my 10 week old bitch can be a bit hetic she's not so bad with myself or my partner but my young children (5,3,7mth's) the older two manly i think they all including the dog get carried away with there play the dog seems to snap a little bit too much for my liking, i can handle the dog chewing it's natural while she's waiting for her main teeth to come through, but she's started growling quite aggresively towards the older children which is a bit of a worry i want both the dog and the children to be able to play together after all they've all got to live together, so any advice that would be helpful from any staffie owners might help she's generally quite good with myself she know's the word "NO" whitch i tell her when she's mouthing my arm, she good with the baby he grabbed hold of her one day and she handled it well!!
maybe it's the kids there not perfect but i cant really shut them away all day or the dog
hopefully things will improve as she matures into an adult dog 'but the growling does cause me some concern???????? can anyone help???

Hi,

I can't really offer you any advice as I haven't got any experience with Staffies but I have got experience with kids and puppies.

I've got a 9mth old Cocker puppy and three small children - they were 6, 4 and 15mths when we got the puppy. All I can say is never again. :( It did come good in the end but we have several months of sheer hell with the puppy and the older two. I asked for a lot of advice on here, and the responses were all very good, but I'd never, ever recommend anyone has a puppy when they've got chidlren under 3.

I know that doesn't really help you know but I just wanted to say it can work. It takes a lot of hard work, and involves frequent use of an indoor crate to separate the children and the puppy but you can have a well balanced puppy playing nicely with the children.

Good luck with your puppy.

Fiona
x x x

One thing to remember is 'punish' the puppy first and then tell the children off as well. They all have to learn to play nicely. And watch the baby with the puppies tail. My little one has had a few hand snaps because she's grabbed hold of our cockers tail - or rather lack of!!!

we have a 10 week old labrador, he too is biting and growling. It is all just playful fun, he has stopped doing it to myself and my husband because we give him a load 'NO' so he knows we do not want to play that game. But with our youngest son who just runsaway when this happens Blade thinks it is part of the game and carries on, so we are now trying to train our son. He has to learn to say' no' too in the right tone of voice. It is something they grow out of you just have to let them know who is the boss. Another thing we have been doing when this nipping occurs is to get one of his toys and put his attention to that is instead of our FEET. I know it is hard work at first with a pup but honestly it is worth it. why not register, and join in the board you will get loads of help
carol

I had my first dog a Belgian shepherd (very lively and highly strung)when my dau7ghter was 14 months. When she sadly dies I had a son of 14 months and girl of four and a half, and had my first Elkhound, who was calmer, but still capable of knocking the baby flat..

I made it a rule that there would be no physical play between the dog and children. No running about, tuggy games, or squeeling. The kids were out of bounds to the dogs as far as playmates went. They would be allowed to be petted/stroke the dog under strict supervision at all times.

When I went to the park and my daughter ran around to play with other little folk, I called my dog over to me to lie down. Pretty soon, as soon as kids started to run about and play she would come and lie down by my side. In the house if there were kids visiting and things were getting exciting then she was sent upstairs out of the way for a rest.

Children just do not have sufficient Authority or maturity to assert themselves as being above the dog in rank. Parents need to do this, and I have worked on the principle that familiarity breeds contempt. you will notice that the alpha dog in a group doesn't play with the underlings as much, and if it does it is initiated by them, and ended by them. Pups will see young children as siblings, and will try to get a higher place in the pack by trying to dominate.

Just my humble opinion.

Personally I am totally amazed that a breeder would sell a puppy to home with 3 pre school age children. This poor puppy hasn't got a chance to grow up sweet natured or safe. Sorry to be so blunt, but keep your 7 month old off the floor when this puppy is about, dont leave it unsupervised for a moment when with your children and if I were you I would re home it before it does any damage to your children or your children damage it or is completely ruined. I am speechless!!

I have had a pup with two pre school kids, but by then I already had dog owning experience, and it is hard work. If you are sensible it can be done, but the owner must rid themselves of this lovely idea of puppies and kids being appropriate playmates.

Older children with faithful well brought up family dog, playing sensible games like fetch, is another matter.

I do not agree that tots and dogs do not mix, I admit that is is hard work, but having a dog in the house gets kids to respect animals for the rest of their lives. I had two dogs, from pups, one was 16 the other 10 when they passed away. I also have 4 kids the eldest now 20, all of them have grown up with dogs and cats, it is all part of the learning process. But I strongly recommend that people think long and hard before commiting themselves to a dog it is really hard work with young children. Yes, and having said that and also saying 'never again' we now have another pup, my youngest son now being 12, has great respect for him and because of past experince of the other dogs is enjoying helping me look after him.

