Around two and a half weeks old, we noticed that some puppies startled when loud noises happened in the house... which is often in our house full of guys! It was our cue that it’s the right time to introduce the many normal sounds that happen in daily life which animals can feel scared or threatened by. With their hearing just going on live, they are trying to get accustomed to what to expect, and they are not yet fearful. So over the week, we were sure to run the vacuum, the hairdryer, the blender, drop a few things, rustle keys, and slam a few doors & windows. In doing this, we are giving the beginnings of a startle/recovery reflex/response: one where the dogs can recover quickly when they are startled but are not truly in danger. It’s no good when your dog runs for its life and hides under the bed whenever you run a vacuum or make a smoothie; but that’s what some dogs do, and that’s what we are seeking to diminish.
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