Dog Bites

I probably have a different take on this than others. I had a beagle with my first child, I could never get it to stop snapping at us after my daughter was born, it ran away or someone took it, I was a little relieved to not have to deal with it any more. We got another dog when our kids were about the age of you daughter and we taught it from the beginning to go find a safe place out of the room if the kids got too rough. I knew that the dog should understand that there is no right time to bite and he needed to leave the situation. When my youngest was born, this dog was about 8 years old and was my son's best friend. My son would get up every morning and get the dog to lay down so he could use him as a pillow while he took his morning bottle and petted his ears (it was like the dogs ear was his 'blankie') so cute! That dog knew it was his job to protect this kid at all costs, he kept him safe till he passed away quietly in our backyard at the age of 16.
No matter what, your first concern is the safety of your child, I have a cousin who was mauled by a family dog, she had to have several face surgeries to get rid of the marks the dog made, she was only about 2 or 3 at the time of this incident. Good Luck. Let us know what you decide to do.

Hi N.,
I agree with Linda. Do you ever watch Cesar "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel? He's great! Perhaps the library would have his book that you can borrow or there may be a website that you can consult. We all have to teach our kids about dogs. Until you can trust her supervise your daughter at all times with your dog. All The Best, S.

First and foremost: please check out dogbreedinfo.com. They have FANTASTIC training info for dogs.

Second: This dog needs pack leadership and that means your daughter will need to learn how to speak "dog" by using body language that shows your dog she is Alpha. They should never EVER be alone together until she's older. She should also be the ONLY ONE TO EVER FEED HIM and only after he has completed a command for her (such as sit.)

You need to learn how to be Alpha yourself by taking this dog for walks, make him walk behind you on a leash, and never EVER let him walk before you when entering any doorway.

Many people get dogs without understanding the psychology of pack leadership. You may want to call Wayside Waifs as well because they have been very helpful with training tips for my dog (she's the opposite- too submissive.) I believe they offer free classes as well.

One more suggestion and then I'll leave you alone :)

Please don't ever give your dog anything without making him earn it. If he wants a scratch behind the ears- make him sit. If he wants dinner- have him shake hands or even sit again. It doesn't matter what you make him do- just that he knows nothing is "free."

There is a book you can get called "The other end of the Leash", by Patricia B. McConnell, PH.D

Its the Dogs way of warning her and the dog is trying to be the dominant one, its all about make the daughter the dominant one over the dog. Its just like the dog sees and adult the dominant one over them.

Dogs are very territorial. For a beagle/basset mix to get to the point you are describing, the litle one must really be pestering it (they are extremely patient dogs). KEEP YOUR DAUGHTER OUT OF HIS BED! That is what your dog considers his safe space and when she climbs in there he thinks she is trying to take over. If she can't be gentle then keep them seperated. Explain to her that he is a living creature and she needs to be gentle. Always supervise their play. Show her what gentle means and if she can't do it, then she can't play with the dog until she is ready to try again. Please give this a try and see if things improve.

Yes the dog would like to me left alone. !!!!Get a crate and inform your daughter that it is the dogs house. The dog gets a safe place to hide in. The child does not get bite!!

I understand your frustration...but your dog is merely trying to protect himself from someone who has been tormenting him. If you want this situation to improve you are going to have to consistently work with your daughter and teach her to be gently and loving with your dog. I have a 12 month old grandson who already understands what we mean when we tell him "use gentle touches"...his parents have asked us to always use that phrase...so he learns to associate it with handling things softly ( Christmas Tree Ornaments) or being kind to animals, looking at books, etc. You can see him stop whatever he is doing and slow down...and be gentle...when we say that to him. Pick a phrase that you feel comfortable with...ask everyone who deals with your daughter to use that phrase...keep your voice modulated...calm and quiet...and just be consistent. Show her what you want...take her hand and have her stroke the dog nicely...love on the dog yourself...while repeating that phrase. Praise her when she is gentle with the dog...remove her quietly and firmly when she isnt. And be careful about correcting the dog by slapping the dog...not only does it make the dog more aggressive but your daughter SEES you hitting the dog so she thinks it is alright to hit him too!!! I raised 3 daughters around dogs and was able to convince them to all get along and love each other. It can be done..it just takes patience..and persistence. I wonder if you could let your daughter start giving small treats to your dog ( if he isnt too snappy about taking them from her)...then the dog would start to associate her with good things...instead of the tail and ear pulling that he associates her with now.
Good luck!!
R. Ann

