biting the kids!

I took in a very nervous stray Chi in July. She's coming on in leaps and bounds, her confidence is growing and with me she is a wonderful little dog. Unfortunately she is now biting the children whilst they play. They are not near her, we will actually walk to the other end of the room to nip them. Very worried, what to do?

Hi,

Do you have any background info at all on your dog? How old do you think she is? how old ar3e your children/ what sort of games are they playing when she tries to nip or bite them? What have you done so far to stop it or prevent it from happening?

It couold be that this is the reason your dog was a stray in the first place. Dogs tend to go through a honeymoon period when they find a new, happy home. They'll be on their best behaviour to please yu and show you how nice they are. Then somewhere between maybe about 4 weeks and 3 months, the true character of the dog starts to shine through.

This could be a problem she had before but that was never resolved before you took her in. Or it could just be her reacting to her environment (including the children) during certain games etc. Does she do this at certain times of the day too? Or is itcompletely random?

If you've done well with her training so far, then this shouldn't be too difficult to sort out hopefully. but some more info if you have it would make it easier to suggest methods to change this particular behaviour.

Laura xx

so as to keep up your good work and not undo what you have achieved, i would make sure the kids dont play in the same room as the dog

Dogs can often become unnerved by adults or children "messing around" and if she is a bit nervous anyway, it may be upsetting her.

I'd suggest as Kruse did, if possible let the kids play elsewhere, or if they do play in the same room, keep it quiet and do Snakes and Ladders or something!

Also whilst they do this, you can feed your doglet chicken or some other tasty morsel, so that she starts to associate the presence of children playing quietly with good things happening for her.

It may be that you can then over the months do this whilst they become a tad more exciteable, but don't undo all your good work - take it slowly and learn about dog body language, if you don't know it already so that you can read what she is "thinking" and feeling.

Wys
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Fi is approx 7 yrs ols. She was with her previous owner for about a year, she had a chlid under the age of one and said that she's always been great with kids. She was bought from a puppy farm where she was used for breeding so I know she had issues. I have worked hard with her, she can now go for walks off lead whereas when I first took her in she would run away from everything and everyone in fear. She no longer urinates in the house, she used to do it all the time and I think that was fear too.

My children are 7,6 & 3yrs. I dont want to give up on Fi but sometimes I think she would have been better placed with a family with no children so she could life the happy and relaxed life she really deserves but it was my garden she wandered into and I want the best for her. The previous owner never did say why she didnt want her anymore, she's a beautiful little girl

It's very possible that was true, however I have known parents tell me their dog is good with children when in fact the children were picking it up and pulling it about and the dogs were just accepting it (but not happy). Or, maybe it's just that your children, being several of them, are indeed too much for her.

Sounds as if you've done a lot of good work with her!

Maybe it would be possible for you to find a good child free home for her?

Wys
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