UCB Parents Advice about Pets
Herding Dog and Crawler
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March 2002
My 8 year old Aussie mix has a very strong herding instinct around kids
and I have a baby that is about to start crawling. I am concerned about
what the dog will do when the baby starts motoring around, and also when
other children are around. He already snaps at kids and adults when they
come in or near our house. He is otherwise very loving and I've had him
from 10 weeks, so would love to learn more how I can nip this scary
tendency in the bud. I've just contacted creatureteachers.com as
recommended in today's recommendations listing, but if you have other
recommendations, I'd really appreciate learning of them!
Concerned in Richmond
My herding Shetland Sheepdog mix also has a problem with people. He has a
love/hate relationship with my now 2-year-old son. He has to be wherever my
son is, but he will not let my son touch him. Under no circumstances should
you ever let your baby and your dog be alone together, and you may never get
them to totally get along. But I believe they will be able to co-exist. The
most important thing is to have a time-out area for your dog. This may be a
room that you can close the door to. But I believe the best way to do this
is to get a crate. It is not too late to crate-train your dog. Put some
blankets in the kennel and always give your dog a toy and some treats when
you put him in there. Feed him in the crate. The crate will give your dog a
safe place to be and give your baby quality time with you. You can have the
crate in the same room with your baby, so your dog doesn't feel he's been
isolated. But it gives your baby safety and gives your dog his own
territory. You may find you want to do this whenever your baby is on the floor.
Although many dog trainers are averse to negative reinforcement, in cases like this,
where you
don't want your dog to harm your baby, it is sometimes the only way. One
fairly mild form, but a good way to establish boundaries, is to use a
rolled-up newspaper or magazine. **NO, do not hit your dog with it.*** When
your dog growls or gets too close to your baby, hit the newspaper or
magazine on your arm. For some reason, the noise puts the fear of god in
many dogs. Some dogs also respond to the sound of soda cans filled with
pennies. If your dog gets to close to the baby or snarls, shake the can
vigorously. Be consistent. Your dog will learn that he must keep some
distance from your baby. One other method is to keep your dog's training
leash and collar on him when your baby is crawling. If your dog gets too
close to the baby, give him (the dog) one quick jerk on the leash and firmly
say your dog's ''off'' command (off! Or no!). Praise your dog when he stays away.
Keep a lot of treats on hand and give your dog treats when he you tell him to stay
away from the baby and he
obeys. It's very important that you give the dog a lot of love during this
time, so he doesn't take any jealous feelings out on the baby and he knows
that he's still a much-loved member of the family. At the same time, start
explaining to your baby that s/he must stay away from the dog. Believe me,
though, it's often easier to train the dog! Good luck.
The opinions and statements expressed on this page
are those of parents who belong to the
UC Berkeley Parents Network and
should not be taken as a position of or endorsement by the
University of California, Berkeley.