Guest Anonymous Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 hi we have a 4yr old lab beautiful animal and we love her to death... i have a 14mth old daughter who has never abused our dog or actually ever been alone with her.... we were vigilant when they were together because i didnt want my daughter to be mean so our dog and her could have a growing relationship.... our dog has been around children since she was a puppy and i have 2 older children that shes grown up around... she (dog) had problems with my 10 year old until the last yr or so because hes gotten older she tolerates him more... again we never let him be mean to her ( i love dogs but ill never leave a young child alone with them) she loves adults always has.... really loves adults... shes a very very good girl... very smart.... and we love her but she CANNOT tolerate my daughter. she uses a kennel in our kitchen.. i keep my daughter away from it.... but my daughter cant even walk into the kitchen without getting growled at and then if she were to walk past the kennel not even stopping for the dog... the dog growls and snarls and hair goes up on her back...... last week she growled at the neighbor girl (3) and no one even directed their attention to the dog..... im afraid she has become a large and dangerous liability..... this is really hard we all love her so much and i dont know what to do....... she doesnt appear to have anything physically wrong with her... however ive always noticed since she was a puppy that she was a bit different from other labs... not very hyper, kind of lazy at times.... but always good natured.... can anyone give me suggestions or help in any way or form..... i dont want to think of what it could come to.... it just breaks our hearts...... tks twy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsgalore Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Are you her very first owner besides her breeder, did she live with someone else before she came to you? How old was she when you got her? You said she's been around children since she was a puppy, how did she react to them then? It could be a dominance problem, she sees children as a threat to her status in the 'pack'. Maybe you should get her health checked out, something may be bothering her. Good luck. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 OK you may not want to hear this, but it's true nonetheless. Your dog has raised himself above the hiearchy level of your child. Think he is higher in the ranks, and it bothers him that since he is "higher", you pay so much attention the the child. You NEED to demote this dog, for the childs sake. and yours. I will give you some basic demotion tips, but really, this dog should see a behaviorist. NEVER let the dog enter doorways before you, and especially before the toddler. Make him sit, wait til the child has gone thru the door, then let him pass. If you have to attach a small lead to him to do this, so be it. NEVER let him eat before the child, or you. Have him lay down and watch the child eat. Make him WAIT for his food, until the child is done eating. It wont kill him, trust me. It WILL send a message to him that the child is more important in the pack structure than he is. Do not let him sleep in an upstairs position where he can look down on the child. ONLY Alpha gets the lookout point. DO NOT let him sleep on the furniture, until he has gotten over this and accepts the child as more important than he is. NILIF - NOTHING in life is free. He needs to perform for his meals, his walks, for attention. In fact, make him sit, and have the child reward him for it. No food, no walks no NOTHING without a basic obedience command that he HAS to perform. I know this sounds harsh, but not all Labs are lovey-dovey dogs. That;s an AKC misconception. THIS one has gotten too big for his britches, and needs demotion. Only you can do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 thank you for your advice. i will try all that you folks said..... i heard letting my 14 mth old be the only one (atleast for awhile) that is allowed to reward her with treats.... or deliver her dog dish (moms help) to help associate the child with good things..... if you think of any more im willing to try...... keep the good advice coming....... twy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 we are relatively her first owners .... got her from a reputable breeder.... when she was about 4 mts old.....been around my two other children and neighbor kids..... i am positive she has never been tormented or abused by any of them.... ive had to supervise my children when outdoor playing until just this year because of their ages...... twy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 You said she's an unusually sluggish dog......perhaps she needs a full thyroid panel done. Thyroid problems can often affect the tempermant. It wouldn't hurt if it hasn't been done. I wouldn't jump to attribute everything to dominance. Though, I do think it is a great idea for ALL dogs to work for a living & follow the basic "nothing in life is free" guidelines that were laid out for you. It also helps to develop confidence & structure for dogs as well as for keeping others 'in line.' My inclination is she is frightened of children. She's grown up w/ them, but as you stated she is really only now starting to accept the 10 yr. old. If it is a fear issue, there are specific ways you can learn to condition her to them. Though, I must say, if this is the case in HER mind she's already had years of negative experiences so it will be more difficult. Again, I'm sure you've been vigilant & your children haven't harmed her, but in in HER mind just the sight of a child approaching can be negative. Children smell, sound, and act far different from adults. A dog will not always perceive them as human & can often just be freaked out by them. Additionally, your dog is older now. The dog's mind will start to detiorate just like humans and along with that behavior changes. Now that she's older her mindset is changing, she may be in physical pain just due to age and she's not quite as tolerant as she was when you're 10 yr. old was a toddler. I would most certainly contact a good trainer/behaviorist. Your dog is very clearly telling you she's not comfortable & giving appropriate warning signals. Time to deal with this now before she feels forced to escalate her warnings. Best wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 Hi, again. :D Just re-read your post. In my first response I thought you're dog was older as she's grown up with your 10 year old. I see that's not so....that the dog is 4 yrs. old. So, since I don't know how to edit here, skip my comments about her being older. The rest, I maintain. But, re-reading this.........HUGE, HUGE, difference with your dog growing up with a 6 year old (guessing child was about that age when you got dog) and an infant. HUGE difference. Infants, 14 month olds.......totally different. A good start would be to read "Childproofing Your Dog" by Brian Kilcommons. But please, get a trainer out ASAP. Again, best wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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