Guest hshirlow Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 We have had our dog for 2 years and 9 months ago had a child. We have never had any issues until yesterday when Sunshine snapped at my son when he climbed into her bed. Today, I foolishly allowed my son to pet Sunshine while she was laying in her bed - he stood on the outside and pet her, as he has done many times in the past. Sunshine snapped at him again. I'm gathering the bed is the issue, but of course my fear is my son is too young to understand she cannot be approached while in bed. I can prevent him from climbing in as I never leave the two unattended, but my overwhelming fear is that one day she will be laying on the floor and he will approach and the same will happen. I understand if the bed has become her safe area (she has never taken to a crate) but should I be worried that she now has aggressive tendencies towards my child? I just contacted our vet and am waiting to hear back. I'm wondering if we should pursue seeking a behavioralist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walliered Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I never pet any of my greys while they are on their beds and I am adult and their leader. I always call their names and wait until they stand up and walk towards me. This was one of the first rules I learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Sounds like you have a child that is just starting to move around and a stressed dog.. Lots of dogs have no issues with babies.. Then they start to move! Crawl towards them! Get on their bed!!! Baby gates would be your friend.. Separate unless you can closely suoervise.. Maybe have special dog time where the kid calls dog over to get treats.. This gives the dog a positive association with the kid and teaches the kid how to call the dog over instead of crawling on the bed. Both my dogs are pretty bomb proof with kids but I'm not sure I would trust them with a real little one while they are laying down.. Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Can you set up a baby gate so your baby doesn't have access to the dog's bed? I would not be surprised at a problem along these lines, and the dog needs to be able to relax on her bed without being bothered, to have a place away from the commotion a small child brings to a house. Please be very careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 If you can teach and ensure that your child appropriately interacts with your greyhound there is nothing to be concerned about. You just need to understand what appropriate interaction, and if your hound is growling, then the interaction is not appropriate for your hound. Try reading "babyproofing your hound". I think that's the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Education, careful supervision & proactive redirection of your child should eventually result on one who respects the dog's space. Though the final result will be some time from now, the short term results will be reduced stress for your dog. That may make her less reactive, helping her adjust to the newly mobile tiny human. You might also try classical conditioning by giving her treats when the baby is nearby. This will help her form a positive association to the baby. Do it very frequently in the beginning & very slowly reducing the frequency, as you see her reactivity reduce. Course I've made it sound simpler than it will be in reality but just do your best & it is still likely to help & start to yield some positive results quickly. You are being so wise to start working on this now. Good dog owner. Good mom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Do not allow your 9 month old to "harass" the dog by climbing in it's bed. This problem is easily solved by your supervision and making sure the dog is safe from the kid and the kid is safe from the dog. The dog was reasonable in doing what they did (from a dog's point of view, what your child did was rude). From the dog's perspective, babies are loud, unpredictable, they can move erratically and are rather unusual...neither a puppy nor an adult human. And your child is too young to have any concept of how to behave around a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Agree with KennelMom. And your dog is not "being aggressive." Your child IS too young to understand, and your dog is a dog doing what a dog does--telling your child to get out of her personal space. I'm sure it won't be easy, but it's up to you to make sure this cannot happen any more. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitycake Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 The best option here might beto purchase an X-pen and put it around the dog bed. Leave the door open, but the barrier could prevent a crawling or toddling baby from even getting close to the dog's space. Sure, it's ugly as heck and blocks off space for you, but the safety of all involved is important here. The dog has a right to not have some little human crawling on her or getting in her face when she's trying to relax, and your child has the right to be safe. Densenitizing by giving the dog treats when the child is nearby is also good, but protection is absolutely the first order of the day. I don't think an behaviorist is really called for - the dog (as was mentioned above) was merely telling the child to stay away and politely doing so at that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Don't worry! It sounds worse than it is! Your dog was communicating the only way she knows how - "hey, you! get offa my bed!" Your son was communicating the only way HE knows how - "love doggie. crawl on doggie." The two communication styles don't usually mix well, unless the dog is a big fat lazy lab - the opposite of our beloved greys. We have a 3 year old son and an 8 year old grey. We adopted Bootsy when our son was just a few months old. It just so happens that Bootsy hate hate hates having his back end touched when he's laying down and he love love loves to lay down right in the middle of where everyone is and we have an active squirmy little boy who doesn't always look before he leaps. So growls and snaps happen. Bootsy is as sweet a dog as exists - he would never purposely make contact, but we do have to be extremely diligent and it sure does sound scary!! My point is - don't let it scare the bejeebus out of you. Try to find a way to clarify the boundary for your son - maybe set up your grey's crate but take the door off? We found that that helped immensely, as the crate was a much easier to understand "no fly zone." Another option is to set up your grey's bed behind a baby gate or x-pen if possible. Our son knows absolutely that Bootsy is off limits when he's lying down. Lucas was about a year old when we started getting him involved with giving treats and feeding, which helps with their relationship. Good luck and hang in there. Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geostar Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Tons of good advice here. I have been told that to dogs, children remind them of prey or siblings. I've seen too many returns due to parents placing a baby down on the floor by a greyhound on a dog bed...or lying on the floor. Please do take care.. -star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyGrey Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Can you set up a baby gate so your baby doesn't have access to the dog's bed? I would not be surprised at a problem along these lines, and the dog needs to be able to relax on her bed without being bothered, to have a place away from the commotion a small child brings to a house. Please be very careful. I agree with this post. My Grey even has a way of letting me know that when she is in her bed, she is in "her" space now. She says "not now mom". LOL Education, careful supervision & proactive redirection of your child should eventually result on one who respects the dog's space. Though the final result will be some time from now, the short term results will be reduced stress for your dog. That may make her less reactive, helping her adjust to the newly mobile tiny human. You might also try classical conditioning by giving her treats when the baby is nearby. This will help her form a positive association to the baby. Do it very frequently in the beginning & very slowly reducing the frequency, as you see her reactivity reduce. Course I've made it sound simpler than it will be in reality but just do your best & it is still likely to help & start to yield some positive results quickly. You are being so wise to start working on this now. Good dog owner. Good mom. I agree. Your child needs to learn the Greyhound's space as this is a place of refuge and ownership for your Greybaby. Do not allow your 9 month old to "harass" the dog by climbing in it's bed. This problem is easily solved by your supervision and making sure the dog is safe from the kid and the kid is safe from the dog. The dog was reasonable in doing what they did (from a dog's point of view, what your child did was rude). From the dog's perspective, babies are loud, unpredictable, they can move erratically and are rather unusual...neither a puppy nor an adult human. And your child is too young to have any concept of how to behave around a dog. Yes, as your baby is growing up, more mobility, sounds, and new explorations are occuring. It could be a stress factor for your Greyhound, indeed. I agree with this post as wise advice. With time and conditioning and teaching your child, this will all work out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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