Need advice on dog/baby

[deejeff442]

you could buy a mussle.
they make them so the dog cant bit or bark.
but they can still eat and drink
i have a friend that keeps one on his because it attacks the smaller dog but when he has the mussle on him they play together fine.
looks a bit sad on him but he runs up to me and plays like he's not even wearing it.
good luck

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by TexasMetal
http:///forum/post/2889244
Re-home the animal somewhere it's wanted. That would be the simplest, cheapest, least time-consuming way to solve the problem for both your family and the dog. The animal will undoubtedly be euthanized by any city animal control service if you take it to a shelter given its temperament. No one wants to adopt a dog that doesn't warm up to them immediately.
Most rescue groups are so overwhelmed (especially this time of year when people are getting animals for gifts) that they will tell you to take it to a shelter and they'll "have someone come by and look at it".
So, if you have a friend or someone you know that likes your dog and doesn't have small, squeaky, squirmy things crawling around the floor.
If there ever is a future canine in your home, obedience training from the start goes a long, long ways. Something I would ask is, when was the last time the dog went to the vet, and does it have any achy, stiff joints? Vision problems... any health condition that could be getting worse over time can very well lead to the dog being cranky although the "pack" situation as mentioned would probably be the most likely reason.
Cocker Spaniel and German Shepherd... haha, wow. Both breeds are noted as being temperamental. Cockers are the WORST dogs for children, and well, there's a reason the police use German Shepherds.
Dog just saw the vet and everything checks out physically. She was sleeping when the baby crawled up to her this time (the time she showed her teeth and growled) I let the dog in the family room today with the baby while I closely watched and the dog did what she usually does, she just got up and walked away when the baby came near her.
I've heard that cocker spaniels are not good with children, but if that's what she has in her, we didn't know that when we got her. She was very friendly at the shelter and fine the first couple of years we had her.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/2889600
you could buy a mussle.
they make them so the dog cant bit or bark.
but they can still eat and drink
i have a friend that keeps one on his because it attacks the smaller dog but when he has the mussle on him they play together fine.
looks a bit sad on him but he runs up to me and plays like he's not even wearing it.
good luck
Thanks, but I'm not gonna keep a muzzle on her all the time. Isn't that cruel?

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Al Mc
http:///forum/post/2889146
Alyssia....Sorry to hear about your situation, but SpiderWoman is correct.
I am a vet. I love animals. I particularly love my dogs. I have a child. If she were 8 months old and one of the dogs showed any unprovoked aggression towards her...the dog needs to removed from her presence.
There are many people who have done wonderful work acclimating/behavior changing dogs in a situation like yours, but what happens if they fail?
I would expect your vet to tell you the same. He/she might give you the name of a behavior specialist in your area. If you are within easy driving distance of a veterinary school they will have veterinary behaviorist on staff willing to try to assist you. For legal reasons they will probably insist you
sign a waiver releasing them from liability if someone gets hurt while they try to help your situation. I can not prescribe for your dog but I imagine there would be a drug like Clomicalm or Prozac used along with behavior modification
techniques.
The most difficult things I deal with are behavior issues as we can not get inside our pets minds and reason with them/discuss consequences for their actions.
Let me know if you have any specific questions and keep us abreast of how you will proceed.
Sorry, just reread some of the post and it appears you are wondering why this happens. The poster is correct that this is a 'pack mentality 'issue IMO. He is trying to figure out where the baby fits into the pack and is displaying aggression to try to make sure he maintains his position within the pack and that your baby is of lower 'rank'.
I think the closest vet school would be OSU (if that have a vet school) I think they do, but it's about 45 minutes away.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by FireRescue
http:///forum/post/2888874
I would be great if you could get that lady on tv that gets peoples dogs to behave and finds out why dogs act up the way they do, but I know that is not really possible. You do not want to take the chance of the dog biting the baby so I would say the safest thing is to get rid of the dog, it is not going to be easy but you have to do what is best.
Victoria Stillwell (or something like that)? I love that lady!

