# Poodle's and kids (growling)



## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

Ok .... so Im some what newer to the Poodle breed. Ive owned Eli now for 1.5 yrs and have Sting which is 5 months old. (both Standards) My question is... has any other Standard Poodle owner's found that its normal for them to growl at children to "test the water" for say. 

Example...last night Sting and myself are sitting on the couch comfortably and my 4 yr old came up to sit with us and slightly rested upon Sting and I thought he growled at my son. Then because I wasn't sure if I actually heard a growl, I asked my son to do that again. Sting very aggressively growled at my son for barley leaning on him. I quicky told Sting "NO" and made him get off the couch but still Im bothered by what happened. I know that Sting is perfectly fine, he's not hurting or anything like that. To me, Sting just didn't like that my son was going to impose on the couch and Sting's comfort. Eli once let out a very low growl to my 1 yr old because my son was bumping into Eli while laying on the floor. I was right there and it was very minor but still it bothered me.

Before owning Standard Poodle's, Ive owned multiple Amstaffs (Pit Bulls). Even though most of the general public views Pits as a danger, still to this day I have never had one Amstaff/Pit Bull EVER growl at my kids. I teach my kids to be respectful of the dogs and this has never been even a thought until now...with the Poodles. Im personally feeling disappointed that I have to deal with behavior like this from a breed I love so dearly now. I know some breeds don't have tollerance for kids but Standard Poodles are supposed to be excellent with children. I mean...for the most part the Poodle's are good but growling really concerns me since I have never dealed with this from any of our previous dogs.


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## gwtwmum2 (Sep 14, 2008)

As a mom of two young boys myself, I totally see where you are coming from and I would be bothered too. Wrigley is a little over 6 months old and I will say he has never growled at my kids. That is one thing I've been watching very carefully as he is our first big dog (and that scared me at first since his mouth is so long and big). Wrigley lets everyone roll all over him - which I am VERY thankful for. 
Ironically it is my Torie - crestie - that will occasionally growl at the kids if she is sitting/sleeping and they come to close to her (I think she is worried they'll sit on her). She doesn't do it all the time - but on the occasion that a boy gets to playing and goofing off and comes running near her. So I watch her closely all the time to make sure it is a "safety for herself" growl and not just a "you annoy me" growl. 
I'd say if you have only seen it once - maybe they can just be a little confused over their rights to you vs. the boys rights to you?


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## tannerokeefe (Dec 14, 2008)

Dutch has never done that before, but then again I am new to the breed as well!! I teach my kids to be respectful of the dogs too, but I want them to do 'normal" kid things to the dog as well just so he is tolerable. I am so sorry!!


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

I agree Tanner. I totally want my kids to be able to act like kids around the dogs. The typical things I teach my kids is about the dogs/animals is not hit, pull ears/hair, or treat them in anyway that will hurt the animal. They still need to be respectful just like they would with another child but be able to interact and play around with the dogs like a child should. 

The dog in my opinion needs to understand that children are children also. Until now, my dogs have always had a great tolerance for the kids even when accidents happen. My kids aren't angels and they will test what behavior is acceptable and whats not. I may try to teach the kids what is right but still from time to time they get rotten and pull a leg or ear (mostly the 1 yr old). I trust my 95 lb Pit Bull Lotus so much that she sleeps in my sons room alone with the door shut every night. She has a bed next to his and occassionally I find her snuggled up in his bed by morning. The baby use's Lotus as a chair and leans his whole body on her when drinking his bottle. She litterally LOVES my kids. The same thing with our Malibu and Cherry (Pit and Amstaff). The kids could do anything to them and they would just lick the kids. Thats what I expect from a dog that supposed to be excellent with kids. 

I don't think Sting and Eli are bad dogs, I just wish I didn't have to experience growling from them towards my children.


