My dog only barks at small children?
Posted: February 20th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: Common Questions | Tags: barks, Children, only, small | 4 Comments »He’s 6 months, 6 days old and neutered. He weighs about 50 lbs and is the sweetest, most submissive dog to anything he meets be it old people or ferrets. He has a big issue with submissively peeing, but i’m hoping, like my border collie, he’ll grow out of it. I take him to the park every weekend as i’ve been doing since he was 8 weeks old. He is very nice, responds good to the movements and squealing of kids and other dogs around him. He used to be TERRIFIED of anyone who even looked at him. But he is past that now after heavy socialization. Now at about 17 weeks old he began barking at any small child (3 and under) who approached him slowly. I’m sure he can sense fear because he is so big I bet those kids are scared of him. But he will just go to the end of his leash and bark at them, nothing else, no snarls, hackles raised or growling. Of course the kid freaks and heads off. I will not hit my dog but don’t know what to do. He is very sweet and I’m giving him obedience training. just don’t know how to fix this behavior problem. If he needs to be around more small children how do i introduce them when he’s barking all the time? i do the strangers feeding him thing but he barks at little kids even when they try to feed him. Help!
First, you do not allow children to approach your dog. Second, when he is leashed he should NEVER go to the ‘end’ of his leash when you are the one with control on the other end.
Keep walking and teach him to heel and focus on you. Any kind of barking, growling, lunging etc should be corrected BEFORE it starts to happen.
Learn to read your dog’s body language. Correct. Get the dog under full control when walking.
Introducing children to your dog is after you have completely trained and proofed your animal.
Yes, the number one stress of all breeds of puppies is children. They cry, scream, yell, run, make jerking movements, bother puppies while they eat and take their toys. Please keep kids under 8-years-old away from your sacred puppy. All breeds of puppies bite, bark and jump on kids.
Don’t allow the little ones to approach him like that,it is only natural that they will be unsure and scared of the dog..your dog will be feeling the same way scared and unsure as well..he is learning by barking at them that he can make them go away..this will empower him.
The best way to introduce an unsure dog to little children,is to have the dog on the leash..have the child to sit still and allow the dog to slowly sniff the child..never introduce them head on…always side on until he becomes more comfortable with them..you must be in-control of the dog at all times while this is happening..if need be place a muzzle on the dog.
Then have the little one give your dog treats from their hands,if he eats he is comfortable..if not give it time.This will give him a positive association with little ones,after a while he will look forward to meeting them..kids represent treats good things etc nothing to fear.
If you are unsure,have a trainer come and help you..but never allow him to begin to bark at them and them run away.
Good luck with him
Hello Alex,
Sorry to hear that. It is natural for all dogs to bark and it is their communication, but nuisance barking is a problem for all of us. Have you tried Bark Off? It is an ultrasonic device that fits in your pocket and very easy to use. It is just $10! Worth a try and Hope this helps you. Good luck.
Thanks