Think and read about dog language. Where does the dog sleep, in a doggie bed, or a human bed? It sounds like you have a dog bed, and being a dog, he believes it is his right to be able to have a personal space. I think most pet owners would agree. If it is a human bed, then he thinks that he is dominant and over her in dog speak. I would place his bed on the floor in a spot that she cannot get to him. He doesn't think it is okay that the child pestering him can get into his space. KWIM?

I would say unless you are able to dedicate much retraining the dog, and/or keeping the dog and child separate, you may have to part with this dog for now, until the baby is big enough to understand dog language and treating the dog humanely.

Be glad the dog is giving warning. Because a friend's dog that knew we were second family, let my 11yo daughter pet his belly, and promptly took her face off in an instant. The 2yo had been just by that dog, and my 11yo had not heard the owner tell everyone to let the dog alone while it was on the lead. This was also a mixed breed that should never have bitten, as is yours. But, it can happen in an instant.

It is very romantic and fun to have a dog, especially if the dog is a challenge and you know how to handle them. But, sometimes it just isn't the right timing. JMHO.

Hey N.,

I am having a simalar situation with my 22 month old son and our beloved dog of eight years. I am a Veterinary Nurse and this can be a touchy situation. Right now your dog is warning your child about personal space. Let's face it, they can only take so much of the tugging, pulling, being rolled on, ridden and stepped on. No matter how much we try to change our child's behavior towards the dog, it will take more time than most dogs are willing to wait for. YOur dog needs his space. Our dog is the sweetest guy and has never growled or snapped at anyone until my son got here. There is also a territorial issue going on here. There is also a hiearchy going on as well. Dogs know their place of terms in the family. His place has been established for quite some time and now, someone new come into the picture and the dog is going to fight to keep his place. The best thing to do is get your dog to understand that your daughter is higher on the pole. He isn't going to like it and it's different for each dog on how ther are going to react to this new change in the pack. To him, he was here first, so anyone or pet coming into the picture after him should be below him. He needs to learn that your daughter is also one of the bosses no matter what age she is. Some things I have tried here at home is have your daughter help feed your pet, water your pet, let her help with letting him in and outside and always greet your daughter first when coming home. Meaning if she is at home, acknowledge her first when you walk in the door. Put your duaghter first when it comes to greeting her, feeding her everything. As pack leaders such ans you and your husband, your dog needs to eat after you and especially after your child. All of these techniques will show your dog that your daughter is not only part of the pack, but she is one of the pack leaders. You and your husband are ALpha Female and Alpha Male. Your daughter is just below this. A pack leader. So far, these techniques are working for our family. It can be a slow process. If you are uncertain if you can or can not trust your pet around your daughter, my advice is to keep an eye on her all the time. Your pet is trying to teach her about boundries and her role in the pack. UNfortunately we don't respond well to the way dogs teach their young. Keep enforcing the rules with your daughter about nice touches with the dog. THE trick is to slowly move your daughter higher in the pack without punishing your dog. So locking him up, throwing him outside is not the answer. That will make his behavior worse. You can tell him no when his aggression emerges. Whatever your rules are in the house, he needs follow them as well. Give your pet more positive attention. Extra hugs, treats, exercise and car rides if he is into it. The more he realizes he is not being replaced and doesn't need to feel threatened, the more likely he will be going back to being himself. Dogs act out when they are upset to send us as the owner that they are upset. They get into the garbage, growl and snap at the child, chew furniture, potty in the house, run away, and basically disobey you. It isn't too different from how people show they are upset. Sometimes we destroy things, throw things, and yell. This is how they throw their tantrums. There are rare times when no matter what you do, the dog will not accept the changes being made. IF This happens the dog will have to go. You can't risk the dog biting your daughter. I have seen some awful bite wounds in my time. The worst were always children. This isn't to scare you, just to let you know that sometimes thigs don't work out the way we would hope they would have. I hope this has been of some help to you. Good luck to you and your family. I hope everything works out.

