Fear Isn’t Failure: Helping Your Young Therapy Dog Candidate Through Emotional Growing Pains
Zephyr jumped aside suddenly, lowering his head to growl at the goldfish swimming in our aquarium as if he’d never seen them before.
Even though these fish had been in our living room from the day Zephyr came home, it was as if he was noticing them for the first time. Hackles up and backing away anxiously, he gave a few barks before retreating quickly to sit beside me on the couch, acting as if these harmless creatures were on the attack.
“What the heck Zeph?” I asked, amused but also sympathetic to his obviously startled emotional state.
At six months old, Zephyr seemed to be having a fearful response to something that simply didn’t warrant fear. Was he having a mental break? Exposing a nervous temperament that would prevent me from realizing my dream of working alongside him to provide animal-assisted speech therapy?
Or was he simply having a moment of anxiety as part of normal adolescent dog development?
Since he recovered quickly, I didn’t dwell on this incident. But it did alert me that we might be entering Zephyr’s next “fear period.” While I’ve gone through this stage with past puppies, I wanted to be more informed in order to feel confident in handling my pup’s upcoming months. Especially since I’d been warned his German Shepherd/Malinois genetics (his sire’s side) could mean a more pronounced fear period was headed our way.
I reached out to Tim Pratt, a trainer specializing in helping the owners of anxious and reactive dogs. As a former Queensland, Australia Corrective Services tactical response dog handler and instructor, Tim has 13 years’ experience training and handling tactical response and drug detection dogs in some of the most challenging environments imaginable. He now runs Diverse Dogs Dog Training and Development to promote the well-being of both dogs and their human companions.
I learned so much dog psychology and practical training advice taking part in a recent online course with Tim that I knew he’d be a great resource to learn more about puppy fear periods.
The term “fear period” is often bandied about as an excuse to give up on training goals and/or to cast shame on dog handlers when a young dog’s training is not going exactly as planned. However Tim has a more comprehensive view of this natural part of puppy development.
Zephyr shortly after the fish incident. While normally a confident and extroverted puppy, this candidate for a future animal-assisted speech therapy partner nonetheless has moments of uncertainty.
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What is a Fear Period?
“When we’re raising young dogs—especially those being prepared for something as emotionally demanding as therapy work—it’s not just about teaching behaviours. It’s about building emotional stability and trust,” Tim began.
“One area that’s often misunderstood is the role of fear periods. These are normal developmental stages where a puppy may suddenly appear more cautious, reactive, or unsettled by things they previously handled well.
“For some, this shift can feel like a setback. But it’s actually a crucial opportunity to help your dog build resilience and learn how to move through uncertainty in a supported, grounded way.
“Puppies generally go through two key fear periods during development:
First fear period: ~8 to 11 weeks
Second fear period: ~6 to 14 months (varies by individual)
“These windows can vary in timing and intensity based on genetics, environment, and prior experiences. Breeds bred for heightened environmental awareness—like guardian, herding, or working lines—often display more pronounced responses during these stages. But even confident pups can show sudden sensitivity to things they were previously fine with.”
Tactical dog handler and professional trainer Tim Pratt with a puppy around the age a a fear period typically begins. While sometimes alarming this can be a perfectly normal part of a dog’s development, but important for speech therapy dog handlers to be aware of.
Why Do Dogs Experience a Fear Period?
“What’s happening neurologically is that the puppy’s brain is undergoing significant reorganization,” Tim explains. “They’re beginning to interpret the world with more complexity and caution—an evolutionary survival mechanism. During this time, a neutral or even slightly ambiguous stimulus can be interpreted as threatening.
“That’s why a dog might suddenly become wary of a person in a hat, a bicycle, or even a bush that wasn’t there yesterday. It’s not regression—it’s a natural part of developmental processing. And with thoughtful support, most pups move through it with no lasting issues.”
Distinguishing a Fear Period from a Temperament Trait
With such a broad age range of 6-14 months for the second fear period, I asked Tim how to tell if an adolescent dog is just going through a fear period or if the anxiety they exhibit is indicative of a more anxious temperament.
With many dogs surrendered to shelters and rescue organizations in this age range, this could be especially important for animal-assisted therapists considering adoption of a therapy dog hopeful. It could also help us handlers persist when working with a young therapy dog candidate who may not be reacting to new situations as confidently as we would like.
“This can be a bit tricky. A pup going through a fear period will often show a sudden shift in behavior—things that didn’t bother them last week might now cause hesitation or avoidance. But outside of these periods, they generally bounce back and seem open to engagement when supported calmly.
“In contrast, a dog with a more inherently anxious or sensitive temperament might show fear responses more consistently across environments and over time.
“That said, even temperamentally sensitive dogs can make wonderful therapy companions with the right support. The key is tuning in to how quickly and easily they recover when given guidance, space, and time.”
