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Original poster

1 year old with our dog.

50 replies

Exhaustedsheep · 13/01/2023 22:45

My girl has just turned 1 and we have a 6 year old Japanese spitz, he’s always been a very reactive growly dog, will growl at pretty much every noise, barks like a maniac if anyone knocks the door or any of us come home.
As you know you can’t really tell a 1 yr old how to treat the dog and mostly the dog will get up and walk away if she comes near. Though recently she only has to crawl in the direction of where the dogs sat, usually on the sofa, and he will start growling at her. We only live in a small space so she can get to him easy. I always removed her immediately but I’m still worried as he’s such a reactive dog one day he might do something before I can move her. Any thoughts or advice. Am I overthinking this.

OP posts:
wetotter · 13/01/2023 22:48

You need to arrange dog proof barriers to keep them apart (try a sturdy stairgate across a doorway, or a playpen)

Or you have to be between the dog and the toddler at all times, and if you're leaving the room take one of them with you

I know it sounds a lot written down, but it'll be second nature in no time

rogueone · 13/01/2023 22:49

Your dog shouldn’t be growling at your baby . He needs to be kept off the sofa as he could bit her face. Your dog should have adjusted to a baby being in the home by now. This is a risky situation and you need to seek external help or rehome your dog before it bites your baby

WetBandits · 13/01/2023 22:50

If your plan is to keep your dog, then you need to consult a behaviourist as a matter of urgency as your dog is displaying clear warning signs that he is uncomfortable and he is likely to escalate to biting if you don’t get this sorted.

If you don’t want to keep your dog with the above in mind, you need to contact a reputable rescue and give them a full history of his behaviour so he can be rehomed in an environment that is unlikely to trigger this behaviour, e.g. an adult-only home with experience of reactive/fear aggressive dogs.

Whichever option you choose, you need to take action immediately or your dog is likely to harm your child.

WetBandits · 13/01/2023 22:54

Just to add that he will only display that sort of behaviour so many times until he realises that the perceived threat (in this case your DD) is not going to go away if he only growls, so the next step may be lunging or biting. When a dog bites a young child, bites are commonly to the face and that will have life-altering consequences for your DD.

helloelsie · 13/01/2023 22:55

The dog growls as a warning to not invade his personal space, it is not about adjusting. It's actually good he's doing this as it's a warning rather than being silent and just snapping like some dogs do. So don't punish the dog for communicating in this way as it's his way of letting you know he doesn't feel comfortable. As another poster said always be there to oversee things when your baby is around your dog and make sure the dog has an area of space to relax and sleep/rest where baby can't get to him, even if that means putting him outside of the room in the rest of the house at times when baby is on a relentless mission to get to him! Mine used to try everything to get to my dog and dog would want to be in room with us which made it tricky. But I learnt to navigate it and it doesn't last forever!

ofwarren · 13/01/2023 22:56

Personally, I would rehome in this situation

Railwayroad · 13/01/2023 22:57

Definitely not overthinking this! It’s a scary situation. Keep them apart. Then seek advice about dog’s behaviour.

helloelsie · 13/01/2023 22:58

Why rehome, a dog is a member of the family and this situation can be easily sorted with some training, consistency and supervision.

MrsSkylerWhite · 13/01/2023 22:59

You have to keep them apart or rehome the dog.

Snugglemonkey · 13/01/2023 23:00

If a dog growled at my baby, it would be gone. You cannot take a chance.

LexMitior · 13/01/2023 23:00

Jesus. The dog goes outside and you start protecting your baby

PrayingandHoping · 13/01/2023 23:01

You need to separate dog and baby into different spaces. They cannot mix

My dogs have never growled or reacted to anyone yet I don't mix them freely with my child. They do mix but for general free play time they are separated.

Outfor150 · 13/01/2023 23:01

You have to keep them apart at all times. They can never be unsupervised, ever, even for a minute. Dog proof barriers and separate rooms.

Jellybean23 · 13/01/2023 23:03

Rehome the dog to protect your baby. The first growl would have been enough for me.

