I figured I'd wait for day 1 to go by before replying to this post again, to see how things progress and how to apply everyones advice.

My dog is often around kids, he loves my friends kids who are the same ages as my nephews, but he doesn't know what to do with my nephews. When my dog plays with my friends dog, they get pretty rough, if a kid gets caught in the middle, my dog stops and licks them. But with my nephews, I didn't have to say much to get my brother to acknowledge that the kids DO NOT COME NEAR MY DOG unless I am with him.

The 5 year old is terrified of Cujo and took alot of effort to get him to dare pet him, and the 2 year old likes running towards him and then running away, which is as good as wearing a big "chew toy" sign on his forehead. My dog doesn't go to lick his face, he opens his mouth n tries to nip at the 2 year olds cheeks, I yanked him back before he could do it but he's tried several times.

I'm guessing the kids aren't around many dogs so they don't act the way my other friends kids do who both have dogs in their households. My dog isn't acting aggressive, don't get me wrong, no growling, tail wagging, high pitched bark when restrained from chasing the scared 5 year old. I put him in a down/stay and rolled him over onto his side n put my hand on his neck so he couldnt reach around n nip, then let both kids pet him to try and get them over their fear, that's pretty much the only way I'm going to let those kids pet my dog from now on. This is annoying to me because I have photos of my friends 2 year old with his arm around my dog sitting nicely watching tv with his thumb in his mouth and blanky in hand, it's an adorable photo and a true image of my dog's temprement around kids. At least.... kids who don't freak out about the big doggy.

In normal day to day life, my dog lives in the room above the garage, thats where his crate is, his food and water, and his toys and bones. I am there 99.99% of the time when I am home, so he's always with me and sleeps out of crate in the bedroom at night, if I leave the upstairs room he usually follows me around, and if we are sitting downstairs he hangs out in the rest of the house as long as he behaves. There's no door upstairs, there's a staircase, then a half-height wall to prevent you from looking into the room from downstairs, then a few more steps to the left entering the main room. The only access control is a baby gate. The challenge is now keeping the kids from going up the stairs and hanging on/pulling on/opening the baby gate. They keep taunting my dog and want to "see the doggy", so I've had to crate him so he can't sit at the baby gate and have my brother supervise the kids so they don't keep running up the stairs. I'm gonna be finding a lock of some nature to lock the baby gate, and figure out a way to block my dog from walking around the lil corner and sitting by the baby gate where the kids can taunt him. I tried big plastic bins, but Cujo figured out how to move the bins out the way enough to jump over em.

Unfortunately my brother and his wife were trying the "if you go upstairs and try to pet doggy thru the gate he'll bite you" scare tactic, so the 5 year old was running around shouting "the doggy bit me! the doggy bit me!". Agh!!

For an adult my dogs nips are nothing, they don't hurt, i've been nipped by kittens worse than that lol, he doesn't bite down, he wants to play, but to do that around kids is a problem, and he only does that to kids that are scared or very cautious of him and making a big deal about petting the doggy... screaming then running away doesn't help either.

I'm going to have to block access to the room somehow, and try to take my dog with me as much as possible when going out before kiddie bedtime. My brother won't uncrate the dog, I'm no longer concerned about that now that it's become obvious that his kids can't play with my dog. This is gonna be a long 2.5 weeks. Maybe my dog will get used to their strange behavior before then. I was worried about my dog barking and keeping people up - the kids were up multiple times during the night screaming before my dog had the chance to bark, so at least I don't have to feel bad for having a barking dog anymore...

*sigh* You are right when you say sounds like a long 2.5 weeks. Too bad your Bro, wife, and kids can't get a motel room somewhere. One of our grandkids was like your 5 yo nephew, he would scream bloody murder when he would see our big dog Duke and run and try to climb his Mom or Dad. Duke, bless his heart, didn't chase/nip at him, although the kid was doing the worst thing possible around him. The kid finally outgrew the behavior, but i've noticed he also tends to be mean to our small dogs. NOT one of my favorite grandkids. Anyhow, I think you are doing as right as you can. Maybe gate at the door to your room and at the bottom of the staircase, too? Maybe hang a door to your bedroom (if you don't rent,anyway)

I am reaping the benefits of owning a dodge ram - went out and found a pre-hung door for $55 that fits perfect and matches all the other doors in the house, threw it in the truck n will be hanging it tonight.