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## jester's mom (Nov 25, 2008)

I certainly understand your concern. I would be if any of my dogs growled at my grandkids. I had a 6 month old siberian husky bite my daughter in the face when she was 2 yrs. old just for picking up his food dish which was empty and he wasn't even near it. He saw her pick it up and ran across the room and bit her in the face. To say the least, I was VERY upset and the dog found a new home with no children. So, I understand your concern, but I don't think your poodle is going to do anything of the sort and with a little instruction to him that it is not acceptable to do what he did, he should be fine.

It sounds like he is being possessive of you, not wanting to share his spot with you with anyone else. You did the right thing by making him get off you and not allowing him "his spot" with you for doing that. I would definitely keep an eye on this situation and even "set him up" intentionally to see his response. Any negative response, be it a low growl or a nasty look should be corrected and him made to remove himself from whatever it is that he is "guarding". He needs to understand that the children are his owners also.

If this is the first time he has done this in all the time you have had him, I don't think you should worry about it not being able to be settled just fine. Letting him know that his actions make for unpleasant results (i.e. that he looses what he wants and gets displeasure from you, the person he loves) should put him on the right track. Also, if your son(s) don't offer treats to the dogs, I would encourage them, under supervision, to give them treats and, of course, be sure you teach the dogs to take the treats "gently". This will bond them stronger with the youngsters. Also, having your 4 yr. old tell him to sit and down before he gets the treat will really help this along.

My sister's male poodle pup at about 5 months old was nervous of kids and growled at them because he was unsure. My sister corrected him by telling him "no", making him sit and be quiet and watch the kids, then since she has a 4 yr. old grandson, she had her grandson give Billy treats and now he loves kids and her grandson can do anything around him and he also has gone to her grandson's daycare and never batted an eyelash when all the little kids surrounded him to pet him, in fact, he wagged his tail and licked them, he enjoyed it so much. And that was only one month after his fist showing of growling at kids. 

Also, bringing the poodles to places that have a children that they can interact with (on leash of course) would help them learn that the little guys are fun and ok.

Just some thoughts. I am sure you probably know most of what I wrote but just thought I'd put it on in case it helps out any.

And, yeah, I know what you mean about the pit bulls and such. I have had a pit once and have had a doberman for the last 28 years and I have never, ever worried about them with children. I have never had one growl at kids and, in fact, the dobe girl I have now will go out of her way to get to be pet by a child, she absolutely loves kids even though I have no kids at home anymore.


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

Jester's mom, 

Thanks for the extra info....I appreciate it. I do let my 4 yr old give out treats to the dogs....actually sometimes I have to stop him. lol With Sting, he gets super excited about treats, dog food, etc. Getting him to sit for a treat/food seems impossible.... although I know we can train him over time. Since Sting is very exciteable I think it would be best to enroll him into obedience classes rather then concentrate on conformation showing. Usually when we are training for conformation, we with hold teaching sit and regular basic commands so they can learn how to show first. I think in Stings case, he needs to be taught obedience first. 

I really do appreciate your suggestion's. I would like to resolve my concerns about the growling issue and concentrate on the fun part of owning a dog.


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## mercymoon (Aug 29, 2008)

Wow how odd- got to break him of that quick!
I don't blame you for being concerned though.


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## P Nalitt (Mar 3, 2009)

I have 2 standard's and actually switched to that breed because we had a maltese that did growl at the kid's. 
I have to say they (kid's) can do anything and Savanna and Vegas will not growl. They take bones away, get near their food anything and I've never heard a growl.
Good that you are catching it early.


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## jester's mom (Nov 25, 2008)

SECRETO said:


> Jester's mom,
> 
> Thanks for the extra info....I appreciate it. I do let my 4 yr old give out treats to the dogs....actually sometimes I have to stop him. lol With Sting, he gets super excited about treats, dog food, etc. Getting him to sit for a treat/food seems impossible.... although I know we can train him over time. Since Sting is very exciteable I think it would be best to enroll him into obedience classes rather then concentrate on conformation showing. Usually when we are training for conformation, we with hold teaching sit and regular basic commands so they can learn how to show first. I think in Stings case, he needs to be taught obedience first.
> 
> I really do appreciate your suggestion's. I would like to resolve my concerns about the growling issue and concentrate on the fun part of owning a dog.


