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Dalmation mix SNAPS at harmless 18 month old!!?

  • My mother has a neutered, trained, 2 year old Dalmatian mix. He is a very good dog listens well, but he has his moments when he acts like a puppy.

    My son (18 months) has never met my motherâ ™s dog. When we visited, the dog was excited to see us. We all greeted the dog, except the baby. When my son woke up I sat him on my knee, while I was sitting on the couch. The dog out of nowhere SNAPS, full teeth lunge, came inches away from my sonâ ™s neck!!

    We thought it was a fluke, but minutes later he snapped again. Needless to say we haven't visited since. Over the past couple of weeks, my mother reported that he did the same thing to another baby. Both incidents involved a harmless baby, not interacting with the dog.

    We love this dog; we want to figure out what is causing this behavior. We think it has something to do with the size of the babies and that both of them were in "his" house. Any suggestions or similar situations?

    Please don't suggest getting rid of the dog.


  • Some dogs just don't like children. It may be the smell of baby powder, or the sounds they make when they cry. It could be a lot of things. Dogs can sense a lot of things, sometimes if they feel the baby is getting more attention than them, they feel jealous and try to hurt the baby. Sometimes the exact opposite happens and a dog will bite anyone who comes near the baby because they are trying to protect them. It all depends on the dog.


  • jesus who told you to "pin him down and let the baby pet him"
    obviously he is nervous around small humans, not used to them. let him stay in the same room, on a leash, AWAY from the baby, for a few times that you are over. Let him get used to the baby and give him treats, so he can learn that nothing bad happens (other than you PINNING HIM DOWN and forcing him to be touched by the baby!, which might take some getting over) when the baby is around.
    You know, not ever dog is comfortable with every new thing. How would you feel if you were living with creatures who could not speak your language and one pinned you down and let an alien touch you?
    It's all about letting the dog accept the baby's presence SAFELY. NO CAGE, NO PINNING, just a leash, the baby, and some treats.


  • he prob does not like children....well idk what to say...


  • You should not introduce a strange person, regardless of age, into a dogs household without meeting on neutral territory first. The dog is simply letting you know that this strange "thing" is not allowed and since he doesn't know what it is he'll do whatever he can to get rid of it. You should never have let him loose if you didn't know what his reaction would be in the first place.

    Get them both in an open area, like a park, and let them meet with the dog on leash. Put your son down, hold the dog (or muzzle him) and let him sniff your son. Let your son pet the dog, but not pull on him or hurt him in any way. When they start playing together you may be able to let the muzzle and/or leash off of the dog. Only do so if you KNOW the dog has accepted your son into the pack. THEN go to the dogs (your moms) house and restart everything in the yard, then on the porch, then inside in one room. Slowly expand until the dog knows your son is allowed everywhere and is higher than him in the pack order.
    If he snaps, tell him "NO" and put the muzzle back on.


  • I think your best bet would be a certified trainer that has experience with agressive behavior to evaluate the dog and give a clear outline and/or work with the dog. I'd hate to suggest any other course of action as your dog can't be observed or correctly evaluated over the internet. GL

    ADDED:
    Yes exactly what cave canem said!


  • Sounds like the dog was not well-socialized with young children when he was younger. I suggest going to http://www.apdt.com and hiring a professional trainer/behaviorist to help you and your mother with this in your home. In the mean time, either don't have the dog and the child interact at all, or only when the dog is leashed indoors with a plastic basket muzzle on. Please don't be a statistic.


  • It sounds very much to me like the dog was "spooked" by the baby. A dog who has never seen one before, and is not a well socialized dog does not respond well in fear situations. Its usually fight or flight. Sounds like this dog picked fight.
    Punishing the dog will only make things worse, and could escalate the aggression to other things and people.
    This dog needs a behaviorist at this point, as it is well past the best age to learn socialization easily. Tell your mother to keep the dog away from children in the meantime.


  • I agree with luv my mutt a door and cave canem. I am a trainer with years of experience with a variety of dog breeds. A poster commented that common sense will solve this issue. Here is the problem. Without seeing the specific behaviors that led up to the incident, it is nearly impossible for a responsible person to tell you how to fix this issue. I spend 30 minutes talking to potential clients on the telephone before setting an appt. I want to know as much as possible before going to someone's house to help them with their dog. I always instruct clients to have their dog in a confined area when I first arrive. I have had owner's tell me that their dog is mildly aggressive toward stranger's, they don't put their dog in a confined area or leash them, and you walk into a house with an extremely aggressive large dog. Everyone's perception is different. That is why, in this situation, you are better off meeting with a trainer that you are comfortable and have explained in detail the issues. Yes you will have to spend some $, but I would rather spend the money having a trainer that I feel comfortable and has a plan, than trying to wing it with "common sense" and have a dog bite happen. I will probably get some thumbs down, but I really don't care. The common sense thing to do here is get a professional to evaluate your dog and come up with a plan of action for you and your family.


  • he might just be the type of dog that isnt good with babys







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