Hello everyone I am new to the group and would like some feedback about a behaviour my dog has recently been showing. He is a 3 year old German Shepherd who I have had since 6 months of age. We have been doing tracking training for approximately 2 years and some SAR training. He has had his temperament testing through St.John's ambulance therapy dog program approximately one year ago and passed and we now do a weekly visit to a seniors retirement residence. He has always been good with people letting them pat him, scratch him etc. In the past few months he has been starting to show an intolerance for toddlers if they get to close to his face ( an approx radius of 2 feet). The first time he showed this behaviour he was lying on his side and letting two children rub his back and rib cage when I noticed he started to curl his lip and show his teeth. I immediately corrected him and moved away from the children. The second episode was no teeth baring but he snapped out at the child again when she was patting him from behind. I know he is intolerant of puppies as well and do not allow him free running with them and correct him if he tries to demonstrate anything while on leash. I have tested him with myself to see if I get this reaction by going to close to his face/shoulder area and he will grumble but no snap. I correct him on this. I am going to keep him away from children for this reason but am perplexed as to how he can demonstrate such easy going behaviour in every situation but start to not tolerate children. When he was younger he was around a toddler and showed nothing like this. I have no children in the home so is it a lack of exposure issue or I am wondering if I am expecting too much of my dog to do SAR training and be a therapy dog. And why just with small children? He has played with 10-12 year old children with absolutely no issue. It just seems to be any specifies human or dog that is young that he seems to not tolerate. Any thoughts/suggestions.

I would question the temperment stability of this dog to be any kind of service dog anymore. It is just NOT SAFE. You stated that he 'grumbled' at YOU when you went close to his face /shoulder.

I would also have the vet do a COMPLETE exam & blood work up. A thyroid imbalance can cause temeperment changes as can pain somewhere. I'd check his teeth.

Expecting this NOW mentally mature dog to be submissive to any & everyone may just not be in the cards. He just may not tollerate what he did as a younger dog.

Young children ( and young animals) have very sudden & often erratic movements & this can disturb many dogs. They are also small & often dogs don't view them in the same light that they do older children & adults & don't have the same 'respect' for them. Some dogs just don't do well with children.

I would not allow ANY childeren around him anymore.

All I can say is that I logged on just to ditto Anne's post.

" I am wondering if I am expecting too much of my dog to .... be a therapy dog. "


Yes, IMHO.

I’ll echo what others have said, and add that you can still continue your visits with seniors, without the dog.

Take one of your children with a scrap book full of pictures of the dog and other pets. Have your kids talk and explain the pictures to the residents, this is always a big hit, the conversation is what’s gold to them!

Thanks for the responses. My dog has had full bloodwork panel done under a month ago and everything checks out fine. Teeth are in excellent shape (brush them regularly and use a solution in his drinking water). I am starting to think as you mention that now being a mature dog he has been doing alot of tracking and SAR training which works on bringing out high drive that it just may not be appropriate to continue with therapy dog visits. One or the other and from what I am seeing tracking/SAR training would be the way to go and leave the other behind. For sure no more meet and greet with any children.

I would like to just to say that I bet it makes you sad to see your dog behave this way and I'm sure it's a disappointment.

Yes Betty it does. I have to do the responsible thing though for both my dog and people around him. He loves the tracking and SAR training so we will channel that energy there. Thanks for your understanding though.

Sorry, but this is NOT A DRIVE ISSUE....it is a TEMPERMENT issue.

A dog can be high drive & still social. As long as the dog has sufficient exercise to address its physical & mental needs & can 'settle' /have an off switch they can do therapy work.

Not sure if SAR work is right for this dog either if this dog is having temperment issues. I don't do SAR, but suspect that if it is a child lost or someone touches this dog in a way that is inappropriate in the dog's eyes...it would not bode well.
JMHO

If he likes to track...maybe some competition tracking would be fun for both of you.

It CAN be disappointing when dogs don't end up being able to do what we hope they can. I can attest to this from personal experience, unfortunately.

Hi Shirley, welcome.

I just wanted to share a few thoughts along with excellent advice you’ve already received.

 Quote: Shirley Szilvasy

I have no children in the home so is it a lack of exposure issue

I have a young adult that I do therapy work with and he has never known young children to reside in our home. He gets exposed to numerous relative/friend’s children (infants to teenagers) that allows me to continually assess his temperament for therapy work. I would describe this affiliation as a fond respect.

He welcomes their pets and is aloof to/tolerant of their antics (screaming, running, hair pulling). If I had the slightest indication that this was causing him any type of stress, let alone to the point of actually growling, he would no longer be around children without the strictest management protocol in place, let alone doing public work.

I believe they either have it or they don’t. There’s a tremendous amount of pressure put on these animals to remain neutral in light of the most extreme variables at any given time.

Growling at children, not to mention grumbling when the owner/handler simply gets close to a reactive area, would be a definite red flag for me. The dog would no longer be doing this type of work.

As well, you mention that you are continually correcting him for growling.

 Quote: Shirley Szilvasy

when I noticed he started to curl his lip and show his teeth. I immediately corrected him

he is intolerant of puppies as well and do not allow him free running with them and correct him if he tries to demonstrate anything while on leash.

I get this reaction by going to close to his face/shoulder area and he will grumble but no snap. I correct him on this

If you continue to do this, you’re going to have a dog that snaps without the warning. I would be working hard to figure out what’s causing his discomfort.

Once all potential medical reasons have been ruled out, as Anne states, you’re left with a temperament issue. Without the growl you will never truly know how he’s feeling nor will you have that important warning that a “snap” or worse, is about to take place.

Rather than correcting, I would be removing him from the uncomfortable situation. You can work at building up his tolerance but I wouldn't be removing the growl.

All JMHO and I wish you the best of luck with him.

GREAT posts, Anne! Spot on!

Could not be said any mo' perfect than that!