# Help! Aggressive towards kids



## MChowder (Jul 27, 2014)

Okay I'm new to this site, but I have a huge problem. I have a 7 month old GSD that just started to be aggressive towards little kids. He let's adults come up to pet him but if a child is 10 feet within him he will lunge at them and start barking. His scruff his up and he shows his teeth. This is totally unprovoked. The kid just has to walk by and he will try to attack. This is not a playful bark, but an aggressive one. We can tell the difference. When he was a puppy my nephew would come over for a few minutes and he was perfectly fine. He never had a bad experience with kids either. They usually don't even bother him. I don't know what to do and I don't have any kids to help him become acclimated to them. We were walking around an ice cream shop and he tried to attack a little boy walking. I held him back and told him NO and to be nice which we say when he plays too rough with our maltese. He understands it, but with kids he doesn't even listen. HELP please! He is really sociable, since we've gotten him at 2 months he goes to the dog park and plays with small and big dogs and let other owners pet and play with him. There was even a time he played with two kids in the dog park.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Sounds like lack of socialization, but without eyes on the dog, there is no way to give clear cut reasons for the behavior.

But, have your dog leashed any time there is a chance a child will be near. Prevent the possible bite, protect the child and your pup. Locate an experienced trainer *ASAP*. Talk with several, verify credentials. 

In the meantime, keep your pup under threshold. If a child sets him off at 10 feet, you stay 12 feet away. He doesn't listen because he is pass the point of his comfort level. That can vary day to day. Each time your dog reacts, the behavior becomes more ingrained. 

Post your location and someone may be able to refer you to an experienced trainer.


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## simba405 (Mar 14, 2013)

lack of socialization? lack of nerves? lack of leadership? who knows what it is. you should get a trainer to evaluate the dog but for now you should muzzle the dog in public. if it bites a kid theres a 110% chance it will be put down. if you know your dog is aggressive and continue to take it to highly public places without a muzzle that is negligent.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

I had a dog exactly like that once. He only got worse as he got older. This dog was socialized like crazy from puppyhood on, fully ob trained on& off lead & the love of my live.

He also gave me the reflexes of a military test pilot. The vet tried him on elavil--no change.

At age 7, I had to put him down after an unprovoked attack on my stepson. The bite never connected, thanks to my reflexes, but that was the end of the road. He would have ripped the kid's face off.

My heart was broken, but I knew I'd done everything I could have to help him. Lousy genes. Very sweet boy if he knew & trusted you. Huge talent for SAR, but not trustworthy if he were to find a kid or unruly adult.

I learned my lesson about substandard breeders.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Fwiw, kids have different body language & voice modulation, or lack thereof that can set off a nervy dog.

Even a solid dog should be exposed to children early on.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I've also had a dog like this. My dog got better with age - but I would _never, ever_ trust him around children. I managed him so that he didn't have the opportunity to interact with children, and he lived a wonderful 10.5 years without any troubles. I was very careful with mine, as you'll have to be too. The dog park, with kids there, wouldn't have been a place for us. Maybe after bedtime?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Sounds like leash reactivity with kids, but I wouldn't test that theory. My dog reacted the same way with other dogs, sounded like he wanted to kill them. Get an evaluation done on him by preferably someone that knows the breed. I found that I didn't get the right answers until I went to a GSD club.


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## sourdough44 (Oct 26, 2013)

Good points mentioned above. Our 8 month old is on the feisty side with new people, friends of our kids, anyone new pretty much. She's better with strange dogs when off leash, done only in controlled environment with friend & willing dog.

To avoid problems, any introductions are carefully monitored. I don't like to just put the dog in a crate. As long as I am home & able I use it as a training event. You could try with willing friends who are 'dog people'.

I usually start with the dog on leash at home as someone visits. If the dog ramps up early, I give one STERN correction. After that I can just look at her & she hardly thinks about acting up. As long as I am right there I will then let her off the leash, she usually lays right down. I tell people to let her sniff their leg & don't be sticking the hand out to sniff or attempt to pet.

