Grandaughter scared of my 2 dogs

athena I don’t mean to be argumentative but we don’t know the child has an irrational fear she may have been accidentally scratched or jumped at (especially as the poster speaks of the dogs jumping at the younger child)
It may be a perfectly rational fear

Thank you all for your messages. A lot of different opinions. I had a dog when my daughter was at home. The only thing I can think of is that one day when my daughter was here she said to my grandaughter the dogs are fine they might nip a bit because they are puppies but it won't hurt. Other than that she he's not had any bad encounter with a dog.

My two grandchildren were terrified of dogs. My son found an extremely placid rescue dog. He explained to the RSPCA the need for a gentle dog. The dog is so laid back he can barely be bothered to wag his tail. The kids knew that he was on trial, he proved a success. They adore him and now accept other dogs that approach when they take the dog for his evening run in the park.

I think the parents have to be proactive. In the meantime, sadly, your beloved dogs need to be kept well away from your grandaughter. There is no other solution. Her irrational fear is very real to her.

So sorry it's a problem, I'm sure your dogs are delightful and you love them very much. It's hard for you.

The child doesn’t have to like the dogs it sounds as if even her younger sibling isn’t that keen as you say he tolerates them unless they jump up at him I would imagine that’s your answer she liked them when they were small weak little puppies but now at 3 years old although small dogs they will be much more energetic and they have probably jumped up at her without you realising
She doesn’t have to like dogs or cats it’s not compulsory they are not for everyone and she doesn’t need therapy

I had a dog for my three children when they were at primary school we had her 8 years she was a very kind docile pretty little mongrel and I thought it was good for them to have pets and they all liked her but now not one of my kids have ever had any affinity to dogs or even cats and none of them have pets of their own
Some people are just not animal people it’s not to do with hate or even always fear It’s just what it is
I ve has dogs and cats over the years but I don’t want them now I have some friends who never shut up about their wonderful animals even putting birthday wishes on FB, I ask you like they can read
One poster says they can’t believe the dog haters on here that’s nonsense no one has said they hate them each to his own

I can’t believe all the dog haters either especially the person who brutally said get rid of the dogs. The best thing is to shut the dogs behind a baby gate so that the
Title girl can see the dogs but not have them near her. Also some people on here would do well to remember that for some elderly people their dog is their main companion and their reason for living

I have a dog phobia and get sick of people saying ‘it won’t hurt you’ a fear is a fear.
I’ve had hypnosis which has helped but I’ll never be a dog lover.
Some days it works better than others.
Plus the size of the dog makes a difference
Don’t force them on her or she or you’ll find she won’t come to you any more

We have a small dog that is overprotective of us. When our grandson was born last year, we made a decision to board the dog when our grandson is visiting. So, our dog goes to visit a friend and enjoys rough housing with his two dogs. Our grand son is safe and we can enjoy his visits. It just isn't worth it to me to take a chance. It is only a few times a year. When we go to our grandson's house, we get a dog sitter to come to our house. I go up frequently by myself and leave the dog with my husband. I think a dog gate is a good solution as well for short daytime visits. For a fearful child, even if your dogs are safe companions, it seems like a good compromise.

Could be a phobia. My sister had a phobia of spiders. I can remember when I was 4 and she was barely 2, my parents coming in every evening and sweeping the ceiling because she was convinced she could see spiders on it. No one had any idea where this fear came from.

This child could have had a nightmare about dogs so long ago that nobody remembers it, least of all her, which is why she has this fear.

Stop wasting time discussing how or why the fear started. Just accept she has it and keep the dogs out of her way.

"*desensitisation therapy*" - there it is again - people who do not like dogs need therapy. GRRRR!

Don't her parents know why she is scared of dogs? It sounds to me as if she either was bitten when smaller or scared by a barking dog, or a male dog that tried to hump her.

For the time being keep the dogs out of her way. Shut the door to whichever room they are in and tell her that they can't get out and that she doesn't need to go in there.

I baulk at the suggestion that a child of seven should confront her fears - time enough for that when she is adult.

If no fuss is made, she might just grow out of her fears, but admittedly that isn't likely.

Are her parents fond of dogs, or is this an inherited fear?

agnurse gives some great advice about desensitisation therapy - if your granddaughter is frightened of dogs she needs to get over this for her own good during the rest of her life. Of course, her fears may be irrational or indeed based on the odd nip from one of your dogs, but there are thousands of dogs in the world, and she has to live with it. More to the point, people with fears such as these always pass them on to their own children in very subtle ways so something needs to be done to help her. Desensitisation works - I grew up with a totally irrational fear of snakes brought on by hallucinations after a very strong drug for unrelenting migraine - every time I heard about an escaped python 200 miles away I would have nightmares - eventually I visited a reptile sanctuary abroad where I was able to observe snakes, then handle them under very strict supervision, and now I'm OK. I still step back when I see one in my garden in my holiday home abroad, but I don't have any kind of meltdown.
I also have one grandchild who's wary of his own two dogs, whereas his sister is completely hands-on with them and totally in control. He has been like this since being a toddler in a buggy when he showed a fear of birds, especially pigeons. It's about not being able to control one's environment, and too much need for control is detrimental to the mental health of the person, so please help your granddaughter.

