Behaviour around small kids

Tyson is doing really well and I can see the hard work we have done together over the last 13 months is starting to pay off big time. I am really proud of him.

However, although he is brilliant around the grandkids (Between 16 months and 3 years) 99% of the time, he does something that causes me a great deal of worry. He never jumps on them or uses his mouth near them in fact he is really gentle. But twice now, when he knows I am not looking he sort of pins them down in a dominant posture. He doesnt do anything and immediatly backs off when commanded. This knocks them down obviously if standing but either way it is as scary as hell for the kids.

This only happens when the kids are at my home. Is he being territorial or trying for pack position? Any advice on how to stop this behaviour in its tracks would be appreciated.

I wouldn't have a clue Lynne, apart from having eyes everywhere and stop the behaviour as soon as you see it. I hope you get it sorted Xx

Could be domination of some sorts because kids are very close to the dogs eye level.
I'm a very...cynical person at time, and I just don't allow children or kids near my dogs. I warn the people and control the dog and that is the end with me.

I think it's a form of dominance (but nothing to do with 'pack position'). Although, as you say, it isn't in a nasty way, it is frightening for the children & it should be stopped.

Does this happen when you're out of the room? Or just when you turn your back?

Skullkandi: keeping kids away is simply not an option. Tyson is a family member who must know his place. He must realise that the family children are humans who are to have the highest respect at all times.

Caryll, if I leave the room it is for a few seconds only. Everytime he has 'pounced' I have simply been looking elsewhere. He does the same thing to the cats and when this happens he is usually in a playfull mood. Do you think he is trying to initate play albeit very roughly?

I would think it is an attempt to initate play. None of mine have ever did this but I am overcautious when Suki is around small children. Perhaps treat is like a pup who nips and completely ignore them when they do this.

Are the kids on the floor when this happens because dogs often think there are different rules if you are on the floor with them.

Ty wrote:Caryll, if I leave the room it is for a few seconds only. Everytime he has 'pounced' I have simply been looking elsewhere. He does the same thing to the cats and when this happens he is usually in a playfull mood. Do you think he is trying to initate play albeit very roughly?

I think it's a mixture tbh. Dominance could be a part of it - he knows that adults are strong but children are weak; so children are fair game when it comes to dominant play. He wants to play, & he's getting far too excited by it all! It might be an idea, for a while, to tell all children to only play softly with him, and if he starts to get a bit rough to stop & tell you. You will probably have to keep your eye on him all the time for a while. He probably knows it's wrong, so he waits for you to not look!

And people say dogs aren't intelligent!

ummmm....interesting!! Kaos sort of does this to kids who come to our house....It isnt at all aggressive as u say but is not acceptable either. He puts his face down on the floor, bum up in the air tail and bum waggiling then sort of jumps pins and licks thier face. Hes very obviously playing but only ever does it when im not in the room and has never ever done it to my own kids. Maybe it has something to do with the fact the kids that come into my house and your grandkids arnt part of the imeadiate family and they get excited?? i dunno lol

I think you're right, Carly. They get so over excited & they know they shouldn't do it but can't help themselves.

Dempsey's normally very controlled when kids are around, but every so often he gets way too excitable & he sort of quivers as though he wants to be rough, but knows he can't. Trouble is, then he has what my daughter calls 'an incident'. He gets waaaay to 'excited' for his own good, and things get very embarrassing when the kids ask 'what's that red thing under his belly?'

Oh sorry, I didn't read it through properly, therefore not realising the kids were yours. My bad >.<

Thanks for all the useful advice everyone. It is something I am going to have to root out somehow.

let me no when u do lol

It is a dominance issue, he is doing what an older dog would do to a puppy. When my 3 boys were young we had this problem. The command is going to have to come from the children, easier said than done I know especially with the young one but it can be done. A no from them a few times is usually all it takes.