HELP! Callie nipped at my grandson

[JacqueZ]

It sounds like Callie was making a scary noise to give a warning, like yelling to get the little ones attention.

I think if you are worried, keep her on a leash while the young one is on the floor and moving around, that way you will always be near enough to keep the little one from grabbing something and startling Callie.

 

[sable]

We had little ones running around, playing and so forth. I have always used a leash tied to my waist. When I brought the pups home I yanked gently on their fur like a little kid would do. I pressed gently on their paws. I prepared the pups for SEVEN little ones coming in. Proud Granny!

Yes i worked with the little ones. I told our one girl you can hug Lucky around the neck but don't do that with another dog. Well she did with another dog and the dog went after her face.

Did you ever test for food aggression? Drop a piece of food on the floor like a little kid, and pick it up before your sheltie. I also did that too. While they are eating I removed the bowl of food and put it back down when they were pups. I also had the kids sit on the couch and hold the pups. The kids loved it and so did the pups, pups head down, as I sat there with them.

Yes I am adamant with my grandkids and the dogs. The kids have to learn, but the two shelties had to learn to tolerate them too. They love each other.
I attempted everything a kid would do. Pet or a tug on the fur. Running and a foot lands on the paw. Play include the pup. Drop food?

When the little one is around, show the child how to roll a ball on the floor, play ball. Give treats for good behavior. If nothing works use a gate.

The very best to you, hopefully you find success.

 

[Caro]

I think training an 18mth old is harder than training a dog. I was a bit concerned about you comment that they have Callie's sister and she tolerates it. Maybe her threshold is higher, being around the kids all the time, but no dog should be expected to tolerate hair pulling. It's a big, big risk. I don't know if you ever saw the important blog by a dog trainer that lamented all these pics on the internet of babies with dog and the comment that often arises after the bite - but the dog was always so good with the baby before.

I'm assuming the snap was an automated response and highly likely she wouldn't actually follow through. Once a friend's grandson fell on Deska and he did a similar thing, turned around with an open mouth when he got hurt. Unfortunately the child's arm fell into Deska's mouth, but fortunately Deska didn't close his mouth, just waited mouth open until the child moved his arm. Didn't upset anyone but me, but later I thought, gosh Deska actually showed a good deal of restraint.

It is critical to provide a dog around children a sanctuary to get away from the kids, or a default behaviour to show you they are wary. My dogs are good around kids but my nieces and nephews are quite rough (esp with Tully who they treat like a doll). I have stepped in front of them and kids often enough that my dogs know to step behind me if they want to make some distance. When we are in a house with kids they have a crate or x-pen they can retreat to which is off limits to the kids (mind you I've found my nieces crawling into Tully's crate). Keep some distance between Callie and the kids until Callie understands to crate herself. I don't have a problem of you keeping her confined in the crate or xpen when the grandkids are around. Just make sure you give her praise when she is being good and perhaps leave her with a Kong so she has a positive association with the confinement.

 

[labgirl]

Callie's behaviour was typical surprised Sheltie "Oi, don't do that." behaviour. I used to see that a lot here with Merlin and Sparrow, when Sparrow was younger and hadn't completely learned boundaries around Merlin. The snap is equivalent to us yelling out in surprise. As Caro says Callie actually showed good restraint by avoiding making contact.

Merlin did that once to me in the early days of Sparrow when he was feeling a bit stressed by her boisterous presence. He was asleep on the sofa next to me and I reached out to stroke him. His head shot round and I know he thought it was the puppy, then in a split second he realised it was my hand and wagged his tail instead. I told him "you nana, that was me!"

My point is, this is behaviour that to the dog seems quite logical, but which is easy for us humans to misunderstand.

I would keep reinforcing with your grandson that he mustn't grab the dog, in fact the air snap may have helped him realise that, and keep promoting positive interactions. Ensure Callie has a safe place to retreat to, this could be a crate, but she is not to be shut in. Its only a place for her to choose to go to when she feels overwhelmed and your grandson should be taught that he does not enter the crate, or touch Callie when she is in the crate. It has to be her safe haven.

I am not sure about having her on a lead around your grandson, because if she does feel overwhelmed by him she can't then escape and that can make the situation worse. I would rather use a stairgate or a playpen to have her in an area that she can still see and be with you, but she is safe from your grandson and vice versa.

To give you another story to demonstrate such incidents can have a positive outcome - my brother works part time for his farming friend (sheep and pigs), naturally the farmer has dogs and is very dog savvy. He also has two little girls. When the eldest, Hattie, was around 2 she grabbed the paw of their rescue lurcher Willow. Willow was badly treated as a pup and is nervous about rough contact. She did exactly like Callie and snapped. Hattie was unhurt, but obviously upset. Her mum and dad's reaction? "Well Hattie, now you know to be more respectful around the dog." And Hattie is, she is one of the most lovely, sensible, animal savvy 4 year olds I know, and she is now about to have her own puppy as her dad's collies were bred before Christmas.

