How do I stop my dog from attacking my children?

Question

I have had my dog for about 8 years now, and I have to children aged 3 and 5.. Lately my dog has been getting aggressive towards them, he trys to attack them when they are outside. They have to run really fast to get to their playset, usually have to distract the dog somehow before running for it.

You always have to be on your toes when your outside, he can come from anywhere, and often does. How can I stop him from doing this? I dont want to kill him, but I will if I have to

Answer 1

ya know, i dont know why i get on this answers thing, because most people are so self righteous on here and think they know all about dogs. I have a growing problems with my greyhound, that wasnt there before either, and it involves aggression. They told me it was my fault and i didnt know what i was doing. Although I have another dog that is quite well behaved. Anyways, i see some similar answers here to your question. First of all, dont let people tell you to put him down or give him away. There is obviously something wrong with the dog for him to suddenly change in this way. My greyhound did. I started to lessen my restrictions on him and love and dote on him more, and he's started to think he is the alpha in the house. and it is never to late to get your old dog back. They change, just like people do. Something different is or has happened in his life that has made him aggressive. I dont know you, or your lifestyle so I cant say what. The best thing to do is consult your vet or a trainer. I learn a lot from the dog whisperer. You have to make your children dominate over the dog. and re assert your dominance over him too. It may be territorial. A lot of dogs to suddenly change without warning. and it might not necessarily be anything you've directly done. There is never any excuse to put down a dog for aggression, there is always a source and that source can be shut off. Just dont give up on him and dont let people here tell you to give him away. Because they dont know the situation, just like i dont.

Answer 2

Take a visit to the vet to see if anything is medically wrong AND get a trainer to assess the situation. There are trainers that can work with aggressive dogs. That said, no dog, no matter the breed, should ever be let alone with children.. EVER. Small kids can bring out the prey drive in bigger dogs- which may look like aggression, but is totally normal; but obviously you don't want your dog hunting your kids. A trainer will help teach you and your family how to get the dog back to his old self (after all medical reasons are ruled out).
Also, are you sure the dog isn't trying to play by chasing them? Don't let them run and have him on a leash for starters- train him to sit and watch them play outside and praise him for not going after them. There are so many options beside killing your best friend of 8 years.

Answer 3

If I read this right you are describing a major change in the dog's behaviour. Apparently the children have grown up around the dog and now there is a problem.
Anytime we see or are told of a major change in a dog's behaviour such as yours we look for a medical cause. Been handling dogs in rescue for over 14 years now. A family pet doesn't just change and do things like this for no reason!

First, I ask you to really search your mind for any changes in home and family and activities prior to this aggression. Is he actually going for the kids to knock down or hurt? I assume you are watching to determine if he is reacting to the running and noise and maybe just playing rough? And are you observant of kids not being rough to dog or doing something that has caused him pain? I am not accusing, just asking because a 3and 5 year old can be a handful, even good kids.
They don't always realize they can "hurt" an animal.

Next, have you examined the dog from head to toe, especially around head and ears for anything different? How does he respond to kids in house? Or is he only an outside dog and is the playset new, as in recently added?

These are the kinds of facts/questions we look at to determine change behaviour in a dog. I answered a question awhile back for a lady about changes. She liked my answer and then revealed the hubbie had been gone to Iraq. If I had known that upfront I would have known for sure why her dog was being overprotective, the man was gone. He was on guard on his house. There are always reasons, sometimes hard to think of, why a dog starts acting different.

Then there are medical causes. Most of the time. One lady found her dog had a bad bad ear infection. Another dog had a infected and painful tooth. I would strongly encourage you to call your vet on this situation this week. I know you have had for 8 yrs. and do not want to risk your children or get rid of dog without knowing what is wrong. Changes in behaviour are a call for help by our canine/feline friends! Something is wrong with him or something has changed in his household situation. Any more info you can provide will help/will be checking on this.

Answer 4

If your dog wasn't aggressive towards the children before, I would guess that the dog has some sort of sickness. Maybe a thyroid condition or something similar that has altered his personality. I know that there are some other diseases that alter moods and can be treated with medication. Take the dog to the vet before you "put him down". Also, you wouldn't want to have the dog adopted to someone else and find out the dog attacked them also. Until you find out for sure, separation is the best.

Answer 5

i be conscious of what you're putting forward and it really is more straightforward to attempt this technique out on a dogs that be conscious of's and loves you, even if, to attempt this custom on an basic dogs it extremely is in the throes of anger you're in all probability to lose both your palms or your entire hand, probable both! a strong buddy of mine risked his life to save his dad's staffordshire bull terrier from a pit-bull attack x2, his dogs replaced into killed and he gained such undesirable injuries to his palms and palms ( decrease hands and top legs and abdomen!!! ), he will under no circumstances artwork again!!! I printed this as a question again in October and for this reason have lost the link to the newspapers that stated it on the time yet i visit promise you i'm no longer mendacity - as i replaced into accused of on the time ( sicko's! ). My suggestion is an same as is international huge:- stay nonetheless, do no longer attempt to run, do no longer seem the dogs in the interest and if accessible lay your self on the floor curled right into a ball - protecting your face and head - stay inventory nonetheless and do not utter a be conscious or a cry of soreness, they or it is going to kill you to close you up!!! in case you stay in a community with a extreme share of aggressive dogs, arm your self with a pointy stick and a extreme pitched alarm gadget. under no circumstances, ever take a danger and address a dogs like a Pit-Bull - - it is going to win in case you at the instantaneous are not very careful!!!

Answer 6

Since you have had him for 8 years, it will be difficult, but you need to get rid of this dog and now. There is nothing you can do to siop him from doing this. I don't know your dog like you do, but I can't count the number of times I've heard dog owners say "He's such a sweet dog, I never thought he would..."
Even if he never attacks full on, if you don't get rid of him your children will grow up to fear dogs.

Answer 7

My first thought would be to take him through training to teach him not to do this. If you don't want to do this and you want to keep him then try putting a muzzle on him when the children are outside. If you think that this is cruel or a bad idea then see about getting him a home with a family without children. If you cannot find him a home and don't want to keep him then take him to a no kill animal shelter. Somebody is bound to want him. My last resort would be to put him down if all else failed.

Answer 8

Please listen to me carefully. I have 2 kids, ages 4 and 5 and 3 dogs worth thousands of dollars each because of their training. I love my dogs, but, I love my kids more then life itself. If any of those 3 dogs looked at one of my kids the wrong way, that dog would be gone that nano-second, not a minute later, not the next day. He will be sold, given away, shot or whatever it took to ge rid of him. You have the same choises. Either lock up the dog, safely to where he cannot, under any circumstances reach the kids, or get rid of him. Good luck to you, and please, think of the kids first and the dog last.

Answer 9

You need to get rid of the dog before one of your children gets hurt. If you don't want to euthanize then look for someone to take him that doesn't have any children and can keep the dog away from children.

Answer 10

Any dog that is aggressive as you describe has no place in society. He needs to be put down. Now!