The present studies evaluated whether or not postnatal handling (PH) (administered during the first 21 days of life) could enduringly improve coping behavior with novel and/or conflict situations. To this purpose, different groups of naive male rats (control and PH-treated) were submitted in separate experiments to 1 of the 3 following situations: an emotional reactivity test (in 4-month-old animals), an open-field session followed by endocrine measurements (in 7-month-old animals) and a punished drinking test (in 11-month-old animals). PH effects were significant in the 3 situations: handled animals were less resistant to capture or to the handling manouvers involved in the emotional reactivity test: the hormonal responses (corticosterone, prolactin, and ACTH changes) during and after an open-field stress were less intense, and PH effects lasted up to 11 months in the punished drinking test, as measured by a higher number of punished responses and less time spent freezing by handled animals during the punished period. The results are discussed in relation to previous evidence showing a long-lasting reduction of fearfulness in rats due to postnatal handling.