Children won’t leave new 2yr old dog alone

[[email protected]]

I have recently acquired a 2yr female mini poodle - Hazel. She barks at everything and nothing. 

My son’s family have moved in at the same time Hazel arrived, and his two young children do not respect the boundaries I have set. 
The eldest (5) treats my 7mt mini poodle, Ellie, (in training to become a therapy dog) as if she is a toy and constantly invades both dogs space.

I will find Hazel backed into a corner or under a desk trying to get away from the 5yr old. 
Ellie has been picked up by the neck like a rag doll.
I’ve had to lock my dogs away which is distressing and unfair.

Tonight, poor Hazel lunged for the 5yr, barking. 
I have cordoned off areas for my dogs, but need help with Hazel’s barking. 
Her barking is from the new environment plus a defensive fear thanks to those kids.

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forums. Congrats on your new mini poodle!

This really requires your intervention. Hazel just came into your home and needs time to destress. Ellie needs to stay on focus and we don't want negative associations with children to impact her training. You will need to step in and be your dogs' advocate.  Children under the age of 5 mostly perceive dogs as toys more than living, sentient beings. They can be very rough, clumsy and may sufficient lack manual dexterity to correctly hold a dog. 

You will need to make rules that the children can interact with the dogs for a very set limit and only in a positive manner, following your rules. You will need to monitor these interaction and set consequences if the rules are not followed (the dogs are put away or the children need to back off). These negative, overwhelming interactions can have negative repercussion on the dogs, potentially triggering stress and defensive reactions. 

Keep on keeping your dogs in their own "safe zones" which can consist of exercise pens or selected areas that you have provided by erecting baby gates. When the children are at school, keep the dogs free in the house, train them, let them do brain games, involve them in play and bonding activities, when the children come back home from school, take them on walks, and then put them in their safe zones or have the children stay in their own areas. You will need to find ways to divert the children's attention from the dogs (cartoons, Disney channel, age-appropriate video games, treasure hunt in the yard). 

You can use some plug in DAP diffusers to help lower stress. Keep your dogs at a distance so that they are safe from all the commotion. As they are in their safe zones and better under threshold, you can work on creating positive associations with the children, by feeding treats every time they hear/see the children at a distance. This needs to be done very systematically, so you will need to create set-ups so as not to overwhelm them and trigger stress. 

The hear that and look at that method can help. In "hear that," you create positive associations with children noises, preferable starting with the less intense ones (ask the children to just talk calmly) and then very gradually introduce louder and more excited voices. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/fear-noises/

In look at that, you feed treats for having the dogs watch the children from a distance starting with from using a window and watching the children as they walk past the window outside, and then practice with them running and then playing etc. Then, you can bring the exercise indoors and start practicing from behind a baby gate (with the children outside of it) and creating positive associations with the children acting calmy and then gradually adding in a little more excitement, but always making sure the dogs are comfortable in the process. You will need to do these exercises one dog at a time. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/

Only once your dogs are calmer, you can try to involve at least the older child in the treat retreat game where they will be calmly sitting and then standing and toss Hazel treats. (For Ellie since she is service dog in training, you may need a different type of game that doesn't involve tossing treats).

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/treat-retreat-game/

You should not allow your children to pick up your dogs without first learning the correct way. Supervise all interactions. Consider that young children may lack the manual dexterity to hold a small dog or puppy correctly, so keep this in mind to prevent accidental injuries. Here is how to pick up a dog correctly and form positive associations with this. You will need to be the model here. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/the-importance-of-picking-up-small-dogs-and-puppies-safely/

Introducing dogs to children should be done very gradually and carefully, always supervising the interactions and ensuring that only positive happenings take place: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/socializing-puppy-children/ 

If you let the children continue to interact without guidance a bite can potentially happen. Once that bite happens, your dog/dogs may be more likely to bite again  because the behavior "works" in stopping the interaction, and they may feel the need to use this strategy again. Caution is needed.

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any questions. Your dogs ultimately need to feel safe and secure in their environment. This may seem a challenge in your current situation, but it's very important to safeguard their emotional wellbeing, protect them from any potential physical and emotional harm and allow only positive interactions. 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.