Hello
I’m looking some advice on how to help my 9 month old Beagle Phoebe over a bit of a unfortunate trauma!
About two month’s ago, my friend’s three year old was playing with our dogs in our garden with both myself and my friend were supervising the play. The little boy was learning to throw a ball for my two dogs and they were really enjoying it. Phoebe was standing in front of him waiting for him to throw the ball again for her when he threw the ball and it hit her in the face. She yelped (through surprise I think as it was only a squishy puppy ball) and ran off. After that she wouldn’t go near the three year old again. To be honest I didn’t think it was a big deal at the time, I ignored the incident and carried on as normal. Anyway, Phoebe didn’t forget and the next time we met a child on our walk she barked at him.
Phoebe will happily walk through a busy high street on lead with lots of children passing her and be absolutely fine. However, sometimes if she’s off lead walking and she sees a child she will run up to them and start wuff wuff-ing at them. I try and stop this happening now by calling her back to me and putting her on the lead, but by this time she’s worked herself up and will bark as we pass the child. I usually feed her treats as we pass but I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing? I hope I’m not rewarding her for barking? I don’t want to tell her off as I feel I’m then telling her off for being nervous? The weird thing is she doesn’t bark at every child, for instance, when she’s distracted by saying hello to the dogs that belong to the family she completely ignores the children. She also doesn’t seem to mind quiet children who just stand still and let her sniff them.
I am constantly torturing myself with the thought that I should have prevented this incident happening in the first place but, as it has happened, I would really appreciate any advice on how to move forward from this incident?
I’ve been told to take her to meet children outside schools but know that she has a really sensitive nature and I don’t want to overface her. I’m really quite sad that she is now nervous of children as all my dogs have always adored children as they usually mean fun and games!
Thanks to all for reading. Sorry it’s so long!
Claire
9 month old Beagle nervous of children after scare
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legalbeagle
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Don't beat yourself up about it. It has happened, and I'm sure you now know that very small children, even supervised, can frighten a dog in a moment, and what a grown dog would shrug off can traumatise a pup.
You are doing the right thing with the wrong timing, so you are nearly there.
Continue the town walking and the meeting with children who will ignore her.
When you are walking her off-lead, be ahead of the game. You will see children first because you are taller. Call her back as soon as you see them, put her on the lead without making a big thing of it (it's good practice to call a pup back and put on lead several times during a walk, then they learn that being called back doesn't mean the end of fun) put yourself between the child and your dog (VERY IMPORTANT) and distract your dog with titbits, toy, sweet-talk, whatever. If she woofs, block her line of sight with your body and continue walking.
Do NOT let the children interact with her, and do not tell them her name (another one will do) because once children know a dog's name they call it over and over, and it freaks out nervous dogs.
Your instincts were right - taking her outside schools will blow her mind with all the noise and erratic movement. Take her slowly, child by child. It may resolve, it may not. I have a dog terrified of little girls in pink, after a single incident, but she is an exceptionally sensitive animal.
All the best with your training.
You are doing the right thing with the wrong timing, so you are nearly there.
Continue the town walking and the meeting with children who will ignore her.
When you are walking her off-lead, be ahead of the game. You will see children first because you are taller. Call her back as soon as you see them, put her on the lead without making a big thing of it (it's good practice to call a pup back and put on lead several times during a walk, then they learn that being called back doesn't mean the end of fun) put yourself between the child and your dog (VERY IMPORTANT) and distract your dog with titbits, toy, sweet-talk, whatever. If she woofs, block her line of sight with your body and continue walking.
Do NOT let the children interact with her, and do not tell them her name (another one will do) because once children know a dog's name they call it over and over, and it freaks out nervous dogs.
Your instincts were right - taking her outside schools will blow her mind with all the noise and erratic movement. Take her slowly, child by child. It may resolve, it may not. I have a dog terrified of little girls in pink, after a single incident, but she is an exceptionally sensitive animal.
All the best with your training.
Find the cause, find the cure.
A dog is never 'bad' or 'naughty'. It is simply behaving like a dog.
A dog is never 'bad' or 'naughty'. It is simply behaving like a dog.
My little boy Joe is frightened of young girls because he was abused by one before I got him. She seemed to think he was a doll and her parents didn't stop her 
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
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legalbeagle
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:34 am
- Location: surrey
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Hello again
Thank you so much for posting replies to my plea for advice!
Mattie – Sorry to hear about your poor little Joe. Can’t believe the parents never intervened.
Owdb1tch – Thanks so much for all your advice, especially the bit about keeping myself between Phoebe and the child. It was all really helpful. Glad you think that I should avoid taking her to schools, I just knew it would be too much for her.
Funnily enough, we made a bit of a breakthrough on Monday afternoon. The dogs and I were out in my horse’s field when next door’s 7 year old boy appeared and started playing with his three Flatcoats. My Beagles, including Phoebe, joined in with the other dogs. Phoebe was playing just with the dogs at first, but as she got braver she started to go up to the little boy (no woofing or anything) as he seemed to be the source of all the fun. The boy is very good with dogs and he knows all about Phoebe’s bad experience so he was being very quiet with her. To my amazement, the game ended her with Phoebe following the boy round the field with him throwing toys for her. He also asked her to sit a few times and he gave her some treats for doing so. I was so pleased.
I have also been trying to teach Phoebe ‘No Bark’ when she starts to woof at something she shouldn’t. I didn’t think this was working but during the last few days she seems to have got it. If I say ‘No Bark’ she stops and runs to me to receive her treat. I just hope this continues!!
Thanks again for your advice!
Thank you so much for posting replies to my plea for advice!
Mattie – Sorry to hear about your poor little Joe. Can’t believe the parents never intervened.
Owdb1tch – Thanks so much for all your advice, especially the bit about keeping myself between Phoebe and the child. It was all really helpful. Glad you think that I should avoid taking her to schools, I just knew it would be too much for her.
Funnily enough, we made a bit of a breakthrough on Monday afternoon. The dogs and I were out in my horse’s field when next door’s 7 year old boy appeared and started playing with his three Flatcoats. My Beagles, including Phoebe, joined in with the other dogs. Phoebe was playing just with the dogs at first, but as she got braver she started to go up to the little boy (no woofing or anything) as he seemed to be the source of all the fun. The boy is very good with dogs and he knows all about Phoebe’s bad experience so he was being very quiet with her. To my amazement, the game ended her with Phoebe following the boy round the field with him throwing toys for her. He also asked her to sit a few times and he gave her some treats for doing so. I was so pleased.
I have also been trying to teach Phoebe ‘No Bark’ when she starts to woof at something she shouldn’t. I didn’t think this was working but during the last few days she seems to have got it. If I say ‘No Bark’ she stops and runs to me to receive her treat. I just hope this continues!!
Thanks again for your advice!
