Pups and Princesses Don't Mix

[yuricamp]

As much as I hate to admit it, my pops was right yet again. GSDs are not good to have with toddlers in the house. As good intended as the pup is in his playful manner, there is very little direct contact that is safe to allow with the baby when he is up and alert. His teeth are just too sharp and he has little self restraint at this point. My toddler just isn't loud enough to tell him stop. I hope as he matures and we work on his manners they can become better friends, because she really wants to play with him.

[KZoppa]

if you do your job right in training and socialization, they'll be fabulous. You need to ALWAYS supervise your pup/child interactions. My kids have been around dogs since they were born but we still have to supervise and correct when the dogs start getting bouncy and forget to control themselves when the kids are around. The kids get excited when the dogs get excited and its just one big mess sometimes. The dogs get corrected for bumping the kids or knocking them down and the kids will sometimes get corrected if they were told to stay out of the way and dont listen. You can easily work with your pup on a trick called gentle. Its real simple. Its similar to teaching leave it on with gentle, you offer a treat. You say gentle as the pup goes for it. If they're over excited about it or take it roughly, they dont get the treat and you start again. You can apply the same technique to gentle when playing. When the pup starts getting too rough or mouthing your toddler, you tell him gentle and correct him with a time out. When you release him from his time out, and he starts getting rough again or mouthy, back into timeout. He'll quickly learn, even at a young age that playing too rough with the kids leads to a removal from the fun each time he forgets himself. We had great success with that with Shasta. She doesnt mouth the kids even a little bit anymore and she's just over a year old. It took her two weeks to get it down that mouthing the kids, the fun ended. and jumping up on them, the fun ended. They're never too young to learn. and dont let anyone say I told you so. Puppies are puppies and kids are kids. The best way IMO for things to work out the best is for them to grow together.

[Mrs.K]

Originally Posted by yuricamp

As much as I hate to admit it, my pops was right yet again. GSDs are not good to have with toddlers in the house. As good intended as the pup is in his playful manner, there is very little direct contact that is safe to allow with the baby when he is up and alert. His teeth are just too sharp and he has little self restraint at this point. My toddler just isn't loud enough to tell him stop. I hope as he matures and we work on his manners they can become better friends, because she really wants to play with him.

Please don't tell me you leave the toddler and the GSD all by themselves?

Both should be in a controlled environment when they are exposed to each other.

And the pup needs to learn manners NOW, especially when there is a young child around. Don't expect your toddler to yell stop. It's your job to notice and to stop it before it gets too rough.

[jocoyn]

I raised two kids with GSDs and we had pups when they were both little. Interactions were very controlled and the kids learned the rules as well. I was always in the middle of it.

[stacey_eight]

I set up an ex-pen in the middle of my living room. When I couldn't be sitting down on the floor supervising, Zeke played in there. That way the two could see, hear and interact with each other. I also kept Zeke tethered to my side aLOT. You have to be very vigilent to protect both toddler & puppy.

It's so worth it in the end though. My toddler and dog are BFF's!

[yuricamp]

Originally Posted by Mrs.K

Please don't tell me you leave the toddler and the GSD all by themselves?

Both should be in a controlled environment when they are exposed to each other.

And the pup needs to learn manners NOW, especially when there is a young child around. Don't expect your toddler to yell stop. It's your job to notice and to stop it before it gets too rough.

Come on now, don't be overly simple! Of course I wouldn't leave my baby and the dog alone. This post was merely an acknowledgement on my part that it can be a challenge having shepherds interacting with young ones. I've had two APBTs and my kiddos had great times playing with them from as young as 8 weeks old. With the GSD it's not happening just yet. I am teaching him not too be overly mouthy and to be more gentle, but with my daughter I do not allow for experimentation to see if he is going to get it right.

[neiltus]

Originally Posted by yuricamp

Come on now, don't be overly simple! Of course I wouldn't leave my baby and the dog alone. This post was merely an acknowledgement on my part that it can be a challenge having shepherds interacting with young ones. I've had two APBTs and my kiddos had great times playing with them from as young as 8 weeks old. With the GSD it's not happening just yet. I am teaching him not too be overly mouthy and to be more gentle, but with my daughter I do not allow for experimentation to see if he is going to get it right.

