Dog attitude

Lou Lou has growled 2 times today at the kids!!! :( Not sure what her problem is. She was just at the vet on Friday for a check up, had her anal glands expressed but everything else looked good! She isn't scooting across the floor anymore, so I think her butt is fine now! Her and Winchester were kennel Saturday to Sunday, so it's been an odd few days for her. Both times she growled at kids it was 2 different kids and neither were bothering her. The only thing that I can think of that was the same, is me! I don't know if she is claiming me or what. She is other wise acting fine, playing, eating drinking and so on. What correction should I use with her, if she is claiming me as hers?? She is a more of a dominate dog, we don't allow her to dominate us but she does show our 6 year old dog who is boss and now that I think of it she does chase the cats off, if she thinks that I am going to give them attention. She is only 10 1/2 months and I know that I can nip this in the butt if given good instruction as what to do. I have a daycare so there are always children around so she needs to get over this! Thanks, Heather

never mind!

Honestly, in your situation, I would not allow the dog to be in contact with the kids during daycare hours. That is a very bad situation that can turn wrong in one instant. I think that you need to find the root of the problem in order to understand why your dog is growling, and to treat it from there.

I would try this...

First, only allow LuLu near children when supervised but do try to arrange for or find some safe, controlled situations where you could work with her near children.

Using a hand signal, voice correction ("No" or "Hey!"), clapping hands or any other simple communication tool, demand that LuLu allow lots of space to any children that are around. She cannot get within several feet of the children. If she comes past your "invisible boundary", and especially if she growls, use the clap or "No" or whatever correction you're using to get her attention until she stops (and hopefully looks at you). Stand confidently between her and the children, if need be, and look her directly in the eye and point to her when doing this to show you're serious. Just like a parent giving their misbehaving kid that "look". She needs to respect children and their space. This puts the children (and you) in the dominant role.

Do that for at least a couple of weeks till she is giving the children space or, better yet, ignoring them completely. Slowly allow her to come closer to the children as time goes on (calling her to you if necessary), but only if she approaches with her ears back, head slightly down (show of submission) and a tail that is either slightly down or at least level with the floor. (A stiff, raised tail is dominance, a tail between the legs is fear which can lead to aggression).

If you consistently follow & enforce these rules every time children are around, soon she'll learn that children are to be respected. Once she reaches that point, the children could start calling her to them to receive petting, but they should never approach LuLu themselves as that puts LuLu in the dominant role again. The children should be taught to always call LuLu to them, never to go running up to her.

If you're not already doing it, I would also make sure she is on a strict "earn-your-keep" type program where she has to earn every good thing she gets from you. Make her sit or down to get a pet, or food, or a treat, or water. Only let her on the bed or sofa with your permission, feed her only after you eat and so on. She'll figure out pretty quickly that the humans in the house are the alphas... And probably be a happier, more confident girl for it!

Good luck!

She is always supervised around the children. Yesterday she was perfectly fine and had no attitude, she might of had a bad few days with the anal gland thing and us leaving her! But either way we have already started things to show her that we are the pack leader - we already make her sit to get attention and food. We are now feeding, petting, and so on Winchester first and she isn't allowed the chase the cats anymore. I am thinking that she is trying to work her way up in the pack, she master the other dog and cats, so now onto the kids? We will start having her keep her distantace from the kids, they have always gone to her and gave her attention, they will love to learn to call her themself in a few weeks. Thanks for the advice, it amazes me what we can do to our dogs without relizing it, simply things like not going to her but always making her come to us can send the wrong message to our dogs! If this doen't work, off to the dog trainer for some more serious obidence training! We did take a class when she was 6 months old that was very helpful! Thanks again!

Lou Lou was fine the rest of this week, we must of messed up her schedule to much and she wasn't happy. We are still doing the distance from the kids, the kids calling her, the other dog gets treats, food and attention fisrt, no chasing the cats and so on. She has been a good pup Tuesday thru today so far! She is a dog that we will always have to be on our toes with but that ok, we can handle it! :)