# resource guarding baby



## OhWhyChyGuy (Dec 4, 2013)

I'm pretty sure my gsd is resource guarding my infant daughter, especially toward her 2 year old brother. This is a new behavior seen by him, but like another person said, I might have not seen the signs. I did today however when my dog lunged and snipped at him. What can I do?!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Heavily supervise and keep separate until you figure it out. How was the dog with the toddler before the baby came along?


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## OhWhyChyGuy (Dec 4, 2013)

Now that I recognize it, he always tended to resource guard the baby. First my son, now my daughter. And it always seemed to be with only one person, first it was my mother in law and now that we've moved it's my son.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

llombardo said:


> Heavily supervise and keep separate until you figure it out. How was the dog with the toddler before the baby came along?


You have allowed your dog to be confused by permitting this behavior.

Your dog SHOULD know that you are in charge and YOU will take care of the children. I'd be very concerned that he's dismissing your leadership role and knows that if he doesn't take over no one cares about the kids.

With a new baby this will be hard but can you go back to dog classes so you can regain your leadership role outside the home? Then it will also start to transfer back into your house when you dog realizes 'oh, the humans have it, I can back off'. 

WAY more exercise with you leading the walk or in charge of the game. And dog classes so you can re-learn how to have your dog follow you and listen to you in every situation.


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## OhWhyChyGuy (Dec 4, 2013)

It is very concerning. I am a stay at home mom and I don't like the fact that he's constantly eye balling my child like he's going to pounce. I'm not sure of the steps to take to fix the problem.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

This is a big deal. 

I adopted out a foster. A wonderful dog to a very experienced dog home and a friend. 3 weeks she called me saying the dog but her husband. We talked for a long time and it came to light that the dog was following around her youngest son all day and got snippy with other dogs if they got close. And then bite was preceded by husband trying to take away an empty cereal bowl. 

But we realized that the resource guarding was escalating. The dog was immediately tethered or crated. He lost every priveledge. NILF. Strictly enforced. If the dog started trying to follow the youngest, she would redirect and do obedience. She gave her eldest son lessons in working with the dog. 

It was very very hard work. But I know for a fact that it has dissipated. They have had no more issues and the rules have been relaxed a bit. But she is still diligent. Any sign of "claiming" and the dog is back on the program. Had this been any other adopter, I would have taken the dog back. And I would have if she asked. 

You need to get professional help. This needs immediate intervention. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## OhWhyChyGuy (Dec 4, 2013)

I'm glad you responded. I will definitely look into a trainer with more knowledge. I want to help him, but also don't want to make it worse.


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## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

> he's constantly eye balling my child like he's going to pounce.


Here's my 2 cents
When he eye balls anybody instruct him to go into bed or a place. Any time he looks at the child or goes near them instruct him into bed. Don't let the dog have any chance to act aggressively or possessive over anything in your house especially children. Turn the tables on the dog. Crate him when you can't supervise. Feed him away from the children. Exercise him daily. Take an active approach if you want to keep the dog. Start researching dog behavior more and train him. Start to let the dog know you will provide food water and exercise but you expect it to be obedient in the house in return. 

Don't allow the children to feed the dog treats. Ask the children to be calm around the dog if possible. With young children it is more about the dog being totally under control and understanding that you are in charge and expect him to be not involved with the children s business. You can't really reason with a child and tell it to be quiet all the time so you just have to ask the dog to totally accept the noise and actions of the children.

Personally I would never leave a dog like that alone with a child/children as one bite is gonna seriously affect the child for the rest of it's life. It is not worth it. Better to get rid of the dog if you can't handle it or train it really well to not interfere with the children. In future you may have other kids over and you don't want the dog acting like this.

There is a child in my area and he got bite and he now gets hysterical any time he sees a dog and is actually making himself more of a target because he is so afraid. It is just a terrible cycle for any kid to be in.


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## OhWhyChyGuy (Dec 4, 2013)

What's strange to me is that all of this escalated once I started retraining him, just with his basic obedience commands. Perhaps just coincidence. But once I started giving him more attention the more powerful it seemed to make him.


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