Aggression?

[LEM]

I dont know if Keanu thought he was dominating me by thinking hes gonna tell me who I can and cant talk to. Protecting me cause he thought I was in danger, or what the deal is. But I put him on his leash to take him out with me for a car ride. On the way, my little brother was out talking to the next door neighbors 12 year old kid. Well my brother wanted to introduce Keanu to his friend. I was thinking okay, couldnt hurt. Well as I was walking over with him. The boys were walking closer to me. Keanu started barking crazy like at this kid. Back hairs up and everything. I have to grip his collar and apologize to the kid because I had previously told him that the dog was harmless. Now I feel bad about it because I wasnt expecting my dog to try and harm anyone. Especially a child. Does anyone have any idea how I can nip this habit before it progresses into something more?

 

[Zoom]

Have you ever noticed the kid bothering Keanu in any way?

That's not domination at any rate. I would work on desensitizing...Sawyer will occasionally bark at people in the house if they startle him, and I have him sit and bring the other person over with a treat in hand if they've never met him. Otherwise, I tell him to shut up and lie down.

 

[LEM]

Keanu never met this boy before. They live nextdoor and my brother goes over there alot to play with him. Our fence is a 6ft brick wall around the backyard. I only take him outfront on occassions. I mean, dont get me wrong, i take him places to socialize him. This confrontation between him and the boy was really awkward.

 

[antipunt1]

I'm going to just start shooting out possible ideas, but maybe it might just be children? Wanta used to be very antsy around children, it wasn't until she started getting a lot more positive experiences from the 'little people' that she started LOVING them

Overall, I'd just ask if this was 'common'. If not, it might just be something about that boy that we-humans weren't able to pick up . If it is common around 'kids', then it might be the above situation. In either case, my bet is on the possibility that your dog thought the kid was a threat, and was trying to protect you/yourbrother from him.

And overall, don't take any of this as fact until confirmed by another user. It's just my opinion

 

[LEM]

Funny thing with him is that. If hes in the house and the child is already in the house, or welcomed into the house by someone he knows, hes not like that. For example, my little brothers cousin came over, with her mother. The cousin, she was gonna stay for a few days to hang out with my brother. We had just moved and my brother hadnt made any friends yet. He's also great with my 8 momth old nephew and my 6 year old niece. Anyway, Keanu was all over her, friendly like, with the cousin, but outside the house, in the front, with that boy, he's totally different. Its like I didnt even know my own dog at that point.

 

[Maxy24]

Perhaps from now on when he sees a child you should give him a treat and when you tell him to go meet the child they should give him a treat as well. It would be good preventative care so that any sort of guarding does not get out of hand, he needs to learn children are good things. He needs to meet more children too, if you think he may be aggressive then only let him see them at a distance for now and don't let them pet him, only let them give treats. I did that for Phoebe. I'd go in the park and if a kid wanted to pet her I'd say "How about you give her a treat instead" and that worked out very well.

A good practice would be to have your little brother's friend walk in front of the house and as he passes the dog drop a treat. The approach of the kid would be a positive thing, something he welcomes.

 

[LEM]

Well he loves treats. LOL. So that might actually work.