16 weeks fear- scared of reflections

[its.sme]

My 16 week girl has just started to be fearful, she is normally very bold, when she eats she frequently pauses  to look around her, if she sees a reflection in anything she barks growels and stops eating . I'm not responding to her reaction and just trying to act normal in the hope that soon she will to. My worry is that it is now effecting her eating.  I'm a newbie to cockers . Help!!
 

[Ruby Tuesday]

I think they just go through phases like this, probably the best thing is to ignore it. If you try to reassure her she will think you are praising her for being afraid. They usually work things out for themselves if you leave them to it.

This page is really interesting, it tells you about the stages pups go through.

http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/DevelopmentalStages.html

[its.sme]

Glad to hear that its best to ignore her when she start, the bit I'm more  worried about is that she stops eating, her weight is healthy at the moment and i would like to keep it that way, i hope that the fear period ends soon, fingers crossed. Thanks for the link.

[piph]

Glad to hear that its best to ignore her when she start, the bit I'm more  worried about is that she stops eating, her weight is healthy at the moment and i would like to keep it that way, i hope that the fear period ends soon, fingers crossed. Thanks for the link.

Can you move her food bowl to somewhere that she can't see any reflections?

[Cassie01]

This page is really interesting, it tells you about the stages pups go through.

http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/DevelopmentalStages.html

That's a great link to the developmental spreadsheet. Although the info is available from books and elsewhere, in that form as a rapid bullet pointed sort of guide, it's terrific. Really useful.

Ta for posting :-)

[Archie bean]

No experience of this myself so this is just a thought, but are you sure she's fearful? Are there definitely reflections near where she eats? Could it be that she is starting to guard her food a bit from the other "dogs" she thinks she can see?
Fingers crossed its just a phase and she will soon be over it.

[Ruby Tuesday]

No experience of this myself so this is just a thought, but are you sure she's fearful? Are there definitely reflections near where she eats? Could it be that she is starting to guard her food a bit from the other "dogs" she thinks she can see?
Fingers crossed its just a phase and she will soon be over it.

Good point Emma, it is possible.

[chrisp]

Mollie used to do this quite a bit.  After a while she just stopped, although she does do it occasionally.  It was very funny when she realised it was herself - it was like a lightbulb was suddenly switched on!!  

[Black Beauty & Silverfox]

Could be the "litter instinct", just a way of guarding her food.
If I give mine a Dentastix she shoots under the table, even though no one else is in the house as if to say 'no ones getting anywhere near this'


Mel.

[its.sme]

The reflections are in the oven and back door, i moved her bowl once to see if there was any change, she kept looking around as she ate so i put it back in the kitchen. it may not be food garding as well although she is happy for me to remove,add or move her bowl(tail wagging). It looks to be easing as she has finished at least one full meal a day. Thanks for all your help.  Will keep you posted.

[its.sme]

Problem solved!!!!. After a few weeks of perseverance Bea is now back to her happy self, i had her checked out at the vets and all was well. I did change her bowl to a non reflective one and also fed her in a room with the curtains closed and the lights out.  we did soften her food for about a week, we then noticed her baby front teeth where being pushed out by her new ones, since then she is back to her usual very happy cocker self. Thanks for all your help and i hope to post photos of her soon. 

[chrisp]

Excellent!