LOL... well, I figured you would know the info but thought I'd write it just in case. Yeah, I agree on the obedience if he is over excited about things. I used to breed and show Brittany and finished two Ch., one in bred-by , and almost a third, so I know what you mean about not training obedience first, I never did that either. But, in your case, I think you are right to do that first. 
Maybe you can do both, obedience using one type of collar/leash and breed handling in a show collar/lead. This way he learns that in one he stands and is stacked and the other he sits. 

Good luck no matter how you do it, I hope you get things settled so you can feel relaxed and happy with your spoos!!!


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

P Nalitt said:


> I have 2 standard's and actually switched to that breed because we had a maltese that did growl at the kid's.
> I have to say they (kid's) can do anything and Savanna and Vegas will not growl. They take bones away, get near their food anything and I've never heard a growl.
> Good that you are catching it early.


I did forget to add that we do have a Rat Terrier that will growl at the kids if they attemp to bother her when she's asleep. However, we have tried to correct her serveral times and she wont change her ways. Now we just watch the kids closely around her and have came to realize she's just that type of dog. We all love her but she's that one Rat Terrier that we have until she passes but wouldn't get another again.....or any small dog at that. She loves the kids and wil give kiss's and etc....just not while she's sleeping.


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## P Nalitt (Mar 3, 2009)

It seems to be that small dogs are more like that, that's exactly how our maltese was, he did not want to be bothered.


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## Mandycasey'smom (Jan 3, 2009)

Casey started this other night with hubby and I asked trainer tonight and she said I need to make an impact and grab him by the collar and a good shake down and off the couch and banish him from it for a few days so helearns I boss the couch not him.
Trainer said make it very loud so he knows he did bad and she also said allowing him on couch puts him same level as you.
Mandy is beside me as we type on couch as she has never been a grump but he is banished to the floor for a few days

Now when we had our Mastiff I often had the kids training him. Puppy pushups with sit down sit down a few times before treat and then a lot of sit stay comes.Lets the dog learn the kids also boss the dog not the other way around.


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## roxy25 (Dec 18, 2008)

SECRETO said:


> Ok .... so Im some what newer to the Poodle breed. Ive owned Eli now for 1.5 yrs and have Sting which is 5 months old. (both Standards) My question is... has any other Standard Poodle owner's found that its normal for them to growl at children to "test the water" for say.
> 
> Example...last night Sting and myself are sitting on the couch comfortably and my 4 yr old came up to sit with us and slightly rested upon Sting and I thought he growled at my son. Then because I wasn't sure if I actually heard a growl, I asked my son to do that again. Sting very aggressively growled at my son for barley leaning on him. I quicky told Sting "NO" and made him get off the couch but still Im bothered by what happened. I know that Sting is perfectly fine, he's not hurting or anything like that. To me, Sting just didn't like that my son was going to impose on the couch and Sting's comfort. Eli once let out a very low growl to my 1 yr old because my son was bumping into Eli while laying on the floor. I was right there and it was very minor but still it bothered me.
> 
> Before owning Standard Poodle's, Ive owned multiple Amstaffs (Pit Bulls). Even though most of the general public views Pits as a danger, still to this day I have never had one Amstaff/Pit Bull EVER growl at my kids. I teach my kids to be respectful of the dogs and this has never been even a thought until now...with the Poodles. Im personally feeling disappointed that I have to deal with behavior like this from a breed I love so dearly now. I know some breeds don't have tollerance for kids but Standard Poodles are supposed to be excellent with children. I mean...for the most part the Poodle's are good but growling really concerns me since I have never dealed with this from any of our previous dogs.


Well I don't have Kids around Enzo so I can't really say Enzo does not growl at children. The children he does see are outside when we walk him and he loves them. 

You should have your kids do some kind of training with them. next time Sting is on the couch see if you can have you kids to tell him off. Once sting sees that he is not alpha over the children he should stop growling at them. He does sound possessive of you like Jester's mother stated.


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