[witchesmole]

Hi, newbie here hope I am posting in the right place.

I have 3 dogs Delfi/dobe 1yr: Poppy/chihuahua 8mnths: Sweetpea/chi 3mnths:

My prob is Delfi, she has a very bad habit of barging/mowing down my 3yr old. I have 6 children so the dogs are very well socialised and walked on a regular basis. They are part of the family so live with us in the home. I do use a crate for training/ house training etc. Delfi is very docile normally shows no aggression to any of us. She is very well loved. However this is increasingly worrying as she could potentially cause a nast accident to my toddler. I go to training classes most weeks and she does fairly well. Recall in class is rubbish but out on walks she doesnt like to stray far. I cannot understand why she would do this. I thought dobes were very family orientated and would protect rather than harm us.

I would appreciate any advice to this problem. I would hate to have to rehome her when generally she is very well behaved. She shows (so i have read) typical dobe traits: whines and whinges if she is not with us in the same room or has been crated. which is only when we eat or floor washing etc.

Thanks for listening

 

[Keechak]

what do you mean mow down? do you mean he charges into her and deliberatly knocks her over, or just knocks her over when he greats her, or just passing through and accidentally bangs into her?

 

[witchesmole]

yes she actually charges into her on purpose. Where I go training they said that the pack (meaning us as well as dogs) will charge each other in play and will either get knocked down or move out the way. My toddler is to young to move out the way.

My thoughts were having had some dogs previously and growing up with dogs this is something new to me.

It seems bad manners and Delfi should know that she is a baby. She doesnt behave like this with the chihuahuas she is very gently with them.

 

[rosemaryninja]

She is not trying to harm your child... she is trying to play. She doesn't understand that what she considers play has the potential to hurt your child.

Does she jump on other members of the family?

 

[witchesmole]

She doesnt actually jump up at her she knocks her down using her head. Just runs at her and doesnt stop almost like my toddler isnt there. She doesnt actually jump up at anyone. A little bounce when we come in sometimes but she tends to greet people with something in her mouth as a gift.

 

[poodleholic]

Your Dobe is still a puppy, really, and no harm is meant. You need to teach her what you want her to do when meeting and greeting people, especially children (who should always be supervised when with the dogs).