Rachaelrachael · 13/01/2023 23:07

I would be really worried by this situation. Firstly the dog needs to get off the sofa. To dogs, direct eye contact is perceived as a challenge so if your baby pulls up on the sofa to the same level, this could end in disaster.
Don't EVER leave them unsupervised and get some professional advise ASAP.
I have a 21 month old, a 3 year old and a nervous rescue dog who doesn't like children. Luckily he takes himself away to another room and I've always taught my kids from being babies not to touch the rescue dog. We have another dog who they are allowed to stroke but they both understand not to touch the rescue. (I still don't ever leave them alone).
If he started growling at them I'd either put up a physical barrier or re-home him, it's just not worth the risk

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 13/01/2023 23:19

You're not over thinking it, your dog is telling you the baby is stressing him out. Well, he's trying to tell the baby to give him space and stay away but she obviously can't understand, so its up to you to create safe spaces.
She will be attracted towards him, he doesn't like her. This will inevitably escalate if you can't keep them safe.
I would keep them in separate rooms, or have some sort of physical barrier if they have to be in the sam room - a playpen for the baby. If you don't let this stressful situation get worse hopefully he won't progress to being actively aggressive towards the baby, and they will be happy just kept apart.
Never ever leave them alone together, even forw few seconds.

MoscowMules · 13/01/2023 23:22

The Spitz have a life expectancy of 10-14 years.

I say this in the nicest way do you want to be seperation your house and dealing with a growling dog for the next decade?

You have but two options

Get a professional and reputable dog trainer in ASAP and try and sort the reactive behaviour. But keeping child and dog apart Tilly his is complete and vastly improved.

Or

Re-home the dog.

Personally I'd re-home, I'd never trust this dog even with all the training in the world to not snap/bit my child. Anything could make him revert/no longer comply. It's just not a risk I'd want to live with for over a decade.

WetBandits · 13/01/2023 23:23

helloelsie · 13/01/2023 22:58

Why rehome, a dog is a member of the family and this situation can be easily sorted with some training, consistency and supervision.

Both dog and family need to be safe and happy for that to work. Dog does not sound happy currently, and he is telling OP that loud and clear. He needs to see a behaviourist, not a trainer.

PrayingandHoping · 13/01/2023 23:25

Gosh even with training I would not be trusting this dog.

I'm a big dog lover

It only takes a split second

Yes train to make the dog happier but even then keep them apart.

Crabbity · 13/01/2023 23:28

Jesus Christ.

OP, look at @dogmeets_baby on Instagram for some immediate easy access education. Buy a baby gate first thing tomorrow and use it. Separate, separate, separate until you can access some specialist intervention. Arrange that pronto. Also begin to consider the fact that your dog and your baby may be safer and happier living in different homes.

Good luck, but for the love of all that is holy sort this NOW.

OllytheCollie · 13/01/2023 23:45

What everyone else said, use barriers, get professional advice, consider if your dog is actually happy in your home now.

Whilst you can't tell 1yr olds what to do it is possible to change their behaviour around dogs so they are less inclined to approach it which would also make your dog and daughter safer. This article explains how to stop a child becoming too interested in dogs and how to redirect their interest if they are already starting to focus kon the dog. NOT a substitute for any of the advice on this thread but might be useful in addition.

alexdgr8 · 13/01/2023 23:53

get rid of the dog.

Original poster
Exhaustedsheep · 13/01/2023 23:56

Thanks for all the comments we currently have a baby gate in the door to the kitchen and I do regularly put him in there away from her and I never leave them alone together, he is also usually very good at taking himself to the kitchen to lie down, but maybe this last week he’s just choosing not to and growling instead.

He is a very different dog when he’s not in his ‘territory, for example if we go to my parents he doesn’t bat an eyelid to things he will react to home. Vets wouldn’t give medication for anxiety because of this.
He’s my partners baby and when we have seen a behaviourist before for him I’ve found myself doing as we should and then seconds later my partner does everything we’ve been told not too! So I will admit I gave up as I was fighting a losing battle.
I know my partner would never rehome the dog anyway so I guess I have to make him listen somehow!

OP posts:
Branleuse · 13/01/2023 23:57

I would rehome to a child free home. A breed specific rescue? He is very stressed about the child. He will almost certainly bite him soon. Im surprised you arent more alarmed! " am I overthinking it.?"
Of course youre bloody not. Protect your child and your dog. Youre the adult in charge. This is a huge risk

MoscowMules · 14/01/2023 00:03

You need to get your DP to understand this dog has always been, in your words, a reactive and growly dog.

You've tried a behaviourist and DP has failed to follow the training, meaning you still have a reactive and growly dog.

This is a recipe for disaster. I love dogs, I love my dog, but my child is my baby, the dog is the dog.

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