Appropriate consequence for chasing the dog
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Anonymous
| OP COME ON. You can't let your FOUR and FIVE year old terrorize your dog. Speak sternly to them and put them in a time out. Even my three year old gets this. He threw a ball at a cat and he got a time out and now he doesn't throw balls at the cat (and he was devastated bc he wanted to play catch with the cat, not terrorize it). Being mean to animals is a red line. |
Anonymous
The logical consequence is that you allow your dog to bite your children, which is also the natural consequence. Unfortunately, I know that’s not the answer. But, you actually need to be the parent. If your dog was chasing your kids around the backyard, cornering them with it’s teeth bared, you would have done something by now, right? Why are you letting your kids away with abusing your dog? |
Anonymous
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Stop allowing your kids to play with the dog unsupervised. They lose the privilege of playing with the dog, period, until they are older. That is a logical consequence. Do it now, before it is too late.
If the dog is outside, too bad -- they can't go until he's ready to come in. My son has friends that are so sh!tty to animals, I just can't believe it. Rude and pushy and have never been taught a thing about not teasing or grabbing or the most basic safety rules around animals, etc. We have big, loving dogs; they have to be locked away in my bedroom when certain friends are over -- I don't want them harassed. |
Anonymous
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Our previous dog was a sweetheart and never growled at anyone but did snap and make contact with our 3 year old one time when he got too rough. It happened really fast, and I'm still not totally sure why. I had my back turned in the kitchen. It was when the dog was getting old and maybe not feeling great, but there wasn't anything apparently wrong. Anyway, just a note that you never know so take precautions.
I agree that you should probably supervise better when they are outside with the dog and/or bring the dog inside while they are out alone. If this does happen, you take the objects away and possibly keep them away forever -- i.e. "no more brooms or balls in the backyard, period, if you can't handle it." I would also make it clear to them how the dog feels when this happens -- explain how scary it must be and encourage them to look at the dog's body language and pay attention to what means "I like this" and what means "stop" (wagging, panting vs. tail down, ears down, etc.). This can be a good lesson. Finally, I would suggest that they should come over and "check on the dog" after this happens. We don't really do forced apologies in my family, but if you do, this is a time for one to the dog. I ask my kids to come over and pet the dog gently with a reminder of how we treat animals (when the dog is no longer scared, obviously -- not when it feels cornered). Perhaps they should also be required to do something with the dog -- feed the dog, help with walks, give treats, etc. -- for treating the dog badly. |
froggymom
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| I have to agree with some of the other posters. It is not a good idea to leave the children with the dog unsupervised. Even if the dog is very gentle, it is still a dog and can be provoked under the right circumstances. Why not try teaching the dog and kids throw and fetch with a ball. |
Anonymous
This, especially the bolded but the whole post is very sensible. My dog is a sweet old guy but my toddler stresses him out, so we are very very careful. That won't change until she's old enough to understand that she has to give him his space. |
Anonymous
The right circumstances being being changed by a broom and ball while cornered in the backyard. |