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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog driving me mad, bot sure whether I'm being U want him rehired

208 replies

ginplease83 · 06/08/2016 21:17

I am very bloody cross. I gave my 22 month old a mini milk this afternoon and sat her on the sofa in our open plan kitchen watching tv whilst I did some food prep. She's in the same room and easily accessible. Our dog was in his bed the other side of the room.

I turned to put something in the fridge and she started screaming. I turned around and our labrador who is obsessed with food, has half jumped on the sofa and is taking her ice cream. I jump on the dog and remove him and reassure her. He knows that this was wrong as soon as he saw me noticing, he sprung up.

I don't think he can be trusted around our kids anymore and want him gone. My DH thinks Im over reacting and that i don't give the dog enough attention. He's walked very regularly but i don't have time to sit there and stroke him. Theres nowhere else for him to go in the house apart from a large kitchen and family room area. If I put him in the garden he rams himself into the fence to try and get to a neighbour's dog or he makes every attempt he can to get into our bins.

OP posts:
AnUtterIdiot · 06/08/2016 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OreosAreTasty · 06/08/2016 21:33

and what needaclevernn said

HeddaGarbled · 06/08/2016 21:33

Helpful of your H to say you are over-reacting and not giving the dog enough attention when it's not him who's coping with the children and dog all day. Tell your H exactly what the problems are and that he needs to find solutions which don't involve more work for you e.g. he sorts out the behaviourist or thinks of a way to keep dog and child separated when child is eating.

TheWitTank · 06/08/2016 21:34

You are joking right? Or do you just dislike the dog anyway? Because rehoming on the basis of a dog half heartedly attempting a ice cream steal is a huge over reaction. Mine ate my wedding cake. Still here.

Mrsantithetic · 06/08/2016 21:34

My dog is 5 months old and tries to take my childrens food all the time. The children are getting wise to him and all meals or easy to grab snacks are at the table. My youngest is 2 and eldest 3.

It's really not that hard. I often fill a Kong with something tasty and he will be kept busy with that. If he is being particularly annoying whilst they are eating especially if it's something he really shouldn't have like chocolate I take him in the kitchen of garden and throw his ball about.

justnotaballetmum · 06/08/2016 21:35

Labradors are very greedy and renowned for it.

I'd be lying if I said I've never thought about rehoming our dog. She jumps up at the kids and knocks them over. She yaps. Incessantly Hmm She needs walks, walks, walks, walks, walks - I haven't got the energy ... But we love her, so she stays.

Dogs can be a pain in the arse but they can also be lovely :) Give him a chance.

Original poster
ginplease83 · 06/08/2016 21:35

The dog gets plenty of attention, my DH takes him out in the morning and evening, hangs out with him in the evening etc. Its just during the day when I'm trying to look after DD that he does this.

I've tried to train him to sit in his bed when Im feeding DD but he creeps out. He helped himself to something from the kitchen table right in front of my very eyes a couple of days ago sometimes when we are watching tv he will creep out and will go and take nappies and shred them. Its so frustrating. I might look into a dog cage for under the stairs and the dog behavourist.

OP posts:
TheDuchessOfKidderminster · 06/08/2016 21:36

YABVU poor dog Sad From your post it sounds like he might be better off in a different home where his owner actually understands normal dog behaviour.

*If you do decide to rehome please do it properly.

Muddlingthroughtoo · 06/08/2016 21:36

My dog is a foodie, she has snaffled a fair few biscuits out of hands and once, a lovely salmon salad. She's only small but she's like a mountain goat, no place is out of reach for her! I wouldn't get rid of her for that though, your dog didn't hurt your child, it was merely wanting her lolly. Another child would probably do the same thing as the dog did.
You can try and train it out of your dog, God knows we've tried with ours....to no avail, or you can just accept the dog can't be in the room at meal/snack times.

Sleeperandthespindle · 06/08/2016 21:36

I have a very well trained dog, who is not even interested in food (unless it is attached to a tennis ball - his real love), and I never let my children (4 & 7) eat around him without total supervision. I'd certainly not be letting a baby eat near him.

It's not worth the risk. Poor dog, poor baby.

TheWitTank · 06/08/2016 21:38

Garden, bubble machine and bacon flavour bubbles (yes, they exist). Great for a greedy, smart lab.

StarryIllusion · 06/08/2016 21:38

Mountain out of a molehill much? He stole an ice cream, it's not like he bit her. Has he ever hurt the kids? If not, why would you think you cant trust him? Labradors are bouncy, cuddly, food obsessed and have no regard for personal space, it's in their nature. You want a perfectly mannered dog, you need to put in the time and effort to train them. No good complaining you don't have time, you should have thought of that when you got him. They're part of our lives but we are their whole world. All they can do is wait for us to pay them attention. They can't just decide to go out shopping or whatever. You have to make time. You chose to have a dog so, as nicely as possible, suck it up.

