Dame Aussie Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Just went down the park for a stroll and a bit of fetch. As we were about to leave we walked past some kids playing football and as we did, one of them saw Lili and tried to run away, must have been scared of dogs as she wasn't that close. Anyway, as she ran Lili kind of trotted after her. At this point I moved over to grab her and put her on lead and the tot ran further away and Lili actually tried to herd her! She didn't touch her but she bent down and zig-zagged around her I grabbed her and popped her on lead and she didn't even look at the child again, but it scared me, I don't want people to think she is a threat and I'd die if she hurt a child accidentally by knocking them over or nipping at their feet!! I'm also not sure what i can do about this behaviour. I know it's natural as she's a herding breed but I don't want her to herd kids. Our two are rarely around small children as we don't have any kids or many friends with them. She herds our other dog Mosley and is ball crazy but I've never seen her do that to a kid before! Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voloclydes Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 should be more of it..... some parents can't seem to keep there brood under control. as a country kid have had the dogs set on us more than once..... i think being a smart arse and saying you would not dare sealed our fate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 should be more of it..... some parents can't seem to keep there brood under control.as a country kid have had the dogs set on us more than once..... i think being a smart arse and saying you would not dare sealed our fate! Classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hello Gorgeous Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Totally unrelated but I was watching a game of soccer in the park among a bunch of teens, and the next thing I knew, two dachshunds ran onto the pitch and started chasing the ball as well trying to get in on the action I'm not sure what breed Lilli is, but here's an article about border collies and herding: http://www.gforcebordercollies.com/bordercolliesandkids.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 Totally unrelated but I was watching a game of soccer in the park among a bunch of teens, and the next thing I knew, two dachshunds ran onto the pitch and started chasing the ball as well trying to get in on the action I'm not sure what breed Lilli is, but here's an article about border collies and herding: http://www.gforcebordercollies.com/bordercolliesandkids.html She's an Australian Shepherd, thanks for the link, very interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voloclydes Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 talking of muging some one for a ball.... we once camped over night near a park in our caravan. in the morning the ball ocd jrt came out to find it was an afl kicking school in the morning... and what better thing than a footie. see the jrt was rehomed to us complete with his footie. so to see about 500 rolling around in the park he did not know which one to chase first. he was rushing round grabbing this one and that one. then stealing if off a small child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeChoc Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Totally unrelated but I was watching a game of soccer in the park among a bunch of teens, and the next thing I knew, two dachshunds ran onto the pitch and started chasing the ball as well trying to get in on the action I'm not sure what breed Lilli is, but here's an article about border collies and herding: http://www.gforcebordercollies.com/bordercolliesandkids.html Slightly OT but I love the newspaper comment on that page! So very apt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabrador Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Were the children playing in an off leash dog park? I can't say that I know too much about herding breeds but isn't nipping ankles a natural behaviour when they are in this mode? I'd be worried about letting this happen and ending up with a child being nipped and all the repercussions that follow (even though it's not an act of aggression). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 Yes it is an off leash oval, so not really a dog park, but dogs are allowed off leash. It's very large so usually there's plenty of room for people to keep to themselves but this one little girl ran out to where we were just as Lili was returning with her ball. The kids had no parents with them and wee quite young which isn't really the best but hey... That's my worry too! Tday she wasn't even that close to the child but now I'm paranoid she'll start chasing kids!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILK Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) May have been a one off Aussie3, Lili may have just been trying to get her back in the herd - as you say she was running away from Lili and her instict kicked in. My kelpie tried to herd the kids in the backyard when we first got him, I just kept a ball handy and each time he went to do it I would say "leave it" and reward with a throw of the ball. If yours is as ball crazy as mine she won't even look at the kids while you have a ball in your hand. Edited June 14, 2010 by ILK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 She's an Australian Shepherd, thanks for the link, very interesting! It is normal behaviour for a herding breed. You just need to make sure she has a perfect recall before letting her off lead where there are kids or anything else she may decide to herd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareyJ Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) Our local oval is an off lead area unless there are approved activities being undertaken and there are a range of age groups which train for AFL each night of the week during winter - this is quite handy for us because it means we get to walk under lights! I always have Leila on the lead because she does have a tendancy to want to join in and steals the footy so I just dont risk it but there are quite a few dogs who will play at one end of the oval (it is double sized) and the kids will train at the other and I have never seen any incidents until a group of 13/14 year olds did a cool down lap past the dogs playing and decided to bark at them. Only the young BC reacted out of 4 dogs and tried to herd the kids - they didnt know if it was funny or scary! The BC had a great time and it was quite amusing although totally inappropriate. The kids have since tried the same trick with me when Leila was on a lead - she ignored them for once but I didnt - straight to the parents and coaches to complain and they got 20 pushups for it I would much rather the consequences be 20 pushups than an incidental bite on the bum! Although that also might be a bit funny! Edited June 14, 2010 by CareyJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 She's an Australian Shepherd, thanks for the link, very interesting! It is normal behaviour for a herding breed. You just need to make sure she has a perfect recall before letting her off lead where there are kids or anything else she may decide to herd. Definitely, until now she has! Normally when I have the ball she is right by my side, but when she saw this kid she dropped her ball. I'll not be letting her off lead anywhere around kids after today trust me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) I think if your dog has a solid recall you'll be fine. I'm not sure how you feel about choke chains but, I used one for when my Aussie tried to chase bikes and cars, and he leaves them alone now. Edited June 14, 2010 by Emilie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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