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In this episode of Pandemic Puppy, Kayla discusses stranger danger in puppies. She covers what it is, why it happens, and what to do about it. Her puppy Niffler has been barking and even growling at strangers lately, so this is high priority for Kayla!
- Fearful behavior and a fear period are not the same.
- Fear Period: abrupt and transient fear of something your puppy has already been exposed to. These periods can be ignored for the most part. You can comfort your puppy, then move on, and don’t make a big deal about it.
- Continuous fearful behavior, such as stranger danger, needs to be addressed right away.
- Stranger danger is a natural behavior for dogs, especially for certain breeds. It is normal, but it needs to be addressed.
- Don’t correct the puppy or apply any negative reinforcement. It can make the stranger danger worse.
Don’t flood your puppy - Let the strangers know what’s going on, in a happy friendly voice
Don’t make a big deal out of people
Advocate for your puppy, be a safe place/person for them - Look at That/Engage Disengage Game
- If your puppy is too far past their threshold, go back a few steps
Links Mentioned in the Episode
- Sarah Stremming’s Worked Up course
- The K9 Conservationists field vehicle repair fundraiser
You can support the Pandemic Puppy Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/pandemicpuppy.
Get extra help with your puppy through Journey Dog Training’s Puppy Raising Blueprint Course.
Join the free Pandemic Puppy Raising Support Group on Facebook.
Kayla founded Journey Dog Training in 2013 to provide high-quality and affordable dog behavior advice. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant who’s worked with hundreds of private clients, thousands of shelter dogs, and dozens of working detection dogs. Kayla’s dog and cat behavior advice has been featured in NPR, the Chicago Tribune, and Pet MD. She’s an avid adventurer who is currently doing #vanlife on the Pan-American Highway with her two border collies and a cat. Aside from running Journey Dog Training, Kayla also runs the nonprofit K9 Conservationists, where she and the dogs work as conservation detection dog teams. You can get 1:1 advice with a Journey Dog Training team member here.
Comments 1
Very informative article! My clients are always asking for tips and how to know when their dog is uncomfortable being around others, I’m definitely going to show them this post as additional helpful info. Thanks for sharing!