Your confident pup just hit a 'fear period.' Handle this wrong, and you risk a lifelong phobia.
It’s pure biology. Their brains are wired to be hyper-suspicious to survive in the wild. In your living room, it looks like an overnight 'Spook Period.'
Watch out at 8-11 weeks and again between 6-14 months. Adolescence is the big one—they look like adults but feel like vulnerable toddlers.
Kittens move fast. Their primary window is 2-7 weeks. By 4-10 months, that 'brave' kitten might suddenly bolt from every house guest.
One bad experience right now can imprint for life. If they 'pancake' to the ground or tuck their tail, they aren't being stubborn—they're terrified.
Whispering 'It’s okay, baby' confirms their suspicion that something is actually wrong. Your comfort is accidentally reinforcing the danger.
When they spook, act like you just won the lottery. Jog in place, whistle, and toss high-value treats like Costco rotisserie chicken.
Use freeze-dried liver or plain chicken. You want them to think: 'This weird mailbox is the thing that makes the best snacks appear.'
If your pet stops eating treats, they've crossed the line. They are too scared to learn. Increase your distance from the trigger immediately.
Dragging them toward the fear is 'flooding.' It doesn't build courage; it causes psychological damage. Let them approach at their own pace.
Skip the busy Home Depot run today. Choose quiet walks where you can control the environment and keep the social wins easy.
A fear period is just a biological growth spurt. Your job isn't to 'fix' them—it's to be the calm, 'jolly' leader they need to feel safe again.
Get the specific steps to navigate adolescence and the trainer-approved 'Jolly Routine' scripts.