Nervous around children

Chrystie22 · #1 31-08-11, 12:34 PM

I hope someone can part with their expertise on the following: Diva's maturing nicely, for a start the biting has finally ceased, yeeeaahh, and she seems much calmer than she was a few months ago!!! However we may have a problem as far as kids are concerned, whenever we are in the park and kids zoom past her, she just has to lunge towards them and bark, which can look pretty scary to outsiders that dont know she doesnt mean any harm, she simply wants to join 'in the fun' and run/ play with the kids! She does the same with cats and birds, anything that is in fast movement. We have taken her near playgrounds, schools, etc..to socialize her and have her hear the sounds of kids but it isnt enough, unfortunately we do not know anyone with kids so cannot really ask any stranger in the park to 'lend us' their kids for training purposes...I have to say that a little girl came to stroke Diva the other day and Diva was fine with it, as the girl was relaxed and quiet..but any movement and she's off!!
Any tips welcome!!

LOVEGSD · #2 31-08-11, 12:39 PM

What's she like with a command like 'leave'? I use this with Oscar, he has a thing for skateboards and will lunge for one if they zoom past so I give him that command and he knows he needs to ignore it then perhaps you can reward her when she ignores them?

Chrystie22 · #3 31-08-11, 12:45 PM

We use the 'leave' command whenever we can actually see a child come our way but we cant always pre-empt the situation and it is making us a bit nervous, I guess, and she must feel it. We just dont want to end up with Diva jumping on a small child out of excitement and doing them some damage

LOVEGSD · #4 31-08-11, 12:50 PM

I know what you mean and it is hard to pre-empt everything but yes you're nerves will be going down that lead which again is understandable cos you don't want people to think you've got a nasty GSD.

All you can do is keep re-inforcing the leave command around kids, it's such a shame you don't know anyone with kids that could run past a few times (at a safe distance) to allow you to re-focus her.

Ooh I was just thinking, would she react if she heard a squeaky toy?? Maybe you could carry a squeaky toy and if a child goes past you can squeak it to regain her focus on you? I took the 'squeak' part out of a toy and carried that with me to help Oscar's skateboard obsession.

claire_88 · #5 31-08-11, 12:59 PM

Have you tried sitting her down and keeping her attention focused on you?
Treating her for her constant eye focus, then when the child has passed treat her with her own toy and play-time.....
It is a weary time around kids as we know the pup wants to play but others don't, your energy towards the situation will also influence the way Diva reacts, if your panicky or tense she will pick up on this and see the child as the cause of your anxiety. It's very hard to do as i'm just as bad when I come across another dog on a walk with Titon (difference being he would hurt it if he got the chance!) but i'v found that if i keep a calm, consistent, assertive mannerism, keep walking and tell him 'don't even think about it' (yes i know its more than one word but it works) he continues to walk normally with no lunging or aggression. Hope you sort it out and more tips come along for you

xx

Chrystie22 · #6 31-08-11, 01:01 PM

Thanks Lynn, shall try the squeaky toy technique and let you know how we get on.

Yes we're both 'non-native' to this country

so havent got any family, nieces, nephews,..here and the friends/ colleagues we have dont have children - well teenagers but Diva doesnt mind them as they are not fast enough for her

- so it is a bit of a tricky task for us to get her used to kids but we're working on it and Im sure it'll be fine at some point, well I hope anyway!

Ruggles · #7 31-08-11, 01:02 PM

try getting diva on a short lead on a halti. walk through groups of playing kids and try and keep her attention focused on you and walking. when she looks left or right at the kids, check her with a tug and reinforce the leave command.... reward her when she is doing it right and repeat. Eventually she will pick it up on the lead and that will help you with your nerves. Gradually, increase the size of the lead (maybe a retractable) as that will give you the confidence that you can stop her if you needed to and nerves won't be picked up by the dog.....

Zak · #8 31-08-11, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruggles

try getting diva on a short lead on a halti. walk through groups of playing kids and try and keep her attention focused on you and walking. when she looks left or right at the kids, check her with a tug and reinforce the leave command.... reward her when she is doing it right and repeat. Eventually she will pick it up on the lead and that will help you with your nerves. Gradually, increase the size of the lead (maybe a retractable) as that will give you the confidence that you can stop her if you needed to and nerves won't be picked up by the dog.....

I would not use a retractable with a Shep.

Ruggles · #9 31-08-11, 02:55 PM

The standard ones It's not ideal because of the weight and power of the shep, but you can get tougher ones which would be more up to the task. It is the really only there as a security line to help build confidence as opposed to actually needing to restrain a shep at full bolt. It would be sued at the latter stage of training before you start to trust the dog off the lead where you have no physical control.... I used one of these about 15 years ago on my last shep, it just allows you to quickly change lead length depending on where you are, and not need to carry several leads around.

They are also handy when you go running with the dog

#10 31-08-11, 02:56 PM

Have you got a really good dog club near you? (esp if it does clicker training..but they have to be good!) We have kids come to mine that help with things like this as they are doggie minded kids and get the dog used to skate boards and bikes so its a good thing. We get the dogs to drop to a raised hand signal and "watch me" I would get somebody to carry the skate board and put it down near the dog and click and treat the dog, then put a foot on the board and move it back and forward, then increase this movement gradually until the person is skateboarding slowly and increase the speed gradually .(with click and treat every time the dog is calm ) we always use skateboards as a training tool from the time they are puppies...(Ps sorry to say, but my pet hates are retractable leads...I use horse lunge lines instead)

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