7 Month Old Getting Snappy With Kids

[Lucy's mama]

Hello. I think we are developing a bit of a problem with Banjo, our 7 month old Aussie shepherd, and thought asking here would be a good place to start.

He finished puppy school 1 and 2, and does all the basic things - sit, drop, stay in both sit and drop positions, roll over, fetch, waits to be told to eat, knows 'out' and 'off the lounge!' He does all these things for me and the kids.

He wouldn't walk nicely on the lead outside of the yard so I resorted to a choker and he learnt by the time we got to the end of the driveway not to pull. He trots alongside my bike nicely, just the short distance to work where he follows me around, chews a bone, or finds a cool place to sleep.

He is great with other dogs, and still accepts Lucy as his boss unquestioningly (She just has to look at him the right way and he backs of from whatever yummy treat he has dug out of the garden and lets her have it, we feed him in his crate or he'd get none!). We took him camping recently and he behaved beautifully.

Anyway, the problem is, I have seen him snap at both the kids when they give him a command. A few examples - he was sitting and waiting and hoping I would give a command (I was cutting ham) My son (4 yrs old) came over and told him 'out the way' and pushed between him and the bench (not between Banjo and I) and he snapped.

Today my daughter (10 yrs old) saw him counter surfing, told him "get down" (he got down), then told him 'out' and opened the front door for him, he walked to the door, stopped and started to walk back inside. She put her hand on his butt to guide him out (push him gently toward the door) and repeated 'out' and he snapped at her.

No teeth have connected, and he's not growly, it just seems to be if they are going to push the point after he has decided he is not obeying then he will snap. He did the same to me a few time when I would pull him by the collar off the lounge after telling him 'off' and I just sent him to his pen each time and he has stopped, but he is persisting with the kids. So far I have just used my rousy voice to reprimand 'Uh uh' and in his pen or outside etc.

It seems it is only happening when they actually touch him to make him obey - never roughly - just a push in the right direction type of thing. Any other time he is happy to be touched all over. We did a handling exercise at puppy school where you run your hands over every part of the dog in a calming pleasurable way, ears, tail, in mouth, between legs, tail, between toes etc and I have kept that up, so I don't think it's a sensitive spot or anything.

He is almost seven months old, his testicles have just decended, but he doesn't mark or cock his leg yet, so I'm wondering if he is just starting to mature and trying to establish dominance over them, and what I should do about it? I am hoping not to desex till he is around 12 to 18 months old, and would prefer to fix the behaviour than think of desexing as a cure all.

Thanks, I really hope you can give me some pointers. If it continues or escalates I will get a trainer in.

Some pics of my gorgeous boy.

[dancinbcs]

I would get him used to obeying the kids with simple commands like sit, drop and stay, working for rewards so he gets used to the fact that the kids control him. Drop is especially effective used for this purpose. When he obeys them happily get them to give him a positive command rather than a negative one to stop unwanted behaviour. eg. call him outside rather then send him out, call him off the bench and tell him to drop. Reprimanding a dog is not something a 4 year old should be doing. Once in control the 10 year old may be able to issue reprimands but I wouldn't allow a 4 year old to do it. He can however ask the dog to come or down, to remove him from an unwanted situation, rather than pushing him out of the way.

[Lucy's mama]

O.k, that makes perfect sense. Same result, but using positive commands. That is a great way to avoid the situation in which he snaps, and is something we often do, but not always. I will remind the kids that that is what we should do. He does sit and drop and roll over for the kids to get treats.

In the long term I would also like him to get the idea that snapping is never acceptable.

[persephone]

I would also be doing T O T with him.. he may be resource guarding, as the incidents you describe were in the kitchen. Nowdays I have no dogs or cats around when I prepare food- makes life easier

[Addicted to Dogs]

I would recommend a couple of things:

1. Get the kids involved actively with training the dog including not just the sit, down, come etc but also getting them to be able to send the dog outside, to their bed or asking them to move using positive reinforcement training - and no physical contact. For lots of good stuff on lure reward training (which is particularly useful with pups) at http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/lurereward-training and for some recent video footage put together regarding dogs and kids you might find something useful at http://www.dogstardaily.com/videos/tv/part...d-kids-and-dogs and http://www.dogstardaily.com/videos/tv/part...d-kids-and-dogs - particularly if the kids are younger. There's other useful stuff you might find there including http://www.dogstardaily.com/videos/sibling...aining-children. Hint though - given the issue make sure that the dog gets a far far better reward when he obeys a child than he gets from you (at least to start with and then sporadically after that).

2. Actively teach your dog to accept and even enjoy physical touch from your children. This might be contributing to the issue - even if he's not showing it in other situations. You can start with something like http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/handling-and-gentling.

3. Do not ever punish your dog for growling - and make sure no one else does. It is a warning with a purpose and nasty things happen if the dog learns that growling doesn't get him the space he wants/needs. For more info see http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/why-growl-good.

4. Consider keeping a record on the fridge (on a whiteboard or paper) of when this happens - time, what was happening, where, who etc and see if you can find what is triggering it.

5. Teach the kids not to use their hands and touch to manage the dog - lure them out or get an adult!

6. If at all in doubt or if the issue does not quickly resolve get professional help - it's costly but not as costly as physical or mental damage done to a child or having to euthanise your dog.

Let us know how you go

[Lucy's mama]

Thanks Addicted to Dogs. I have been watching very carefully, and I am thinking I have read things wrong and over reacted, but I a not certain.

Regardless, I have a trainer/behaviourist coming out Friday to work with us all.

I will read your links in the mean time too.

Thanks.

[mumof3]

I think you are doing the right thing getting professional help, and that you have received some good advice here from other posters.

I don't think you are at all overreacting. It sounds like your dog may just be ready to move up a peg in the pecking order of his pack, so he's just testing to see where he stands. This really is something you need to nail immediately. If you're not sure how, the absolutely best thing to do is get advice from someone who knows there stuff.

I think the suggestion to write down what is going on, as objectively as possible, is a good one. It will help you coherently explain to the behaviourist just what is going on.

Good on you.