 

[deejeff442]

i thought it was cruel to see the dog with the muzzle on but it didnt seem to bother the dog.
i have 7 dogs my wife has acumulated from neighbors that dont get thiers fixed and the last was a stray that kept coming around.
one think i noticed is you cant train instinct out of them.
i would think a muzzle would be temporary untill the dog got used to the baby .
i have an akita ,she was our first she would always show her teeth to new dogs and in time she has just stopped and basiccly ignores them now.
a good friend of mine has a spaniel and she hasnt had a problem she had a baby with her around.
a muzzle is cheap eneough maybe try it ,you can still hear the dog growl so maybe in a few week she will get used to the new one and you could toss the muzzle .
i would think it's worth a try rather than putting her in a shelter hoping she gets adoped.
good luck

 

[texasmetal]

The dog shouldn't be muzzled for more than an hour at a time. It constricts their breathing and doesn't allow for them to drink water.

 

[t316]

alyssia, get rid of the dog.
Speaking from personal experience, get rid of the dog.

 

[deejeff442]

the muzzle doesnt restrict breathing.
i would think my friends dog would be dead then.
the muzzle alows the dog to open its mouth halfway ,it doesnt keep it closed.

 

[al mc]

Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/2890485
the muzzle doesnt restrict breathing.
i would think my friends dog would be dead then.
the muzzle alows the dog to open its mouth halfway ,it doesnt keep it closed.
There are several muzzles that can be worn 24/7 except when they need to eat/drink. If you google 'basket muzzle' you will probably see some.
However, I go back with my orginal comments....Dog growls at baby when not 'provoked'..dog needs to go.
Alyssia...Ohio State has an excellent vet school and should be an excellent resource for behavior modification if you want to go that way. Your vet can probably provide you with a name(s) and phone numbers of the behaviorists on staff.

 

[petjunkie]

Personally if you feel the dog is unsafe have it put down. I don't agree with pawning off a dog with possible issues and aggression towards people onto someone else. How do you know that dog will never be exposed to children ever again? How can you be sure the next owner will be responsible? There are plenty of dogs in need of homes that are completely trustwrothy around people, no place in this world for ones that aren't.
It sounds to me like this dog has been showing problems for years and not corrected or looked into, you should not have to lock your dog away when people come over. Honestly I don't consider growling that bad, how else do you expect her to show discomfort? Dogs can't talk. She is obviously uncomfortable around the baby, dogs don't automatically know what babies are, they don't act, smell or talk like big people do. The fact that she is fine with your older children reinforces that idea, babies are scary things to her. You can contact a good trainer in your area who may help but honestly given her behavior besides this if you don't plan on keeping and working with her I would have her put to sleep. I doubt her breed had anything to do with it, you also have to consider she is a mutt so not well bred to begin with, probably by people who didn't know squat about breeding at all and you have zero idea on how she was raised and socialized as a puppy.

 

[alyssia]

Thanks everyone-I have a friend whose sister is involved in a canine rescue group. She is going to be calling me soon. She may be willing to take her, which would be great because she has no kids-and doesn't plan on ever having any lol-and she is a major dog lover.

 

[liljay0418]

I have a siberian husky that has snapped two different small kids. The vet told me that the dog feels threatned when people are smaller or face level of the dog.

I can have her in side outside and whenever the little ones look at her (even through patio doors) she shows the teeth..

just had to throw her in garage for christmas........

 

[al mc]

Originally Posted by alyssia
http:///forum/post/2892017
Thanks everyone-I have a friend whose sister is involved in a canine rescue group. She is going to be calling me soon. She may be willing to take her, which would be great because she has no kids-and doesn't plan on ever having any lol-and she is a major dog lover.
Excellent news! I think she will be a happier dog and you will not have to worry that you have the potential for serious problems.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Al Mc
http:///forum/post/2892320
Excellent news! I think she will be a happier dog and you will not have to worry that you have the potential for serious problems.
She already has 3 dogs though, so if she takes her hopefully Lady will get along with them allright. She gets along with our shih tzu just fine. Actually they love to play together, so Teddy will be bummed if Lady goes.