My dog growls at my 3-year-old son. Should I discipline her?

Question

How do I discipline Jenny if she growls and barks at our youngest son who is three? She did it today and I got after her by telling her no and bad dog. She has never done that before. Is there anything else I should have done? Any advise please. Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | spayed | 37 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

I can understand being alarmed by this, but I actually do not recommend punishing Jenny at all for this - any kind of punishment or "discipline" is likely to make the problem worse, and may also make her more apt to bite without warning in the future. When Jenny growls and barks at your son, she isn't being "bad" - she is communicating that she's anxious or uncomfortable and want him to leave her alone. Instead of punishing her, we want to determine why she's uncomfortable and get her out of the situation so that she doesn't feel the need to defend herself. I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Jenny in person and help you identify what kinds of situations are making her anxious around your son - he/she can then help you put together a detailed plan to make sure that everyone stays safe. In the meantime, it would be best to use baby gates or other barriers to keep Jenny separated from your son if you have any concerns about how they are interacting. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

My dog growls at my 3-year-old son. Should I discipline her?

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