Puppy Development Series

Understanding Fear Periods

Fear periods, also known as sensitive periods of fear, are a natural part of a puppy’s normal development, and understanding them is crucial for a successful upbringing. Finnish Lapphund puppies, like all dogs, experience these phases, and they can significantly impact how a puppy reacts to new experiences, people and environments. If handled appropriately, these defined fear periods can be well managed, and your puppy can emerge from them as a confident and well-adjusted adult.

What are Fear Periods in Puppies?

Fear periods are a normal part of a puppy's early development and they become more susceptible to hesitancy, fear and anxiety in response to new stimuli. During these periods, even familiar things may cause sudden fear or apprehension. Fear periods are essential for a puppy’s emotional and psychological development, as they help them learn to cope with potential threats in the world. No amount of socialisation can prevent them, but the good thing is you can help your puppy to ease through them and come out the other side more confident. However, if negative experiences are not managed well during this time, they can lead to long-term behavioural issues such as fear, anxiety, avoidance or aggression.

When do Fear Periods Occur?

While the exact timing of fear periods can vary slightly from one Lappy to another, there are two main fear periods during a puppy’s first year of life:

The First Fear Period (8 to 11 Weeks):
This is usually the most intense fear period, occurring as a puppy leaves their litter and enters a new environment (typically at 8 weeks of age for about 2-3 weeks).

• What Happens: Puppies in this phase can become suddenly fearful of unfamiliar things, including people, sounds, objects, or environments that weren’t present in the breeder’s home. They may seem more clingy or apprehensive, and they might show signs of stress, such as shaking, barking, or attempting to escape situations. Your puppy isn't anxious, they're experiencing a fear period as part of their normal development.
• Why It Happens: This fear period is associated with early development of the amygdala (the fear center in the brain) and also coincides with a major transition in the puppy’s life - the move from their litter to their new home. Puppies are learning to recognise that there are things in the world that are unfamiliar or potentially threatening and they're developing the ability to engage in problem solving, reasoning and other instinctive behaviour to address each new situation.

The Second Fear Period (6 to 12 Months):
This period occurs later in a Finnish Lapphund's development, typically around the time they are approaching adolescence. This second fear period is often less intense than the first one but can be more challenging due to the puppy’s increasing independence.

• What Happens: During this phase, puppies may show a renewed sensitivity to new or often previously familiar experiences. They might become fearful of things that they were previously comfortable with, such as new people, specific objects, or noises. This can also coincide with behavioural changes associated with adolescence, including increased stubbornness and testing boundaries.
• Why It Happens: This period typically coincides with physical and hormonal changes as your Finnish Lapphund matures and their adult brain centers develop and mature. They are beginning to explore their independence, and their developing social structures and boundaries can make them more sensitive to their environment.

Tips for Successful Socialisation During Fear Periods

Remember, fear periods are completely normal and it's a very natural thing for a puppy to temporarily express some wariness, apprehension or fear about new stimuli.

Lead by Example

• It's really important not to reinforce your Lappy's fear response, regardless of what the object, person or situation is that they're apprehensive about. Too often, our natural response is to provide immediate comfort and remove the puppy from the source of the fear. Unfortunately all this does is reinforce that the stimuli was indeed threatening and something to avoid at all costs! It's much better to act indifferent to the source of their fear, demonstrate confidence and give them plenty of treat rewards when your puppy approaches or explores the stimuli.

Go Slow, But Keep Going

• It’s important not to stop socialising your puppy during these fear periods, but you must do so gradually. Take small steps, and allow your Lapphund to build confidence at their own pace. For example, if your Lappy is fearful of a certain object, you can start by letting them observe it from a distance, then gradually move closer, always rewarding calm behaviour with plenty of treats and praise.

Focus on Positive Associations

• Throughout both fear periods, positive reinforcement is your best tool. Rewarding calm behaviour in the face of new experiences builds a positive emotional association. For example, if your Lapphund is nervous about a new person, reward them with treats or praise for calmly approaching the person or simply remaining relaxed in their presence.

Build Trust and Bond Well

• This step is crucial to help your puppy glide through their normal fear periods successfully. If they trust you and you have a strong bond, they will learn from you and follow your encouragement when they're exposed to things that appear scary, different or wary. Remember, this doesn't mean reinforcing the fear by providing comfort, it means leading by example by teaching and demonstrating confidence & kindness.

Expose to a Variety of Stimuli

• Continue to expose your Finnish Lapphund to a variety of experiences, but be mindful of their current level of fear and coping skills. During the first fear period, focus on easy and less intense stimuli, while in the second fear period, you might also want to scale back the intensity of your socialisation exercises at times to prevent overwhelming them.

Avoid Overexposure

• While it’s important to socialise during fear periods, overexposure can backfire. If your puppy experiences too much stress in a single exposure, it can lead to fear-based behaviours. Always aim for short, positive sessions that end on a high note.

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Strategies for the First Fear Period

While this phase can be intense, it’s essential to ensure that your new puppy’s exposure to new experiences during this time is controlled, calm, and positive. The key is gentle, gradual exposure to novel experiences and stimuli, which will help them form positive associations. For example:

• Introduce your Lappy to new people and other dogs in a calm, gradual and controlled manner, ensuring that interactions are pleasant and not overwhelming.
• Avoid overwhelming them with too many new experiences at once. Instead, focus on one new thing at a time, whether it’s a sound (e.g., vacuum cleaner) or an environment (e.g., pet store).
• Positive reinforcement, such as using treats or praise, is highly effective in this stage to reward calm behaviour.

Strategies for the Second Fear Period

The second fear period requires a slightly different approach. While it’s still important to maintain positive experiences, the focus should be on calm, gradual exposure to potentially fearful situations while respecting the puppy’s boundaries. Here are a few strategies:

• Avoid Forced Exposure: If your Lapphund exhibits fear or anxiety toward certain things, don’t force them into those situations. This could reinforce their fears. Instead, allow them to observe from a distance and gradually get closer at their own pace.
• Encourage Confidence through Positive Reinforcement: Reward bravery and calm behaviour with praise, treats, or toys. The more your Finnish Lapphund associates new experiences with positive outcomes, the more likely they are to face new things with confidence.
• Continued Socialisation: Continue exposing your puppy to new people, dogs, and environments during this period. Keep the exposure low-stress and positive. For instance, allow your Lapphund to observe other dogs from a distance before allowing a closer interaction.

Training Through Fear: When your puppy shows fear in certain situations (such as meeting a new person or hearing a loud noise), you can use counter-conditioning and de-sensitisation techniques. This involves pairing the feared stimulus with something positive (such as treats) to change their emotional response over time.

Conclusion

Fear periods are a natural part of your Finnish Lapphund puppy’s development, and understanding how to navigate these sensitive times is key to successful socialisation. During the first year, your puppy will go through two major fear periods - one around 8 to 11 weeks, and another between 6 and 12 months. Both periods can impact how your puppy responds to new people, dogs, and environments. By using gentle, gradual exposure, positive reinforcement, and patience, you can help your Finnish Lapphund navigate these periods with confidence and emerge as a well-adjusted, social adult dog.
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Remember, socialisation doesn’t stop once the fear periods end. It’s a lifelong process, but laying a strong foundation early on, while being mindful of these sensitive periods, will help your Finnish Lapphund grow into a confident, well-rounded companion.