My dog bite strength based on person's size

[Sedgehammer]

This is weird. We babysit our grand daughter and our friends little boy. Both since birth. The little boy will be 4 in april and our grand daughter will be 2 in May

Once the kids starting walking and they get close me our my kids, our dog will nip at them occasionally, but the nips are very soft. They've gotten harder as the boy has aged, I'm expecting the same for our grand daughter. Our dog 'Pickles' will love on my boy and his wife. She hates the parents of the little boy. When she's not nipping, she usually puts herself between my kids and ones we're watching

Not sure what to do. Yes she gets punished when she does it, but still does it. I've tried scolding, remove to the bedroom and swat. Nothing helps. If it continues, she'll not be here any longer

Any ideas

[Southside]

You have a high prey drive breed of dog that is doing what comes naturally to it, herding.

Do the right thing and find the pup the appropriate forever home. 

[GAB]

I'd make sure that dog is properly vacinated for rabies.
GAB

[Walnut Beast]

Correct it a little bit more with a little whip or belt with commands at the same time or a pinch collar on a leash with a little correction, keep it away from them or maybe find him another home without kids. Some dogs are bullheaded big time! Mine is 😂

[Old Greenhorn]

What breed is pickles? She looks like she is part or mostly shetland sheepdog or a related breed. If so, these dogs are extremely smart and very devoted, as well as 'look for work' where they can find it. I have known many and one was my best buddy for years. The nipping, as stated, is instinct and part of how they herd. 
 I don't think you mentioned how old she was, but these dogs can really learn if you spend the time and know how. When they get mature, they can be harder to learn new things, hence the old adage. Try grabbing her snout and holding it firmly, but don't squeeze to hurt her, just hold it while you let her know that was "bad!". As the alpha male you should be able to do this and it directs her attention to the mouth which is the problem. Yelling rarely works and often animals get confused as to what they did to get put on time out. Grabbing the snout as soon as something happens helps to make the message clear. For myself, I have never known hitting a dog to do much good except to remind them you are the boss.

[SawyerTed]

A spray bottle that will shoot a stream of water is an excellent training device.   Anticipating the bite or other behavior is key.  A shot of water to the face with verbal commands is an effective training technique.  

If that doesn't work, I'm with Southside, rehoming is the next step. 

[Tom King]

Herding breeds have been selected for doing that for centuries.

[Sedgehammer]

Southside - No high pray drive. Stays away from the other animals for the most part. Will go 'visit' our guardian dogs when we feed on occasion, but leaves as soon a the pigs or chickens get to close to her

Gab - She's been in our house since she was a pup. Stays in the house

Walnut - She's hard headed

Greenhorn - she's a toy american shepherd. She's 5 years old. I've been trying to correct this for 3 years since the boy was here

Sawyer - I'll try that. My wife bought a shock collar, if that don't work, she'll get that

Tom - not people. She should be able to know the difference 

[peakbagger]

Standard advice for Australian Shepards is they need training early on or they will take over. . If you do not train them they will train you. It definitely not a first time dog. As they grow older, they will need a full time job, if you do not give them one they will make one up and usually its going to be bothering someone. If its left anywhere solo for any reason, its the wrong dog.

[Sedgehammer]

Peakbagger - she's my dog, as I'm the alpha. Sits by me. Sleeps @ my feet. Curls up in my lap first. Will go check on the kids throughout the night.  Listens to me on everything else and right now. If I'm not in the house she'll be with the kids. Then my wife. She doesn't rule our house

[beenthere]

she'll not be here any longer

The answer.

Either be it the dog is gone, or the kids the dog is nipping gone.

[Tom King]

We're just another kind of animal to them.  She's doing her bred to do job.  Keeping the flock or herd in control.

One of our puppies will occasionally get the herding gene, evidently.  It's very rare, less than 1 in a hundred, but they will try to control children, who move differently than us adults.  It's usually when one is heading to a door, or takes off running.  We don't place those in homes with children.

The two that I can remember went on to become great performance dogs. One was and probably still is the top Havanese in Rally, and also has the highest titles in Agility, Barn Hunt, and several other things that I can't even remember.  

[Southside]

Southside - No high pray drive

The kids are the prey. 

[hedgerow]

Pickles is what in my area is a cattle dog. Back when I had cattle we had a pair. Best dogs I ever had. We never had kids of our own. When ever anyone showed up with kids those two went into the shop and stayed there until the kids were gone. It was also there winter home. They will try to heard kids and they will nip them. They are a working dog not a pet. It's time to find Pickles a forever home on a farm or ranch working animals. That's what those dogs are bred to do. 

[OH logger]

We have a border collie and it loves to be with the steers. It likes to be with people but loves to be with the cattle. She will herd the kids in the yard. Won't hurt em but nips their heels. She seems like she likes to have everything in a group. Whether that be cattle or kids. Is that what others have noticed about herding dogs??

[Log-it-up]

I would try a muzzle and keep her on a leash when the kids are around maybe keep the leash on so she is right by your side all the time for awhile even when there not she is not young but with time I think it's manageable 

[barbender]

We have an Aussie/Heeler cross that I just won't allow to be around younger kids. They trigger his herding instincts and he tries to nip them. Not good for him or little kids. 

 We also used to have a Aussie/Border Collie cross. She also had a strong drive to herd things (kids and chickens, in this case😊). She wouldn't let the kids leave the yard. 

 The herding trait has been ingrained over hundreds of years of selective breeding, it's their programming. I find it easier to work around it than try to change it.

 Another thing that I like to remind myself- no dog is truly 100% safe with kids. Even though the herding dogs always have my attention because of their nipping tendencies, only one of my dogs has bitten one of our kids. He was the mellowest, sweetest Lab cross🤷 He bit one of our girls when she was only about a year and a half old. She had to get about 20 stitches on her forehead, I shudder to think of how it could've been of he had bitten her right on her face and disfigured her. 

[Sedgehammer]

Thanks everyone for your inputs

Here's my counter point. We got her when she was a year old. Never once nipped at my little kids at the time. They were 4 & 5 then. There's other kids that come and she let's them hold her and cuddle her. She doesn't try to herd any of our other animals

Anyways, I'll try to formulate a game plan