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Large adolescent dog jumping on kids
Hi Everyone! I’m looking for some novel ideas for training and management for an extra large adolescent dog who jumps and nips 8 year old kid in the family (and kids who visit). The parents are worried that if they keep the dog separated (or leashed), it will diminish his socialization with kids and create frustration. What do you all think? Thank you!!
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10 Replies
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Aw, these sound like sweet people who are very interested in doing the right thing for their dog. And, there will need to be management tools in place to prevent the unwanted behavior, so I’m thinking it may be helpful to get them on board with that idea, first.
I’ve found that framing my language in terms of parenting in situations like this really helps. If they are already good parents with polite children, it’s a lot easier. (If they aren’t, then you may need other examples.)
I’ll usually start with saying something I see they are doing well, then ask a question about their goals to make sure I’m hearing the real issues. After letting them know I heard them by rephrasing their goals, I say, “here’s a plan to get us started on that.” And give them 1 or 2 things to focus on.
So, affirm their idea of providing positive experiences (which is what socialization should be) and encourage boundaries. This dog will be BIG, and he’s learning daily how he should behave. If they don’t want an 80 or 90lb torpedo, now’s the time to build different patterns. ????
Something like, “I’m thrilled to see you want NAME to get along with kids, and that’s a great goal. Is there anything about his behavior that troubles you currently? When he’s an adult, what would you like to see? (Then rephrase what they said as best you can, looking for points of agreement.) Great, I think we can definitely start working on this now. It’s like teaching your kids to say “Please” on their own. At first, they need a lot of practice and guidance, but at some point it just becomes habit, right? The time to start forming good habits for your pup is right now. If we wait too long it will be much more difficult. Would you like to hear a few ideas for getting there?”
Does that help?
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Hi @catherine ! Thank you. Yes, they are sweet people who want the best for him. But, they are also at their wits end… tears have been shed! I’ve suggested they keep a leash/drag-line on him, but he’s so strong they can’t hold him (only the dad can). They put up gates, but their big boy can jump over them. He jumps on the kids backs and does some hard mouthing. He did it to me when I was there, so I saw first hand. I think they want ideas about what to do in the moment these things happen. They have shared that they can’t be present with him and the kids at every moment.
I’ve suggested they tether him and give him bones/bully sticks when they can’t watch him. If anyone has any other ideas that have worked for extra large rambunctious puppers with kids and tired parents, please share.
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Oh, wow, this sounds really challenging! If you are able to offer Boarding & Training, this may be a good candidate. Some time out of the home to learn basic skills may be good for everyone. Is that possible?
Those hard mouth/jumpy dogs are sooo challenging. This is another case where stepping back to be sure the dog’s needs are being met is a good idea. Is he getting enough exercise? Can any be added?
He’s a retriever, so one easy hack is to have a LOT of toys around to toss for him (or toward him as he’s coming up) to direct his mouth.
Another idea is the “Karl Hack” by Kim Brophey. Basically a giant plush toy is given to him at his peak arousal times or anytime he needs a redirected activity. He can “shake it/bite it/kill it” to his heart’s content. This was a lifesaver for my senior dog Joy when Bliss was a dorky teen.
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The Melissa & Doug toys are fairly durable compared to some others:
https://www.melissaanddoug.com/products/black-lab-giant-stuffed-animal
melissaanddoug.com
Black Lab Giant Stuffed Animal | Melissa & Doug
Big, cuddly and soft! The black lab giant stuffed animal from Melissa & Doug will become your child's new best friend. Buy this animal and more today.
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Here’s the Karl Hack – it’s shareable with your clients in this form.
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Another thought for you, @sandy in addition to the above, is to ensure that the family has at least one session daily of Zen together. By that I mean, a time when everyone is lying or sitting in proximity and everyone is calm. After dinnertime for a short book reading, for example. Dad can hold the leash. The dog can have a chew. Mom can read aloud. Kid(s) can color a page. I don’t recommend a screen (tv) because the dogs quickly learn screen tune-out vs “real life”. We want to start with the practice of being able to share space calmly. Then, Dad can start being mobile with the dog while everyone else is chillaxed. Then, Dad & dog are stationary while one or (eventually) more family members are mobile. Baby steps. Start small – 5 or 10 minutes of Zen time, when everyone is most likely to be calm, then gradually move toward more challenging scenarios.
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Thank you so much @catherine !!! Awesome ideas!!
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You are very welcome – let us know how it’s going; we can brainstorm more. 🙂 Good luck!
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@sandy also with the “he can jump gates” … they can put up double baby gates in a doorway, perhaps? As an interim thing… they need to understand that this is all temporary, but the only way to stop the behavior is to keep him from practicing it while he learns other skills.
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