change in dog's behavior

[Calizzy]

I have an Australian shepherd who will be 4 years old this summer. We have been his only owners since he was a puppy. I have 4 kids and he is great with them and loves them. Over the last few months I have noticed that he is beginning to be aggressive towards other children. We have a lot of kids coming through our house and the dog goes nut, barking a scary bark. Really scaring the other children. He didn't use to do this. Also, it is only towards children, not adults. I'm just really confused and sad about this behavior. He is so sweet with our family and I hate that he is scaring other children. Have you every experienced this or have any suggestions for this behavior? THanks, 

[fraidycat]

It sounds like, at some point, a non family kid hurt and/or scared your dog and the dog could some "pooch therapy"/behavioral re-programming training before he becomes a danger and a liability.

 

[Pawz4me]

1 minute ago, fraidycat said:

It sounds like, at some point, a non family kid hurt and/or scared your dog and the dog could some "pooch therapy"/behavioral re-programming training before he becomes a danger and a liability.

 

That was my thought, too.

Immediately--I'd keep him away from non-family kids. Keep him in a separate room, or let him stay outside (if you have a secure fence), or in a crate when other kids are there. The point being you don't want things to escalate any further. He's telling you loud and clear that the kids are stressing him. More exposure right now--until you get a good plan for dealing with the behavior--is almost certainly going to make him worse, not better.

A thorough vet check would be a good idea. There are some medical issues that can cause behavior changes--anything that's causing pain and thyroid issues are probably the two most common. It's probably unlikely to be a medical issue, but still -- it's a good idea to get him checked. Assuming everything is okay, I'd want to get a trainer in and get some ideas on/a plan for desensitization and re-training. The sooner you get started the easier that will be.

I'm sorry. It's challenging when a bad behavior involves kids.