothing happened.
> 
> Yikes glad it was just a UTI for Pixel not that that's good but better than the start of a behavior issue. I have seen similar in Sophie, when we started handling class she had a ball, great attention, happy bouncy. Then a month ago she had 3 weeks in a row there where suddenly she was so distracted and not into it at all. I bent over backwards to get her "happy" back but she was a totally different dog. I didn't realize at first she was even having pain with her teeth. But once vet dislodged the 2 problem ones she's been great in class again.
> 
> ...


Well, poor Pixel had the UTi ANd lost all her incisors at once. And her canines were flapping in the breeze too! No wonder she was so unhappy. I wouldn't have wanted to work either! My vet said UTi's are VERY common in female puppies. Nothing to worry about, but should be treated promptly.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

I knew that it can be somewhat common and have had an eye on Sophie, I don't know her well enough yet to know what is "normal" for her (and probably she doesn't have a normal yet with all the developing she is doing). Hallie and I were like one entity and any little nuance with her off I knew something was going on. Sophie was peeing often at my cousins the other day and I worried a bit about UTI but am thinking she was just marking. 

Yes poor Pixel having to deal with both at once! Hate it when they hurt.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

Is she on leash?


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

she has not been on leash any of the times this has happened. Loose in the back yard with me.


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