It's odd that this has come about recently MooMoo but children often develop strange fears for a time for no apparent reason.
If things continue like this despite your best efforts you are left with only two choices
Either you only see your grandchildren at their home or you rehome the dogs. The fear the children feel may well transmit to the dogs and cause them to snap. I am a dog lover and have three but I wouldn't be comfortable with this situation if it persists.

My little DGD and GGCs come here on a regular basis and I always make sure that the safety gates keep them away from my 2 x dogs,one is like the OPs and a Lhasa so she is very small she is also very friendly the other one is a Basset Hound who also is very friendly with everyone she comes into contact with (specially children) but she is a heavy dog and she just only has to knock into one of the little ones and they would fall over so the gates ate kept on separating them all the time.Children before dogs every time in this house.

Typo! Should have been aged, not added ✅

We have two well behaved smallish dogs, and 5 grandchildren added 18 months to 7 years. I have never left our dogs alone with our grandchildren because children and dogs are potentially unpredictable. I’m not risking even one little nip from a dog, whether or not in self defence.

One granddaughter who was very ok with our dogs ? is now quite nervous after being frightened by a dog staying with her other grandparents. She will, after a while, play with our dogs but I don’t think that she will ever be as relaxed as she used to be, I’m afraid.

I was brought up with dogs and am not scared of them, nor do I dislike them. I do however dislike the owners who can't be bothered to train their pets, treat them like babies, let them run loose or on very long leads in public places and expect everyone else to love them (I'm definitely not saying this applies here, btw!). The "he won't hurt you, he's only playing" mantra is so irritating. Especially when, as happened to my husband, the dog then proceeds to bite your leg, drawing blood through denim jeans. Apparently that was because he was carrying a newspaper. Good job it wasn't one of our young DGS carrying it then, isn't it?

As you say, your grandchild has to come first, OP. Give her time, away from your dogs altogether, and she may grow out of her fear. On the other hand, perhaps she won't. When you say they are fussy dogs and like to say hello, does this involve jostling her or jumping up, which she would find scary?

I too was bitten on the face by a dog age around 3, never allowed dogs while growing up as soon as I got married parents got a dog, don't remember being afraid of them at all, have dogs of our own now. The little boy over the road was afraid a fear put in by his mum and fear of germs but we got him cuddly toys and books with dog stories for birthday and Christmas, gradually he got used to him and now when he comes over asks for him to be let in garden and throws ball for him, still not to keep on touching him. So I would say take it very slowly and let kids get used to them and make the first moves themselves.

I am so scared of dogs that when my friend, who lives an hour's journey away, got a dog I was hesitant to visit her. When I did it jumped on me, barked so much and generally snapped at me whenever I moved. I have chosen to not to visit her anymore simply because of the dog. She no longer goes out longer than 2 hours because he gets upset when she goes out. So I guess our friendship is slowly ending after 35 years. My grandchildren would always come first instead of a dog though and I would keep it far from them if it scared them too much. On the other hand that's me as someone who's scared of dogs , it must be difficult to get it right if the dogs are a part of you.

Thank you all for your replies. We have had the dogs for 3 years now, at first my grandaughter would have them on her lap and run around the garden with them. She has never been allowed to be with them on her own. This fear has come on over the last couple of years. They are fussy dogs and like to say hello and then go off. She doesn't like other dogs or cats. I have shown her the photograps of her with the dogs when she was younger and they were puppies. She has a brother who is 2 who will tolerate them in the same room as long as they don't jump up at him.. She is quite happy to poke treats into their cage for them but goes mad when they are out. My grandaughter does come first before the dogs and always will. I am just a bit baffled by this, she has never been bitten by a dog.

I cannot understand why people are expected to like dogs and if they don’t then they need to be desensitised or just learn to like them. In my mind dog owners are often unreasonable and let their pets charge up to you, jump up, lick you. Ugh ! They say things like “ He won’t hurt you, he is just being friends or He likes you “. When will dog owners accept that much as they love their smelly pooch, some people don’t. Some dogs are aggressive, dangerous and out of control.
I think it is very sensible to be wary of them and think all dogs should, by law, have to be muzzled when out.

Can't believe all the dog haters on here. You can learn a lot from a dog. They are loyal, faithful animals who give unconditional love. Our GC were scared of our dog when they were little, but they gradually overcame it and used fight over who could hold her lead in the end! Keep trying with your GD MooMoo and I'm sure she'll come round. Good luck!

It would be a pity if she goes through life scared of dogs.
I would try anything to get her to see they are friendly while warning that not all dogs love children so to be careful of strange dogs.
Luckily my DGC all loved our dog before she died at a ripe old age & she adored them!! Especially if they dropped food on the floor when they were tiny- she made a great hoover.

You need to kept dogs and child apart. I am not a dog lover at all, attacked as a child and husband suffered a brutal dog attack 4 years ago which put him in hospital and had to have surgery. Being walkers we come across a lot of dogs and they start jumping up and barking and then the owners say "He/She is only playing". Perhaps you could get a cute toy dog and introduce dogs slowly and safely only if you are totally sure of your dogs safety to your grandchild. Or could someone else look after the dogs when you have your grandchild? Good luck.

My 7 year old granddaughter is scared of dogs and finds visits to the park intolerable. I remember a big dog barking in her face when she was a toddler in her buggy. I was bitten in the face by my aunts farm dog when I was nine so I have no love or trust in dogs. Recently someone shook a collection tin at me for Dogs Trust. I said I didn't like dogs. The person could hardly believe what I'd said.

Get rid of the dogs .