Help Advice Wanted Behaviour Issue Australian Cattle Dog

[charkapitza]

Looking for some advice on my 5 month old's behaviour. My girl Frankie (Purebred Australian Cattle Dog) has been socialized well with other dogs, and children and has an excellent nature. She's got all the typical qualities of an ACD and has been super cooperative and quickly learned not to bite people. However lately she's started to target one member of the household which has caused some issues.

We live with a 14 year old boy that has a highly functioning form of Autism. I mention the disease simply because it brings a lot of emotion to our situation and changes the understanding he has with the dog.

He loves to play with her and wants her attention, and she has been very good with him up until a few weeks or so ago. She's started to growl at him when he walks by if she has a toy, and when he goes to play with her it starts well but always ends in her nipping at his face or barking at him. It's difficult to explain to him why she's doing this, and to get him to change his behaviours as well. He's used to being around dogs that tolerate him, so this is new for both of them. He tends to make funny noises, and tries to play with her when she's laying quietly. I understand that her reactions are semi expected, however she's now started to go at him when he's done nothing to start it. It's almost as if now it is a habit for her.

I try my best to call her off, but I'm unsure what the best approach is when the nipping and angry barking happens.

It makes it extra hard that he takes it personally, says that he's the only one she barks at or nips at. He's getting frustrated and I don't want this negative pattern to continue. I also don't want the nipping to turn into actual biting.

To top it all off Frankie and I are currently guests in this house, in a transition period. It isn't ideal but it is what we have at the moment, so I want to make it the best experience for everyone in the house.

Any advice at all would be helpful. I have experience owning dogs but new to the ACD breed.

[RuralPug]

You will need to crate train her and to teach the autistic boy just one single thing - to leave her alone when she is in her crate.

That way she will have a safe place to go when she doesn't feel that she wants to share her toys or be cuddled. Plus she will soon learn that if that child doesn't understand when she wants peace that she can go into her crate and be left alone.

Also whenever she gets too enthusiastic in play and nips, she can be sent to her crate to cool off a little. I would start crate training ASAP before this escalates.

[Dogsfevr]

This isn't a breed thing just a simple fact that not all dogs cope with autistic children .

You need to manage this better and accept they most likely won't be friends or trusted together .

We have homed pups with autistic children but selection of the pup was very important .

I agree crate train but the crate needs to be in a safe area where she is safe from child ,she is giving you good warning signs to do something

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Some dogs will put up with anything - and some won't.

Personally I don't see why dogs should have to put up with anything from a child (or adult). I've explained to a fair few children - that a dog is not a toy and if you don't back off when a dog tells you to - bad things can happen. Teach the child what the signs of an uncomfortable dog are... not the late ones (eg growling) but the early ones. Also teach the child how to be friends with a dog - ie not by chasing it... but by being fun to be with and knowing when to stop and have a break.

And then it's up to me to look after my dog. To pay attention to the signs she is uncomfortable - and they come way before growling... White eye, looking away, lip licking, getting up and leaving... if the child is persisting after I say stop - then I take my dog away.

It's just not worth the risk of leaving teaching good manners to the dog.

I thought Autistic kids were usually pretty good about rules? They do well with rules and structure, mostly but it's up to the adults to be consistent.

Crate training is a good idea. As long as it is really clear - the crate and the doorway to the crate and a space arms length from the crate - are child free zones.

Protect your dog. Children can be really cruel because empathy is one of the last things their brain grows into.