My dog doesn't like my grandson - what to do?

[Dillydollydingdong]

I have a five year old Chinese Crested Powderpuff who I adore. I love her and she loves me. She sleeps on my bed and I get lots of licks and fuss from her. I also have a 9 year old grandson who I also get on well with. I do school pickup twice a week and he often asks for sleepovers, which I am happy to agree to as we get on well.

The problem is that the ddog hates my grandson. She doesn't like visitors anyway, and barks like crazy when they arrive. Then she chases them out of the door when they leave. My dgs is terrified of her as she runs at him and snaps at his toes whenever she sees him. She hasn't bitten him yet but it's only time. I have a dgd as well who doesn't get attacked. I'm thinking I might have to re-home ddog which I would be sad to do. If it was a man I'd get rid of him, but not a little boy. Any ideas, MNers?

agree with Carefullycourageous

Separating them during visits will ease both of their anxieties & hopefully help the dog know its place.

Your DGS isn't a baby so he's big enough to train to know how to treat and or give orders effectively to the dog. Maybe allow him to dish out a few treats as a starting position?

It's really not time to rehome but you do need to put in some boundaries to allow them to spend time together harmoniously. Hopefully being proactive will stop any actual biting happening.

To be honest it's no wonder your grandson runs away screaming from the dog he's put up with it snapping at him for 5 bloody years, that's more than half his life.

You need to take proactive action to train your dog better and remember she is a dog not a person.

I also find it mind-boggling the way you talk about your grandson, you sound very detached from him.

Outrageous attitude: 'It's only a matter of time [before he is bitten]' Shame on you.

It was a toy breed dog that bit off and swallowed the tip of my nephew's finger.

That animal needs to be kept away from your dgc.

hard rockowl and beees sorry if I've phrased it badly. My dgs is the apple of my eye and probably the most important person in my life. I adore him and I'm his go to person. Which is why he likes to come over so often, despite ddog.

It's jealousy ( the dog ) it sees the pair of you as the pack and anyone extra in the house is a threat , especially your gc and I expect they want your time / hugs but the dog has other ideas.

She's Resource Guarding. She doesn't want you to share any love with your grandson. It's a tricky one. How old is the dog? For now, you'll have to keep her away from the grandkids. Tbh, my dogs don't like kids because they're to manic & loud.

I always keep my dog separate when we have children visiting, despite having a 7&9yo myself. No way would I let a dog run and snap at children, just keep them separate.

Properly qualified person to work with you and DGS and dog for this. The behaviour is relatively typical of a tiny little lapdog which is used to your undivided love and attention.

Muzzling isn’t cruel it’s the safest option for both your dog and your grandson.
she needs to learn manners when people come over- don’t allow her to run at your grandson have her on a lead.
she sits she waits until your grandson is in the house.
your grandson gives her a treat. The second reward comes when she stays on her bed or chooses to move away from your grandson.
mans chasing after guests when they leave- again don’t let the behaviour continue. Pop her on a lead so she can’t practice it.
treat the behaviours you want and ignore the ones you don’t but safely meaning while tethered to you or in a crate.

That must be very stressful OP, and I second the suggestion that you should take her to the vet for a check up, just to rule out any health issues and then find a behaviouralist to come and help you, but keep her in the garden or behind a baby gate until you get it sorted.
While you're waiting for an appointment with a behaviouralist you could watch some of the episodes of the 'dog behaving badly' for some ideas? I know lots of people don't like him, but I find his way of reading a situation very interesting. One of the episodes featured aggressive newfoundlands, and it turned out that the owners were actually rewarding their barking, by trying to treat them into being quiet, episode is www.channel5.com/show/dogs-behaving-very-badly/season-4/episode-1here.
Good luck - I hope it all works out for you.

This is not resource guarding

This is not the GS fault by their reaction

Dog behaving badly is littered with poor advice and owner blaming - still cant get over the talking gnome in the garden to stop poo eating......

Tethering will increase the anxiety in the dog and make the behavior way worse. - imagine you are worried by something but tied in position and can not get away or react

Dogs do not feel jealousy - it is not jealousy

OP it is great you are happy to work on this but please do get qualified advice. Things suggested on here will make the situation worse and waste your time.

Can you section off part of the room so the dog has enough space and they are kept safely separate. There are lots of multi panel baby type gates that can section off large areas.

You sound much fonder of the dog that your DGS to me.

DDog and DGS need to be kept apart at your house, however you do that. Personally, I'd either boot DDog into a large pen in the garden or muzzle her at the first sign of aggression to show her what happens when she behaves like that. But your DGS should not have to put up with an aggressive and badly behaved dog snapping at him. Nor should he have to suppress his fears to help 'rehabilitate' a dog which he is scared of. Dog needs to learn to ignore him.

It does sound like your prioritising your dog over your DGS. How on earth has this gone on for 5 years and you've not addressed it?

I'd have thought it'll resolve itself when DGS gets older and refuses to visit you.

*you're