Lenny nipped the neighborhood girl and then Tayda growled at her. ACK!

[elena86]

I try not to let kids near Senji either. I tell them he doesn't like strangers. Sometimes these little kids are so darned quick though! If they're running towards him, I usually hide him behind me, or move his face away from them. I also tell them again not to touch him. He does fine with my nieces now…he spent the first 5 years of his life living with them. He likes them now, knowing that he doesn't have to live with them.:D
For some reason, he really HATES teenage boys, and will growl and baroo loudly at them. I think he still remembers boys who taunted him when he was living with my brother and his family. They used to tie him out on a long leash outside.

[sharronhurlbut]

I went to a class this last weekend…clicker training with a halti caller and a harness.
So interesting, sort of what they do with horses.
B's who like food, and mine will tap dance almost for cheese, were suprising good accepting the halti.
But they didn't just slap it on and say, take that...they worked up to the halti, with small strips that drap over the b's nose.
Doing that type of slow start, with cheese as the bonus, worked for mine.
I hope you can find a good trainer to help you keep the dog focused on you when you have these type of things happen.

[Barklessdog]

Ours walks on his hind legs like this

we used to take our dog to school to pickup our daughter and when school would let out all the kids would run up and pet the dog and he was fine with that!

He just changed as he matured, no bad incidents, just decided some people he likes others stay away from me.

I guess would you like a bunch of strange smelling, sticky handed kids putting their hands all over you?

He seemed to enjoy the attention, but again as he got around 2 he slowly changed.

[Quercus]

I can't remember…did you ever have his thyroid checked? A full panel run at MSU or Dodds?

[Barklessdog]

We had it checked when he was about three and it was fine. He is probably due for another check

[Quercus]

@Barklessdog:

We had it checked when he was about three and it was fine. He is probably due for another check

It just struck a chord that his behavior changed when he was around two.

[Barklessdog]

he was always a biter, but he just decided he could not get along with any male dogs, then after several incidents at home (biting the kids & my wife) I just thought it best to just not put him in those situations.

[annandael]

I've really tried to keep my dogs socialized with Children…but Kiya's first introduction to children when she was a young puppy and a 3 year old girl came running at her screaming "PUPPY!!!!!" She dropped in front of Kiya and grabbed her by the halti...that made Kiya growl in surprise.

Everyone thought she was a vicious dog...but after I removed the halti, and the girl got out of Kiya's face, they played chase.

It depends on Kiya's mood most of the time with smaller children 0-7 if she wants them around or not...she really doesn't like kids that get in her face...and I understand that completely!

Would you want someone grabbing your cheeks and talking right in your face?!

.<

[Barklessdog]

[Quercus]

Barkless, what is your tri boy's registered name?

[sharronhurlbut]

Could he possibly be going through some type of dominance change…do to his age.
How about taking him back to a gentle training class?
Get his head on straight re you and his relationship.
I only say that because I took my boy to one and it really did make a
difference re the behaviors I am seeing from him.

[sharronhurlbut]

I meant to add, taking a dog rescue class, the ages for dogs to be rehomed were 2 and 7.
At 2, they are going through teenage stuff we humans do.
At age 7 they look at the way the family is run, and think they can "become" top dog.
The recommendation was to get them back to basics.

[jayfabares]

i know that this may be 'late in the game' to post- but i have the exact same issues with neighborhood kids & isis.

i live in an apartment complex that allows dogs, so needless to say, there is a lot of them & a lot of kids wanting to pet them… and living in an apartment... isis needs her daily walk(s).

isis is friendly, but you need to respect how to approach her. she doesn't bite... but she is not used to little kids. one day a kid pulled on Isis's tail (my husband was turned away for only a sec) and isis growled and tried to nip at the kid.

it's hard having that dog the one that isn't all over you, shaking thier little tails and barking….

i just say that Isis is prissy... with people & other dogs... it is the basenji way.

[BDawg]

My dogs are the same way. Well, Lexi is anyways. Miles is much more approachable- he allows strangers to come up to him without any issues. Lexi on the other hand can just SEE a kid coming her way and she freaks out and tries to get away.

[sharronhurlbut]

I think its up to us, the b's owners to make sure the kids have respect for the dogs we have.
I have often put myself in from of my leashed dogs, with my hands out, blocking the "running to pet the puppy" kids, and then asked the parents
to keep the children back and still and let my dogs approch THEM!
Some folks get mad, but some parents appreciate me helping them teach the kids how to approch a strange dog.
Kids do get it.

[luvsmy2bs]

I totally agree with Sharron. We went to a festival today and took Dane and Bella. So many people wanted to see these "strange" beautiful dogs we had with us ( I think someone needs to make up a flyer explaining what our b's are!!! So many people asked,,,,it was amazing!). There were tons of kids there that just came up and started petting them before we even realized they were there. Thank goodness no one startled the pups and caused them to react but it could have happened. We have trained our neighborhood kids to stop when they get close we make Dane and Bella sit until they are calm – THEN we allow them to approach each other calmly.

[RockysWoman]

@sharronhurlbut:

I think its up to us, the b's owners to make sure the kids have respect for the dogs we have.

So true! We live three doors down from an elementary school so every day when kids get out (or on weekends… lots of kids in the area come to the playground) they love to "pet the poochies". Our Papillion eats up the attention, but Rocky stays in teh back ground. We've had kids run up to him and he will put himself between me and whomever is coming, but (luckily) he's very good with younger kids (ie infant - 5 years). Anything older than that he has little tollerence for.

But it is up to us, the B owners, to remind the kids how to approach the dogs; to make sure the dogs are not over-stimulated or over-whelmed; to make sure it is as controlled a situation as possible. A difficult task with a swarm of children, but necessary. And if you can't do it, take the "poochies" back in the house until the cast of thousands clear out.