Growling at my son

[spikeslillucy]

I have a question and I know that it is similar to one already posted but I still needed to ask.

My now 9 week old puppy is great. She loves us all. She is with me all the time. I am fortunate enough to be able to bring her to work with me.

When we are home in the afternoon she is around my 10 year old and eight year old boys. My oldest boy is very calm and the puppy seldom growls at him during play. My younger boy is very active and he moves fast and is jumpy. Even when laying on the ground and when Dylan is being still Lucy growls at him. They are not alone together so I am always a witness to it and he isn't doing anything to her and I don't understand why she is doing this. I tell her no and make Dylan pet her and she'll continue to growl and I will repeat until she stops.

Does anyone have any suggestions.

[hokisteph5]

I'll let the experts weigh in, but it sounds to me like she views your younger son as a playmate. When she's growling, is she doing anything else with her body? For example, when Samson or Gretchen want to play with each other they'll do a play bow - the front end goes down and the butt stays in the air. They sometimes also hit both front paws on the ground as if to say "wanna play?" When they're doing this there is a fair amount of vocalization going on.

One suggestion I would have to start is to not let Dylan or your other son lay on the ground.

[zorro13]

If you or your son(s) sit on the floor with the pup, use toys to play with her. It's a good opportunity to start with trading and re-directing with toys as well. Lying down with a pup is usually a different story though, all heck will start breaking loose regardless if you are doing nothing but lying next to a pup. This is an invitation for a pup to be all over you and then some. While I allow a pup to jump all over me, it is perfectly understandable to not want a pup to jump all over a child, so do not let your children lay on the floor with the pup. The growling is probably the pup's way of initiating play.

[JemarsSerena]

A couple rules we follow with kids that are 6,7 and 9. If you play with the dog, you must use a toy. If the dog is laying down, leave the dog alone whether sleeping or awake. Never approach the dog while eating. Your boys are certainly old enough to work with you during training sessions which I would encourage but do not let them do it on their own. Finally, when the dog growls at the kids give a firm "QUIT IT!" The dog needs to know you are serious. Take some OB classes and bring the boys along to watch. These are all things we do to make sure the dog knows she is lower in the pecking order than the kids.

[Katie K]

I'm a little confused about something a couple of you guys said. You mentioned that the kids shouldn't lay on the floor. Do you mean not ever while you own the dog, or just when the pup is growling and trying to play?

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by Katie K

I'm a little confused about something a couple of you guys said. You mentioned that the kids shouldn't lay on the floor. Do you mean not ever while you own the dog, or just when the pup is growling and trying to play?

There are a few things to consider here.

For one, dogs are height oriented in nature. Top dog is on top, above, etc. Top dog gets choice spots in the 'den' (bed, couch, chairs, etc...). So, it's really not a good idea to allow kids to lay down on the floor with the pup, and especially not let the pup climb all over them... and just the same, a young pup should not be allowed on the furniture when kids are living in the house.

Your younger son is full of vim and vigor. Just as a young boy should be. He also is old enough to understand some basic dog safety rules. No running, screaming, flailing around the dog. This will kick in the urge to play, and play rough, which is not what you want your dog to do with your boys. So... when boys need to be boys, pup should be contained, and when pup needs to be pup, boys need manners.

As your pup ages, this will become more and more important, as dogs do not view young people in the same light as they do adult people. A young child simply cannot carry the same benevolent authority that an adult can. You might find it useful to supervise your youngest boy at pup meal time, and have him dole out the food bowl after the pup gives him a nice sit, and he releases her to eat.

I concur that obedience classes are a must - for you, for your pup, and for your boys. Kids can learn a lot from the sidelines in class, and then you can go home and work on age appropriate 'training' for the boys. Have fun 'recall' sessions in the backyard, let the boys practice polite leash walking using treats as rewards, etc...

Definitely correct the pup for growling, but take a closer look at the circumstances in which this happens. You will find the clue, and therefore the answer to solve this issue.

Hope this helps.

[spikeslillucy]

Thanks for your help. I have signed her up for classes and they begin the early April. I will definately always have Dylan use a toy and I will incorporate him in her food serving. As far as laying on the floor with her I am a little bit confused as well as to ever or just until this issue is resolved. My 2 1/2 year old doberman will lay on the floor in a sleeping bag (when it was colder) with my 8 year old son while watching tv and seems to enjoy it or I guess I should say didn't seem to mind it. I know that all dogs are different. After reading a lot of posts here I didn't do a lot of things right with Spike it seems like I just got lucky. I just want to make sure to do best for Lucy so I really do appreciate the help. I just need a little clarification in regards to the guidelines with children. Thanks again. Michele