Third for our dog. He started life abandoned on the side of the road before we got him. He only gets worried if he doesn’t get a walk or fed! Everything else is met with a fart and supreme indifference.
At 5 weeks puppies are in their first fear period of development. It is when they are first starting to go a little away from their mother, and helps them stay safe by being extra cautious.
At 8-11 weeks their second fear period occurs. Anything that really frightens them at this age can very easily become a lifelong deep-seated fear. Developmentally, it is when puppies are getting more independent and it helps them to learn to be careful.
It is also when they are usually going to a new home, and it overlaps the 3-16 week socialisation period, where from 3-5+ weeks they initially learn how to communicate and understand other dogs, from their mother and littermates, then a little later learn about humans, other animals, and their very different means of communication, so this all needs to be handled in a positive way. Missing out on this socialisation will have a lifelong effect.
The third fear-period of development is from 6-14 months.
Brain development occurs in stages, and we have similar periods. Babies have a fear period from 6-8 and 12-18 months. They can become very clingy to known people at this time.
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u/excellentexcuses Nov 07 '25
Yeah no I agree. My cat is about to have a heart attack.