[maluma]

Hi everyone. I'm a proud Mom of a 10-week old Australian Cattle Dog. He is absolutely gorgeous and most certainly the smartest puppy I've had. I'm already doing quite a lot of subtle training, and he quickly learns the rules of the house. I have a neighbor with two very small kids ( I think age 2 and 3), who keeps asking me about letting the puppy play with her kids. We're sharing a yard, so I tell her that once the puppy is old enough to stay in the yard when I'm gone (without having to worry that he might get stolen), I would be glad for them to play with him.
Now today I was about to take the puppy for a short walk in the park, and as I was sitting in the car, this neighbor came and said: "I thought you're going to let us play with the puppy". Before I could react, she grabbed the puppy out of the car, said "I want to take him inside our hose for a little bit", and took off!!!
I found this totally rude and offensive! I don't just grab her kids to take them in my house! I stepped out of the car, and saw how my scared puppy ran off through their house and she chasing after him, before she brought him back, saying "Oh, he just has to get used to us."
I want my puppy to be socialized and get used to her kids, but I don't feel comfortable just leaving him with them where he is just going to be scared. Plus, I'm also afraid that it would infer with his training. Small kids are not always too gentle with a puppy.
Am I weird or too possessive of my puppy to see it this way? I think once I start leaving him in the yard in a couple of weeks or so, they can play with him then and hopefully also treat him with a bit more respect at that time. I don't want him to bite them or anything once he's grown, since I read Australian Cattle Dog don't usually get along with kids too well. Any suggestions?

 

[GeorgieGirl]

First off, welcome to the dog forum Maluma! Do you have pics of your pupster?
Now, NO!! You are not "weird or too possessive" of your puppy. If this had happened to me I would have called the cops. What she did was totally out of line, dangerous to the pup and disrespectiful to your rules, and you have every right to never let her near the pup again. I would also not leave this pup no matter his age, outside while you are gone. Period. I would not trust this girl and you are very smart to feel uncomfortable leaving your pup with her for a visit with the kids or anything else.
You are smart to have started training and socialization. You also see that the socialization with these kids needs to happen in a controlled environment with you there and the pup relaxed and not stressed out.
I think that you have every right to set strict grounds rules for the mother as to when and if her kids can play with the pup. If she has issues-to bad for her. In the long run, it's your dog and you have control over the situation.
I hope that once the newness of the pup wears off, you will not have to deal with her offensive actions and the pup and the kids will be friends. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[maluma]

Thanks, GeorgieGirl. I just hate having a bad relationship with my immediate neighbors and haven't had any real problems with them so far, but the more I thought it over, the more I decided that indeed there is no way I'll let her take my puppy in her house again. If she wants her kids to be able to play with a puppy so bad, then she better get her own puppy for them!
I do have pictures of the little guy. He has already grown so much in the four weeks I've had him now;-) It constantly surprises me how fast he learns.

 

[GeorgieGirl]

Oh my gosh! He is beyond adorable! I love his face!! I just want to give him tons of smoochies! What's his name?
I have a corgi/queensland cross named Fred who is such a smarty! I really like the hearding breeds, they are so smart and level headed!
Btw I think you made a good decision about your neighbor...
Thanks for the pics!