Dog that doesn't listen

[megan2906]

Hello,
I am currently living with my parents and my first baby is due in April. I have applied for all sorts of rentals and haven't been accepted for any, including through the council. My parents have a Labrador who i love dearly but he has never been trained. He can't listen to simple commands and won't stop doing what he's doing when told unless dragged by his collar and put in the kitchen. He constantly jumps on my younger brother especially when he's laying on the floor. I am really really worried about my new-born baby being around him as no one in the house has any real control over him. Am I just being an overly cautious first time mother??? Whenever I bring it up my mum just gets mad at me and I'm just sat here in tears. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately without all the people in the house being onboard with it any training you do will be pointless.
A lab is unlikely to deliberately hurt your baby but it might by accident so you have to keep it well away and hope you can move out before your baby gets mobile

Thank you for your response. Yes he is very kind natured but just very over the top and is interested in anything and everything. I'm not sure how to keep him away from the baby. Maybe stair gates on all the doors or would he just be able to jump over these?

How old is the dog OP? Is he getting any exercise? What has the midwife said?
I put my Lab in the kitchen when I had my visit and she insisted I take him out so she could see what he was like. Perhaps she could speak to your parents?

It sounds like you will need to become the trainer. I would start now. Be firm. Use treats for good things he does, loud No for when he is not listening. That’s probably not helpful, but if you can’t move out then you’ll have to take charge.

I had a newborn and a lab- lab was here before. Lab was a handful, clumsy but never hurt DD. He was surprisingly very gentle.

I would rely on shutting a door rather than using a baby gate, a lab will likely clear a gate. If he is constantly dragged to the kitchen alone, he will do anything to escape to the fun side….

When you bring baby home, make a fuss of the dog too. Get a baby pen.

He is 4 years old now. He goes on two walks a day, not sure this is enough? I'm unable to take him out as he's to strong for me and my mum on lead so my dad is the only one who can walk him as he constantly pulls. I haven't spoke to my midwife about it as of yet as was hoping to be moved out by the time baby arrived but with my due date looming this is looking so unlikely :(.

Where would I start with training him. Youtube videos maybe? I can't really afford to pay for any classes for him and my parents have made it very clear that they won't be taking him to any training classes as he 'doesn't need them'.

I'm hoping he will be gentle but all I have in my mind is that he's going to see baby as a chew toy :(.

I've got a baby pen but I'm not even sure I feel comfortable having them in the same room even if we do have a pen

Labs aren't especially risky as PP said, but any dog can be a danger. Even the best most well trained dog. So don't let your guard down for a minute.
Of course your parents should have trained their dog, but it's their house and up to them. In your shoes I would move out. Why have you been rejected outright from a council house? Or is it just that there's a long queue?
Do you work? How much roughly do you earn and what are you mat leave plans? How old are you (not being nosy, thinking of benefits etc)?

The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey is a very good book.

If he’s never been trained then you probably need to start him off like a puppy.

I was taught that when training a dog ,if you say their name or a command multiple times, while they are ignoring you, then all you are doing is training them to ignore these commands. You will need to start again from scratch.

Labs are generally one of the easier dogs to train. Just make adjustments for their greedy nature and boisterousness if young.

The dog will be much happier when he is trained.

To be perfectly honest, even if you're willing to train the dog which I admire, unless every adult in that house is too and will be consistent then the training is unlikely to go well.
I struggle to understand how your mum can say he doesn't need training whilst she knows that both you and her can't walk the dog by yourself because of the pulling, just that alone screams that he needs training!

I'm sorry this sounds so negative, but if you're able to work with your parents to consistently train him even just for a few things like not jumping over your brother to start with that might help but consistency is key and if they won't do it too it'll be difficult.
Not sure how young your brother is but if he's able to be consistent with you in giving firm commands and directing attention away from jumping over him as a starting point then that might help.

Other than that, don't leave your baby in a room with the dog unsupervised and if you have any doubts then try and keep the dog in a separate room. Definitely try the baby pen and see how it goes with the dog and baby.

I don't think you're being an over worried first time mum, you're concerned about your baby's safety which is exactly what good mums do. I hope you get bumped up the list and are able to move out as soon as possible so that you're not having to worry about this 💐

Also labs are notoriously led by their stomach so training using treats would probably go furthest! You can use healthy things like carrots if you're worried he's having too many though. They're used as guide dogs and are a gentle breed so I wish you luck in turning a corner with him and hope everything settles down for you!

It's understandable that you're feeling concerned about the safety of your new-born baby around your parents' untrained Labrador. As a new parent, it's natural to want to create a safe and secure environment for your baby, and it's important to take any potential risks seriously.
It's important to remember that dogs, like babies, are unpredictable and can act on instinct. Even the most well-behaved and well-trained dog can accidentally cause harm, especially if they are not used to being around small children.
It's also important to note that a dog that jumps on people, doesn't listen to commands, and can't be controlled by anyone in the house is a safety risk to not just your baby but also to other family members.
It may be helpful to have a conversation with your parents about your concerns and try to come up with a plan that addresses those concerns. This may include finding a dog trainer who can help train the dog, or rehoming the dog to a home where it can receive the proper training and attention it needs.
It's also important to keep in mind that your safety and the safety of your child should be a top priority, and if your parents are not willing to address these concerns, it may be necessary to find a different living situation that better meets your needs.
Lastly, it's important to remember that as a first-time mother, your feelings and concerns are valid, and that you should not be made to feel guilty or ashamed for wanting to create a safe environment for your baby.

If you could teach him ‘bed’ and ‘sit’ with treats you’d probably resolve much of the issue. Labs are big soppy things and train well using food.