Dogs aggressive with children

TwilightWillow · 01-04-2009 7:44pm #1

Hi there,

I have 2 Cocker Spaniels, Bailey and Coco, both sisters from the same litter. They're 2 years old now but have never really been around other dogs/people. They are always quite and docile when at home, but when it comes to children they can become quite jealous of each other and fairly aggressive toward the child, ie: Deep growling, barking. They have never actually bitten anyone and I hope they never will, but I am very nervous about leaving them around young children. For example, I was on a walk with just one of them today, and a little girl came over to rub Bailey and she started growling. I was very embarrassed and annoyed.

I just need some sort of advice on how to fix this problem, its starting to get out of hand as I have a 3 year old cousin who often visits my house, but i have to leave the dogs outside.

Thanks in advance.

biggybum · 01-04-2009 8:01pm

Hi.My honest opinion is never leave your dogs alone with any child be it for 2 mins or 10 mins. I have learned one thing and not through experience thank god !!, but sometimes its not the dog it can be the child.... could be stroking or pulling at the dog etc. A dog is naturally protective of its owner and see's anyone as a threat within reason. You should always be present when children and dogs interact to correct both animal and child

TwilightWillow · 01-04-2009 8:05pm

No i never ever leave the dogs alone with the child, and the dogs are always on leashes when they're out. The child is always very good with the dog, never pulls at it or anything, just strokes it gently on the head while I'm next to it. I never leave them alone for the exact reason I can't trust them not to become aggressive with the child. Its very worrying.

biggybum · 01-04-2009 8:14pm

i can understand completly, its a natural thing really there just being protective. When a dog has'nt been reared with children it can be very difficult for them to not see kids/adults as a threat. Its prob best to let the dog know he/she is doing the wrong thing the min they start to growl etc... and let them interact very slowly until such time as they become comfortable with each others presence

Lauragoesmad · 01-04-2009 11:38pm

TBH, if they were my dogs, I would muzzle them while walking. Mainly to protect yourself and your dogs. A child could run up to your dogs while on a walk and get bitten. Then you would be in hot water, ie childs parents wanting the dog to be PTS.
Plus, its not nice for a child to get bitten. I know parents shouldn't let their kids run up to dogs without asking first but ya know kids. When I was younger, I used to do the exact same thing even though my Mam and Dad had told me a thousand times not to. I'd be so excited to meet the dog that I wouldn't even think to ask permission. I learned my lesson when I was bitten by a dog when I was 8. (It was a cocker too.) It is as important to socialise dogs with kids aswell as other dogs.
Do your dogs ever growl at adults or strangers? It could be that they don't feel safe with children being so low down to them or eye contact could be an issue.

Beth · 01-04-2009 11:53pm

I would agree with the post above. Too many times kids can seem to come out of nowhere. A muzzle can safeguard the child, but also safeguards the dogs life until you can fix the behaviour.

Growling is a dogs way of warning. If you remove that and constantly correct him into not growling, it can lead to a lot of problems like NOT warning when about to snap or bite if it ever got that far.

Please contact a reputable behaviourist to try to deal with the behaviour in the correct way.

Cows Go µ · 02-04-2009 12:11am

I actually have an aggressive dog, (more to do with experiences with his previous owner more than anything else though) so I know what you are going through. Is it just kids or all people? People coming straight up to a dog can be very intimidating to a dog, especially if they feel they feel they need to protect you.

What's actually helped us most is going to obedience classes and agility classes. The dogs get used to being around other people and learn stuff too. If you know anyone with kids, try and get the dogs to meet them. Maybe not actually touching, but get the dogs used to having a kid around and so that the dogs realise the child isn't a threat. It will take time, you might want to get a muzzle in the mean time if you think there is a serious danger but I know my dog got more agressive with the muzzle on because his only line of defence was taken away.

TwilightWillow · 02-04-2009 5:17pm

Its mostly just children, they're fine with other dogs on walks, they just sniff and don't pay any more attention. Do you know of any good obedience classes around the cork area that aren't that expensive?

Beth · 02-04-2009 6:47pm

It depends where in Cork you are.
The only ones I know of are in Mallow. www.cocodogclub.tk
We attended there with our Papillon and Rottweiler. The rottweiler was there for a refersher course with us as new owners, as she had already completed the course with them previously. They run puppy classes, clicker classes and agility. We found Alison very good and she's registered with the APDT so there's no choke collars etc, just positive training.

It was 80euro for 8 weeks of classes back when we did them last September.

TwilightWillow · 03-04-2009 7:19pm

Thanks for that, I will check them out!

ncmc · 04-04-2009 11:59am

Twilight, I am in EXACTLY the same position as you, my cocker is quite aggressive around children too, she won't actively chase them, but she will growl and get the heckles up if they come to close (I think it is quite a common cocker trait). I think I will try the behaviourist idea too, but in the meantime, I just make sure I am not in a position where she can growl at kids. If I meet a child while I am walking her, I pull her short on the lead and put myself between her and the child. I have actually said to children not to touch her, they look a bit put out and i'm sure the parents think I am an a**hole, but that's better than what the alternative could be.

TwilightWillow · 05-04-2009 1:16pm

Yeh, she'll tend to growl at people who come into my house whom she doesn't know, usually its men for some reason. I've been trying to socialise them with my little cousins, like letting the little one throw her ball for her or something like that, just to show they're not a threat. I really hope i can correct this problem because they are nice dogs and i want people to be able to rub and admire them too! Thanks for all ye're advice!

ncmc · 06-04-2009 12:47pm

Just wanted to add, that if yours are anything like mine, they will be worse when they are in their own house or if they feel like they are being cornered. Any time my dog has growled at kids, it's been when she's been backed in to a corner or is trying to protect her territory. I was out yesterday with my neice and nephew and my dog was fine with them. I think this was because we were in a neutral place and we were outdoors where she had plenty of space to run away if she felt threatened.

Maybe you could try introducing them to kids away from your house and then gradually bring them in to the house as they learn that kids are not a threat.

Dogs aggressive with children

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