# Dog & Toddler



## ty823 (Feb 7, 2006)

We babysat 3 kids this weekend, ages 5, 3, & 1. Lucy hasn't been around small children very much, so I was keeping really close attention to her at first to see how she would act. She was way too excited at first, trying to jump on the older kids and once knocking them both into the grass, which I scolded her for and I think she got the idea. After awhile she was acting calm enough to let her off the leash for short periods and play in the yard on her own with the kids. 
Later on, we had the 1 year old out on a blanket in the yard crawling around and Lucy went over to him trying to lick his face or who knows what. My wife pushed her away and said no, but we both thought it was cute. We turned our backs for a second, and when we turned around, Lucy was standing on top of the poor kid with his head positioned between her back legs. I secretly thought this was hilarious, but my wife was horrified. It would have been a great time for the kids parents to pull their car up in the driveway, huh?  

Lucy has tried to do the 'head-straddle' to us a few times too. Is this a normal dominance thing, or is she just a weird dog?


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## goldencity (May 26, 2005)

My 2 dogs do that "head stradling "thing to each other, usually Millie [the "boss"] standing over Daisey, who is much more submissive. I've also seen other dogs doing it in similar circumstances. So I guess its just one dog showing the other its place in the pecking order.

But you dont want them doing this to people, of what ever age- all humans are of course higher in the order than any dog! If any of my dogs tried this I would stop them at once and then make them do something ie lie down and stay while I played with the baby. Then when they were good, they could have a reward.

Also, I wouldn't leave any dog on its own with very small children especially other peoples . Not because I dont trust the dog, but kids can be very rough with animals-poking them, pulling ears, tails and even the nicest dog can snap when a strange child pokes her in the eye or bites her ear!

My two really love kids, but I have to be very carefull as they think they all love them just as much! If I let them they will rush up to any child we meet and jump about wanting to play. Daisey tries to lick them, usually on the face. Of course I cant allow this behaviour, imagine the huge hissy fit a dog hating family would throw!, so we have to practise "being good round kids"!


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## ty823 (Feb 7, 2006)

As non-existent as my parenting skills are, I do know that you don't leave little kids and dogs alone together. We were all sitting on a blanket together when Lucy came over and did the head straddle. 
It was really a challenge to keep the dog off of the kids, as well as the kids off of the dog. They both wanted at each other so badly. We defiantly need to do some more training when it comes to being around kids. Maybe we can borrow their kids again sometime for this, because I don't know how else you would work on this other then having them around actual children.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

I think dogs like to lick toddlers' faces and hands because it just tastes so darn good... usually sweet, if you know what I mean. When Sidney approaches any toddler or infant he will immediately start licking cheeks, lips, and clinch fists if I don't stop him first... amazingly he's yet to meet an infant that is afraid and screeches or cries... the parents themselves seem amazed and tell me so... and I'm at a loss to explain it.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

ty823 said:


> Lucy has tried to do the 'head-straddle' to us a few times too. Is this a normal dominance thing, or is she just a weird dog?


Well, it can be a sign of a dog showing a sign of dominence. And small children are easy ones for a dog to become dominent over so this is why you never leave them alone with small children and watch them closely as you all have. I would look for other signs as well to be sure. Usually when they do this they will stand over them and just stand still and make themselves appear larger by standing tall and such. Dogs should NEVER be allowed to stand over a small child, no matter what the reason. If they want to sniff, thats a normal behavior but not by doing it over top of them.

I've seen this done by Kody on a golden puppy, and it was a sign of being dominent over the smaller puppy.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Goldndust said:


> Well, it can be a sign of a dog showing a sign of dominence. And small children are easy ones for a dog to become dominent over so this is why you never leave them alone with small children and watch them closely as you all have...


After reading the above response, I became puzzled... so I went back and re-read the original posting... ooops, I mis-read it (...well, it was really late). I now see it was dog was standing over the baby! Yes, this is not a good thing, and GoldnDust is absolutely right, this was a dominance display. The dog shouldn't be banished from the child's presence, only monitored and prevented from any such further displays.

(I'll go back and edit my earlier posting so it doesn't read quite so bizarre.)


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## ty823 (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks, I assumed that’s what it was. We scolded her right away, of course, mainly because nobody wants their head in between a dogs legs, but I didn't know if it was also a display of dominance.


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## wendyma1 (Jun 7, 2006)

Hi there-

I have 5 kids that live at home (and five already out of the home) and never has rufus done this to any of us, however, he has done this with guests! I'm assuming he is showing our guests who is boss and being protective to boot. My 5 year old daughter is constantly playing with Rufus on the floor and rolling around with him or sitting on him and not once has he shown this behavior with any family member! They might not look or really act like guard dogs, but they do their own thing to show who is boss!


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## Tianna0423 (Mar 21, 2006)

Goldndust said:


> Well, it can be a sign of a dog showing a sign of dominence. And small children are easy ones for a dog to become dominent over so this is why you never leave them alone with small children and watch them closely as you all have.


In addition to showing dominance, I think that dogs, especially when they are puppies, think that the children are litter mates. 
I have three children of my own, ages 6, 4, and 2. When I first went to see Barkley for the first time, he would act the same with his litter mates as he later did with my kids. Although it looks cute, it isn't. 
The children also need to be corrected not just the dog. Having first hand experience, my six year old would try to play rough with Barkley, so what did he learn? That Barkley would do the same everytime he saw him. That's not cool.


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

Our kids were raised with my dogs.. never thought twice about leaving them alone together or any other kid with them.


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