So take this as a reminder that Callie needs space around your grandson and act accordingly, but don't think you have a dangerous dog. Everything will be ok with a few sensible precautions put into place.

 

[Hanne]

labgirl - much agree with you - and few of you others who have a similar approach.

(If small children have an unfortunate behaviour towards our dogs, it is an explanation, but no reason to punish / give the dog blame)

(Sorry my English)

 

[JacqueZ]

I think training an 18mth old is harder than training a dog.

This is so true! Although apply it to any child under like 6...

My nieces grew up with Honey, the one is just a week older than her, but they still constantly need reminded to give her space. Honey loves cuddling her face right up to me and nibbling my hair while I scratch her, and she trusts my sister enough to let her get closer to her face than most people, but the kids see us interacting with her and they want to do the same.

Add to that - their granny has two dogs who are similar sizes and who just love snuggling right up to the girls (the one actually squirms under them to act as a pillow) and it's a constant matter of reinforcing that Honey is different, and that she feels crowded when they reach their hands towards her face.

Now the one doesn't want to pet her at all because she's decided that scratching Honey's hind quarters is dirty (Aunty Jacque made the mistake of referring to it as her butt )

Luckily Honey did grow up with them, she seems to realize that they are effectively still puppies, and so long as I keep a close watch to make sure there's sudden trips and grabs she's very patient with them.

 

[alonsoe]

I think Callie did only advise the baby she didn't like the way she was touched, If Callie wanted to hurt the baby she will have done, but didn't because she is not an aggressive dog.

I think the bad behavour is for the mother or the person that wasn't watching the baby....the baby could have had another kind of accident if he was not under the control of an adult.

Is a good thing to show the baby to respect the animals, and of course someone has to take care of baby wherever he is....

 

[Jess041]

I have a cousin, Ariel, who is 2 months younger than Missy. When Ariel was 1, but not walking yet, she was over at our house for Easter and interested in Missy. Of course, Missy would show interest, but because she was unsure of the small creature that was moving strangely (crawling), she would quickly run into the kitchen and circle back to the living room where we were. A couple times Missy would come into my lap or my sister's lap and let Ariel "pet" her, but we were careful not to let Ariel pull her fur or be to rough, and we were also watching Missy to make sure she wasn't getting upset by being pet by the baby. Ariel has 2 dogs a home, but they are bigger and older lab mixes. The small, quick moving, Missy was much more appealing. Ever since then, she hasn't showed much interest in Missy or the other dogs. At Thanksgiving this year, now 2.5 yr old Ariel didn't want the dogs greeting her or licking her. Missy was too busy playing with the other dogs to even notice her.

 

[sable]

When I stated tug at the fur, a dog can be walking by a toddler and the toddler wants to pet the dog, the dog might get a little tug. With the paws little ones when they are first walking can easily step on the paws. Accidents can happen, mom, dad, ma, and pa was close by. As I stated with a leash on me at all times.

The kids learn and so do the dogs. Lucky was here first and when he had enough of everyone he go to my DH's lap. Lady would go to the bedroom.

I read this book by a trainer with kids when our Lucky was a pup, and I used the suggestions, because he understood kids, and what could happen, it all made
sense to me.

I loved the suggestion too, to take a blanket home from the hospital that the baby used and set it by the dog. When the baby comes home the dog will know that scent.

A toddler does their thing and so does the dog. They both have to learn. Lil' Lady was socialized as a pup in a home where there was a daycare going on and flew out of a kid's arms I was told. She had flying lessons. I was not pleased. Sitting with a dog is the way we handle it here.

Turn your head and things can happen in a second.

 

[VallejoSheltie]

Hmm, I love my dog to death as I'm sure everyone else here does as well. However to blame an 18 month old infant is just frankly PETA-level wackiness to me.

I had almost exactly the same thing happen last year with a 2 year old niece and my dog. Now it didn't help that she stepped on his feet a couple of times... So when she went to pet him and he gave his bared his teeth a bit, that was simply unacceptable.

Yes, yes, I can see it from his point of view. In fact, I can see it very clearly indeed.

However, I watch him almost every day wrestle with his 50-60# Golden girlfriends and 50# Austrailian Shephards, and they are far rougher with each other, and every other week I am find multiple small scabs around his neck its so rough. I don't see him baring his teeth with that particular look when that is going on, so I know this wasn't a case of surprise as much as simply assuming the baby was something akin to a puppy, which are to be put in their place.

So, my point is, a BABY is not to be treated like another dog, puppy, or even me. A BABY can do ANYTHING it wants, and if he doesn't like it, he can move away, just as he does when he avoids dogs he doesn't like at the park.

Thats the expectation, and I'm glad he's a Sheltie and thus figured it out very quickly. Making excuses for bad behavior, or assuming that the dog is too dumb to be taught is the real disservice to the dog.