Jayfee · 06/08/2016 21:39

Dogs can be jealous of children which is probably why dog rescue centres don't rehome to families with children under 6.
Our dog was a mistake, possibly bought as a baby substitute and it just didn't work well. After 5 years, we realised it wasn't fair to the dog and arranged to rehome her through a specialist breed rehomer. We had to pay for a special vet check and it was agreed she would go straight to her new home after one night at the rescue. The dog never looked back. Her new owners adored her. I think I should have done it two years sooner. However, you sort of have to avoid it in discussions as some people seem to think it means you are a callous person when the truth was the dog was getting a raw deal. You are not being over dramatic.You must do what is best for you, your family and the dog.

Sleeperandthespindle · 06/08/2016 21:39

If you're really interested in training him, look up clicker training ideas around food. I trained mine not to look at the children when they were eating (babies at the time). Also used clicker to train him to his bed and to stay in it whenever I want, so he isn't around children when they're eating.

He's also not allowed around them when they're playing excitably either, just to minimise any chance of over excitement on his part.

Sunshineonacloudyday · 06/08/2016 21:45

I had a dog who I rehomed and funnily enough it was a labrador he was to big and loved food to much. The girls couldn't handle him jumping up at them and all he wanted was constant attention so I got rid of him. It was either me or the dog.

Costacoffeeplease · 06/08/2016 21:45

You sound lovely Hmm

The dog sounds like a dog

Rehome him responsibly through the breed rescue, and let's all hope he gets a sensible, responsible, loving home next time, poor sod

Original poster
ginplease83 · 06/08/2016 21:45

The dog came first so that is probably the problem.

He is a lovely dog and I do love him but he's trying my patience at the moment. I just don't see how things are going to change and how I'm going to train him not to seek out food. Its impossible as he finds new ways of getting to food or scraps. Or if he can't find food he'll shred things or go through our bags. He's walked LOADS seriously I pay someone to come and walk him during the day as i can't with DD.

Our house is on the market at the moment so i hope we will have somewhere where i can put him away.He goes to my mums every week for a day where he does the same things and her lab sits there like an angel and watches him do it.

OP posts:
GinIsIn · 06/08/2016 21:45

YOU left your dog and baby unsupervised so this is entirely your fault, not the dog's. You need to manage your expectations better and supervise properly, not just jump to rehome. You don't sound like you even like the dog though, so perhaps it would be better off in a home where someone will actually love it and look after it properly.... Hmm

Veterinari · 06/08/2016 21:46

Please please google active supervision of dogs and children and never leave a dog and a child alone together with food.

Labradors are incredibly good motivated - many of them have a genetic drive to hunger which means they are good-obsessed but also means they respond well to training.

They are a common family pet but they're also a large breed working dog and have considerable physical and mental requirements.

Sunshineonacloudyday · 06/08/2016 21:48

Keeping a dog in the kitchen is not very clean and they do molt it is disgusting. It made me sick and if its about brushing the dog I never have the time for that.

Northernmum12 · 06/08/2016 21:49

Quite irresponsible to give good out with dog in the room but I'm sure we have all done something foolish at one point or another. My two dogs wouldn't even dream of going near my DS with food and if they did a simple word from me would have them slinking back to their beds. I think the behaviourist is a good idea as is crate training. It can be very useful if your dog is crate trained. Please be aware of how big a change a baby can pose to a dogs life and give him a bit more of the benefit of the doubt before you start thinking of rehoming

Mommawoo · 06/08/2016 21:50

I feel your pain op, I have a lab with a food obsession and it is really trying.

What works for us is sending him out of the room every time we eat. Never giving him scraps from our plates after eating, all leftovers are placed in a plastic tub and served with his food. No snacks or treats except with dinner. This sounds harsh I know, but he gets frantic and uncontrollable at the mere suggestion of food, and the theiving incidents always go up when he's given little bits of food throughout the day.

We feed him twice a day though, he's not starved all day!

Victoriaplum79 · 06/08/2016 21:51

4 dogs here and 2 kids so we took the door off the understairs cupboard and replaced it with a baby gate so our dogs are always put away at meal times and when visitors arrive. it is actually for their safety more than anything. it's also their bed and they sleep there all curled up together at nightime. It works for us

Original poster
ginplease83 · 06/08/2016 21:51

He's DH dog, DH should have to deal with it really.

I've just ordered a dog cage he's going to have to stay in that whenever food is around until I can take him back to the dog behaviourist. He'll probably go mental in it but i can't see how else its going to work without protecting both of them.

OP posts:
NeedACleverNN · 06/08/2016 21:52

He's DH dog, DH should have to deal with it really

Wrong. He is a family dog and the snore family should be dealing with it.

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