10 week old puppy growling at my son - need to deal with ASAP

supermezzo

blue_monkey wrote: »

Stroking has to be on our terms and not on theirs - affection is earned with good behaviour and not just given.

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I've always taken this to mean that you stroke them if it's 'convenient' and comfortable for you both, but that you should not do it if they demand it from you.
Think about it - someone 10 times your size decides to hug you even if you don't want them to, then shouts at you for protesting. You're not going to be in a rush to let them do it again....
I cannot beleive a trainer came out with that cr&p tbh.

Elle7

sarabe wrote: »

but you are right of course. He is the one you are paying. I'll butt out now.

Dog behaviour and training is part of my degree, and I find it fascinating.

Would you mind telling me what you would have suggested? I don't mind if you would prefer to PM it...you just sound very knowledgable and you have to ask to get

blue_monkey_2

Yes, I see it Sara, I've no idea why I've put it though as she doesn't mind it and is very much a lap dog and she spends all of her time trying to climb on us for a cuddle. I cannot do it all the time though as I work on the PC so although I am here I am (or should be) working. I'll put it down to tiredness and not thinking. She doesn't ever do it - if she did, as I say, she'd not even be here. I'd never do it if she was growling at me because she obviously did not like it. Other things are much on her terms as I mentioned, such as if she wants to sleep on the chair and we stop her.

Regardless of whether anyone thinks it crap, I cannot have 2 hyper 40+lb dogs in my house with children present so they need to remain calm and their reward for being calm is the attention that they crave. Madness is for the garden when the children are not there. And to be honest, we have done a good job and people are amazed at the difference and for the first time they have actually been able to sit without being lunged at by our dog. I am pleased with the work I have done anyway even if other people do think it crap.

I think everyone is going to have differing opinions on training methods, this is more than obvious because whatever someone says, there is always someone else asking 'do they really do that?', but if it works for us, it works and that is the important thing. That the results are good ones.

Trying to think of the last growling incidents. There have been 3 in the last 10-14 days. DS touched her ears - she was trying to get onto the chair - but I do not think she has anything wrong with them, she was just touched unannounced. When we stroke her we will call her to get her attentio DS brushed her with his hand as he walked past and she turned and growled and snapped (we was all in the lounge which was why she was there) and my hubby removed her from the chair after she 'nicked his seat'. They happened in the last 2 weeks which is why I am having trouble remembering them and I know they are not much, but they are 3 times too many. I know they cannot speak though but if she is feeling like this I want to know why or how I can know and is she will always be like this.

Yes, I did also ask what people thought about having a 10'x10' or 12'x12' run in the garden so the kids cannot get to the dogs and the dogs to the kids while they are out playing at the same time. Or whether a muzzle was the other option as she can still have her freedom. It would not be in the house, only for the garden to give me some peace of mind. We have gates in the house so I could leave them in the lounge if the kids are outside. Either that or they'll have to remain in the house as the trainer has said kids and dogs cannot be in the garden together and I cannot be on guard duty of a 150ft garden all day every day and I would not like to think of the dogs stuck in the house all day while the weather is nice. We are talking about summer holidays so it is probably going to be minimal though, LOL.

blue_monkey_2

supermezzo wrote: »

I've always taken this to mean that you stroke them if it's 'convenient' and comfortable for you both, but that you should not do it if they demand it from you.
Think about it - someone 10 times your size decides to hug you even if you don't want them to, then shouts at you for protesting. You're not going to be in a rush to let them do it again....
I cannot beleive a trainer came out with that cr&p tbh.

And if I want to be scratched, pawed and jumped on whenever they feel like it, that is OK is it? Because it isn't, and my visitors do not want 25kgs of dog lunging at them when they are sitting down either. My friend used to be scared to come around so never did - now she will. It is finding a happy medium for both of you.

My dogs want to be stroked all the time, they want a fuss all the time. Receiving affection is a reward for being calm, if you make a fuss of a hyper dog you are rewarding the bad behaviour and we want to reward the good with affection and treats.

supermezzo

blue_monkey wrote: »

And if I want to be scratched, pawed and jumped on whenever they feel like it, that is OK is it? Because it isn't, and my visitors do not want 25kgs of dog lunging at them when they are sitting down either. My friend used to be scared to come around so never did - now she will. It is finding a happy medium for both of you.

My dogs want to be stroked all the time, they want a fuss all the time. Receiving affection is a reward for being calm, if you make a fuss of a hyper dog you are rewarding the bad behaviour and we want to reward the good with affection and treats.

Your reply comes across as quite defensive so I'll also butt out now.

Caroline_a

Different dog trainers and dog behaviourists use different methods and if it works for you then ok. However, I have been in the same position as you, with a dog (my ex's) who could not be trusted with children. It is incredibly stressful, so I understand your worries, but I had to stop the situation as I could not trust her, despite her being fine with me and my ex, hence why she went to live with MIL as she knew her and was happy there.

However.... I would not be putting a separate dog run in my garden so that that dogs are in one place and children in others. Children of over the age of 7 should be fine with dogs that are well trained, and to be honest, that is part of the fun of having dogs when the children are that age - old enough to understand how to treat a dog and young enough to be able to run with them. Once my dogs were fully trained they were happy to be with the chidren - my old border collie used to pull sledges for them in the snow!

Put yourself in the shoes of a rescue society - if they had care of your dog, would they rehome him to you? I would suggest no. There are very good reasons for this, and although you say that you would never leave the dog alone with your children, it only takes a split second for a dog to snap and bite a child's face. Too late then, even if you do have dog runs and cages, I'm afraid.

When I took my dog to training classes a lady came with a mongrel that she had rescued. It snapped at most people. She had 2 teenage children, but the trainer advised her to return the dog to the rescue centre as it wasnt safe. Sometimes all the training in the world won't make a dog into a child-friendly family dog that you can trust. I wish you luck, but I know what I would do.

LadyGrey

Dogs tend to respect people who have control of the food - so let your son to feed the puppy regularly (under your supervision) and this should help to raise him in the 'pecking order' of your family/pack.