[newpitowner]

Ok so today is going really well - kids and Sam have been outside all day while I do some cleaning and such. Bring the dog inside and put her in her crate for a bit of down time while I finish up and get in the shower. In the meantime my girlfriend stops by w/ her son (first time they've met her) and Sam is fine all wiggle butts w/ my girlfriend. Her son - who is 4 I think- walks in and she goes nuts barking and lunging at him (I had her on a leash - always do w/ new people) so I snapped the leash and told her NO. He went back outside and she calmed down. He comes back in again and this time she watches w/ interest but not strong reaction. The third time she barked and lunged again at which point I yanked the leash and told her NO and put her to bed because she didn't want to listen. Now this is the same dog that has been playing in the yard w/ my kids and no problem. She barked at my neighbors boy a couple of days ago but I thought it was just cause she was excited and wanted to play w/ him and now I'm not so sure.

This is where I'm left - I'm gonna ask her trainers what they think - but is this a kind of behavior that can be/is worth being worked on? All opinion's are welcome - even Peter C's :wink: . TIA.....

 

[Vertes3]

Maybe you were apprehensive about them meeting, and she picked up on it? Sometimes dogs can sense our anxiety, and then they think we are scared, so they try to protect us. Yanking back on the leash quick also get them more riled up. Does she know how to sit? If she does just tell her to sit (while she has her leash on). Talk to a trainer about it, but my guess is that you were nervous, and so she got nervous from the sounds of it.

 

[newpitowner]

Interestingly enough I wasn't really nervous at all cause she was on the leash AND because we have not had a problem w/her in re: to people up till now. I will admit that has been an issue in the past but not this time. As for popping the leash, that's what the trainer did when she groweled at the other dog (at our first session) and she only did that once and behaved like a pro afterwards. I just get so frustrated w/ the 'do this' 'don't do that'. I really want to work with her but man - being a rather concrete person - the what-if's make me queasy. Thanks for the reminder though that I need to be calm in all situations.... 8)

 

[SexyBlueChapps]

My hubby's mom is babysitting a 4 year old and she had the great idea of bringing her over and Chapps and Holly were lunging at her (we were holding them back) and then of course they knocked her over cause they wanted to lick her to death.

I dont know what it is, but kids, especially small ones, are trouble! lol

 

[newpitowner]

*SIGH* maybe I just really need to get better at reading her but damn if it didn't seem like she wanted to freakin' eat him! :shock: I think for now I'll just keep her put away and continue w/ her training. I'll admit it makes me a little nervous about having her around my kids now (like she has been all week out in the yard). In her defense at least she can be in the same room as jack and not insist on bothering him. Small victories I suppose.. Although if truth be told I'd rather have her roll over and pee herself when a small child walks in and eat jack (sorry jack) if it meant I didn't ever have to see her behave that way again! How horrifying for my poor girlfriend to think my dog would like to rip her kids face off. I know how that feels, my neighbors have what I SWEAR is a Pres Canario (is that spelt right?) and he has GOT to weigh easily over 120#'s and he charged my lilly (who is only 3) and I felt my heart drop and terror ripple through every limb. I shook for a half an hour afterwards and have never liked that dog since then. Now here's my dog (who was restrained unlike the neighbors dog) doing the same thing to her son! AAAAAHHHHHHH what have I gotten myself into? :wink: Thank you for listening and responding to my insesant whining...

 

[angie7349]

Maybe you were apprehensive about them meeting, and she picked up on it? Sometimes dogs can sense our anxiety, and then they think we are scared, so they try to protect us. Yanking back on the leash quick also get them more riled up. Does she know how to sit? If she does just tell her to sit (while she has her leash on). Talk to a trainer about it, but my guess is that you were nervous, and so she got nervous from the sounds of it.

Vertes3 good response!!! Also children at at eye level which can make a dog think they are being threated...What did the child do run right up to him,looking him straight in the eyes? I agree with you though never hurts to seek out a pro!!!

 

[newpitowner]

The disturbing thing was that it was an instantaneous reaction. He did nothing except walk into the house. It was so weird.

 

[angie7349]

The disturbing thing was that it was an instantaneous reaction. He did nothing except walk into the house. It was so weird.

Hum :-k now that changes things a bit, if you weren't nervous then the child probably was, which would make your dog growl. That happened with Tora once, a friend of mine came over as soon as he walked in the door Tora started growling. When he opened the door to come in she was wagging her tail and her usual excited jump. He got about three steps in the door and she sensed the tention. She immedialty started growl it looked instantaneous, but it was really a 2 or 3 second reaction.....It really bothered me too so I called my friend to make sure that he was nervous and he confirmed that he was.... She has never done it again.

 

[nanniesrock]

One thing that was suggested in my all time favorite book (which I highly recommend BTW) is to put the dog in a down. I would do this when your friend rang the bell, or whatever. Keeping your dog in a down (assuming he knows this) for the first 10-15 min. By then he should be calm & receptive. Newcomers should ignore your dog while he's in the down. (sorry if your dog is a girl, just jotting this down). Keep him on-leash just in case. After about 10-15 minutes give him the release command. He should not be very excited by this time.

(The book I refer to is Carol Lea Benjamin's "Mother Knows Best. )

Also, a bit of unsolicited advice here. Personally, if I were you, I wouldn't let my kids play with him in the yard alone yet. This still seems to be an introductory period for you all. Please don't take this badly, but you've posted things that make me think it's possible your kids could potentially do something that might provoke a dog & while I'm sure you're keeping an eye on things, it's much better to be right there just in case.

My boss got Dakota when Hailey & Nolan were about 10 months old. So Hailey has been raised around a dog. I still occasionally catch her doing things that are innappropriate. THANK MY LUCKY STARS I have a GREAT dog, if only I could train my daughter so easily :roll: . I don't mean to be preachy, just wanting this to go as smoothly as possibly for your family. Good luck & keep us posted.