# Zeus scared me last night!



## Christos0320 (Aug 19, 2010)

Zeus is the most non agressive pitbull I know. But at the same time he just turned 6 months old. Anyways last night Zeus scared the heck out of me and my son for a second. My son my self and Zeus were all in the family room watching tv and Zeus had fallen asleep. My son at the time had just gone in the kitchen to get a glass of water and as he was coming back Zeus most have been awaken by the noise and not only barked loudly but also was making quite a different sounding growl and kinda quickly confronted my son. I believe as soon as he realised it was nathan he backed off but i had to yell at zeus and tell him to back off. It scared the crap out of me.

Do you think this type of behavior is normal due to Zeus just maybe being startled while in a deep sleep? 

Anyone ever experianced this?


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## Chump (Nov 20, 2010)

tough to say. Make sure you watch the pup close. Don't leave your child with him alone. Unfortunately, dogs aren't always predictable. Better to be safe than sorry.


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## wild_deuce03 (Aug 14, 2010)

Christos0320 said:


> I believe as soon as he realised it was nathan he backed off but i had to yell at zeus and tell him to back off. It scared the crap out of me.


OK, clarify please. Did Zeus stop once he realized it was your son or did you have to make him stop?


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## Jester09 (Oct 22, 2009)

We had a small terrier that my parents got me when I was around 6-7 that I named Sweetie. She was the most tolerable, non aggressive dog I've ever seen. However, I remember one time she was asleep in my parents room and I went up and started petting and talking to her, which woke her up, and she nearly bit my face off. lol. That's the only time she had ever shown any kind of behavior like this, and ended up being me startling her out of her sleep, in a bed of people she was to protect. As soon as she saw it was me, she began to wag her tail and try to tell me she was sorry basically. However, I was 6-7 at the time and was pretty hysteric at having a black ball of fluff come snapping at my face haha. But it worked out in the long run. So I agree with wild_duece13 here. Did Zeus stop on his own? After he stopped, did he still seem scared/agitated?


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## k8nkane (Jul 9, 2010)

wild_deuce03 said:


> OK, clarify please. Did Zeus stop once he realized it was your son or did you have to make him stop?


This. It makes all the difference.

One night I came home from work and had quite a few heavy things in my arms as well as my hood up because it was raining. My pups, who were in the crate, didn't start wagging their tails like they normally would've once they heard the door open (I can always hear it against the metal even if I can't see it). It was dead silent. I didn't think anything of it and walked over to the room where their crates are.

Both Roxie and Kane put on their big dog barks and were growling and making a ruckus. As soon as I put the things in my arms down and turned on the light, their tails started wagging. I think their response was different because 1) my outline was different in the dark and 2) my steps were heavier with the things in my arms.


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## Rudy4747 (Nov 29, 2009)

This is very true most Dog will bark at you if they can not recognize you but should stop as soon as they see it is you. I want to point out that only 6 months there is no way to see that he is non aggressive he is still in his puppy stage so it is important to keep an eye on his behavior.


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## Lex's Guardian (Aug 8, 2009)

My dog does that if he hears the doorbell ring on the television while he's asleep. Or if I walk into the bedroom late at night & I'm going to sleep after everyone. Once the dogs realize it's me it's happy times & back to bed. Lex started this about 6 months or so, not once have I felt out of control in the situation & he'll be 2 years a week from today. I've never trusted another dog more so than I trust my own.

I think the dog just got scared from being awoken mid dream, he knows who his ppl are & this is a Non human aggressive breed. I wouldn't worry but still doesn't hurt to be cautious as the parent.


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## Christos0320 (Aug 19, 2010)

Thanks for all the great posts. Yeah as soon as he realized it was nathan and me yelling at him he stopped and tried to lick my son. Just scared me a bit that's all.


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## aprilortego (Aug 23, 2010)

This has happened to us twice in the last 2 months. Nila and Lil Man (min pin) sleep in the room with us and my 2.5 year old daughter has woken up in the middle of the night and has came to my room without making any noise which has startled both dogs and they jump up running and barking at her. She screams and they both stop and lick her to death. It does scare me as a parent even though I know they were just startled but just for saftey, I put a baby gate up in the hall and nightlights to prevent her from coming in the room and startling the dogs and the dogs running at her barking and also, they can see who she is now.


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## Black Label Romo (Oct 15, 2009)

aprilortego said:


> This has happened to us twice in the last 2 months. Nila and Lil Man (min pin) sleep in the room with us and my 2.5 year old daughter has woken up in the middle of the night and has came to my room without making any noise which has startled both dogs and they jump up running and barking at her. She screams and they both stop and lick her to death. It does scare me as a parent even though I know they were just startled but just for saftey, I put a baby gate up in the hall and nightlights to prevent her from coming in the room and startling the dogs and the dogs running at her barking and also, they can see who she is now.


