Puppy ‘nipped’ at child visitor

[Margaritawithlime]

God I’m in bits. Any advice would be welcome.
We have a nearly one year old cocker. She’s normally lovely and very well socialised around children - we have two aged 5 and 8. Always in the mix and super friendly.
We have taken time to train and really felt like we had done a decent job of starting life off together you know?
Anyway this eve one of our daughters friends was over as we are babysitting for a half hour and our dog ‘went for’ her out of the blue.
DDog was nestling on the couch alongside my son and me. Daughter and friend just playing alongside and friend leant over to stroke her. She’d been in the house for 45 mins and has been around the dog since she was a tiny puppy as she lives across the road from us so not the first time she’d met doggy and previously all interactions have been fine. It was so unexpected. The dog wasn’t in her crate or in the kitchen which is where she goes for space. She aggressively growled and nipped but didn’t damage skin just scared everyone. What on earth do we do?!
Yes she could be unwell. She is tired for sure after a very energetic day. But it was so unexpected. How do i guarantee she won’t go for my kids?
god I hate this.

It's not the same risk though, because working cocker spaniels are more likely to resource guard than other breeds. It's just a generalisable fact about breed traits — taking it personally and so trying to deny it is what's ridiculous. If your cockers don't resource guard, brilliant, but when families with young children are considering breeds it's a risk they ought to be aware of.

Could she be coming into her first season?

This is a great shout that most of us have missed. OP: this could be another avenue of investigation. She's about the right age for it.

God, this has totally put me off having a dog, not that I ever seriously considered it. Also solidified my certainty that my young children aren't allowed round to houses with dogs in without me there. Just not a good mix. I honestly don't get why people are so obsessed with these unpredictable beasts that apparently can turn and bite for so many minor reasons.

I'm not sure I would agree about the risk factor, and I say that as someone who absolutely adores spaniels as a breed group.

I do wonder if it's because spaniels are primarily working dogs and many end up in homes that are just completely unsuitable for meeting their needs.

No idea but mine are working gundogs, many I know are not and live happily with children with no issues

I'm not saying that spaniels should never live with children by any means, just that (as with all working breeds) you need to make sure you can fulfil their needs and breed instincts before bringing them into a family home.

I do think a lot of people see spaniels as being small-ish in size and cute with floppy ears, but don't really think about what they need to thrive. I have a beagle and see a lot of similar issues unfortunately - people see cute floppy eared hounds and don't think about their breed instincts - then they end up with a dog who's noisy and destructive.

EDIT: spelling/grammar!

Mine did this once to dn when he was a puppy, my dc were taught as soon as we got him that unless he came to them wanting a stroke they were to leave him alone. They don't always want funding even if they are awake. He's never nipped at anyone else and he's 8 now

Nothing happened, OP. Your dog very clearly communicated that she did not want to be touched at that moment so now you know what situations to avoid. I don’t see any need for a behavioural specialist here unless this becomes more prevalent.

This FGS. The dog gave a warning, it did not lunge at a child out of the blue.

It was probably tired, was nestling down in its safe space next to you and really did not want to be bothered with a child and basically said "leave me alone". Its communication was effective and appropriate.

It's the children who need to learn how to leave dogs alone when the dogs are not actively trying to engage with them. This was the problem I had with my DC who grew up with Velcro dogs, who always wanted attention, and assumed all dogs were the same. Then we got a growler. He's a grumpy sod when settled and it took us all a while to adjust.

You have to learn to deal with the dog you have, if this one needs personal space when tired then you find strategies for making sure that happens.

I have owned dogs but I have young children so for that reason I choose not to currently have a dog.

what is the reason people own dogs then, if not for their own benefit?

no one gets a dog if they don’t want “man’s best friend”. Nobody hopes their dog will be disinterested and un-pattable.

whether it is a lap dog or a playful partner to run around with, humans want dogs for companionship.

Out of interest what do you think people’s primary reason is for getting a dog if not this?

OP, did you say she is a golden cocker? I've only known 2 of these dogs and both had cocker rage, apparently common for cockers of that colour. Have you heard of it? I didn't believe in it until I saw it for myself.

Sounds like you're responsible and will do your best to sort it.

This - even the first line of the first result in Google for the query tells you that XL bullies can make great family dogs 🙃

I believe that there's very little actual scientific evidence for cocker rage existing at all.

This

This is why I prefer big breeds, gentle and balanced. I love dogs and have grown up around them but slightly distrusting of smaller ones- they move too fast! Friend had a rescue cocker- lovely dog.

Posters giving advice when they don’t have a dog - brilliant 🤣😆fair play. Keep that JRT away from your cuppa! lol

You can want a dog primarily for companionship AND be aware of their needs and limits as an individual, as their breed and their species. It's not an either/or @SErunner.

Like @Devonshiregal I have dogs for companionship but I would also be very careful if I had a dog with children. I'm careful with my dogs and friends, particularly the cute and friendly tiny one, because I've discovered that even people who are sensible and knowledgeable with dogs want to pick him up and cuddle him without basic consent checks and letting him get to know them first, and whilst he's very good natured I wouldn't allow him to be put in a position where he feels he has to use his teeth to defend himself.

Really?? I thought they'd found the gene and everything. But I've not looked at the conversation around rage closely.

Golden cockers are known for cocker rage. We had one. Could never be left around children. Op slightly concerned you have a red cocker and unaware this was a thing??

Echo the above regarding resource guarding. This happens a lot when dogs are on sofas, beds or owners knees, or when children try to take something the dog values such as something they are chewing. It is important to have clear boundaries between places/things where the dog goes (children do not bother them when they are on their beds/touch their food bowls or toys etc) and dogs are not given too much access to Human Resources such as sofas (particularly when children/visitors are around). Surprisingly most dog bites on children happen with an adult present, but they haven’t spotted the signals that a dog isn’t happy with the situation.

@Grimchmas everything I've read points to it being a condition that can exist in any breed of dog - it's not something that's solely a cocker thing.

I know a springer who was diagnosed with "rage syndrome" too.

Hi just jumping in here.
She is a golden show cocker and yes i know cocker rage is a ‘thing’. It absolutely isn’t - from what I’ve read - her ‘thing’. It wasn’t a ‘prolonged attack’ in any way and I don’t think I need to be worried about this in particular.

I think other posters have it right that she was resource guarding the couch / tired and didn’t want to be disturbed. As I’ve said before it was totally on us and she won’t be given the opportunity to be disturbed by any child coming to visit - including our own. We have had a long chat with our children, she isn’t allowed on the couch now and is more than happily taking to her bed which we have relocated.

thank you to everyone who offered advice.