GreytHoundPoet Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Fear phases are normal. I'm late to the party but you have already gotten some good advice. Puppies go through all kinds of odd phases. I have raised 2 sighthound puppies and neither went through a noticeable fear phase. Both have always been fearless in every situation. My puppies have both been so confident I'd almost label them as bold and cocky if they were humans. I watched for fear episodes to pop up but never saw any. Both were raised working Renaissance Festivals on weekends, and my Beezer baby has also been going to lure coursing trials and conformation shows and matches in addition to the massive amount of other socialization that I have done and continue to do with both (and my adults). Still, you can do everything right and fear phases can pop up so I wouldn't worry too much as long as things pass and you set your pup up for success every time. From everything that I have heard, they come on and go away suddenly. Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 She has definitely forgotten how to do just about anything she knew a month ago. Very frustrating. Just have to ride it out until she comes out the other side of adolescence. I hate puppies. They really are no fun at all. Lol I'll never get a puppy again. Sterling and I joke that our next dog will be a SENIOR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 i must be a glutton for punishment, i would do a gh puppy again. much easier than a saluki puppy- believe it or not! and i brought up 3 salukis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 I would do a greyhound puppy before any other kind of puppy, but I don't think I ever want a PUPPY again, regardless of breed! Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scarter55 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Our puppy is going through a fear stage right now, she is about 11 months. When she was younger, about 5 months, she was briefly scared of old people on walks. It sounds crazy, but she would always bark at anyone who appeared to be over 60. Her latest stage seems to be confined to the backyard. She will bark at anything that happens in the windows of our neighbors, sometimes even the windows of our own house. She just recently took issue with the fact that the people in the house behind us were getting, uh, intimate. She barked. It was awkward. But it does sound like you are handling it correctly. The trainer we've been going to has constantly warned the classes about fear stages and her advice is to always go at their pace, but with heavy encouragement. Maybe you could try first taking the treat from the stranger so that Kili sees you doing it. If she seems better indoors, maybe try to get her to meet more people indoors. Or even in your house; invite some friends/coworkers she hasn't met over to meet her on her own turf. I'm sure that this phase won't stick, it sounds like you are doing a great job socializing her. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 We had an unusually easy time with Lilly since we had a "nanny" for her. Whiskey, who we adopted at the same time (he's 4 years older than she is), took over the job of playing with her until she was exhausted and watching over her from the second they met. He will knit on her all over her head and neck and clean her ears! It's so cute! Especially now that she's so much bigger than he is. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 He will knit on her all over her head and neck and clean her ears! It's so cute! Especially now that she's so much bigger than he is. OMG. I wondered if greyhounds would knit each other, because that is what it looks like Summit is doing to Kili sometimes. He doesn't ever knit people, but recently I have noticed that sometimes when he plays with her he will take itty bitty little bites all over her neck and chest. Very animated. And she just lays there on her back. He only does it when he's super wound up and excited with her. It actually looks pretty awful but they both seem to like it so I allow it. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cwholsin Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 (edited) I've been doing more reading on this today since I definitely couldn't make excuses after her performance on her walk today. And yes, I agree. From my research it seems that the second fear phase is anywhere from 6-14 months, and there is often another one around 2 years that tends to be milder. How long did your puppies' fear phases usually last? Did you do anything to help them work through it? I've basically been letting her do things at her own pace and asking strangers to try to give her a treat. I don't want to push her so hard that I overwhelm her and possibly cause permanent damage, but I do want to help her. Juno is smack in the middle of a fear phase!!! It is SO frustrating. She used to love getting petted by other people, and AT HER FIRST SHOW no less we find out that strangrs a suddenly treacherous. She wouldn't let the judge touch her, and we got sismissed from her class- so embarrassing! Her response to things is still somewhat unpredictable. The other day we were picking up meds for Hermes at the vet and she walked up to the door like normal, and then freaked and flew to the end of her leash like it was gonna bite her >.< We're going to a conformtion class now to help Juno through her 'spooky' period. We try and be firm during her freakouts and give praise and treats when we get her to do the thing (ie. going through the door, standing for inspection, etc.). Gentle, but firm. I hope this phase goes away quick, because we started her relatively 'late' for puppy conformation classes, and I want her to be seasoned and solid by the time we have to be in 'adult' classes. It was so weird... She's totally fine, and then things she has never been afraid of are terrifying. I blame adolescent hormones. Edited to add: we started seeing weirdness about 9 months, the show was at 9.5 months, and she just turned 10 months old. Edited April 23, 2013 by cwholsin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 So frustrating! I can't believe they would dismiss a puppy from the class due to timidness. The judge should know that's a normal phase and try to help you with it. I can understand not placing since the judge couldn't do an exam, but unless she was totally petrified I'd think it would e good for her to stay in the ring. Glad Kili didn't have a show during her fear phase! Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cwholsin Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 So frustrating! I can't believe they would dismiss a puppy from the class due to timidness. The judge should know that's a normal phase and try to help you with it. I can understand not placing since the judge couldn't do an exam, but unless she was totally petrified I'd think it would e good for her to stay in the ring. Glad Kili didn't have a show during her fear phase! It was really frustrating, and he told us to work on socialization (We DO, she just forgot all of it...), but I think he was cranky. He had a leg brace on that I'm pretty sure was freaking her out the most- and probably what was making him cranky. Not the best first experience for us, buuuuut we're working on it with conformation class. Hopefully we can have a better time at the next show in June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytHoundPoet Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 That is frustrating, but it happens every so often. There was a judge a few months ago who dismissed 3 sighthound puppies from the ring in one day for being nervous. Two were 6 months old and it was also their first show, and one wasn't much older. Do you mind messaging me, privately, who this judge was? I am curious if it is the same one. I have shown to some very patient, wonderful judges and to some that I would prefer not to show to again. You figure it out as you go along. But, take heart. Most judges that I have shown to understand puppies and will have more patience. The handling classes are great! Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 All the judges at our first show were just amazing. I had never even been to a show. We'd gone to several handling classes which really helped but it's totally different at a show. They were all very kind and patient with me, very gentle with the pup. Good experience all around. I would hope that would be the norm. Hopefully that one judge was an exception! Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cwholsin Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) I'm hoping so too! I made sure to let the judge know it was her first show (it was also my first show handling, too, which didn't do anything for my confidence!)... But no luck with that one. Edited April 24, 2013 by cwholsin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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