What is the right reaction when dog growls at ds?

[allhailtheaubergine]

Dog is 11 month old rescue pup. Has spent some time living on the streets. Saluki cross with ?collie maybe?

Essentially a very sweet girl and adjusting really well to family life. She can't quite decide where to place 3yo ds in the family pecking order. Mostly they get on fine together, but occasionally he will give her a hug and she growls.

What is the best way to react?

realhousewife: it's very important for children to learn how to react to different animals. For example we have horses, it would be total insanity to expect the horse to learn to stand still while the toddler run up behind it to hug it. I am not putting the horse's needs first when I stop my toddler from running up to them, just teaching the child how to be safe around horses. Regarding strange dogs I think the child/parent should always ask the owner for permission before stroking and then the child should place a hand in front of the dog, effectively asking the dog for permission to stroke it.

ok

gettiong back on track

if the dog growls, i say 'go to your bed ralph ' (his safe place)

'kids go in the other room'

then remind the kids what growling means, its a warning, and doggy equivelent of 'leave me alone'

usually later on, the kids call the dog over for belly rubs and treats and all is calm.

I growl and snarl at people who hug me when I am tired/have just woken up. I don't like my personal space being invaded.

OP the advise you've been given is sound. A growl is just that. A growl. An indication that the dos is not happy. It's a good thing. It does not mean it will escalate if the dog is given the space it needs.

Do ask the rescue though, if you feel you need to. I am 100% sure they will back up what has been said by the more sensible posters on here.

If you correct a dog for growling, it will eventually stop growling. It won't magically like the thing that was making it growl in the first place. Depending on the tolerance level of that particular dog, it might just put up with whatever it was it didn't like, or it might decide as growling didn't stop the unwanted behaviour and resulted in a 'correction' that the next best course of action is a bite, no growl first. A dog that doesn't/won't growl is actually pretty dangerous.

Children can show dogs affection in other ways than cuddling them and as most dogs don't like cuddles from chdren, teaching the child another way to show affection is a pretty good lesson for the child to learn, just like learning it will never have any need to bite is a good lesson for a dog to learn.

Oh one rule I have for my dc is never approach the dogs. Always call them to you. That way they have the option to stay away if they want to.

me too, some people just dont 'get it' and its scarey. i hope none of these ignorant people have children around breeds that can do some real damage. my children have always been raised around large dominant guarding breeds. theyre always hugging, kissing, laying on my dogs. theyre not hurting them, they love them. and have any of my dogs ever flinched or shown any intolerance? NO! because they understand that my kids are NOT A THREAT. and a dog should only ever be on guard or defensive if there is a threat. i hope this mother finds a solution before the dog reaches maturity.

That's luck misslala, not good training. Some dogs like hugs. Some don't. This one doesn't.

I was raised around large 'guarding' breeds also. We don't believe in pack theory. I was still in one piece last time I checked.

your poor dogs. I bought my kids teddy bears for hugging and lying on, the dogs are to be stroked in a fashion that they like. I also have cats, try doing any of those things to a cat and see if you end up with your eyes in the right place. animals have the right to be treated with respect.

I don't like being pinched. If you 'train' me long enough I guess I will stop telling you that I don't like it but I don't think I am ever going to actually like it. Why should I? And one day when I am a bit overtired or fed up I might just shout at you when you pinch me. In that circumstance it might have been better if I had carried on calmly saying 'I don't like it please stop!'

You can't make a dog like being hugged.

Misslala, before you make an absolute fool of yourself, it seems only fair to point out to you, whilst you are calling the people here ignorant, that there is a fair number of trained dog rescuers, behaviourists, trainers and breeders posting here on the doghouse, and on this thread.

Calling them ignorant, when you are advocating a theory that has been completely discredited (although I feel for you, I also grew up believing it) is making you look a little foolish.

It might be a good idea for you to stop being rude.

OP, just to say I know what you mean about needing to learn/understand your own specific dog's growl....we've had Mouse for about six weeks, and are still learning each others' communication techniques!

Also, he does definitely regard dd2 - the smallest human, and not much taller than him - in a slightly different way. I think he sees her as a weird fellow-pup, and less as one of the humans who feed and look after him.

This will change as she grows, so to some extent I just (try) implement caution around her, keeping close eye on cuddles etc, and she has learnt to sit at table or up at the breakfast bar to snack, rather than walking around with biscuits in her hand (great side effect of having a dog).

Also, do involve your ds in pup training...thats great...use treats, but do it with him so pup sees you and ds aligned together, as it were. I literally put food in mine/dd's hands together, but I also hand her the food bowl at meal times to give to him sometimes - so he associates her with humans rather than fellow pup.

No idea if any of that is accepted dog psychology, just seems common sense

As for the poster who likes dogs being dogs and not dressed up accessories? Me, too - and part of dogs being dogs is that they do growl, they do have brains, and they do behave better when they are happy: like most animals.

It is a shame that people are not open to the new and proven dog methods. I say new they have been around for decades

As for ignorant I have a BA in animal behaviour, MA in companion dog behaviour and psychology and behaviour, doctorate in animal psychology just for starters . You have gained your information from ................? misslalla

Beautifully put, Minimuu

I think I actually love Minimuu now...

The thing is, ANYONE can aquire the correct basic information about dog training and behaviour with the smallest amount of digging. This is a classic case of people believing 'what the papers say' e.g. staffies, and what the tv says e.g. you should be the top dog. These are not and never will be a reliable source of information.

Basically, if you look at what are objectively the most accurate sources, for example, up-to-date books written by animal behaviour scientists who can provide the most current knowledge of these issues, everyone would be talking form the same page. Sadly, some people are unwilling to do this and continue to spout nonsense and, dangerously, continue to do so fiercely.

I can't believe people are STILL banging on about pack theory, even though it's been discredited.

As for eating before the dog etc - that's just laughable.

OP, I don't think you need to worry about the growling being somehow more sinister/potentially serious because the dog is a rescue.

My lurcher (similar to yours, greyhound x collie), otherwise the most placid, even tempered tolerant dog, always hated having arms put round her so she was enclosed and would always grumble. We'd only do it if it was absolutely necessary ie lifting her onto the table at the vet. She has never ever bitten or showed the slightest likelihood to in 15 years. Dogs of different shapes and sizes find different things uncomfortable/threatening and you and your DC have discovered your dog's boundaries. Great - now train the child not to cross them!