I think I am making a little progress on the situation... I had cujo laying down on his couch yesterday and the kids came into the room, a little less freaked out by the big doggy. They grabbed pretty much every toy, bone, tug, ball etc out of my "dog stuff basket" and gave it to the dog. I sat next to Cujo with my hand on his thigh and had him in a down/stay for about 10 minutes straight while the kids were piling up all his toys next to him, I think he was too tired to wanna run around and chase em so he just sat there staring like "ok what are they doing with my toys???". He made no attempt to nip, or try to get up or anything. I was so proud <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I think once the door is up I will have much more peace of mind, and some of the screaming will be drowned out when i want to hide! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I ran around the house for 30 minutes before going out yesterday trying to think up new creative ways to block the baby gate somehow lol.

If you choose to not have your dog be socialized around children and strangers, clearly you should also realize that means you won't be able to reliably trust that same dog around children and strangers.

You have gotten exactly the dog you are working to get. So rather than ruin the training, I'd just make sure to continue to not have anyone over your house, or to go visit anyone with your dog unless you are 100% sure you will be in the room with him.

I know I always want to know I can have friends, relatives and workmen come into my house and not have to particularly be concerned. But that was what I wanted from my GSD's. Dog that would be a part of my normal life, which is extremely busy and social. So I included them in that life and socialized the bejeezers out of them since they hit my front doors as puppies. So I got EXACTLY what I wanted out of all 3 of them (heck, my sister and her husband, their 10 yr old and 9 yr old son, and their 18 month old Schnauzer just were all visiting in my house the past week and everything was fine).

That said, I realize many people do NOT want their dogs to be social. But if that's what you want, and that's what you work on, that is what you get. And you can't suddenly expect your dogs personality to change, OR your families personalities (particularly kids) for the length of a visit. I think the less stressful thing would be for any visitors to stay in a hotel. And when you visit them, you don't take the dog. Sounds the safest for everyone.

Another option is to board the dog at a boarding kennel while your family is visiting you. Then you can be certain that your nephews won't agitate the dog when you're not home.

Natalie

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If you choose to not have your dog be socialized around children and strangers, clearly you should also realize that means you won't be able to reliably trust that same dog around children and strangers.

Uhm... did I say I didn't want my dog to be socialized around kids? My issue is with unsupervised interaction. He is awesome with my friends kids who have dogs and aren't scared of him and know how to behave around a dog. I don't want to not have my dog around them... I just want to be able to make 100% sure that I am SUPERVISING *EVERY* interaction, and not have kids sneaking into the room when nobody's looking. I wouldn't put my dog on a tie out at a kids picnic and walk away either. If more people would supervise their dog's then we'd hear about less dog attacks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

A door with a lock on it, as has been suggested by most people, will mean I am able to supervise the interaction between kids and dog and not have to worry about it when I'm not home. I have a door, I intend to hang it tomorrow.

If I was a mod I'd lock the post, my questions have been answered and the situation is being dealt with accordingly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Thanks to all who responded.

well here what i do when my brother in laws kids come over for a visit.....maybe try this....see picture

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v601/urdum2/CopyofDCP_0378.jpg

lmao thats awesome, we always joke about pics like that but never take one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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A door with a lock on it, as has been suggested by most people, will mean I am able to supervise the interaction between kids and dog and not have to worry about it when I'm not home.

Good luck with that. I know my dogs would scratch down the door or (if crated) pretty much bark continuously if people/kids were walking/talking/and moving around the house.

And one thing I've noticed about kids is that

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I just want to be able to make 100% sure that I am SUPERVISING *EVERY* interaction, and not have kids sneaking into the room when nobody's looking.

is hard for many parents to accomplish with their own children, let alone me with someone else's.

Maybe if you keep your dog on a lead attached to you when you let him out and the relatives are over? That way you know where the dog is and won't have to worry about losing control of the situation.

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Good luck with that. I know my dogs would scratch down the door or (if crated) pretty much bark continuously if people/kids were walking/talking/and moving around the house.

Ever hurd of a towel? They are good for more then just drying off. I have had a few dogs, all the dogs have started creat training from the day they came in my home. After time crate training, your above statement is not a problem for me, as it is not a problem for many others here on this board.

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Maybe if you keep your dog on a lead attached to you when you let him out and the relatives are over? That way you know where the dog is and won't have to worry about losing control of the situation.

In this type situation, there is still less control then there would be with a crate/lock. And how could you not know where your dog is when its in a crate?

David.