Dog as grown up with children but yet keeps snapping at my childs face.

[leonie]

ive had a 13 month old staffy just over a month now was told she was brilliant with children and she is bery laid back but when my 5 yr old gives her a cuddle she snaps in his face she also went for him yday when he wa playin with his cars near where lilly was laid i dnt want to just abandon her but i dont want my child getting hurt is there anything i can do to stop lilly from doin this or is the only answer giving her up

[Elizabeth13]

Get a professional trainer in to see her.

Be very careful when she is now around the children.

The person you got her from may have been lying to you, or only ever had brief encounters with children. Not many dogs are comfortable with being smothered by children or adults.

[bogwoppit]

How long have you had the dog?

My old (rescue) boy Gruffler can be snappy if people he doesn't know well get right in his face. I can do what I want with him and get loads of lovely cuddles but it took a long time for us to gain enough trust to be able to do this.

Let your girl have some time to settle in with her own personal space, and let her come to your daughter in her own time rather than being forced to interact with her. And as Beth says, a trainer would be a great idea.

[leonie]

how much do they cost though?

my mum also as a staffy who is 8 nearly lewis as ragged her around since he was able 2 move and she doesnt batter an eye lid never once gone 4 him plus am always in lillys face givin her cuddles and she doesnt do anything to me. there was no younger kids that lived in the house with lilly but they said someone used to go round with a child most of the time and she was fine, shes always cowerin down aswel at the slighest raise of a voice and i dont understand why.

[bogwoppit]

How long have you had her?

She really sounds like she just needs some time and understanding to settle in and gain some confidence. Having a child trying to hug her if she is a bag of nerves will make her feel really imposed upon.

I have used a trainer called Phil Jackson before who is very good and cost about £50 for a few hour session with feedback afterwards. Money well spent to be able to bring your girl around and protect your child.

Does the dog have a crate as well? Sounds like it might be good for her to have a little bit of her own space.

[leonie]

i got lilly on 25th of april the 1st day i got her i was cuddling her straight away and it didnt bother her, shes snapped at lewis 4 times in last 2 weeks i tell him all the time to leave her alone but he wont listen have told lewis 2 give her treats and talk to her and when am giving lilly cuddles he can sit on my knee and join in is that the right thing to do?

[leonie]

do you think the move as affected her then? she as moved twice because we was living in a flat when i got her and now where living back with my mum, i cant really afford to be paying that out as i am not working and no lilly hasnt got a crate its not as thought lewis is always poking at her or anything because he isnt she gets time 2 relax and has her own space when she is out in the garden to.

[megalithic]

Are you for real. ?

First time it snapped i'd have got rid.

[cheese 69]

my OH has a staffy an shes the same, but shes not actually snapping even tho i kept saying she was, what shes does is when she jumps towards peoples face to kiss/lick them, she snaps but alot of staffys are the same, when they go to lick your face they get that excited that they snap even tho they dont bite, they can catch ya with there teeth as they dont judge how close they get very well. if this is the case i dont no if it can be stopped, but if its actually snapping it would be making an aggressive noise as it does it, then you would have to get rd of it or your kids

[Rainrescue]

Every dog has an individual character - just like we as people have an individual character.

Saying a dog likes children is like saying - you like men? (or whatever), or you like all people over 55?

 

We are all different. The little dog has probably grown up in a family of adults and children and been fine with them. Your children aren't the children its grown up with, therefore, they are totally different beings. Its the character and the energy that each give off that the dogs, and also us as people - like or don't like.

 

How many times have you met someone and instantly think 'i don't like her', or otherwise, 'isn't she lovely'.

 

Your statement where you are saying you have told your son to leave her alone, and he won't - is that you and probably the little dog are both telling him to leave her alone, but he's ignoring you both. He too has to learn respect and distance himself. I know he is young, and thats often the problem taking on dogs into families with small children - children don't often understand that dogs don't like you being all gushy and in their face.

In your case - he has got to.

 

I would use a dog crate, to give your dog some space and safety, and start to teach both your son and dog boundaries and rules. She is at the moment warning him to stay away - just as a mum dog would warn her children whats right and wrong. You need to be firm and instill those boundaries. She has lost what she knew as safety and security when her first family got rid. Now she has to learn your clearly defined rules and boundaries - but likewise - listen to what she is also telling you about her limitations too.