(Sharlet’s note: My partner of six years, Delta Dawn, is a great example of a therapy dog with a more sensitive temperament. While it means I have to be especially vigilant to help her decompress after stressors and build in new experiences slowly and positively, it also makes her incredibly empathic towards my more anxious clients. She picks up on nuances of the kids’ behavior before I can and alerts me to back off or change plans for a therapy session. This has been invaluable with some of my more challenging clients. To see Delta in action, watch Therapy Dogs Explained: How Can a Therapy Dog Help Calm an Anxious or Resistant Client? on the Speech Dogs YouTube channel.)
Can We Build Resilience in a Therapy Dog Candidate?
Working in the corrections system with tactical response and drug detection dogs taught Tim Pratt how to build resilience in dogs in even the most stressful environments. He’s now making a living teaching these skills to handlers of dogs doing a variety of jobs, including working as therapy dogs.
One key trait of a dog working in animal-assisted therapy is resilience. There’s simply no such thing as a stress-free working environment. While it’s our job as a therapy dog’s handler to teach and reinforce dog etiquette with clients, provide retreat spaces, and respond to our canine partner’s stress signals, unexpected events will happen.
“Resilience isn’t about removing fear altogether—it’s about helping a dog feel safe enough to move through uncertainty and come out more confident on the other side,” Tim emphasizes.
“One of the best things we can do is set up the environment in a way that supports learning and safety. That means controlling the dog’s exposure to new experiences so they aren’t overwhelmed or pushed too far too fast—especially during fear periods.
“We do this by:
Managing space and distance—allow your puppy to observe new people, environments, or sounds from a comfortable distance before expecting engagement.
Keeping sessions short and successful—stop while the puppy is still feeling good to build a positive emotional bank balance.
Using high-value rewards—pairing new or mildly challenging stimuli with things the pup loves helps them build strong, positive associations (See my favorites on the Animal-Assisted Speech Therapy Supplies page).
Being flexible with the plan—some days your puppy might be ready to explore something new, other days they may need to sit back and watch. That’s okay. Supporting what they need in the moment helps build long-term confidence.”
He emphasizes this critical point:
“We should never force a puppy to interact with something they’re fearful of.
“Forcing engagement can actually increase the fear and create lasting negative associations. Instead, let the puppy set the pace of the interaction. If they choose to move closer or show interest, you can support that. But if they’re hesitant, it’s far more productive to hold space at a distance where they feel safe.
And equally important he adds, “Avoid overreacting if your puppy has a fearful moment. It’s natural to want to scoop them up, console them, or fuss over them, but this can actually reinforce their uncertainty. Instead, stay calm and grounded.
“Offer quiet support. Let them see that you’re not worried, and then gently guide them through the situation. Part of building resilience is allowing our dogs to experience mild stress and learn how to move through it—with us alongside them, not carrying them through it.
“The goal is to lead your puppy through new experiences with calm structure—offering support, not pressure or overprotection. The more we can show them that the world is safe, predictable, and full of positive outcomes, the more resilient they’ll become.
“Sniffing, chewing, and slow exploration are great tools during this stage. These behaviours naturally activate the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting the puppy out of hyper-alert states and into one where learning and emotional regulation are possible.”
What If a Puppy Has a Bad Experience? (And Why It’s Not the End of the World)
“First things first—don’t panic,” Tim says. “One bad moment doesn’t define your puppy’s future. It’s easy to feel discouraged if something spooks them or they suddenly react to something they were previously fine with, but dogs are incredibly resilient—especially when we respond with calm leadership, patience, and support.
“If your puppy has a negative experience (say they get overwhelmed by a group of children at the park, or startled by a sudden noise inside a busy clinic), the key is to avoid forcing them back into that situation too quickly. Instead, we can use counter-conditioning to help them form a new, more positive emotional association to that environment or stimulus.
“Counter-conditioning is a behavioural technique that changes how a dog feels about something—not just how they behave. We pair the previously scary or overwhelming thing with something the dog really enjoys, like high-value food, play, or interaction. Over time, this reshapes the dog’s emotional response from fear to neutrality or even excitement.
“It’s not just for ‘fixing’ bad experiences either—we can proactively use this approach to build confidence and emotional safety around new or potentially challenging environments.”
Even though this article is aimed at puppy handlers, building resilience is possible even with mature therapy dog hopefuls.
Tim provides this example:
“Let’s say you’re preparing your pup for future therapy visits in a school setting. On their first visit to the school grounds (even after hours), your puppy might feel unsure—new smells, unfamiliar surfaces, echoes in the hallway, distant sounds of lockers or bells.
“Rather than jumping straight into exposure or obedience work, we’d start with simple confidence-building:
Scatter feed on the grass outside the entrance to encourage relaxed sniffing.
