why does my dog walks away or growl lightly at our baby?

Question

We have a rott mix we got from the pound 4 years ago and when we bring our 8 month old close to him he makes a growling sound lightly with his mouth closed as to warn us to get her away. He doesnt bite and he loves getting attention. i know when she crys it must irriate her becuase he leaves the room. the weird thing is that when we had our baby outside and i was washing the car he stood by her the whole time, i thought to make sure nothing bad happened to her and when she started to cry there he got real close as to comfort her. i thought maybe he thought since i was washing the car he had to watch over her. But in the house he doesnt want her near. i really hope as she getts older that he likes her becuase im sure se will love him and want to be his friend. Maybe he was hit by a baby or maybe he was given away after a baby was born or maybe he got introuble in the past by dong something to baby? Do you think hes jelious or doesnt like her.

i would like to tell you thanks for your responses. i know not to keep my baby and his around each other alone. but as to getting him socialized we got him from the pound after he was adult so he was already socialized. you cant teach a old dog new tricks,he loves other dogs and older kids. this is the first time weve had him around a baby. would you give up your child if he didnt like his sister, no.

Answer 1

The Arrival

When the new baby, pup, etc., is brought home the owners should happily fuss over the established pet. If the owners have any reservations about letting the pet investigate the newcomer, they should obey these feelings and place the new arrival in a position where the pet cannot make contact with it, but can gain its scent. Owners must be made aware that if they, themselves, are 'walking on eggs', so will their pet. However, the pet should not be restrained, if possible. Rather, the baby or puppy should be placed in a crib or other enclosure where the pet can see and smell it. In our experience, even with the most fearful owners, these steps have led to a positive primary introduction of the newcomer while establishing confidence in the concerned owners. More intimate contact between the pet and newcomers should be allowed at the owners' discretion.

As Time Goes By

As babies mature and begin crawling and walking, they undergo a transformation that unnerves some dogs. If the dog (seldom a cat) shows any signs of anxiety about it, the owners must apply the Jolly Routine to the dog and show it how to adjust. For instance, if the baby starts to crawl toward the dog and it appears uneasy, the owner should clap once and jolly-talk the dog, moving to its (the dog's) side and then moving away from the infant. This shows the dog how to avoid contact when it does not want it. Later, when the owners and dog are more comfortable, closer, supervised contact can be allowed.

No-Nos

Here are some 'natural' parental responses that have been found to create problems between new babies or puppies and established dogs.

-Rushing over and picking up a child or pup as it approaches the dog. This makes the dog think something is wrong and puts it en-garde when future approaches occur. After enough of this, the dog itself will try to keep the baby or pup away by growling, or even trying to grab the baby or puppy, if the owners are not there to do it. This can also reinforce the baby's approaches to the dog, since it receives the owner's attention by 'bugging' the dog.

-Scolding or punishing the baby or pup when it is approaching or otherwise interacting with the dog. Once again, this primes the dog for independent action if the owners are not around. Scolding, even though aimed at the baby or puppy, tends to be interpreted 'subjectively' by pets. They think they are the target of the owner's anger.

Both of these canine responses are quite 'natural' since they obey allelomimetic principles of behavior and learning. However, most owners jump to the conclusion that their dog is 'jealous', or a 'dangerous animal'. Often this leads to scolding, physical punishment and/or social isolation for the dog, which only induces more negative associations between the dog and the newcomer. Result; the dog's anxiety about the baby will heighten and its efforts to keep the child at bay will reflect increased physical intensity, sometimes even biting.

See the link below for more info.

Answer 2

Many older dogs are extremely nervous around infants and toddlers. When your child is bigger and more like a real human, your Rottie will probably be fine with her. In the meantime, don't force him into contact with her - the growl is an early warning system. If he can't escape to another room, he may bite.

