Is my 9 month old puppy going through a fear stage?

My 9 month old puppy started acting differently about a week before she went into heat. She never barked at people or cars before on her walks, but now she goes crazy.

I blamed it on the hormones, but now she has been done with her heat for several weeks and there is no change in her behavior. Someone suggested to me that it could be a fear phase she is going through. That some dogs go through it at 9-12 months.

Any thought? If it is a fear phase, will it go away on it's own? What should I do to help my puppy?


Hi
Yes, it's possibly a developmental phase that she's going through, this happens. It could be a fear period, it could be due to adolescence, if she's a guarding breed (such as GSD, Rottweiler etc.) she could be beginning to show her guarding instincts.

It's difficult to say for sure.

Dogs are very sensitive to their owners emotions and it may be that you have become accustomed to her behaving this way and not anticipate it. If that happens and you become nervous or worried when you see other people or cars approaching because you're expecting her to act up, she will feel this through the leash.

She may well interpret your anxiety as fear, and will then act aggressively (or defensively) because she's trying to 'protect' you from what she perceives as a threat.

Try to make sure that you remain calm and relaxed , and don't tighten your grip on the leash or anticipate trouble. If you stay relaxed she may relax too. It could take a little time for her to realize that she doesn't need to protect you anymore, but it may help.

If she seems happy and healthy in every other way I wouldn't worry too much but do take some steps to increase her socialization experiences and I would recommend enrolling her in a dog obedience school.

This will help you learn why she behaves the way she does and the instructors can help you control it. The socialization will help her build confidence which is also helpful.

If you are still troubled by this behavior, talk to your veterinarian or a dog behaviorist.

Best of luck!