jealousy?

[youngmumtobe20]

my partner and i recently got a puppy, between the time i miscarried and the time i found out i was pg again. he now 16 weeks and altho he's never shown agrresion towards people he had been protective and jealous anround other dogs when walking him.

but yesterday we had OH little brothers and sisters around age 6, 8 and 5 months and he got snappy with the two older kids when all they were doing was going to stroke him... we think it might have been cos they were crowding him but later on when i was feeding the baby he was on the floor looking at me showing his teeth and barking, i had to ask OH to shut him in the kitchen cos it was worrying me, i know he wudnt have hurt me and the baby, but he's still young, im worried cos by the time bubs comes along he'll be almost fully grown, and if he gets jealous and does snap he cud really hurt one of us, especially bubs.

has anyone else been in the this situation with a dog? we dont want to give him up unless we absolutely have to but i dont know how we would get the jealousy out of him

 

[purple13]

hiya

we had similar probs with our collie when she was younger. we had to
have extensive training as a family to help stop her behaviour...

'fraid you need to teach your dog that he isn't head of the household and that it is, in fact, the least of your considerations. i know this sounds harsh, but it'll help to avoid any jealousy probs with the baby. you have to make sure that you are the pack leader, and that everyone else in the family is higher up the pecking order than your dog.

i'd really recommend a few dog training lessons with someone reputable. but things you should try in the meantime include:

*sit in your dog's basket! - make sure that the dog can't claim anything as its own - you're the boss and everything that your dog has is actually yours. everyone in the family has more of a right over your dog's property than your dog.

*make sure you feed your dog after you've all had your meals - he should come last in the pecking order. the pack leaders always eat first.

*always win your games - if playing fetch, make sure that you always have the toy at the end

*always enter/exit your house or rooms in the house before your dog (don't let him push past)

*only give treats as part of obedience training - they have to be earned, not just given away


a lot of dogs just don't like small children though. our collie didn't - she didn't like eye to eye contact and children were at just the right height to upset her. we just avoided any probs when small children were in the house by keeping the dog in her indoor kennel cage.

good luck x

 

[Babylicious]

Some good advice there from purple, I would also suggest that you invest in a crate so pup has some where to go when it all gets too much.

You may find that he becomes v protective of the baby and snarls at everyone who comes near him/her.

We've got all this to come as I have a border collie who's now 6 months, but we do already have a 7 year old

 

[youngmumtobe20]

thanks that was some really good advice, we already go to puppy training once a week and the ladies there r gr8. I dont have a problem at all with being the boss of the dog, i dont like him being in the bedroom or on the sofa, however, he's not my baby, he's OH's and OH is a pushover and jasper knows it! I've tried to tell OH that he needs to stop treating him like a child, and more like a dog but he just seems to think his way is best and thats that, how do i get thru to him that he needs to be more strict with him??

 

[purple13]

does he take jasper to dog training, or do you? if he doesn't, he probably shoud? if jasper is getting his own way with your OH all the time, his behaviour isn't gonna get any better... not sure how you get the message through though?! xx

 

[enn]

yea it is men after all

my mums jack russell hates lil kids they always warn them to stay away, but u know what kids are like. im gonna trust my lil baby with her so she can get the dog used to it but thats when hes calmed down after seeing me lol they have a labrador too but thats cause hes a guide dog. hes a softy so he wont be a prob just be the other dog. i did read somewhere on this forum or the other forum that when mothers let their babys meet their dog they let the dog lick their feet and then wash the feet off straight away or the babys head. no sure with yours tho as yours is a lil snappy. maybe get your oh to hold the dog and u hold the baby when it comes and introduce them slowly , little by little . dog may realise that the baby is in fact nothing to worry about.