I know this is a dangerous topic, but.

julia0402

I need help with my dog. ?He's a dachsund and he's VERY aggressive. ?We took him to obedience training while I was pregnant, and it helped a little bit, but he still bites. ?We took him to a different training program after he bit my mom pretty badly (when C was 3 months old) and it still didn't help all that much.

Last night DH was holding him and I was petting his head and he lunged at my arm and bit me badly. ?He's always been protective of C rather than aggressive towards her, but I'm really nervous about what it's going to be like once she starts getting more mobile.

Any suggestions from anyone who's dealt with this? ?Would one-on-one training maybe help, or can you recommend a specific program? ?We're getting tired of bringing him to classes that don't fix the problem.

I do NOT want to get rid of him but of course I will have to consider that for C's safety if nothing else works.?

ToledoDeux

If you want to keep your dog, I would honestly ask this on the Pets board.  Good luck - what a tough situation. 

Tracey0329

I am the biggest animal lover, so this comes from my love of animals.  It would be heart-breaking for me to get rid of one of my animals but my DD is my first priority and her safety.  If the dog is unpredicatable like that I wouldn't ever feel comfortable having them around other people, as well as my family.  Find your puppy a new home without kids so they can have a wonderful life and you with have the comfort that your family and others are safe.  I am so sorry, and a humane society won't take a dog that is aggressive they would just put him down.  GL with your decision I know it will be hard.

J+O

The way you described him as "very aggressive" and also the fact that you've taken him to multiple classes and he's bitten many people including YOU, I would say you need to do what is best for your child. ?I'm sorry you have to deal with this.?

EcoBaby

I haven't dealt with an aggressive dog, but I strongly recommend someone who will come to your house and help you deal with him one on one. He might be reactive, and I think it will probably be best if the trainer can see him in his environment to deal with the problem.

Also, definitely go with someone who uses positive training methods, not someone who does the scary Cesar tactics. I have some friends who do training in the NE.

One girl I know is in NY, and she knows trainers all around the area who might be able to help. You should definitely contact her. She uses all positive training and got her training from the Karen Pryor Academy, who is very well known for her positive training methods.

Here is her website:

https://rewardingbehaviors.com/pages/

labooshki

Ok, this is Steeler to a T. He's very protective of me and has nipped at people who try to give me a hug. I was very scared of how he would react with Braydon, but he's actually done really well. BUT, now that he's crawling and can actually reach for the dog, I've noticed he can get a little skittish with him. He hasn't bitten or reacted badly but I think it's because we mainly watch him like a hawk.

It may sound corny but before Braydon was born I watched a lot of the Dog Whisperer and tried using a lot of his methods. I started snapping my fingers and giving him a "look" so that he knows who is in charge. It has helped tremendously with a lot of things.

I'm not expecting miracles from my dog and I know that sooner or later he probably will nip at the baby, but until then I'm just watching every move he makes and making sure he understands that the baby higher up than him (if that makes sense).

Steeler is also a small dog weighing about 15lbs. He is part jack russell.

Mrs.Beans

Is there a section of the house you could gate off to keep the dog away from everyone?  That's a tough situation.  I really feel for you, I know I would hate to have to rehome any of my animals but how awful if the dog bit the baby!

susiederkins

Rather than training classes, you need to work with behaviorist who will give you one-on-one instruction in your home.

For the time being, make sure to keep LO and the dog separated.

EcoBaby

Also, my dog has never been aggressive or reactive, but once DS started crawling and going after the dog, my dog made a little snapping motion at him. Not okay at all. So if your dog is already reactive, there is a good chance you will have problems.

And aggressive and reactive are two different things. A dog may seem "aggressive" in certain situations, but he's really just reacting to a situation, and otherwise very sweet. A good trainer can help you deal with those reactive tendencies in a positive way, which will help bring out the positive behavior in your dog. Negative techniques will often just make your dog more scared (which will make him more prone to reacting) or just retreat and not be the dog you know he is.

adamwife

I don't know what to tell you, I just know we went through a similar situation a few days ago.

Whatever decision you decide to make, I know how difficult it can be!  You and your DH need to talk to your vet and anyone else whose opinion you trust and do what is best for YOUR family.  Don't let anyone make you feel bad about whatever decision you make.  Your child is your top priority.

JARbaby

AS a huge pet lover, I love my children and their beautiful faces more. The dog would be a rescue dog asap. One bad bite is all it would take for me. The dog can't be trusted.

goodheartedmommy

I have doxies, one in particular who is kinda aggressive like that, but not that bad. Cmeon_the_water is a great doxie expert, so you may want to find her on EFF, pets, or parenting.

My one that is semi-aggressive is that way towards strangers, is very, very protective of my kids, and still is, even after they become mobile. The one hard part is that he is a dog, and has no words to protect himself, so he's the one likely to give a light snap at a child if they startle him or hurt him, so it's very important for me to never leave the kids unattended with him.

TheGregory's07

susiederkins:

Rather than training classes, you need to work with behaviorist who will give you one-on-one instruction in your home.

For the time being, make sure to keep LO and the dog separated.

This is probably your best option.

tarebear9891

Hopefully you still get this...I have taken dog training courses that teach me how to train. If he is aggressive it is because he thinks he is the alpha. They told us to flip the dog over and hold it down (you don't have to hurt him of course). Dogs mothers do this and it is a way to establish dominance. Don't let yourself get bit just hold him down until he calms down (he will probably squirm around and try to get up). Once he calms down, let him go and leave the room to show you are mad at him. So far I have found it really works, but it may not work for your dog. If you have any questions you can PM me.

~AllSmiles~

I'm sorry you're going through this. I recently had to give a dog up (he was re-homed to a child free house) after he lunged at me one day. He had acted this way towards strangers in the past and we had worked with a behaviorist and then he had no incidents for months. But when he lunged at me, I knew it was time to let him go. This was four months ago and I still miss him everyday, but I know I have to keep my home safe for DD and I would never forgive myself if his next target was her We have another dog that is wonderful with our DD.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Please don't let other people bring you down for doing what's best for you.