My dog hates my DD.... please help...

[curiousgeorgie]

I have a 15 month DD and a 4 year old cocker spaniel.

He is super intelligent and crazy, learns tricks (down, head down, rollover, kiss, paw, speak, get your ball/bone/teddy) really quickly and easily, and at the dog schools we've taken him to they've always said he's too clever, thats why other things, like come here, walking on the lead are tricky, and he's completely obsessive. For example, if he thinks something he wants is on the cupboard, he will lay by that cupboard, with his nose in the crack of the door, for HOURS. No amount of pulling away, telling off, anything will make him stop.

When my DD was a small baby, he just stayed away from her, if someone was holding her, or if she was in a cot or her bouncy chair he would just lay as far away as possible.

Now that shes crawling (not walking yet) I usually just keep them apart, my DH works from home so usually he just stays in the study (with access to the garden) with my DH, while I stay in the living room / kitchen / DD's room.

But occasionally he comes in here, and does a lap, and walks back out again. If DD crawls too close to him he growls at her, we tell him off and put him behind the baby gate.

Today (our living room door opens inwards and he can push it and get in) he came into the living room, walked past DD, she reached for him and he snapped at her. He didn't come into contact with her, maybe it was a warning or something, but he snarled and snapped at her. Obviously I went crazy, dragged the dog to the bathroom and shut him in (I wasn't sure what else to do, DH being out etc) checked my DD was okay (She'd fine, i'm not sure she really knows anything actually happened) but now I'm panicking. I've taken him to three different dog schools. Read books, feed him a good diet, take him for walks.. (not as many as before DD, but still above average I think) He doesn't get ignored, he doesn't get left alone, sitting in the study with DH is not unusual, pre DD he would usually choose to sit in there anyway as thats where one of his baskets is.

I adore my dog, I've tried so hard to make this a happy transition for him, but now i'm worried sick about my DD. What on earth can I do??

please help.

I'm sorry you've had a scare today :(

Do not tell your dog off if growls at your dd - growling is a good thing, it shows he's not happy and gives you time to deal with the situation

If he's not allowed to growl then if he's unhappy he'll just snap at her :( sounds like that's what he did today.

I'm not an expert in dog training, so expect there will be some better advice soon (if not already, I got called away while typing!). With our dog though, she didn't like the crawling stage, much preferred it when they were walking. We went through a few weeks of growling with the first 2 dc, by #3 & 4 she'd mellowed a lot and it didn't bother her. So I wouldn't do anything radical in terms of removing the dog from your house - it may well be a temporary thing.

In the mean time, try and keep them apart unless you are right there in the middle of it to supervise them. Lots of praise for good behaviours when they do meet.

No help, I'm afraid, as would be struggling in same situation - but can relate to the panic and upset, as our newish rescue pup (9 months) has snapped/snarled at my dds a couple of times recently. Hence my post above, seeking reassurance!

I do think what bumpybecky says makes sense - crawling has to be the very hardest stage, your dog must be thinking dd is some sort of doggy like threat. I hope some of the wise behaviourists/trainers come and help you soon.

how have things been this weekend?

[subtle bump!]

It's been easier, on saturday I took him out to the park for hours and by the afternoon he was knackered out so just slept in his basket. And on sunday we wen't to my parents, where there are other dogs to play with and we barely saw him all day...

We'll see how it goes today when we're all just mostly home together!

Sounds good, fingers crossed stays that way

I've done some very regular (4x day and on all walks) training with our pup recently, on just general obedience stuff, and he hasn't snapped at all for the last ten days - coincidence or maybe he feels more secure (I certainly do).

I think the added exercise, and distraction is a key too - less focus on the kid/s!

Have to say, with dds older than yours a lot of it is down to training the children as well....maybe your dog needed to get used to dd crawling, as well? After all, something that never moved or came towards him now can and does - might have scared him the other day?