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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Mini Aussie Aggressive Towards Children

by Lauren
(Tyrone, ON)


My Mini Aussie, Paisley, will be turning 2 in April. She has come a long way with her aggression issues. She used to be very timid and aggressive towards any strangers and wouldn't let anyone she didn't know come near her... especially children.

I socialized Pais very well as a young puppy - I started taking her to rodeos when she was 10 weeks, and she was a little shy with strangers, but never aggressive. She was pretty good with children when she was young, but I feel like she had a turning point when she was very hot at a rodeo and a child in a wheel chair wanted to hold her. Of course I let him and Pais was very good for about 20 mins - then she just snapped, started growling and trying to get away from him. Ever since then, she has not liked children.

I am 23 years old, and my boyfriend and I don't have any children - but plan on having a baby within the next few years. I am wondering whether I should trust Paisley with a baby. Will she treat my child as she does others, or will it be different because she will watch them grow up and be around them all the time? She is very attached to me and I am very concerned as to how she will react with a baby in the house.


Aussie Behavior Problems? Australian Shepherd Lover's Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Comments for Mini Aussie Aggressive Towards Children

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children
by: Krys

I have a three year old mini aussie that I would take to work with me (a pet store) from the time she was 8 weeks thru a year and a half. Some kids she liked others not. Now that she's no longer around kids all day she does have more issues with them. I don't have any kids of my own but my sister has four all under the age of 6. While she doesn't see them on a regular basis she has no problems with them. I think it's because she saw them from little ones on up. Can't be sure of anything with these guys but my best guess is if yours loves you then she'll love your little one too. They have the mind frame of "If I think it's mine... it's mine!!"

Don't force your dog to be handled
by: Anonymous

A dog should never be force to be handled. Not all dogs, and especially not all aussies enjoy being handled by strangers. That experience very well could have traumatized her.

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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

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