Re: Timid Staffy
I do think you dog is timid around kids because of his past experiences and I can undersatnd why. It is very important to get a hold of the situation and behaviour before it escaltes. It depends on how your dog acts though; is he aggressive towards kids or is he shy and runs away? Either way the only thing to do is socialize him with kids that know how to treat a dog propperly. If you have any freinds that have kids then maybe they can help you. Keep your dog on a leash though so you can have control of him if he gets out of hand. Slowly socilaize him in situatuions where kids will be. He doesn't have to interact with them at first just being around them will be good at first. Praise him a lot for being around the kids and give him treats. The next step is to get the kids to give him treats and lots of nice pets and even play fetch with him. No hitting or teasing! Make sure though that the kids don't come running up or startle him they need to introduce themselves to you dog first by coming up slowly and puting their hands out for him to smell them. slowly introduce him to this kind of situation so he gets a possitive reinforcemnt and sees that kids are nice and will play and give treats. He just needs to be socialized with kids better and see that they are good and positive.
Hope that helps!
|