Barks And Growls At Kids

[isabellaB]

Hello,

I am looking for some advice.

I have recently added a 7 month old chinese crested to my family.

The breeder said it would take some time to settle in so maybe thats all he needs.....

When he arrived off the plane, he was terrified he bit me when I reached into hes crate but he was cornered and i understand him being scared. We have had him for a week...at first he would hide in corners and growl at me, now he has bonded with me and follows me everywhere.

The problem is he growls and barks at my children everytime they come near me..the kids are scared off him now and dont want anything to do with him. I have tried to encourage them to give him food treats but he wont have anything to do with them either. My children are aged 4,7 and 9 typicaly they play and make lots off noise and this really seems to bother him. I am really upset about this I dont want to give up on him and send him back to the breeder , but I want him to be part off the family and well I definatley dont want this problem to get worse and bite one off my children....I dont know what to do ....any advice is appreciated...

Oh I have been telling him a firm "NO" when he barks and growls is that the right thing to do...

[Erny]

You really need a behaviourist to see you and the dog. But in the interim some things you could do :

• Be pack leader (to your dog AND to your children ........ actually, not joking .... )
  
• All things on your terms (and the kids - with your direct and immediate supervision) and have this little guy learn to earn everything he receives. This is part of "leadership" on your part.
  
• Have all good things happen for the dog when the kids are around. Eg. Meals etc.
  
• Under your direct and immediate supervision, have the kids take on the responsibility for feeding. You MUST be there for this ... you can hold your 4 yo in your arms for this if necessary. Priority #1 is safety for the children. If you don't feel this is safe for them to do, don't go there.
  
• Crate train the dog. Make sure the kids know and respect that when the dog is in his crate that is HIS safe haven - a place where he can go and know he will not be disturbed by the children.
  

There is more to do than this. By the sounds of it this little guy has either not been socialised sufficiently and/or has had a bad experience. I'm inclined to think the former, but that's only a guess. But what you do and how you do it will be best described/shown by someone who is able to assess the dog, as it will depend on his responses as to what is done, when and how.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Erny

[Dogsfevr]

Firstly contact the breeder.

Im not sure what conditions you have taken on this dog but the breeder needs to be keeped up to date with what is happening.

With any older dogs we place out its on condition if it doesnt work out the dog must be returned.Im not saying this will happen but i guess you need to decide now with the breeders assistance what to do as they now this dog better than anyone else .They may also be aware of someone in the breed in your area that could help you or put you in contact with someone experienced to help assist.

The important thing is if you send him back your not giving up sometimes older dogs just dont settle & in the interest of all parties this option can be the best option nothing to be ashamed off.

Patence is a virtue with this breed ,they do seem to be very sensitive & get overwhelmed quickly.

The dog has gained your trust but its important you dont allow the dog to be your boss.You still need to set the rules & with the dogs trust take small steps for it to accept the children.As said a crate will be a good tool at this stage.

The dog needs to learan that those noisey kids are also people they can trust & there quick actions & often need to garb or approach in such a manner can be trusted .

The most important thing is the kids need to be involved but it must be fun,not over whelming & little steps to build up a relationship with the kids.

For example if the 7 & 9 year old are reading,watching TV quietly this is a great time with no fuss made to allow the pup to just get a feel of what is happening,dont have the dog on your knee & dont make a fuss,speak baby,

It will take longer with the 4 yr old so i would try to get the older to involved in little ways.

[isabellaB]

Thank you both so much for your advice.

I have e mailed the breeder and am sure they will get back to me soon.

I will try my best with him he is a sweetie and I dont want to give up on him...the breeder did say if things didnt work out they wanted him back. I will see how things go over the next weeks, Im unsure if we have a behavourist in town but will look into that aswell.

Thanks once again....

[mita]

Isabella, good on you for asking for ideas. Long time back I had to do the same re a problem with a sheltie we'd got from a breeder (separation anxiety in that case.).

An experienced dog behaviourist, like Erny (in the post above), taught us all about pack behaviour & what that meant for understanding what was going on. And how I & all the family had to train & interact with the Sheltie.

It was a real eye-opener....& we followed the advice consistently. There was a huge difference in the Sheltie's behaviour as a result of us changing our behaiour. And the problem was solved.

Is there a vet in your area who could recommend a dog behaviourist who could help? I was pointed towards the dog behaviourist thro' the uni of qld Vet Clinic.

Such help was worth every cent to me....& what I learned I was able to apply to later dogs we got.

Best wishes. Also, as showdog suggested, have a chat to the breeder.

[Poodle wrangler]

Go to the Training/ Obedience/ Dog sports section and there's a pinned post at the top: Triangle of Temptation. This is something you can do right now every time you feed your dog. Helps with the leadership aspect. Kids can also do it later once you've got it down pat.

Also NILIF: Nothing In life Is Free.

While working on leadership, the dog shouldn't be allowed on beds, lounge, and other places that belong to humans. You can relax it later when you no longer have any problems.

You can still give your dog lots of affection, but doing these other things will help your dog to relax, knowing that you're the leader. A dog that knows you're the leader can rely on you to make all the decisions, instead of thinking that it's all up to them.

With the crate- kids like to poke fingers in, so it's best to have something to cover it with (blanket, or you can buy special fitted covers) because them doing this defeats the purpose. It's meant to be a safe 'den' for your dog. They're <$100 for smaller sizes, so well worth it.

[Erny]

IsabellaB ..... keep in touch here and let us know how you get on.