Chances are you love your dog like a child, and your dog loves your child like it’s their own. But that doesn’t mean both are in the clear for hostile behavior, warns Beverly Ulbrich, a San Francisco-based dog behavioralist and owner of The Pooch Coach Dog Training.
Even early on, a family dog who steps into the role of newborn protector (#aww!) can end up behaving aggressively when parents and other caretakers approach — not exactly the Brady Bunch scenario you’d hoped for. The good news? “Aggressive behavior always follows a progression of warning signs,” Ulbrich says. “There’s rarely a bite out of nowhere.”
Rather than trusting your kid and pup to get along empathetically, keep these warning signs on your radar before they result in fear or, worse, injury.
11 Scenarios When Your Dog Could Turn on Your Kid
Your baby starts crawling or walking.
Watching your baby go from merely plopping to moving is exciting for parents, but even dogs who adjust well to new infant siblings don’t always expect those little beings to grow into large-scale, mobile humans. (Surprise!) Now imagine being approached by a previously immobile living thing that suddenly gets up on its hind legs, closing in as it falters back and forth unsteadily. It’s like Godzilla coming for you!
Understandably, this can distress a dog and sometimes trigger unwanted behaviors. “Most dogs show fear first and run away, but they may escalate things to get their point across,” she says — one reason a baby on the move can cause a dog to ruff, growl, bark, or snap.
Your kid grows bigger than your dog.
Size can make all the difference in intimidating circumstances. “The smaller the dog, the more frightened they could be,” says Ulbrich. After all, a 100-lb dog is less likely to be scared by a 20-lb baby than a 20-lb dog who spots a like-sized or much larger creature.
You don’t interfere when your dog and kid interact.
Let’s say your kid is prone to pulling, poking, and teasing your pooch. “Dogs aren’t supposed to take whatever sh*t your child hands out. If you don’t correct your child, you’re not telling your dog you’re going to help them,” Ulbrich cautions. Sit back in silence, and you can pretty much expect your dog to growl, snap, or bite in self-defense.
Your dog flees or cowers when your kid comes near.
Ulbrich says it’s pretty freaking obvious when a dog is comfortable: They’ll sniff around, wag their tail — that’s happiness! But when a dog retreats by backing up, crouching down, or looking sideways, they’re using every signal they’ve got to show you they’re uncomfortable.
“If you know what your dog looks like when they’re happy to see you or when you bring a treat out, anything else is a red flag, period,” Ulbrich emphasizes. Any of these behaviors can be a precursor to attack, particularly in situations where there’s no obvious exit plan, like when your dog is cornered between a wall and a kid. “You want to look at the dog’s overall body language,” she says of preventing harsh encounters.
Your dog is dealing with pooch pain.
Ulbrich says that when a dog has a medical condition, a bee sting, or a paw infection, they can react — sometimes aggressively — without thinking about whether the person they respond to is actually causing more harm. In other words? Any dog under the weather for any reason probably won’t act like themselves, so it’s worth warning kids to exercise extra caution when interacting with them.
Your dog barely leaves the house.
“If a dog is well-socialized to see everything in the world, their temperament will be calm and comfortable,” says Ulbrich. “When they meet other people” — including your kids — “they’ll be more confident, calmer, and steadier and less likely to display fear-based reactions when they’re angry or scared.”
Of course, rescue dogs often come to the table with baggage galore, so you can’t always control how much or little exposure they’ve had in the past. “It’s like when you bump into someone at the store, and some apologize even though it’s your fault, and some will yell at you; it’s all about inner chemistry,” Ulbrich explains.
That said, if you walk a dog outside, play with them, train them, and give them mental stimulation with toys, they won’t jump through their skin and turn around and bite every time they’re surprised by a child’s scream or car’s honk.
The dog isn’t neutered or fixed.
Neutering or spaying always calms dogs down — especially males, says Ulbrich, since their testosterone can make them prone to aggression. Otherwise? “They’ll walk through fire if there is a female on the other side in heat,” she says. And even beloved human siblings can’t be spared.
Your dog is getting old.
“The older dogs get, the more arthritic and sore they become,” Ulbrich warns. “Kids who climb on them might accidentally hurt them, provoking pain that can cause a reaction.”
Your kids’ friends are over. “Just because your dog likes your kids doesn’t mean they like other kids,” says Ulbrich. Their response to new children could range from standoffish to violent, particularly if they feel protective of your kids.
Your kid runs away from the dog.
Scream and run away from a dog, and they’ll think you are prey and pursue you like a live squeaky toy, Ulbrich explains — a very good reason to “train” your kids to interact with dogs safely and calmly by setting exactly that example. (No cowering at jumpy dogs you encounter on the sidewalk, please!)
Your kid takes your dog’s toys while they’re playing.
We all want to play with the squeaky hamburger sometimes; it’s irresistible! But when push comes to shove, it’s crucial to teach kids to respect others’ boundaries — not just with kids but with animals, too. “Dogs understand which items are dog toys and which are kid toys,” Ulbrich says. “You have to teach your kid to leave the dog’s toys alone while they’re playing with them and engage in polite and interactive sharing, just like if it were two children.” A kid grabbing a dog’s toy can trigger them, and you can guess who has sharper teeth.
Ulbrich upholds that the best way to prevent your pooch from attacking your kids (or other unassuming humans) is to keep your trainer gig going… and going: “You should be teaching them manners all the time, not just how to sit in the living room and play fetch,” she says.
And that, my friends, is being a great parent to all!