Last week we had a 10 yr old over, then 2 adults at separate times. I watched Mya like a hawk, she was just great. Do I trust her 100% the next time, not at all. I don't want to break her spirit, just tone back aggression to newcomers a bit.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

I would be wary of posts that say your dog is going to be a vicious dog forever. 7 months is a funky time for them hormonally and developmentally. Since this just started I would get to a good trainer that knows GSDs and start there. There is the chance that this is just that funky 7 month old stuff but it is impossible to have a bunch of internet folks figure that out.

In the meantime, if you can amp up your training of the basics and if you can do so at a distance... and I mean 50 feet or 100 feet from kids do that. Go as far away as you need to, to get him focused on you. Only close the gap when you get 100% success. 

A good trainer is worth her/his weight in gold.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

MChowder said:


> Okay I'm new to this site, but I have a huge problem. I have a 7 month old GSD that just started to be aggressive towards little kids. He let's adults come up to pet him but if a child is 10 feet within him he will lunge at them and start barking. His scruff his up and he shows his teeth. This is totally unprovoked. The kid just has to walk by and he will try to attack. This is not a playful bark, but an aggressive one. We can tell the difference. When he was a puppy my nephew would come over for a few minutes and he was perfectly fine. He never had a bad experience with kids either. They usually don't even bother him. I don't know what to do and I don't have any kids to help him become acclimated to them. We were walking around an ice cream shop and he tried to attack a little boy walking. I held him back and told him NO and to be nice which we say when he plays too rough with our maltese. He understands it, but with kids he doesn't even listen. HELP please! He is really sociable, since we've gotten him at 2 months he goes to the dog park and plays with small and big dogs and let other owners pet and play with him. There was even a time he played with two kids in the dog park.


You can teach him to behave Chowder, but he's a dog I would never trust around kids, period. If he was mine, I'd go with the whole "Who pets my dog?"
"No one but me" Leerburg thing.


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

DutchKarin said:


> I would be wary of posts that say your dog is going to be a vicious dog forever. 7 months is a funky time for them hormonally and developmentally. Since this just started I would get to a good trainer that knows GSDs and start there. There is the chance that this is just that funky 7 month old stuff but it is impossible to have a bunch of internet folks figure that out.
> 
> *A good trainer is worth her/his weight in gold.*




I had a dog reactivity problem with a 4 month old puppy and went to a trainer recommended by someone on the forum. He evaluated the dog and gave me expert training advice.

A good trainer is worth her/his weight in gold. And I would add--don't wait--take care of this right away. You'll be glad you did


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## LoveSea (Aug 21, 2011)

My 4 year old rescue GSD actually bit a child who was petting my other dog. It was the scariest, most upsetting thing to happen to me as a dog owner. Luckily the boy was not badly hurt and he did not develop a fear of dogs, but it sure taught me a lesson! 

I will never trust this dog around small children. He is very uncomfortable around them because they are unpredictable and make high pitched noises. My dog had fear issues when I adopted him, but up until the bite, he showed no signs. It was so upsetting.

Now I make sure he is muzzled on walks where there are children around and if anyone approaches to pet my dogs I tell them that they cannot because he bites. He is very good with our family and my older kids but I have to always have him with me when their friends visit. It is very hard.

I also think it is due to the leash, he does not like to be approached when on a leash.


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## Rexy (Jun 4, 2011)

Make sure the trainer you are seeking is one prepared to correct a dog for this type of aggression.....too many mess around with theories of how correcting for aggression makes the situation worse which most cases in practice it doesn't, but a couple of good corrections on the right dog can stop aggressive lunging almost instantly.....if the dog fears correction for aggressive lunging great, that's what you want to project to the dog and set some boundaries and consequence especially a young dog who just started the behaviour.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

High defensive drive, low threshhold is not a good combination. It can be managed with the right training and focus.

Get a trainer if you can't handle this and keep the dog away from threshhold triggers like small children.


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