November 2024 Update
Java started to with Highland Canine for service dog training. He hasn’t yet been designated toward a certain type of service work yet, but he’s learning the basics of being a service dog and having the appropriate manners and reactions in public. One of the most important parts of being a good service dog is being emotionally consistent and reliable during all sorts of interactions their humans will encounter throughout the day, everything from cars on the road, to busy malls, to watching other dogs and still maintaining their composure.
Java is going through his fear period. This is a time when pups’ brain is developing and this particular stage has them putting a bigger picture of the world together. It is thought to have an evolutionary significance, helping the dog to mitigate getting hurt or injured as they’re more interested in exploring and trying new things. They feel different than they did before, causing a change in behavior. This often manifests in a bit of reactivity and fearfulness–things that weren’t so scary before, can be a bit scary again.
For Java, he’s recovering from this, learning that things aren’t all that scary anymore. This happens with all dogs, although the age of its occurrence changes with different breeds and may show itself a little differently with different personalities and environments. (Think of you kid when they turned into a teenager…😬).
“Eager to work and super smart … independent … and eager to please!”
