# problems walking Dexter



## Dexter0615 (Aug 16, 2015)

Dexter is only 14 weeks old, so I 'm not expecting miracles but he's starting to exhibit some real fear issues when out walking. He walks really well in the small estate that I live in, often to heel,(I'm guessing that's because he's used to it and he associates it with the training he's had) though he will be totally distracted by people and cars etc etc. I also take hime down to the local park which has a section of land that is separated from the main park by a river. it's a great place when it's quiet and I put him on a 50ft lead and practise recall though he never starts too far unless frightened. He has started becoming really fearful of other dogs barking however. Today one barked across the river and that was it. No recall, no food motivation and I was glad I had him on the lead as he dashed back to the car. Nothing I did could get him to walk across the field and believe me I tried to be the most interesting thing in existence! I took him back to the estate where he walked ok. This is also starting to happen on the main road off the estate; it took ages to get him to walk away from the house but was a nightmare when I eventually turned round- behaving as though his life depended on getting back home! i think the cars are beginning to spook him. He is not fearful of much strangely; loves dogs, people and will run up to any that he sees given half a chance. Is not bothered by noise (i can hoover past his head and he'll ignore it) so I'm somewhat confused by this behaviour.... Anyway - any advice welcome!


----------



## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Right around 14 weeks
If your puppy jumps out of his skin when a plastic bag blows by him on a walk, he's exhibiting a normal sense of fear. If you notice that your puppy is suddenly afraid of the pillow on the couch, this is a sign that his Fear Imprint Period has begun. Puppies go through several developmental periods including the Flight Instinct Period and the Adolescent Period, and during the Fear Imprint Period, your puppy is susceptible to conditioning from pain and fear.
So, though the fear itself is not a sign of this period, it is an outcome. How you handle it can greatly affect your puppy's ability to handle the data that's being given him in a calm way. You can help your puppy with some simple techniques.

Recognize what's happening. A puppy might bite through an electrical cord and get shocked but associate the shock with something else, even someone in the house. You must be creative when deciphering exactly what happened and what your puppy is associating it with.

When something does happen, take action quickly. For instance, if you step on your puppy's toe while carrying some magazines and, startled by your pup's yelp, you drop the magazines near him, it's time to pull back and think about what your puppy is actually going through. Most likely, a fear of magazines, associated with his hurt toe, is getting imprinted on your puppy's brain.
Resist your first reaction which is to coddle him. This only reinforces the imprint, the thought that there's something to be afraid of. You're best bet is to calmly say, "What's up, pup?" and leave the magazines on the floor. Let your puppy investigate the magazines at his own pace. If he continues to go around them, make them seem like good things by placing a treat on them.

This Fear Imprint Period is actually the second one your pet has gone through. Puppies around six weeks old often have their first one, which is probably not something you had the privilege of experiencing. Handling this period well can fix any problems from the first one. If you don't work with your puppy and his imprints, you may end up with a dog who is fearful of thunderstorms because the cat once scratched him during one or even more complex situations.

Always keep in mind that you are the Alpha providing direction for your pup, not a parent soothing a crying baby. Your puppy will thank you for your clear and calm instruction and you'll have a well-balanced adult dog.


----------



## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

This is another really helpful article
http://www.fidosavvy.com/puppy-development.html


----------



## Dexter0615 (Aug 16, 2015)

Thanks for the info; it's helped put his behaviour into perspective. I agree it's a phase I clearly need to be careful with. There's no issue with him being molly-coddled! He's getting calmness exuded around him when he's out, but it can be difficult to know how to address his behaviour. I don't want to force him to walk towards the noise when he is that fearful (it would have required dragging...), whilst also giving the message that he doesn't need to be bothered and can trust where I'm taking him. He jumped a mile at a kid's space hopper in the road today too.... this could be an interesting phase!


----------

