ACD puppy horrible around children

[retardedchristianknight]

Hello! Our ACD is about 5 months old and he is HORRIBLE around children. I don't mean horrible in an aggressive way, there's no barking or growling, but the incessant jumping and nipping is driving us absolutely crazy. We have a 7 year old and a 1 year old. He actually seems to instinctually understand that he needs to be gentle with the 1 year old because he will do things like scoot towards her and gently lick her head, but with the 7 year old it's all chaos all the time. Today at the off leash dog park I didn't realize a woman had come in with her toddler and our pup immediately jumped on him and knocked him to the ground. We immediately left with an immense deal of shame and embarrassment.
I honestly don't think he has any ill will towards children, but I also don't want to be one of those people who is always excusing their dog's horrible behavior with "oh he's just playing!"
Does anybody have any specific recommendations for dealing with this issue? He learns basic tricks and commands very quickly with positive reinforcement and treats, but I just can't seem to get a handle on this yet.
Thanks so much!

 

[cj]

@retardedchristianknight So for starters toddlers absolutely do not belong in an off leash dog park, full stop. Of all scenarios that’s not one you should feel embarrassed about.

However, heelers of all ages are notoriously challenging for young households. Kids just move weird and the temptation to herd can be too much for some to resist. I would very, very strongly recommend muzzle training your pup (which at this age just means desensitizing him by getting treats for sticking his nose in it). Mouthiness is absolutely normal for all breeds at his age, but this way he’ll be comfortable with it by the time he hits true teenager terror. The worst case scenario is that your children have friends over, get nipped, and your pup is labeled with a bite record.

 

[retardedchristianknight]

@cj Thank you for your advice! I didn't want to victim shame but in the back of my mind I was thinking "lady whyyyyy did you bring such a tiny child in here??"

 

[yeshuasown]

@retardedchristianknight At 5 months, these dogs are a tornado of energy. Get a basket muzzle. Ask your vet to recommend a DVM trainer that is familiar with herding dogs. Baby gates -- use them. It will only intensify as the dog starts to test out his herding tools, this may last up to 4 years.

With all the parvo going around, off-leash dog parks at that age should be crossed off the list.

Be smart and put your pal in positions where they can be successful. One serious bite and that'll be it -- you won't be able to save the dog from being put down.

 

[retardedchristianknight]

@yeshuasown I'll look into a basket muzzle, thank you! Am I wrong in thinking he's safe since he has received his parvo vaccine along with all of the others he has received?

 

[irefusetofail]

@retardedchristianknight at 5 months his immune system is still new. and just because he's got all his puppy shots doesn't mean he can't still contract something. Dog parks are cesspool breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria. Behaviorally they're even worse. a wonderfully tempered puppy can EASILY have a negative experience with other dogs at the dp amd end up with reactivity and fear based issues later on in life. Please seek out a trainer in your area, specifically one that focuses on LIMA (least intrusive minimally aversive) methods and positive reinforcement for your pup.

Basket muzzles are great, and all dogs should be trained to one, but they take time and acclimation to work a pup/dog into wearing it long term. Please looking the the Muzzle Up Project for brands, training, and fitting before you do. do NOT just pop a muzzle on your pup and move on. it'll create frustration and negative experiences tied directly to a tool you want your dog willingly and happily taking part in.

 

[retardedchristianknight]

@irefusetofail Thank you!

 

[yeshuasown]

@retardedchristianknight Yes to all the above.

Another tactic to controlling any miscommunication between human and dog is to use a quieter and quieter voice as you get closer to the dog. They have the best hearing but don't understand the words, so if you're right next to them you should be at at a whisper.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@retardedchristianknight This sounds familiar to our household . We have an 8mo/old ACD mix and an 8 yr old. Our 8 yr old is a loud, unpredictable, typical kid. We were given a game for them to play from a trainer that mimics red light, green light. Have your kiddo hold treats and say green light. Green light = both run. When the pup gets a comfortable distance away from your kiddo, say red light and have your kiddo freeze and drop a small handful of treats. This has helped our pup establish boundaries with our kiddo.

I’ve also taught our kiddo commands to use with our pup. This seemed to help switch our pups gears from wanting to herd, to listening to our kiddo. It’s still a work in progress, but been a pretty cool progression.

 

[retardedchristianknight]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Oh my gosh my kid would LOVE that game, thank you so much for the suggestion!! Our back yard is the perfect size for that sort of thing, too! Our 7 year old loves to do commands with him but I have to work so hard with her to do them correctly. Her version of commands are "SIT! SIT!" and "staaaaaayyyyyyyyyy." Drives me up the wall

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@retardedchristianknight Sorry! I forgot, during green light, have your kiddo drop treats down away from her one at a time. This helps to keep your pup from running at her full speed

 

[retardedchristianknight]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Oh sweet!

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@retardedchristianknight Yes! Sit sit sit sit! “Just say the command once”, “SIT!”

 

[krisx]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Hi sorry I don’t understand, how to stop the dog from herding the kid when they’re both running next to each other?

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@krisx Hello!
The goal is to play with boundaries. The pup will be more focused on the falling treats during green light and the payload of treats on red light than the kiddos heels. That the pup never gets close enough to herd the kiddo, but rather learn to play together.

I hope this helps!

 

[krisx]

@imagebeastmarkbeast That does help, thank you very much!

 

[esther1977]

@retardedchristianknight A lot of good advice here. But also one thing to remember: your puppy is a puppy. Hardly different from a child. Of course he’s jumping and nipping. He’s learning what being a dog is all about and manic energy comes with it. We can’t expect adult behaviors from puppies but we can set them up for success. Like kids, puppies need rest, guidance and patience. At 5 months, your dog isn’t even a teen yet. Not even close. He doesn’t see delicate kids, he just sees them as other people. These behaviors are all to be expected, and it’s up to you building a relationship with your dog as he matures to ensure he’s trained well. Relaxation protocols are important here; it’s not just about expending energy, but learning to manage those big feelings. I highly suggest a force-free trainer to help guide you. Best of luck!

 

[lavender]

@esther1977 Your 5mo is the equivalent of a 3yr old. Dont put your puppy in a bad situation. All they want to do is play and herd. They were created to herd cattle and sound like your puppy is doing a good job.

 

[retardedchristianknight]

@esther1977 You're totally right, thank you! One weird thing about our puppy is that when it's just me, him, and the baby at home or at the park (I'm a SAHM) he's so good, he listens, he's sweet, he takes naps, he'll snuggle with me on the couch, he's just a doll. But then I'm snapped into reality when we're around a lot of people or when he gets hyped up around my older kid. I probably do need to adjust my expectations a little bit!

 

[esther1977]

@retardedchristianknight That’s probably a case of your dog being overstimulated. Too many people, changes in energy, all of that will impact his behavior. Again, just like a baby. Maybe a baby is fine at dinner time at home, but bring him to a restaurant or invite 20 people over to stare at him and sing happy birthday and…all hell breaks loose.

You have to read the environment, work with your oldest child to be calm around him, and remove the puppy from scenarios where he is not being set up for success. And all of this is likely to change and intensify as he goes through his fear stages. Just like toddlers, dogs have fear stages too. Relaxation protocols will really be your friend, and patient, consistent and kind training.