A. H.

You need to find a good home for that dog since you are unwilling to stop your daughter from torturing him. It is possible, you know. You cannot leave her alone with the dog. You should be punishing her, not the dog. If you won't put in that kind of time and effort, then you are not a responsible enough person to own a pet. And please don't just take him to the pound where he'll be put down. Find him a home where he won't be tortured by little kids.

So, what did you do to your daughter when she pulled on him?
Dogs, bit when they feel corner and with no way out or to protect.
You can call the dog whisper... Good luck, but if you don't teach your daughter where to pet. She will get hurt someday by some other animal. Would you rather it be from a beagle or pit?

The problem is with your daughter not your dog. If someone was pulling at all your parts wouldn't you feel like biting them too? Your daughter needs to be corrected and taught not to torment the dog. You will see a huge change in your dog when your daughter changes.

I would like to second what Stacy said. My Rat Terrier got to the point where he didn't like and feared the little boy I took care of. He started pulling his tail and chasing him with objects. My dog finally got to the point where he would show his teeth and raise his hair. Then when he wouldn't leave the dog alone, he would bite. My dog now fears the littl boy and doesn't like him, and he is really good with kids, just not that one. Listen to Stacy's advice. Good luck and God Bless.

I agree with what's already been posted. We can't expect a dog to NOT be a dog. Sounds like yours is trying everything to curb your child's behavior without crossing the line. His bed should be completely off limits to her. That needs to be his "safety zone." Not wanting to sound harsh, but it sounds like you've given up on changing HER behavior, so you're wanting to change HIS. Trouble is, he's doing all he can to fend her off without hurting her. He's a bit of a champ in this picture. Your daughter can be taught limits; just stay the course and monitor closely. Be vigiliant and will pay off sooner than you might expect. Good luck to you.

Hi, N..
I was a career vet nurse before I had my kids, so I have some advise about your dog's biting problem. Bad news...eventualy, the dog WILL bite your child. Your daughter has taught the dog that she will hurt him whenever she comes around, and he is now afraid of her and doesn't trust her. It's a natural instinct for the dog to show fear by snarling and growling. It's his way of saying "I am afraid you will hurt me again, go away!" The probelm is not the behavior of the dog, but the behavior of your daughter. She needs to understand that what she is doing hurts the dog and makes him scared of her. I know two is young, but I have small children as well as 3 dogs and I know you can make her understand. Smacking your dog on the nose will only teach him that he needs to fear and protect himself from you as well as your daughter. When one of my girls started picking on one of my dogs, I told her that pulling ears or tail hurts the doggy, and she wouldn't like it if someone pulled her ears or made her scared. You may have to progress to swatting her on the hands or bottom to make your point. Over time, once she understands that what she does hurts that dog, she will stop doing it. Also...once the dog understands that she isn't always going to hurt him, his behavior will change and he will become friends again. Dogs are very loving creatures, and they will get over being hurt but it takes a lot of time and love. Try having your daughter offer the dog a treat once a day. This builds mutual trust between the two and will help build their relationship. I did this with my girls and now they have good relationships with all 3 of my dogs. Hope this helps and good luck!
S.

Your child is invading the dog's personal space. No, the dog shouldn't snap but he has no other defense if your child won't stop. Each situation is different so the solution is based on the child and the dog. Call your vet and ask for suggestions.

Good luck,
D.