children

laney · #1 05-12-10, 03:38 AM

Hi everyone , this isnt a new problem I know but I wondered if anyone could offer more suggestions to help , the prob is my dogs are with me at work all day , I run a livery yard and its very rare for kids to be down ..Mowgli is 16 months now , he still seems scared of children , he will bark but is backing off as he does this , there is one little boy who comes to the stables rarely with his mum , they have a gsd , this boy is amazing and just sits playing his games while Mowgli is full on shouting at him , after a short time he stops and decides Matthew is ok , only then does Matthew say hi , make any eye contact , then they are fine , but he prob comes once a month if that and the whole saga starts again , the only kids I know are my partners and brothers children and we see them so infrequently ... I explain to ignore him and all the usual things but they are very little and its hard sometimes to make them understand esp as they are excited being around the horses etc , I usually hold their hands and we all 'lets go' and play and walk and run so Mog sees them as fun , the older ones now bring a treat for him and a football and only when he's quiet does he get attention , Im sure he just needs to be around kids more and please believe me when I say its never nasty ...he genuinely looks frightened of them ! but its just not possible and I dont know anyone with kids well enough to ask for help esp as I appreciate he looks scary !! Mowgli is so obedient in every other way but leave or no just do not work , Bair is a poppet with kids so he's not getting it from her ..any ideas ??? thanks Lx

LOVEGSD · #2 05-12-10, 08:33 AM

What a shame that lad who's got a GSD doesn't come more often, sounds like he really knows how to deal with the shouting....tbh if he isnt ever around children I don't know how you can teach him that he doesn't need to be scared....sorry.

#3 05-12-10, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOVEGSD

What a shame that lad who's got a GSD doesn't come more often, sounds like he really knows how to deal with the shouting....tbh if he isnt ever around children I don't know how you can teach him that he doesn't need to be scared....sorry.

Agree. Matthew sounds a smart lad, probably because of his family's GSD. Mowgli will need saturation sessions with children I think to overcome his fear; without the catalyst I fail to see how you can work on it.

laney · #4 05-12-10, 09:55 AM

Thanks kinda what I thought u would say , anyone in the surrey area wanna hire their kids out to me ?? LOL xx

Bonnie Patricia · #5 05-12-10, 02:22 PM

Hi I have this problem with Jake my Kids are 14,16 and my daughter is 21 on wednesday, All my friends kids are more or less the same age as mine and at these age's they dont want to come down and play with my dog's, Jake has never had the chance to mix with little one's and he dont like little screaming kids and he barks at them and then scares the kids. you got horses I trained to be a jockey in newmarket I did 11weeks at newmarket training school and i worked at several racing stables I had a horse rear up and we fell i hurt my back so ive not got on a horse since but i would love to ride a horse again... My dad was a good jockey in his day.

laney · #6 05-12-10, 05:58 PM

Hi , sorry about ur accident , that must have been really tough ..I had a horse go over on me too , broke my back but I guess I was just really lucky as the long term effects are not too serious , I showjump my boys and the dogs are well known on the circuit too , I cant imagine life without my boys and not being able to do what I love every day would just devastate me so I do really feel for you , if ur ever in surrey pop in and see them all , 30 of the buggers in total tho only 2 are mine ( thank god ) Lx

Bonnie Patricia · #7 05-12-10, 06:04 PM

Thank you Laney, I guess im just ababy lol its my nerves, Im so glad you got on and carried on its great, Thank you again i might just visit you one day as i would love to see and get close to horses again

J&J · #8 06-12-10, 02:55 PM

The only real thought I've got but I suspect it's not quite possible around work...

Perhaps you could use the same technique used to desensitise dogs weary of traffic, strangers approaching but using a local priamary school, when the kids are out palying...

Working from a comfortable distance, and moving nearer to the playground with kids playing in it, reward for non reaction etc.. See if you could get him comfortably walking past the playground without reacting..

Might make children less frightening for him..

laney · #9 06-12-10, 07:35 PM

Thanku good idea def worth a try Lx