Brand new to a forum. I have a beautiful black lab who just turned a year. His training has been going very well with two obedience classes under our belts and walks in the park. No issues. Not even problems with over abundence of energy. He gets plenty of exercise. BUT...for the last two weeks he has changed a little by becoming a little fearful of new people. Even with visitors. He snaps out of it quickly but it's disturbing to me that this has come about. I have been told this is just a fase because of his age and work him thru it. That he is fine. Has this been everyone else's experience? Thank you for your awnsers!
Hi and welcome, sounds like you are doing really well with your lab. Hopefully someone will come along with some advice for you
Hi there, and welcome to the forum. Some experts believe that there is a second fear period where dogs become a bit anxious for a few weeks towards the end of their first year or early in their second. It seems to be more widely reported in herding breeds but has been noted in other breeds too. Hopefully this will just be a temporary phase and exposing your dog to lots of social experiences while ensuring that you don't push too hard at the boundaries of what makes him feel safe, is probably the way to go. Don't hesitate to have a chat with your vet if the problem persists. Let us know how you get on
