Lately my very good-natured dog has begun growling at my youngest child. We got him as a puppy, and he is now six. My son is 8. There have been no major changes in our home to upset him. No new babies or pets, etc.
Today the dog was laying on the floor, and my son patted him on his hip, and the dog growled. My son backed off, and the dog got up and growled and snapped. This is very unlike him. He is a very obedient, loving dog who usually gets along with everyone in the house. This has happened maybe 4 times in the last three months.
What could this be? And, what should I do? Suggestions?
2007-07-05 14:22:13 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
ginbark: he has obedience training, and is neutered. He is protective of his food only when it comes to our other dog (whom we have made sure is lower in the pecking order). Even still, my child knows to stay away at meal times, and bone-chewing times. :)
Thanks for the answers so far everyone!
2007-07-05 14:36:58 · update #1
kat lady 2: When the dog is in the house, if I am home he is my shadow. If my husband is home, he is my husband's shadow :) The dog is usually (99%) of the time is comfortable with my son. This is most certainly *not* a case of abuse.
2007-07-05 14:40:56 · update #2
not a problem kat lady! :) In my original question, I had specified what it was *not* (new baby or pet, for example). I had not even considered mentioning it was not abuse, but after your answer I realized I might want to clear that up for future answerers. And, while it is true he has not growled at anyone else, I would assume since my son is the youngest and the smallest, the dog may view him as more of a peer rather than as being above him in the pack hierarchy.
2007-07-05 15:02:29 · update #3
You may want to take him to the vet and see if there are any medical reasons for the sudden change in behavior. Something as small as a sore muscle can change behavior or it could be his age and a touch of arthritis just starting or hip dysplasia.
For the best of both the child and the dog please monitor all interactions until you KNOW what the issue is.
2007-07-05 14:28:18 · answer #1 · answered by animal_artwork 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Your son may have hurt or tormented the dog with out you knowing. If you have had it since it was a puppy, it's safe to say for some reason the dog has taken a dis-like to your son. I would be thoroughly questioning my son if I were you. If it continues, for your son's safety you may need to find a new owner for your dog.
Was not suggesting abuse BUT I do know how 8 year olds can be. To the child its a game or having fun. However, if you are sure thats not the case, then seek medical advice. Your post read "Lately my very good-natured dog has begun growling at my youngest child." You did NOT state he was growling at other family members. If a dog is in pain it will growl at anyone that touches it and it hurts.
2007-07-05 14:31:31 · answer #2 · answered by Not Me!! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first thing to do is a vet visit, the dog may have bad hips, hearing loss, eyesight loss or arthritis to name a few. A complete check up with blood work is indicated. If he is healthy is he obed trained and neutered? If not both are suggested. The No Free Lunch method around the house is a good idea as well. Dogs rarely snap for no reason, usually there has been a gradual change over the space of months and only when the dog snaps do people really notice. Does the dog guard HIS chair or toys? Do you warn people not to bother him while he is eating?
2007-07-05 14:30:14 · answer #3 · answered by ginbark 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, if it's only happened 4 times in 3 months, I doubt it's a very serious problem.
If the dog had developed a behavior problem, it would be a lot more often.
To me, it sounds like at these times he just wanted to be left alone. Sometimes, dogs just don't want to be touched and can be in a bad mood, just like humans. My dogs are like this, as well as my cats. If they are in a bad mood and you touch them, they'll growl or hiss. It's not very often, though.
If it gets to the point where he's doing it very often, then you might want to get it checked out.
2007-07-05 14:46:44 · answer #4 · answered by Lauren 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not crazy when I say that perhaps your dog is jealous of your son? Sometimes a pet may become angry when another human starts taking attention away from it, and since you may be spending more time with your son than your dog, the dog feels threatened.
2007-07-05 14:30:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take him to the vet to rule out physical reasons such as pain or thyroid issues. It is unusual for a normally good-tempered dog to get snappy. If he has hip dysplasia, the pain can make him irritable.
2007-07-05 14:30:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd start with the vet.
Usually, when a nice dog starts acting this way, they are in pain.
I hope that helps!
2007-07-05 14:28:27 · answer #7 · answered by Lisa the Pooh 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