Canine aggression.

[Common Sense]

Get your dog neutered.

I'd consult with a trainer.

If it all doesn't work out, find a home for the dog without children. Killing the dog shouldn't be an option just because he hasn't been properly trained. Training doesn't mean hitting the dog. That will only make aggression worse.

Honestly, if you're even contemplating killing your dog, you probably shouldn't own one.

[Dr. Who]

A dog that shows aggression to helpless children has no place in society. If it can't learn to current that behavior, he has signed his own death warrant.

That being said, I plan on doing my part to try to avoid that as best I can.

Sent from my evil cell phone.

You indicated that he is unneutered. First thing is get him neutered. Poodles can be prone to aggression. You need to train him not to be aggressive. At 5-months he's becoming a teenager - you don't want him to become an "adult" or he will continue to test those boundaries. He recognizes you as the alpha male but doesn't yet know his own place in the pack. Stop playing aggressive games with him immediately. If you can, take him to a training class. He needs to know basic commands that he takes from all members of the family. Engage him in non-aggressive play like throwing a ball and having him retrieve and release it on command. Do not play with him if he growls. Say no, and walk away from him. Don't let your children play with him unsupervised and don't let them tease him, especially with food.

Your kids need to be trained in how to command the dog and until they can do so with the dog obeying, you are taking a risk. Until he is trained, no tug of war type games and no rough and tumble games. It encourages aggression in an untrained dog. Tug of war and rough and tumble is what pups do to emulate hunting, killing and assuming their place in the pack (which often involves violence). As he gets bigger he will see himself as equal to the children and you don't want that so you need him to understand his place and you can only do that with proper training. Do not hit the dog. That will only result in resentment and aggression. Dogs are very social and respond to tone of voice as well as being ignored when they engage in inappropriate activities. They want your attention and affection, so when you withhold it when they misbehave, they associate not getting what they want with the bad behavior. Poodles are very intelligent, as are Goldens, so with the right training your pup can be a very good dog. It's up to you and your family to learn how to bring the best out of your pup. If you fail and can't train out the aggression, please just give the dog up to someone who can.

[roadmaster]

I use to raise Lhasa Apso's. Not one of them was ever aggressive towards my kids in fact they loved them, but you have to teach them they are not dangerous and they don't need to be nervous around kids. 5 months is a little old but can still be trained. If not your kids are more important.

[Dr. Who]

A dog that shows aggression to helpless children has no place in society. If it can't learn to current that behavior, he has signed his own death warrant.

That being said, I plan on doing my part to try to avoid that as best I can.

Sent from my evil cell phone.

You need to understand that all dogs growl, even as puppies. It's what they do. There is no such thing as a pup that doesn't growl - to them it can also be a challenge to play. If you can't spring for dog training, check with friends who have well-behaved friendly dogs and ask them what to do. Perhaps bring your dog over and let them show you.

[Cthulhu]

From my experience, I'd say the issue is dominance.

It knows you're the leader and isn't going to challenge that. It doesn't see your child as an alpha and I don't know how you'd change that.

I'd hope you would reconsider just rehoming it. Not all dogs tolerate children, nor should they.

A good point. However it doesn't have to recognize the toddler as an alpha. But it does need to recognize the behavior towards the kids is no good.

It can recognize the kids later when the kid can actually exert proper authority over it. In the meantime, he just needs to deal. But it's likely he'll be getting neutered. Wanted to avoid it, but the kid is way more important.

Sent from my evil cell phone.

[Hoosier8]

3/4 poodle 1/4 golden retriever.

5 months old. Showing some aggression towards the youngest member of family (2.5 year old daughter). Won't show aggression to any others in family.

I purposely put him (not neutered) in awkward situations and positions to test him for aggression. And if need be, correct it. Hasn't shown any signs of aggression towards me ever except during play where I bat at his paws and stuff. Play growling and such is fine but that business growling is cool only when done to an intruder.

But him growling at my daughter when I'm not near is a problem for me.

Open to suggestions. Dog savvy people welcome. Just remember I am on team people and this dog will either figure out his place in my pack (the bottom) or he will be likely euthanized.

Sent from my evil cell phone.

All dogs can be aggressive. The real danger is with kids. Dogs go for the face if they can and I have seen pictures in medical books. Not good. You don't know what triggers the aggression so keep the dog away from the kid.

[Cletus]

A dog that shows aggression to helpless children has no place in society. If it can't learn to current that behavior, he has signed his own death warrant.

That is the sort of nonsense I would expect from Pickle. There are a hundred different reasons your dog may not take to your kid... anything from not wanting to share your affection to the way she smells. if you can't correct the situation, adopt the dog out to a couple without kids or even kids who are older than yours and the problem disappears.

The dog is still a pup. It could easily adjust to new surroundings if necessary.

[Dr. Who]

A good point. However it doesn't have to recognize the toddler as an alpha. But it does need to recognize the behavior towards the kids is no good.

It can recognize the kids later when the kid can actually exert proper authority over it. In the meantime, he just needs to deal. But it's likely he'll be getting neutered. Wanted to avoid it, but the kid is way more important.

Sent from my evil cell phone.

You didn't mention that the child is a toddler. All the more reason to keep any contact strictly supervised. This is true for all dogs. Toddlers are very unpredictable and may grab at the dog aggressively. At 5-months it won't understand. Yes, neuter him ASAP. Dogs are intelligent but at best they are at the level of a three-year-old. At five months they are a two-year-old with teenage hormones. Basically, like a 13-year-old kid with the capacity of a two-year-old to understand. Don't have impossible expectations of the animal. He is still a puppy. Training small children and puppies have some similarities.

[Abby08]

Small children are at a dog's eye level, dogs see direct/prolonged eye contact as a threat.

Perhaps, re-home the dog with a family that has no small children.

Some dogs just aren't comfortable with small children, they get nervous and, can react badly....the sudden movements, the noises made by a child.

I'm not sure how long I'd play the, ' wait and see,' game, if you can't be totally comfortable with the dog being around your daughter, rehoming should occur sooner, rather than later.

[Abby08]

You need to understand that all dogs growl, even as puppies. It's what they do. There is no such thing as a pup that doesn't growl - to them it can also be a challenge to play. If you can't spring for dog training, check with friends who have well-behaved friendly dogs and ask them what to do. Perhaps bring your dog over and let them show you.

There's a big difference between play growling and, aggressive growling...it's easy to tell the difference.

A lot of times, if a dog that young has aggression issues, it will have them for life.