[speeder]

Train the child, while you are at it. Some dogs are incredibly patient about taking abuse from kids, (like trying to climb on the dog's back), but if the kid doesn't learn fast they will do it to the wrong dog somewhere and get mauled. An angry dog vs. a small child is an ugly thing.

The Sheepdog sounds like a good dog, she is simply trying to communicate her displeasure w/ the kid. Nothing wrong w/ correcting the dog anytime she growls around children, but mostly you can never let small kids play w/ a dog unsupervised. It will be a matter of minutes, if not sooner, before they cross the line of abuse on the animal. It is the kids who need training.