My ACD Charlie is about 2.5 years old, has always been very nice with no food aggression or problems with other people or dogs. Hes also been so submissive he rolls over to show his belly at me, and almost constantly pees if I say something in the wrong tone or try to long to get him to do a certain trick (sit or lay down.. mostly all he does is wiggle hes so damn excited). Here recently in the past month or so he has started growling and baring his teeth at my 6 year old. Then I just took him to see family and again with the kids (5 and 4) he was doing the same thing. I've tried, popping him (not very hard just something to get his attention and say 'hey that's not ok') but he ended up peeing in what seemed to be submission to me but still growling at my son. I've also tried having my son feed him his food out of his hand. It worked for about a week, now he refuses to eat it and growls at him. I love my dog to death, but if anything were to happen between him and my son I wouldn't.. ugh.. I hate to say I would get rid of him but I am honestly at a dead end. Any help would be appreciated, thank so much!
TL;DR My dog growls at my 6 yr old, and other toddlers, not sure what to do to stop this. Please help?
@llewopt You need to watch their interaction and see if there is something setting him off. I don't know what to say about the peeing but mine is the same way but towards adults and other dogs that are bigger than her. I've only had mine for 5 months but it didn't take long for me to learn her "triggers". ACD's are smart and because of that I feel like they have specific things that piss them off. For instance mine doesn't like anything to approach her too fast. If they are walking and not over bearing she is the biggest sweetheart but if something or someone comes barreling at her she will flip out. This, among several other small things will piss her off beyond belief and she doesn't even act like herself. Maybe the kid is touching him in a place he doesn't like. For instance my dog HATES when she is pet out of the blue by someone she can't see or if she is stepped on by another dog while lying down. Even when she is already asleep on my bed and i go to lay down if i bump into her she will bark at me and move to the farthest corner in the room from me. It could just be my ACD but I get the impression that they are VERY picky in many ways. Find your dogs triggers and try your best to avoid them. Whenever mine gets pissed off at someone else or another dog i just grab her by the collar, calmly and quietly walk here away and hold her facing me or at a wall until she doesn't mind it any more.
