# How to make a confident dog from a fearful puppy?



## TrumpetBlast (Jun 27, 2020)

Some of that you may know that I just brought home our 7 week old pup. The first night she was so shaky and frightened, but we put it down to all of the experiences of a new home. She seemed to come around, and was playing and having fun later that night. The problem is that she still reverts to that fearful shaking several times a day, often for no apparent reason. Today I ran the microwave in the other room and she tried to hide under a tiny table. We are attempng to socialize her gently at home as well as we can before her vaccinations are solid. We have a peaceful home and she is stationed in a small area until she is potty trained. My fear is that she may not have been properly socialized and we will have a fearful dog. Is this normal puppy behavior, and if not, how can we flip the script and raise her to be confident?


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

If you have brought her home at 7 weeks, which used to be the "old standard", take for granted that she has not been socialized in any way other than interacting with her littermates, and her mother.
At 7 weeks old she does not yet even possess adaptive depth of field vision, in other words, her visual spacial percetption has not fully developed. she has near vision, and sees things far way, but putting the two together for depth of field is still developing."
Her hearing is very acute right now, but her library of sounds is extremely limited. Everything is reactive, everything is new.
She has a puppy brain, and will for the next for 6-7 weeks.
Put all of this together and you have a puppy that needs to be guided for another week or two, until thr vision, hearing, and library of sounds, versus the visual imprint is developed.
She is a baby, and will need to be treated as such for the next week or two. She needs time. Her whole world has been turned upside down and she does not posses the necessary mental, and physical, faculties to process the information.
In the world of mammals, both predator, and prey, there is not one single species that utilizes a high pitched, high frequency, sound as a soothing, or comforting, tone. In every species, the high pitch, high frequency, sound is an alarm tone. This is an instinctive response. To get past it, the animal, in this case a puppy, has to be exposed to the noise, and comforted at the same time. The microwave, emits a very high frequency noise, in addition to the alarm bell. She can hear in a range, humans cannot, on both ends of the spectrum, as well as in between. She has not "filters" yet. Everything is a cacophony of noise to her, that she cannot sort out just yet. Very, very, quickly she will.
At 7 weeks old, she should be on the floor, playing with you, while you make very low, soft, bass, type noises and signs of pleasure. Talk to her in a low voice, gently breathe into her nostrils, and simply play new games with her, such as fetch, but at a very short distance, less than 6 feet.
Now then, you have a wonderful, wonderful, opportunity with such a young puppy. Bond with her, and she is yours forever. You will be the one to make the first, non instinctive, mental impression on her that she will retain.
She will grow out of it, she just needs a week or two to start on her way. Don't expect her to "deal with it, or "have to learn". That comes in 4-6 weeks. For now, you need to control her visual and auditory exposure. If a noise scares her, stop using that appliance for a week or two.
I got my first Vizlsa puppy at 49 days, many years ago. He was just like your girl. He became a Prize II NAVDHA Utility Dog and one of the best hunting dogs I have ever seen. Your girl can do the same thing. She just needs you to control her environment and protect her for a week or two. She has so much to learn.
Good luck with her and have lots of fun. Just give a few weeks to grow up a little bit and you'll be fine.


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## TrumpetBlast (Jun 27, 2020)

gunnr said:


> If you have brought her home at 7 weeks, which used to be the "old standard", take for granted that she has not been socialized in any way other than interacting with her littermates, and her mother.
> At 7 weeks old she does not yet even possess adaptive depth of field vision, in other words, her visual spacial percetption has not fully developed. she has near vision, and sees things far way, but putting the two together for depth of field is still developing."
> Her hearing is very acute right now, but her library of sounds is extremely limited. Everything is reactive, everything is new.
> She has a puppy brain, and will for the next for 6-7 weeks.
> ...


Wow, thank you for taking the time to share all of that, gunnr. That really sets my mind at ease. I guess I am the fearful one! Here I was afraid that we had to 'catch up' in terms of socialization- I am so relieved that she's exactly where she ought to be at her young age. 👍


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

She is where she should be. You would be stunned at how much development takes place between weeks 7 and 8. Then 8-10.
That you got her at day 49 is not unusual, but is not the norm any longer. Generally puppies go home at 8-10 weeks. Breeders will let a puppy go earlier, but only safe in the knowledge that it is going home with an experienced person.
There were an abundance if behavioral studies done many years ago to determine the optimum age to bring home a puppy, and day 49 was the number. It was at this day that the development of the puppy was sufficient to establish a very strong bond with the owner/handler.
Your new puppy can do a lot of things, and she is going to learn very, very, fast. She is ready to start "training" Four to five weeks of training, in a kind, gentle, nurturing, manner, has the ability to put you months ahead.
There can be no physical correction at this point. Everything is repeated in a very safe, very non physical manner, and environment. She will not remember a lesson 5 minutes after it ends, but she will begin to make "associations", based on the repetition of pattern. Any lessons at his point are minutes in length, then playtime.
Have lots and lots of fun with your new girl. Take many pictures, as they develop so fast.


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