How to tell dogs anxiety when I play with my DCs?

[StellaGibs]

Hi

My dog is a former rescue Border Collie mix, around age 6. He displays anxious behaviours when I interact with my children. Things like licking the floor, panting and throwing his toys around constantly (this is an anxious behaviour of his). I was just sat playing Mastermind at the table with DD and he was doing this. He does it if I hug my DCs or if they touch me, sometimes with a bark but its non threatening.

Any ideas how to help this please, or do we need a professional?

Title was meant to say help not tell*

It does sound like jealousy. Perhaps some sort of treat the moments he’s calm to reinforce it’s good to be calm? Ignore the bad behaviour points and treat non anxious/jealous behaviour when you are playing with the kids.

@PollyRoullson this sounds like something you could help with?

Most collies thrive best on one to one(after all the tv series was call one man/woman and his dog).But that doesnt mean your collie is not capable of adapting to a family setting.He most likely sees you as the boss.Does he like ballgames outside?if so, let your DD throw the ball and make him bring the ball back to her.if he brings the ball back to you,ignore it.make him bring it to your DD.try to involve your DD with him slowly,lots of praise etc.your Collie will slowly accept that there are other members who "entertain" him and therefore the jealousy will subside.Of course,you will always be the boss,but he will be able to accept without anxiety other people in the household.

Thank you, I will try those suggestions.

He definitely sees me as boss. I do struggle to understand him at times still, particularly on this. If I call his name when hes like this he will run to me as if Ive been out for a day, which makes me think its jealousy.

He does ask my DCs to play with him at times at home, but if I make eye contact or say anything at all he will instantly run to me. Almost as if hes sorry for playing with them! I tend to take him out without DCs but when they come and we go to certain places they use the ball thrower, but its not often at all. Hes only just started being affectionate towards DD (9) and sometimes will greet her like he does me when we come home. He doesnt pay attention to my DS's really, just gives them the odd lick!

Sounds like jealousy and anxiety. You could try ‘playing’ with child for short period (really your helping your dog) give a kong or long lasting Chew - my boy loves a yak bone or something filled with cheese/liver/primula a you can also freeze to make it last longer. Same with licky mat it’ll distract him from you. You could try scatter feeding too. We boundary train too which works well, he knows his bed and I give value to it by feeding the bed (or wherever you want him to ‘be’ - it’s a bit more complicated than that but it provides consistency so your dog knows what he’s meant to be doing - mine used to go bananas in the morning when kids were getting ready for school now he goes off and lies on his bed until walk time. Takes time but from an anxious over aroused dog I’ve got one who knows what I want from him and is much calmer and happier boy

We also reinforce calm as mentioned above, he’s rewarded for calmness with a key word (nice) and then kibble or treat. Everyone in the house can do this too.

He sounds like a typical collie and it sounds,he likes you as the boss.it made me smile when you said,he instantly runs to you when you make eyecontact with him.thats a very good sign,he wants to please you.Just give it a bit of time with involving your DD with him.Once he has included your DD in his collie brain,the jealousy and associatet behaviour will go.Best of luck,he sounds a super collie.