Make it a pleasant experience for the dog. While you're holding the baby, have someone else fuss over the dog and give him treats. This will help prevent jealousy. Keep the dog on a leash (even in the house) until you are confident about his behavior. Make sure you're all getting plenty of exercise - take long walks with the dog and the baby carriage.

Be prepared to do the same thing again when the baby starts to walk. The child's mobility changes the whole relationship. Make sure you don't allow the toddler to pester the dog. Many bites are the result of the child hurting the dog first.

A dog's instincts are different from ours. When we hear a baby cry, our instinct is to pick it up and comfort it. The dog's instinct is to hold its puppy by the head until it calms down. (Watch a mother dog or wolf with its cubs.) If the dog tries this on the baby, it will scream and thrash around, whereas a puppy would calm down and hold still. The dog won't understand the baby's behavior and will bite down a little more firmly to tell the baby to calm down. The baby will scream MORE and the dog will bite a little HARDER and wham! You have a dead baby and a dog that has to be destroyed.

Try getting one of those dolls that moves and cries. You can do some training without putting your real child in danger. Carry the doll around and let the dog see you put it on the floor. Let the dog sniff it - yes, he'll know it's not a real child but it will get him used to the idea that this thing won't hurt him. Do some obedience training and get him to lie down next to it - the doll is NOT his toy - don't allow any nipping or pawing at the "baby" or its clothes. Put some peanut butter on the doll's hand and let the dog gently lick it off. Your child is going to be a walking smorgasbord very soon - better get him used to it now!

Don't ever leave any dog alone with a small child - especially when they first start crawling and walking. When the baby becomes a toddler, he may tease, hurt or merely upset the dog. This is the cause of MANY dog bites. Some dogs don't like to be pulled on and harassed. It only takes a second for a toddler to get into danger - they drown in pools, drink toxic chemicals under the sink, stick things into light sockets and get bitten by their family dogs. Rottweilers are no more likely to bite than a poodle, but a bite from a big dog will do much greater damage.

My personal belief is that NO dog (especially a big dog) should be left alone with a small child. Ever.

I'd also suggest reading some really good books on training. Try not to do it randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also! These are some of my favorites:
What All Good Dogs Should Know - Volhard
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan

Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.

Unfortunately, sometimes it is necessary to place the dog in another home. Your primary responsibility has to be the safety of your child. And yes, if you had one child who was physically dangerous to or sexually molesting the others, you might have to place that child elsewhere for treatment! It happens too often - watch Dr. Phil!

Answer 3

Just like a big bro he feels both protective and jealous at once. Make sure he gets a lot of attention when the baby is around, not just when baby is sleeping. And be careful- don't leave them alone until the dog gets over his feelings.

Answer 4

The dog is jalous. He's used to being your "baby" and now that attention is given to your infant. He thinks you and your husband belong to him. He will adjust to baby, but I would be sure to watch baby around him. You never know what a dog will do, especially if the baby hits him with something just playing.

Answer 5

wow, i didn't even read it but it looks like the dog trainer said it all.
we have 2 dobermans and they act weird around my baby too
they get real jumpy if she gets close to them they will turn there heads and pull there paws away if she tries to touch them.
i think they are jealous and they are probably thinking she's little and smells funny..lol..i don't think you should get rid of him. he's not actually acting aggressive . my female dobbie will growl if you stop petting her and she's not ready for you to stop yet..
it just because she's a brat . so that proves dogs growl for other reasons than anger.. who knows why your rotty is but i don't think its because hes mad.. rotty's are really good dogs...

Answer 6

You need to get rid of your dog. Don't be stupid about this either. Any dog that isn't submissive enough to know it is forbidden to growl at humans, is too dangerous to keep around. And it is disasterous to keep that around your baby.

Don't whine about it either. It's your fault for not properly socializing your dog.

Answer 7

The dog must be jealous. You got to show him more attention

Answer 8

its proubly very jealous of your baby even though your dog is proubly nice but never leave em alone together

Answer 9

Probably a bit jealous and just doesn't know what to make of her yet.