Ddog suddenly aggressive - please help

[DogExplain]

Ddog is 4 and a miniature poodle. He’s not the brightest dog in the world, but he’s very affectionate. We got him when my youngest was 1 and he’s grown up around children.

In the past few weeks we have had two visits from people with 1 year olds. I wasn’t there to view the first incident, dh told me about it. He was behaving really nicely with the small child and our children, but then when the child’s dm went to pick him up, ddog barked aggressively at them. Dh put him in the house. I didn’t really think anymore about it, I assumed something had spooked him and it was a one off.

Then last week our second visitor with almost-walking baby came. Everyone was happily playing in the garden. Ddog being his normal cheerful self (though I never trust animals around children because I know how small children can inadvertently hurt them and cause issues), when the child’s dm went to pick up the baby and ddog nipped the baby on the ankle. It was so quick, completely unprovoked and out of character. He has never shown any aggression towards any child before.

He didn’t break the skin, but there were marks. I was mortified.

Dh thinks that ddog doesn’t see babies as people and thinks they’re dogs to play with and that that was why he did it. It does seem like a possible explanation.

I want to understand the behaviour either way, has anyone else come across anything like this?

We will obviously be keeping him away from all small people from now on. I wish I’d realised what the barking incident would lead to

[Borderstotheleftofme]

It doesn’t sound to me like aggression (though I could be totally wrong)
It sounds to me, like he views them as toys and is overexcited by the sudden movement and nipping in response.
But that could be totally wrong.

[DogExplain]

Thank you, borders, that actually makes a lot of sense. It hadn’t occurred to me that he sees them as toys, but that would match his reaction to trying to grab a stick before you throw it.