Use play or food games near the doorway to create joy and anticipation.
Let them observe from a distance and choose to engage or retreat.
Pair the presence of school sounds with treats or calm praise while your own energy remains steady and grounded.
“If done well, your puppy learns that “this place = good things happen,” long before they ever walk into a classroom full of kids. We’re helping them feel safe and curious. That’s the foundation for resilience.
Zephyr during one of his many brief outings to my office as a puppy, this time meeting kids for a brief play session. Pairing this Greedy Granny game with lots high-value treats and letting him choose how close to get quickly desensitized him to Granny’s startling pop-up action.
“And again, if something ever goes wrong—a loud noise startles them or they freeze at a doorway—it’s not game over. You simply regroup, go back to a level where they feel safe again, and build from there.
“What’s most important is that you stay composed. Avoid fussing, apologizing, or coddling. Instead, lead them out calmly, and revisit the challenge at a more manageable level next time. That’s how we help them bounce back and develop emotional strength.”
This is a big part of what Tim teaches in his Reactivity Success Path program, an online cohort-style class. This is where I learned to help my dog Bodhi improve his tolerance of unfamiliar dogs and also built my confidence to prevent new therapy dog candidate Zephyr from developing reactivity in the first place.
“Even though the course focuses on dogs with more intense emotional responses,” Tim explains, “the underlying principles apply to puppies just as much: we help them feel safe, connected, and in control of their experience—and that’s where real change happens.
“And most importantly—there’s no shame in needing help.
“Puppies aren’t robots. Their emotional development is complex, and even the best-prepared dogs will have off days. What matters is having the right tools, the right support, and a mindset focused on progress—not perfection.”
Regulating You – Why Your Nervous System Matters
“One of the most powerful things you can do to help your puppy feel safe is to regulate your own nervous system first,” Tim teaches his clients.
“Dogs—especially those with sensitive or working temperaments—are incredibly attuned to our emotional state. If we’re anxious, distracted, or reactive ourselves, they’ll pick up on that and respond accordingly. But when we’re grounded, calm, and present, it sends a clear signal of safety.
“Breathwork is one of the most effective tools to achieve this.
“It’s simple, portable, and evidence-based. Here are three techniques I regularly use with my clients and during my events:
Box Breathing:
Inhale for 4 seconds → Hold for 4 → Exhale for 4 → Hold for 4
This helps regulate both the mind and body, reducing anxiety and improving focus. Breathing is in through the nose and out through the mouth.4/8 Breathing:
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds → Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
The longer exhale activates the vagus nerve and encourages a parasympathetic “rest and digest” state.Functional Nose Breathing:
Slow, rhythmic nose breathing (in and out through the nose, mouth closed) enhances oxygen delivery and reinforces calm. It also sends subtle cues of regulation to your dog, especially when done consistently around them.
“Even just taking a few intentional breaths before stepping into a new environment or training session can shift everything—for you and your dog.”
Final Thoughts on Fear Periods in Your Therapy Dog Hopeful
As you can see, Tim’s dog training methodology is not merely about obedience but encompasses the holistic well-being of both dogs and owners.
He concludes, “Fear periods are a natural part of a dog’s development. While they can be unsettling at times—especially when progress seems to take a step backward—they’re also a chance to help your dog build true emotional resilience.
“By staying calm, managing the environment thoughtfully, and using techniques like counter-conditioning and breath regulation, we can guide our dogs through these sensitive stages without overwhelming them. It’s about finding that balance between support and space—helping them feel safe, without overprotecting or reinforcing uncertainty.
“Over time, these small moments of guidance add up. They shape how our dogs perceive the world, how they recover from stress, and how confident they become in new situations. For any dog—but especially those being trained for therapy or support roles—this kind of emotional foundation is just as important as any obedience cue.”
To learn more about Tim’s dog training offerings (in person and online), check out the Diverse Dogs website and follow him @diversedogsau on Instagram or @Diverse Dogs Pty Ltd on Facebook.
And to learn more about selecting and training therapy dog candidates, check out the resources on the Speech Dogs site, including the book Paws for Progress: Integrating Animal-Assisted Interventions Into Your Speech-Language Pathology Practice and the course Talk to the Paw: Foundations for Therapy Animal Inclusion in a Professional Setting.
May your day be filled with puppy wiggles and children’s giggles,
Sharlet
Related articles:
Puppy Love and Selecting a New Speech Therapy Dog: Zephyr’s Story
The Big Bad Wolves of Therapy Dog Training: Three-and-a-Half Things to Avoid When Preparing for Animal-Assisted Speech Therapy
The Power of the Human-Animal Bond: How a Speech Therapy Dog Can Help Enable a Calm, Learning State of Mind
