My one-year-old dog has suddenly started barking at children while we're out on walks. It’s happened completely out of the blue.
He used to ignore them totally... but for the last few days, he’s started barking at them and I've no idea why. He ignores everyone else – cyclists, people sitting on benches, everything, even other dogs. Just not kids...
It's a playful bark, but it can still be quite frightening, especially for the children.
I can manage to get his attention with a stick when there’s a child nearby, but I don’t think that’s a proper long-term solution... What should I do?
I’m really struggling with the idea of keeping him on a lead in the park when he’s always been used to being off-lead. He’s a lovely dog and his recall is usually spot on.
I’d really appreciate some help, please. Thanks!
Translated from French
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Talk about taking reckless risks. A dog needs to be calm around children; responding to its excited barking won’t teach it how to behave properly. It'll just learn that seeing kids is a cue to get over-excited. First you mention play bows and then socialisation—you need to make your mind up. If a dog is barking at a child to get them to play, it’s already too wound up and doesn’t know how to look to its owner for direction. If the dog isn't properly socialised, forcing interaction despite the barking can have the complete opposite effect. You're right, the information found on the internet can be dangerous.
I often go to the playgrounds with my dogs. I keep the spaniel on the lead, but the Aussie is off-lead as usual, carrying his ball. Sometimes he’ll pick out a child (he’s got a real soft spot for boys aged about 9 to 11, but it varies). He drops his ball and goes into a play bow; usually, there's a kid who works out what he's after. And then they’re off for fifteen minutes of play—my Hiami absolutely loves it. I ask the kids to make him ‘sit’ before they throw. It gives them a real sense of pride, and the ones he actually listens to end up explaining to the others how to get that convincing tone of voice just right.
Basically, my Aussie is a pro at communicating with children... the ones he chooses, anyway.
(If a child rushes towards the dog without being invited, I stop them, of course. I explain how THEY can ask the dog to be their friend, while making it clear that he’s allowed to say no if he’s interested in something else at the time—which is usually the case at the beach. The kids always accept the conditions, as well as the total ban on stroking the spaniel. Children and dogs alike are capable of understanding so much when you explain things properly.)
You know, Gabriel, when people come to a forum to ask for help, it’s usually because the situation itself is a bit of a problem.
Dogs at home, with confident children in a familiar environment with people they trust—well, that’s a different story altogether.
But when you’re out in public with a dog, you aren't just managing the dog. You have to deal with children who might be scared and inadvertently draw the dog’s attention, parents who are anxious about their kids, and people who simply don't like dogs.
Basically, if we want our dogs to be welcome in public, we need to train them so they can handle different situations calmly.
We’re not saying it’s wrong for a child to play with a dog. We’re just asking the dog to show some self-control when passing people and to only enter a child’s personal space if invited. It’s exactly what puppies start learning from adult dogs from the age of two months...
Evening @Louisiamichel,
If you want your dog to stop bothering children, I’d suggest firstly that you don’t make the child the centre of attention.
Training a dog is always a gradual process. You need to start by teaching him what he’s doing wrong. Once he’s mastered that aspect, he can naturally play with children, but only when they invite him, not on his own terms.
The best way is still to correct the intention and therefore to anticipate it, as mentioned above. I’ve never tried Docline’s method myself, but I’d say it doesn’t really matter which method you use as long as it works for your communication style. Some people use distraction, others use a lead.
For my part, it’s all in the tone of voice with a firm “no”. If the command isn’t followed, I approach my dog, step in between them, and give him a nudge on the neck. He has to back off and then give in to follow me. Later on, I introduced “leave it”... and that’s how we do it now.
At the same time, I’ve always asked children in the distance to ignore my dog in those situations. Mind you, my dog is only about 16 inches tall...
Correct the intention verbally, then intervene physically if he doesn't listen. Above all, don't pay any attention to the children yourself. Finally, if he happens to walk past children perfectly normally, don't praise him. Only give praise to reward actual obedience. By making the presence of a child a complete non-event yourself, he’ll eventually do the same.
It might be a good idea to get your dog playing with children in a carefully supervised environment. You could also teach him to stay calm around them with some simple exercises (if he’s a big fan of playing, using a toy to help him focus on you is absolutely fine ^^). This works well if you can organise it regularly with children you know, or even at the park if you come across people happy to help you out with the training :)
Aside from those times, try to anticipate his reactions by working on his recall (and keeping his attention on you with a toy). If you’re unsure about how to handle things, you could always get some help from a professional trainer :)
Leelebijou, it’s just a matter of being responsible and positioning yourself correctly with a child to let them throw a ball or a stick safely. I’m basing my answer on what the OP said: a dog that’s asking a child to play. It kills two birds with one stone—the dog gets some good exercise and you're responding to his request. That’s my take on it and it’s the approach I’ve used for a long time to have dogs that are super chilled with kids, and it works a treat. On that note, have a good day. I’ve got work to get on with.
