German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America

[Sundowner]

My 6 months old pup Max goes through periods of being scared, sometimes even when anther dog (which we can't see) barks in the distance. I read about this issue in GWP's but wonder when it stops?
Another thing with Max is, that he is trying to mount any other dogs. Bitches or dogs, doesnt matter what
I haven't seen him "being excited" as such, but, do I have to watch this behaviour?
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A hard life isn't easy !

[dualgwp]

Sort of normal behaviour at this age. Don't reward it, don't reprimand it. Try to ignore the "I'm afraid of everything" act, or encourage him to check it out.... but don't talk sweet to him when he is being silly like this. That will only tell him you also are concerned.

The mounting is just his way of trying to figure out who is the top dog in the situation... they'll figure it out by themselves.

[Jon]

Have to disagree with much of Dual's comments. This is NOT normal behavior-pups this age should be confident, inquisitive, sensibly cautious but quickly adapting to new circumstances. I would get this pup involved with different activities that bring him into contact with new situations. Take it slow, be supportive-don't go to the circus tomorrow. If the pup is fearful simply let him work it out and be calm. Pup must learn to confront new situations and learn that nothing bad comes out of them.

Your pup is probably mounting other dogs because it is trying to assume dominance-find a more dominant position in the pack. Don't make a big deal of this but discourage him/correct him. If he continues this into adulthood, you will have problems.

There is one danger with a fearful dog of any breed-it is rare but you should be aware of it and that is that a pup deals with his fear by becoming aggressive. Nothing you have said leads me to think that this might be the case-but you need to know it. If this should happen you need to contact your breeder ASAP.

Probably just a puppy stage and this pup lacks some confidence. He can grow out of it with some good old common sense, careful exposure to new situations, etc. If I may be blunt, I would not breed this dog-his fearful behavior is a serious temperament flaw. A little patience and he may become a fine pet.

[Sundowner]

thanks for your comments. I think I need to clarify that even though he is at times scared he is certainly curious afterward.
I can't remember what the guys book was called but it was specifically written for GWP's. He says that GWP pups go through phases of being fearful at 3-4 months and then again at 6-8 months. He seems to be right so far!
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A hard life isn't easy !

[DevataGWP]

Yes, fear periods usually show up around 8-12 weeks and again from 6 mos could be through 14 mos. Just pay attention to their behavior during those periods of time and don't put them into situations that are overload for that particular dog.