Yes that's right! He hates them! I must preface this by saying that I admit it is partially our fault as we didn't socialize him with many kids when younger but the problem is we have no family members or friends with children.
When he was smaller 3-5 months he would shy away from children submissively. I figured this was because the only children he really saw were the crazy ones in our subdivision who run around at age 5 with no one watching them (in the streets) and that he just didn't like their abrupt petting ect.
At age 5-6 months he started running away or squirming to get away if I were holding him and a child was close.
Now at age 7 months he barks at them and growls and has no been called a "mean dog" by two kids. If I try to hold him when near a child I barely can he is trying to get away so bad (and he is only 12 lbs!)
We tried having him sit and have the child slowly approach (however this is hard when the only kids trying to pet him are strangers and crazy ones). We have tried verbal correction and leash correction when barking at them. We have tried to reward him when he does good with them (which I think was maybe once)..
He never has had anything tramatic happen to him around kids no one has hit him. He really hates skateboards which some of the kids ride so maybe that traumatized him? I feel bad but like I said we know no children..we do not have a playground near us (that any kids actually use anyways) and children are not allowed at the dog park.
He absolutely loves adult strangers though! He will run up to adults at the dog park with his tail wagging so hard his little behind moves with it!
Any advice? Is he really doomed to hate them forever unless we are exposed to more of them?
I must also mention that I am not a kids person so maybe this is rubbing off on him?
When he was smaller 3-5 months he would shy away from children submissively. I figured this was because the only children he really saw were the crazy ones in our subdivision who run around at age 5 with no one watching them (in the streets) and that he just didn't like their abrupt petting ect.
At age 5-6 months he started running away or squirming to get away if I were holding him and a child was close.
Now at age 7 months he barks at them and growls and has no been called a "mean dog" by two kids. If I try to hold him when near a child I barely can he is trying to get away so bad (and he is only 12 lbs!)
We tried having him sit and have the child slowly approach (however this is hard when the only kids trying to pet him are strangers and crazy ones). We have tried verbal correction and leash correction when barking at them. We have tried to reward him when he does good with them (which I think was maybe once)..
He never has had anything tramatic happen to him around kids no one has hit him. He really hates skateboards which some of the kids ride so maybe that traumatized him? I feel bad but like I said we know no children..we do not have a playground near us (that any kids actually use anyways) and children are not allowed at the dog park.
He absolutely loves adult strangers though! He will run up to adults at the dog park with his tail wagging so hard his little behind moves with it!
Any advice? Is he really doomed to hate them forever unless we are exposed to more of them?
I must also mention that I am not a kids person so maybe this is rubbing off on him?