I have a 4 year old girl and a 1.5 year old boy. I just got a very very high drive GSD puppy. Dad sch3, mom sch2.

We have a very alpha 19 year old chow that is a rescue. We had her when our first baby was born.

I don't think your pops comments apply specifically to GSDs, any puppy rearing can be difficult while raising kids.

With our chow, she is a house dog. We did introductions, and never left the kids unsupervised. She has never nipped or bit, or anything. She has 'guarded' our daughter against an odd person at the park though.

Now, our puppy, who is 3 months now and loves to chase anything that moves, including toddlers. We use "Easy" as a command with the kids. First month was tricky with the jumping and mouthing. Now the jumping is very minimal and the mouthing is few and far between with the kids.

Giving your dog something to do is very important. If your the type of person where you get a free 10 minutes and like a nap, then ANY puppy might not be right (not saying you are-I don't know you). Our puppy is loose with us when we are at home, and crated otherwise. We get up, puppy get scent pads or OB training and a mile walk followed by breakfast, kids and family eat breakfast. Kids and family off to daycare then to work. Sometimes puppy comes to work with me. Afternoons the dogs eat first and train prior to family (hungry dogs jump and beg more). We all play in the yard after dinner, sometimes in the kiddie pool (puppy too). Puppy gets a walk for another mile with 4 year old and me working on heeling. Two days a week the 4 year old and I go to training with puppy. One hour is puppy class (socialization) and other hour is more serious private training.

My 3 month GSD old can sleep 9 hours and interact with kids and not jump or mouth them. We socialize 2-4 times a week with kids and an equal amount with other dogs/puppies. Keep in mind that she is high drive...you can do it, but you have to teach yourself, kids, and puppy all at the same time. It is not easy. It is a PITA. But to have a puppy that grows into a guardian for my family who is well balanced and one of the clan, well, it's freaking worth it.

July 4 we are all taking a family vacation and driving for 6 hours. 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 dogs. Fun times.

[dazedtrucker]

I raised 4 kids with my 1st GSD pups..1 kid 1 pup now. It is a valuable education for the kid and the pup under your supervision. Yeah, it is a handful, but the results are very rewarding. My 1st GSD, Jett I believe saved 3 of my kids lives...when the new neighbors Rottie got loose, my kids were playing in my driveway, the Rottie went after them, got ahold of 1. While I grabbed kids and headed them inside, Jett proceeded to kick that dogs u no wut all the way home. Jett was days away from whelping. When the "dust settled", kids inside safe, I examined Jett...not a scratch. Blood and fur EVERYWHERE in the driveway. She delivered 9 awesome pups 3 days later right on time... Yes, we had a permanent dog aggression problem with her after that. I don't want to imagine what could have been if she had not done what she did while I was trying to get 3 small children away from a vicious dog attack.
It's not just protection. It is GSD. Pups play bite constantly, but the end result is a child loving lay down my life for you dog....etc etc etc.....
They mix, you just have to raise a pup like a kid...never a dull moment

[SiegersMom]

Agreed. I waited till my kids were 7 and 9 before getting a puppy. Partly for the kids to get older but mainly because we had an elderly basset hound and I did not want to torment her with a puppy. Even being older, my kids were so used to the sweet lazy lap dog that it was a big adjustment for them to experience sharp, puppy teeth for the first time. They loved Sieger so much but he would scratch them up and play rough, it was hard to get everyone to a happy place Time and training...it will work out.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by yuricamp

Come on now, don't be overly simple! Of course I wouldn't leave my baby and the dog alone. This post was merely an acknowledgement on my part that it can be a challenge having shepherds interacting with young ones. I've had two APBTs and my kiddos had great times playing with them from as young as 8 weeks old. With the GSD it's not happening just yet. I am teaching him not too be overly mouthy and to be more gentle, but with my daughter I do not allow for experimentation to see if he is going to get it right.

A quick question - to see if I understood your post.

Are you saying that the pits were also puppies with your young kid and that they were much better with the kid(s) than the same age GSD's.

I would be surprised to hear that as i would think that all pups of almost any breed would need to learn to behave the same way.

We had an adult(about 2.5 yo) GSD who had never really been around kids till we had a baby son and she almost immediately adopted him as hers and would let him do anything without complaint from when he first started crawling around. Great dog with a baby!