Hi cazmar, I'm not saying that tots and puppies dont mix either, but here is a mother with 3 children only one of which is of an age that may be capable of being taught how to be around a puppy, and it takes a very amenable 5 yo to listen to instructions and be reliable. If this puppy is already growling it wont be long before it bites IMO and babies only have one face. If the original poster needs to post here for help about such basic puppy behaviour, they cant be very experienced and unlikley to be able to handle the situation. I am not "having a go" , I am as concerned for her children as I am for the puppy.

Children should not be allowed to play with a puppy (particularly a bull breed) unsupervised or left alone with them even for a minute. Even nipping into the kitchen for the tea or answering the door. If the kids go out to the garden the dog comes in and vice versa. A staff bitch is a very dominant animal. You have to be the leader. If you give the dog a command and it does'nt do it you must persist until it does. Every time without exception(dog training classes would be the logical choice). The pup must not be allowed on seats or beds, at all. When being cheeky you cant laugh at the dog no matter how funny it seems at the time, laugh in another room if you must. You must establish a firm set of rules for the dog. Remember the dogs mentality is not the same as ours. When it looks as though its laughing, its not.Do not allow nobody to feed the dog from their hands, everything must go in its bowl, at first you and only you should feed the dog,(it must understand you are the boss and beating a dog will not do that only a sensible routine will) all the time. These rules can all be relaxed as the dog gets older and more level headed. If the dog breaks a rule scold it in your own manner. There is many methods of scolding and not everyone agrees with each other on this topic, so find the method you are happy with and stick to it. You cant keep changing the rules or the dog will get confused with the lack of consistency. This in turn will give the dog the idea that you are a weak leader and that it should challenge for top place. Thats why with a dominant dog you should keep it on the floor. Best seats and beds are for top dogs only. When leaving or entering a room you should be first all the time, this reinforces your position as top dog and leader.

I cant say enough that any dog should not be left alone with kids. Kids have to learn how to handle dogs the proper way. They are not toy's, and most of all they are not little people. They are bull terriers. It is not enough to like or love a dog. You must learn about the breed ,where it came from and what they were originally bred for. This in turn will give you an understanding of your breeds mentality and its thought process.

I have had a number of bull terriers over the years,(staffs/pit bulls/ irish staffs) and reared them with two children, I have not had one incident. I like to think that this is down to common sense rather than any special skill. Please for the sake of your children and secondly for the reputation of the breed be very cautious. When a bull terrier bites it does a lot of damage.

I would also add that when you play with the dog teeth are not allowed. Dont play until it is wound up with glazed eyes. Stop play when it gets to much and calm the dog down by making it sit and stay still for a moment. Reinforce your commands by clapping your hands loudly to get its attention. This can later become a finger click. Send it to bed for ten minutes to reinforce the punishment, they dont like being excluded.

On a final note of a long winded post. Perhaps with so many young children in the house you may be to busy to allocate so much time to the dogs education, maybe another more docile breed, or an animal that does'nt need as much time in the first place might be appropriate.

All the best Mick. Be careful

WOW - a very long post, but a very sensible one :) As I said above I've got 3 children and a 9mth old Cocker puppy. We've had some problems but those were all down to me not having the confidence in myself to sort them out.

I now have a lovely dog, very well balanced (for a spaniel) who's a great family pet. She plays nicely with the children, and they play nicely with her. I remind them every morning of the 'puppy rules' and they leave her be most of the time. I think a lot of it is because the novelty has worn off. We've had her for 6mths now and they've lost interest in her.

Fiona
x x x

good imformative post mr murphy, regards tina.

Westie, I would have been born in a whelping box if mum hadn't had pre-eclampsia. My grandmother, both parents, uncles, aunts and assorted cousins were. Yes a pup/dog and small kids require a lot of effort, but there are benefetitis. IMO, big ones. Obviously the child has to be supervised with the dog, but I very much doubt that the dog will see the kid as other than a glorious playmate. and what about kids brought up on farms? I was handling large animals (except pigs which scare me :-)) before I went to school. I'm alive, and while I'm not tbe the nicest person in the world, I reckon I'd be a heck of a lot worse otherwise. To borrow your quoute, when you say I were you I would re home [the dog], I'm speechless.