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2 year old behaviour with dog

14 replies

Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 12:27

Hi. I just want to check if this is normal. Our son is 2 years 4 months. We've always had dogs, so he's grown up with them. Now we have a 6 month old puppy and an old dog. The puppy does try to lick our sons face sometimes and is a little boistress at times. We've tried to teach our son to always be nice to the dogs and all animals, never hit etc. Most of the time he just ignores the dogs. But sometimes he might out of the blue hit them a little bit to see they're reaction i think, or if he's having a little tantrum, usually cos he's tired, he will sometimes hit them and tell them they're naughty etc whilst crying. We never hit the dog and are always positive with them so I'm not sure where he's got it from. Is it normal? Im worried, does this mean he might be violent when he's older? We always try and explain to him why he should never hurt animals etc. I just thought because we are animal lovers, amd have always showed him love and kindness towards them, he might have started liking animals already, but he just doesn't seem bothered.

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Aquamarine1029 · 18/10/2022 12:29

We always try and explain to him why he should never hurt animals etc.

Explantations aren't cutting it. You need to be very, very firm and he needs to know you are extremely displeased with that behaviour. He needs to be removed from the dog's area immediately and sat somewhere quiet.

Bananamaman · 18/10/2022 12:38

This is a disaster waiting to happen. He's hitting because he's 2 and having a tantrum. You need to start thinking less about your son's (imaginary) propensity to violence and more about your responsibility as a parent to keep both your child and your dogs safe from one another.

Forestdweller11 · 18/10/2022 12:38

You really need to keep the two separate. Your toddler can't be expected to regulate their behaviour. They have no idea of what being bitten by a dog actually means.

You also have a duty of care to your puppy and older dog to keep them safe.

None of your todders behaviour means that they will grow up to be violent. They are just being a toddler. But the consequence of them not being supervised/kept separate means that the likely outcome is that the dog(s) will react with a nip/bite eventually and then there will hell on.

FictionalCharacter · 18/10/2022 13:00

Bananamaman · 18/10/2022 12:38

This is a disaster waiting to happen. He's hitting because he's 2 and having a tantrum. You need to start thinking less about your son's (imaginary) propensity to violence and more about your responsibility as a parent to keep both your child and your dogs safe from one another.

This 100%. He doesn’t understand your explanations and doesn’t understand the implications of hitting a dog. You need to keep him away from them when he’s cranky, or one day he will be bitten. Are you actually letting him do this in front of you?! You should pick him up and take him away immediately if he starts doing this. Or put the dogs in another room.

He’s lashing out at the dogs when he’s feeling tantrummy just because they are there and you let him. The puppy in particular will get fed up with it and will start nipping at the very least. Then you’ll probably punish the puppy for reacting to provocation. Your child will be one of those kids that whacks and pokes animals for no reason, because you let him do it when he was little. Please don’t let any of that happen.

liveforsummer · 18/10/2022 13:03

No need to say what I was going to as all the pp's have worded it well.

Mischance · 18/10/2022 13:04

Keep them apart. What a time to get a puppy! What can you have been thinking?

Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 16:55

No, of course I'm not letting it happen. As soon as it happens, which is not very often, I separate him straight away and explain to him why he shouldnt hurt animals. i am not one of those parents who would let their child poke animals, thank you. The opposite infact!

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Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 16:57

FictionalCharacter · 18/10/2022 13:00

This 100%. He doesn’t understand your explanations and doesn’t understand the implications of hitting a dog. You need to keep him away from them when he’s cranky, or one day he will be bitten. Are you actually letting him do this in front of you?! You should pick him up and take him away immediately if he starts doing this. Or put the dogs in another room.

He’s lashing out at the dogs when he’s feeling tantrummy just because they are there and you let him. The puppy in particular will get fed up with it and will start nipping at the very least. Then you’ll probably punish the puppy for reacting to provocation. Your child will be one of those kids that whacks and pokes animals for no reason, because you let him do it when he was little. Please don’t let any of that happen.

Maybe I wrote my first thread wrong, but in now way do i let my son do this

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Sirzy · 18/10/2022 16:59

Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 16:55

No, of course I'm not letting it happen. As soon as it happens, which is not very often, I separate him straight away and explain to him why he shouldnt hurt animals. i am not one of those parents who would let their child poke animals, thank you. The opposite infact!

But that’s exactly what is happening because your not keeping them apart. It only takes a second for the dog to get annoyed

Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 17:21

I think you have the wrong idea of what I was trying to say. He isn't aggressive with him and on the rare occasions this has happened I have immediately separated them. I was just wondering if him having hit the puppy may mean he could become grow up to be not a animal person. I thought this was a non judgemental place to ask a question but i feel some of the responses have not been constructive. Just quite needless hurtful. I love animals and really care and want my son to aswell, so just wanted some advice

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Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 17:26

Aquamarine1029 · 18/10/2022 12:29

We always try and explain to him why he should never hurt animals etc.

Explantations aren't cutting it. You need to be very, very firm and he needs to know you are extremely displeased with that behaviour. He needs to be removed from the dog's area immediately and sat somewhere quiet.

Thank you for your kind advice x

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plinkypots · 18/10/2022 19:15

I wouldn't try to explain anything to a toddler mid tantrum. He doesn't have impulse control yet. As soon as he throws a wobbly I'd move him to a room without the dogs. They are just an easy target. It doesn't mean he will be a thug. Later when he's calm I'd read stories about being gentle to animals and looking after them. He will get there.

Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 20:03

plinkypots · 18/10/2022 19:15

I wouldn't try to explain anything to a toddler mid tantrum. He doesn't have impulse control yet. As soon as he throws a wobbly I'd move him to a room without the dogs. They are just an easy target. It doesn't mean he will be a thug. Later when he's calm I'd read stories about being gentle to animals and looking after them. He will get there.

Thank you for your kind advice.
Yes, I have been doing the 'kind to animal' stories before bedtime :)

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Shambles3337 · 18/10/2022 20:03

plinkypots · 18/10/2022 19:15

I wouldn't try to explain anything to a toddler mid tantrum. He doesn't have impulse control yet. As soon as he throws a wobbly I'd move him to a room without the dogs. They are just an easy target. It doesn't mean he will be a thug. Later when he's calm I'd read stories about being gentle to animals and looking after them. He will get there.

Thank you.
Yes, I have been doing

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