Scared or startled...or whatever...I would not tolerate this...I could care less if the dog was dreaming of milkbones and he was awoken...lol...I could not risk the safety of my daughter...especially being so young...those dogs would be crated overnight in a HEARTBEAT...a babygate is no competition to a grown dog...jmo though...hope everything works out for you!


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

This happens its not the dogs fault their startled out of a deep sleep. Startle me out of a deep sleep you might get punched in the face before I realize its you. This has happened lol. With children so young who can walk freely around the home while your sleep, the dogs should be crated, children learn to climb baby gates as well.

But yea key is if they stop once they notice who it is. I have a Shnorkie who is basically sleep blind meaning once he's sleep if he's awakened he recognizes NO one for a good yappy 3 mins its annoying as heck. Teach the kids never approach a sleeping dog or get the dog use to napping in a quiet corner away from everyone least til the dog is use to particular sounds in your home, especially those of your kids. When my children were younger all my dogs once I seen them asleep some where I'd wake em and send them to their crate to sleep. My oldest was accidently grazed by a tooth and needed stitches by my sleeping Rottie, the pup was only 7 months and whimpered as soon as she realized, cowered in a corner, my little girl who is now 22 even said mommy don't be mad it was an accident, I touched her sleepy. So I would just suggest you give her a nap area or crate her.


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## duckyp0o77 (Dec 5, 2008)

DueceAddicTed said:


> This happens its not the dogs fault their startled out of a deep sleep. *Startle me out of a deep sleep you might get punched in the face before I realize its you. This has happened *lol. With children so young who can walk freely around the home while your sleep, the dogs should be crated, children learn to climb baby gates as well.
> .


What you said!!


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## aprilortego (Aug 23, 2010)

Well I don't crate Nila during the night due to the fact she is crated all day and what kind of life would she have spending all day in a crate and all night. My daughter can not climb the baby gate because it is actually a dog gate and it is taller then her and the poles run up and down, there is no way for her to get foothold to climb it. It has only happened twice and both of the times it happened my daughter did not make a sound and startled both dogs. Since the night light has been put up the dogs can see her and she can see them. She does not wonder around the house and this was the only two times it has happened. I took the the measurments I deem safe to prevent anymore problems. I don't consider Nila mean or aggressive because she was startled and barked at my daughter on 2 occasions. My daughters life is more important than any pet and if I feel my child is unsafe in any way shape or form, Nila will be history. I will not tolerate any human aggression from any beed of animal and being startled and barking to me is not human agression. If she continued to bark after noticing my child than yes, that would raise a red flag to me but she noticed my daughter and licked her and that was the end of it.


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

I don't think anyone suggested H/A. Glad you took the precautions needed. I guess my kids are just great climbers .....


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## Sadie (Jun 18, 2008)

Christos0320 said:


> Zeus is the most non agressive pitbull I know. But at the same time he just turned 6 months old. Anyways last night Zeus scared the heck out of me and my son for a second. My son my self and Zeus were all in the family room watching tv and Zeus had fallen asleep. My son at the time had just gone in the kitchen to get a glass of water and as he was coming back Zeus most have been awaken by the noise and not only barked loudly but also was making quite a different sounding growl and kinda quickly confronted my son. I believe as soon as he realised it was nathan he backed off but i had to yell at zeus and tell him to back off. It scared the crap out of me.
> 
> Do you think this type of behavior is normal due to Zeus just maybe being startled while in a deep sleep?
> 
> Anyone ever experianced this?


Yes I have had my dogs bark at my kids being startled but once they realized it was them it stopped immediately I didn't have to say anything the dogs just realized who it was and stopped. You need to just continue to watch the dog and make sure you don't allow the dog to ever be left alone with a small child for any period of time. When the dog and child are out at the same time you need to make sure you are there supervising at all times. It's just a safety concern no matter what type of dog animals are still animals. It's also a good idea to crate dogs at night for their own safety especially with little ones running around. I wouldn't worry about it though just be aware that dogs do get startled and continue to watch for any major changes in your dogs behavior.


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## aprilortego (Aug 23, 2010)

DueceAddicTed said:


> I don't think anyone suggested H/A. Glad you took the precautions needed. I guess my kids are just great climbers .....


Sorry, I didn't mean that anyone suggested it, I just ment that I will not tolerate HA and the barking that Nila has done (in my eyes) was not H/A

I should have worded that better


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