Hi, We brought out 6 month old lab puppy into our home 3 months ago. She was a shelter pup that we rescued. I have 3 kids ages 2, 5, and 7. The issue we are having is that for whatever reason the pup is scared of my 5 year old. She growls and barks if my daughter gets anywhere near the crate when the dogs inside. Also if the dog is lying down and my 5 yo goes over to pet her she will bite my daughter's hand. I feel like for some reason she is afraid of my daughter. I am afraid that our pup may not be a good fit for our family and need a home without young children. Any advice on how to et this behavior to change? I try to let my 5 year old interact with the dog positively and although the dog has gotten somewhat better around her it is still an issue.
Hello, to be honest I don’t think many pups are a good idea with young children. It’s not a good mix when dogs are learning and children don’t always know how to interact with them. I have a lab and my twin sons were 6 when we got her. I pretty much kept them apart until the crocodile and bouncy adolescent phases were over. I did a year of obedience classes with her. She then became the wonderful family pet we wanted and their relationship did not suffer due to limited contact at the start. I would limit interaction, allow your pup to mature a bit and get on some training classes. You will get there in the end but it takes patience and training.
Hi Tiffany, and welcome to the forum. It sounds as though you might benefit from some professional advice. A qualified behaviourist would come and assess your dog in your home, figure out what was upsetting him and give you some great advice on the best way forwards for your family
