Dog Community

Silly Emma behavior

Posted : 8/20/2008 10:10:41 PM

Emma has a little girl, who is the child of one of my closest friends, who she adores. Now, normally, Emma is a little iffy about children. She's been grabbed at one too many times (poor dog must look like a stuffed animal....). Kids are fast, and they smell funny, and they don't feel good.

But Hannah? Hannah is two years old, and Emma just falls all over her. She is really submissive to the baby (which is... weird to me?). It's to the point where she starts crawling five feet away, and flips over at the baby's feet. Of course, she's rewarded with soft belly rubs. This Hannah is a very good Hannah, and she's been taught to touch dogs softly. Emma almost can't control herself around Hannah, though. It's really strange! Does anybody else's dog get silly-submissive around children, or a certain child? Is there a reason Emma does this? She won't even take treats from the baby, and she's a food whore! It's very odd.

brookcove

Posted : 8/20/2008 11:15:48 PM

Lu, one of my LGDs, adores little kids - like toddler size. I think it's because when she was a pup she was socialized partly by a mother with a small child. Imagine what Emma does, only in a 95 pound dog who stands 29" tall - trying to get herself as flat as possible, but her rear end almost detaching in a private wiggle fest.

spiritdogs

Posted : 8/21/2008 5:58:06 AM

We have a client who brings her three year old to our play group. Sequoyah just loves this kid, and will gladly lay on her back butt wiggling 90 mph getting quick little belly rubs, or just flat getting a massage. I think she remembers the little girls from her breeder's home;-)) But, this little girl has three brothers who occasionally come, too, and Sequoyah will gladly play fetch the tennis ball with any of them, too. She's definitely a good kid dog if the kids aren't weird. Sioux, on the other hand, is enamored of any human with gray hair. She is ok around kids, but you can tell where she'd rather be. Maska - he's just a bed pillow for anyone any age:-))

jennie_c_d

Posted : 8/21/2008 7:20:24 AM

So, it's just a silly, she loves the kid behavior? That's good, LOL. I didn't think it was anything bad, but it looks awfully weird. I bet it looks even weirder when the dog is 95 lbs and has a tail!

luvmyswissy

Posted : 8/21/2008 9:08:41 PM

We rescued a small Cathoula last year, Brooke. She is the most obnoxious player I have ever seen. She is always barking playing with my DH, gently biting at his hand and play growling. She tries to entice me as well and our male dog, River, she will hang from his collar and chase him every chance she gets. But when my son (7) tries to play with her she will only lick him - very gently. She can be in full play with my DH and all riled up and when my DS touches her she will immediately calm and lick him or lay her head on him. She just knows to be gental with the children - I don't know why but she does.

AuroraLove

Posted : 8/22/2008 6:37:11 PM

My Rory LOVES kids. I think it is becasue when I first got her I lived alone, she spent a lot of puppyhood alone while I was at work ( I know shame on me) and then we moved in with my mother for 4 months. At that time my brother was about 9 and my mom babysat a 3 year old almost everyday.

So kids equal comapnionship to Rory I think. She knows gentle and just lights up around them.

However she loves to lay on the because my little brother used to cuddle her up a storm......thats her only down side, LOL