i have a 1 yr old Mini Pintcher. male. he only barks at kids and it's embarassing when i have friends over who have kids he always attacks the children. he doesnt bite, he just barks and barks. i think he might be either jelous of the attention or just scared but kids. so do you have ideas why he does that and how can i make him stop?
thanks
2007-06-27 10:20:20 · 16 answers · asked by E5'sWife 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Lots of small dogs are afraid of children - most likely, that's the case for your dog. Children are often loud and rowdy, and they move erratically. Also, kids can easily injure small dogs without meaning to. If your dog was ever frightened or slightly injured by a child, that is most likely the source of his problems. He's barking to make the kids go away - if he sounds and looks tough maybe they'll leave him alone.
Your best bet is to either talk to a professional trainer, or borrow an older kid (at least 10 years old) from a neighbor or family member and have the kid help you train your dog. First of all, make sure that the kid knows how to behave around dogs. To begin, give your dog a treat every time the kid walks into the room. If the dog is eating the treat, he can't be yapping at the kid. Also, he'll learn to associate the kid with treats. While your dog is being quiet, tell him what a good dog he is. Keep giving him treats while the kid is nearby. Once the dog is more comfortable with the kid in the room, have the kid feed him treats. If it doesn't seem like a good idea for the dog to take the treats directly from the kid's hand, have the kid place the treat on the floor near the dog. The goal is to have your dog associate good things with a nice kid. Realistically, your dog may never be comfortable around all kids - especially small noisy ones. But, if you can make him comfortable around older kids, you have a much better chance of getting him to eventually chill out around small kids.
Don't feel like your dog is crazy! This fear of kids is *very* common for small dogs. With careful and patient training, you can probably help your dog feel more at ease.
Good luck :-)
2007-06-27 11:02:59 · answer #1 · answered by SE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he wasn't around kids when he was a puppy he probably doesn't know what to make of them. Doesn't trust them cause he isn't sure what to expect from them. Can take him places where there are kids so he gets used to seeing them. Have an older kid come around him and pet/talk to him so he can see that he isn't hurt. Smaller kids may be a problem. Many dogs and cats do not like small kids. They can't be trusted and most animals know that, unless they are raised with kids. Maybe when kids visit he will have to go to his room until they leave. Can try holding him and see if he will let the kids pet him. Discipline him for barking also. That is not acceptable behavior.
2007-06-27 10:35:20 · answer #2 · answered by peach 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He problably does this because he isnt used to children or the size of them. What you need to do, is get him on a leash and ask a friend to bring over one of their children. If you have to, get a choker collar for the dog, just make sure you have a good tight grip on the dog and the leash is secure in your hands. Have the child come in the door and everytime he barks, distract his barking by making a loud noise or even shouting NO. If he doesnt bark or pull on the leash then give him a treat. You will have to do this with different children and in different situations, like if the dog acts like hes going to attack, then pop the leash, keeping her back, and make a loud noise to distract him. Once she is calm, give him a treat. Safety is important here and always let your friends know what you are trying to accomplish with your dog. Make sure you are calm as well. Whatever you feel, it travels down the leash and your dog will feel it as well. So if you fear that your dog is gonna start barking and going mad then it will just make the situation worse. Let the dog know that you are in charge. I hope this helps you!
2007-06-27 10:33:14 · answer #3 · answered by kitamonster 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He most likely feels they are threatening to him. By one year of age your dog should have been socialized with children. That is, started as a small pup, exposed to kids (held, played with), seems he hasn't been around them much.
I would have the children sit down near him and let your dog go to them. Maybe they can give him a treat, pet him, etc.
It will be a slow process but he is still young enough that it is not too late to train him.
2007-06-27 10:37:49 · answer #4 · answered by Incognito 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kids are unpredictable and move quickly. That can be unsettling to a little dog. You may never be able to break of his fear of children. Try putting him in another room behind a closed door if he doesn't settle down after a few minutes. I am sure your quests will appreciate it too. I love dogs, but those little spazzed out pocket yippers that bark for 20 minutes straight make me want to put a boot up there as$.
2007-06-27 10:25:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Your dog is not crazy or broken and you do not need to buy a new one. He is small and probably has a bit of a complex about it. Many small dogs do not like children because they are loud and squeaky. Also, a lot of kids are mean to them. Not on purpose, but they pull tails and fur or pet to hard. The best thing to do is expose him to children as frequently as possible to desensitize him to it and he will get better.
2007-06-27 10:28:22 · answer #6 · answered by piphop 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your dog is barely an adult....more like a teenage punker right now....all dogs view young children as litter mates...and a challenge to their litter rank...a wise mom would stop this at whatever level annoyed her.......as children age and enter young adult hold and develop the hormones dogs smell them and view them as a threat to the reproductive status they think they might have as well as a direct threat to pack position now.....so pick your poision and take action..
2007-06-27 10:33:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all dogs do not get jealous, that is strictly a human trait. It sounds to me like the dog is being territorial. This dog needs socialization and obedience training and you need to learn about dog behavior. This all can be obtained by enrolling in a good obedience class. If you allow this behavior to continue it could develop into aggressive biting behavior. In the very least this dog is going to develop more bad behavior because you do not recognize it and don't know how to correct it.
2007-06-27 10:30:27 · answer #8 · answered by DaveSFV 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You have to train him not to do that.. He also needs to get used to children. The more he is around children the less he will do that as long as you are training him as well.. Children can tend to be rough with animals so you should also make sure that the child are gentle with him and do not approach him immediately. Have the children slowly let your puppy slowly get used to them. Good luck.
2007-06-27 10:29:10 · answer #9 · answered by ♥Countrified♥ 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
don't worry it should go away if kids just come to your house and don't try to pet him i have a Chihuahua and always barks at my little cousins but they are mean so maybe he just needs to socialize or the kids may just be mean
2007-06-27 10:32:49 · answer #10 · answered by joan 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