Disappointment - Dog nipped at Granchild, need help!

[Sumtimes]

My dog nipped at my one year old Grandson today It was like a warning not a bite, I do not know quite how to handle this. The child is waving his arms and toys. I have never seen my dog do this so it is new to me. Any ideas how to stop this now?

[Ann]

I'm not an expert at all, and this is a very serious subject, but I figure I'd offer something.

With my dog, I've done the sit stay command then let little kids pet and give treats to her at every good stay she did. Kids will be like that, so is your dog used to children? If its completely a new behavior, maybe your dog is sick or injured?? It could just be anxious around children, so you might need re-introduce them in small doses.

I hope you resolve the problem. Grandkids and GSDs need to get a long because they are both very loved!

[middleofnowhere]

Sounds to me like the dog got excited when the baby got excited (waving arms about etc.)
No suggestions except to work on desensitizing to the baby's motions.

[KZoppa]

has your dog been socialized properly with young children? Little kids, especially toddlers tend to move in a way that dogs can get confused and nervous by. It could be due to excitement. How old is your dog?

[msvette2u]

Dogs&Storks Dog and Baby Safety

Please read the site carefully, and especially the blog and resources.

[Jack's Dad]

The dog should not have access to the baby. A one year old needs to be protected. Not all dogs are good with babies. You don't say how old your dog is but regardless a GSD can do a lot of damage in an instant to a child.
Some GSD's are good with kids and some aren't.
I would wait until your grandchild is older and introduce them in a controlled safe manner. Your grandchild cannot protect themself regardless of the reason the dog nipped. Please don't minimize it as only a nip. A nip can be a warning and a bite could come later.
Others will probably disagree but I will not risk a child.

[sparra]

Originally Posted by Jack's Dad

The dog should not have access to the baby. A one year old needs to be protected. Not all dogs are good with babies. You don't say how old your dog is but regardless a GSD can do a lot of damage in an instant to a child.
Some GSD's are good with kids and some aren't.
I would wait until your grandchild is older and introduce them in a controlled safe manner. Your grandchild cannot protect themself regardless of the reason the dog nipped. Please don't minimize it as only a nip. A nip can be a warning and a bite could come later.
Others will probably disagree but I will not risk a child.

I agree.....never put the baby in a position where a nip can occur. You can still have the baby in sight of your dog just not in harms way.
I think it is important to remember that dogs don't really see babies as humans. They don't look like us, they don't smell like us, they make funny squeaky noises and they wave their arms and kick their legs funny so to a dog a baby is more like something that can be played with.
You might find like Jacks Dad said that as the baby gets older your dog is more accepting but always keep the baby out of harms way.
Good luck.

[msvette2u]

Good posts - and I too agree.
In fact my granddaughter came to visit last summer, she was around 18mos. and the only dog I let her visit with was one I know for a fact loves everyone. A 9lb. Dachshund!

The others went promptly up to a bedroom, or outside. No way in heck I'm going to risk that precious little face.
Even my Libby, who can't stand puppies, was looking at Aurora the way she looks at naughty puppies and she went up in my bedroom.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Jack's Dad

The dog should not have access to the baby. A one year old needs to be protected. Not all dogs are good with babies.

On the flip side of this, the baby should not have access to the dog. You protect the baby by protecting the dog. Not all dogs are good with babies, but NO BABIES are good with dogs. Sometimes dogs are forgiving and put up with it anyway. Babies and very young children are, in my opinion, custom made to drive dogs crazy. Until the child has shown that he/she understands how to behave around the dog, and the dog has shown that he/she knows how to behave around kids, they don't get to be close to each other.

[katieliz]

yes, i think it's pretty accurate to say no babies are good with dogs. so few people seem to realize this.