I am regularly called out to the family home where the adult dog or puppy is being 'aggressive' through mouthing, biting, jumping on children and worse! Does this mean that dogs and children are a bad mix? No I don't think so. Does this mean there are a lack of boundaries and rules? Yes usually.As I asses the situation I would suggest that all behaviours are training opportunities; every time the puppy jumps, mouths, growls or even ignores the owner: the question is; what alternative behaviour do we want?Not surprisingly it is usually the opposite of what is currently happening; no mouthing of skin and clothes, sit stay as opposed to kangarooing around the room and following instruction instead of appearing 'deaf' This is as much about the puppy learning new behaviours as the family learning how dogs learn, precisely why the approach needs to be holistic, after all no behaviour exists in isolation.
Here are some basic rules:
- Children should always be responsibly supervised with dogs (as much for the dogs sake as the child) this includes leash walking
- Puppy's and dogs need a haven or sanctuary in which they can frequently rest
- Children need to understand the dogs 'back off' signals and respect them
- Playfighting needs rules set by the human not the dog
- No mouthing/biting on skin or clothing is allowed at any time
