Remember when YOU were a kid?

Monsters under the bed!  Hands that could grab your ankles under the basement stairs!  (It's really bad after watching a scary movie!)  It's just our immature nervous systems alerting us to potential danger.  Fear and caution are good things.  They keep us alive.  

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Humans go through fearful periods.  As we mature and gain life experience, we aren't as likely to panic over imaginary things as we were as children.  But if you've felt that jolt up the back of your neck when that car almost ran that stop sign, you have experienced a startle reflex.  There's a primal physical response, you gasp or scream, your muscles jolt, your heart races, you may get goose bumps.   Some of us are jumpier than others!  The chemical dump in our system lingers awhile.  You may tremble or shiver.  You might break down in tears or get really mad.  You might really need a hug - or you might really NOT want to be restrained and need to "walk it off" in order to feel better.

Canine Fear Periods

Dogs generally experience two normal fear periods in their lives: one at 8-11 weeks and another between 6-14 months. During these periods, puppies become more sensitive and aware of the world around them and may be more concerned about new objects or experiences. Both fear periods last around 2-3 weeks and can happen overnight and unexpectedly. Smaller breeds tend to experience the second fear period sooner than larger breeds.  Their response to a jolt of adrenaline is similar to ours.

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