If you have a dog or cat

*sparky*

Do you have a problem with your DC picking on them and if so, how do you put a stop to it?  DS loves our dog but sometimes he just whacks him with a toy or throws something at him.  Last night the poor dog was lying on the bathroom floor while we were in there steaming up the bathroom for DS, and DS just walked over to him and kicked him right in the jaw. 

I put DS into time out and explained that he needs to be nice to the dog, that he wouldn't like it if someone just walked up to him and kicked him in the face, and that dogs are animals and even though Otto is a great dog and his buddy, one of these days he just might react and DS could get hurt. 

DS said okay he understand and gave the dog a huge afterward but the thing is I have had this conversation with him at least 20 times.  I am really afraid that one of these days the dog is just going to turn around and bite him.  I mean we have a great dog, but he is an animal and last night DS really kicked him hard.

I make sure they are never alone in a room together, mostly because I don't trust DS.  So have any of you gotten through to your DS on this and if so how did you do it?

springmom

Time outs. ?DS LOVE our dog a little too much, so he is constantly being reminded to leave her alone. ?They do love to play together, but I can tell he gets on her nerves. ?If he hits or is mean to the dog, it's time out, if he's just loving too hard, he gets re-directed.

~Kat~

We are in the same situation. Our poor dog loves to be with us all the time, but sometimes DS is so mean to her that I have to put her outside for her own good. I have started really reacting to when DS hits and kicks the dog. She is so sweet that she doesn't really react, but I would hate for him to get bitten someday. I don't yell at him, but I do give a very strong reaction and get stern with him. He has to know that not only is it not nice, but also dangerous. He then has to apologise and go to a different room then the dog. He really loves being with her, so going to a different room is a good consequence. He still hits sometimes, but I think it is working.

mlm1128

She doesn't hit them, she teases them with food.  She will pretend she's going to give them a cheeto for example, and then eat it in front of them.  We tell her it is mean to tease the dogs, and she needs to stop or they may try to grab the food and bite her by accident.  It does work for the most part, she rarely does it anymore. When she does...she gets a time out because she has been spoken to about it in the past.

Reagan's Mommy

springmom:

Time outs.  DS LOVE our dog a little too much, so he is constantly being reminded to leave her alone.  They do love to play together, but I can tell he gets on her nerves.  If he hits or is mean to the dog, it's time out, if he's just loving too hard, he gets re-directed.

 

Ditto.  Most of the time, R is just trying to play with our dog, who is really small (10 pounds), but she's just a little too rough.  So, she gets a reminder to be gentle.

A few times, she has purposely hit him or pulled his hair, and that's when she get's a time out and the dog gets some extra treats and attention. 

shopgirl78

Our cat keeps her distance from the kids and knows to get away quick if they come at her.   If they do get her and she scratches them...I figure its there fault and part of learning the hard way, they have been warned.   And Hailey has been scratched.  She knows better...

snickerdoodle27

I give him a warning, and if he does it again he goes into time out. I explain to him that amber is a good doggie, and it's not nice to hit or kick anyone or anythign. I then tell him to give her a kiss/hug, and after that he's usually fine. If he's really tormenting her I'll take him up to his room for a time out, or put the dog upstairs for awhile, just to separate the 2 of them.