Oh dear Dad worried Lab pup will maul our kids

[Flum]

We are so upset our dog is 14 weeks and really very lovely and good natured but does nip a bit of course. Our two smallest children are 1 and 3 and really don't know how to behave with a dog. The littlest one bashes her on the nose with heavy toys and stuff and I am concerned that the pup will snap at him.

I feel sick to my stomach that I am voluntarily putting my babies at risk but on the other hand people say oh labradors are bred to be so gentle etc.

Should we get rid of her while she is young.

We have a big crate and I do put her in there when I am not able to really supervise the kids but the reality is that there are and will be moments when a child is albeit briefly alone with her.

I wish I knew statistically what the risks are.

Bingo. We don't have a massive garden but she has a nice time out there, digging it up.

The trainig is going really well, she has a snappy sit and lies down. She will 'leave it' and drop a toy or shoe or something when requested. I think she is very trainable and very biddable. I think we will keep her, we love her and it is the summer so she an play in garden alot.

She comes to her name and so that is how I keep her and kids apart as I get her to come and be with me while I am cooking etc and not go in play room with kids and all the temptig cuddlies!
Thank you all for lots of advice.

are your children made of kleenex?

Ha ha, no! We are not that worried but my folks hate dogs and have got us in a bit of a tizzy about it.

Thanks all, Good night, over and out.

aaaaaaachooooooo. I am allerjic to dogz

My sympathies with your parent's lack of approval. Had the same when I HE-ed my DD's, it was a nightmare being criticised all the time, with horror stories and Daily Mail type misinformation to boot. If it's any comfort my parents don't think I should have dogs... all that hair, my time and money should ALL go on the DDs! They forget that the DDs love our dogs too!

I hate tp tell ya, and I'm probably older than you, damn parents never change, no matter how you prove them wrong! But, with a little effort, you will.

Hi Flum - yes I have a pup with a young baby - actually baby was 4 months when I got the pup. The thing was I work with animals, I have had previous experience and knew what I was letting us in for and what I had to do to avoid the problems. By being here hopefully you can get the help to get your family through the harder work puppy stage now and turn the dog into a lovely family long term member.

Walking - I take a buggy and my older two children out no problem. You need to teach her loose lead walking - it can be frustrating though I warn you. Start as you mean to go on with putting the lead on - only done when dog is sitting. If she tries to get up when you put it on, back off until sitting again. Repeat ad nauseum until she realises her reward (getting the lead on & therefore exciting walk) is only given when she sits. Next step getting out of the door. Take dog to door ask her to sit. Slowly open the door and if dog stays sit all well and good. If dog gets up (likely) then shut door and make dog sit again. Gradually build up until dog allows the door to open with her bum still on the floor. Move on outside....dog walks then pulls. Stop walking and return dog to your side (suggest maybe turn her in a circle) so she is not getting her reward for being "naughty" She will soon realise she can not get moving unless she walks with her lead loose next to you. (Vs She pulls to get places, so if you let her walk on when she pulls you then she continues to pull because she sees it works). You may take an age to get all these behaviours to work the way you want them to, but be totally strict about it and if you only get to the end of the road for the first 20minute then that is the walk for the day. She has been out at least and she is learning. Next day you may get further.

I strongly advise you to find a good training class and get her to learn - they are a really clever breed and learn easily as they are highly food motivate - call it bribery and you will be right of course!!

Hi flum I have a 4yo ds a 10month o dd and a 9mo labrador puppy. It was v hard but it is now getting easier if you could see how calm and peaceful my Labrador is with my dd. He still has the odd moment where he will knock her over but on the whole he is great.

Don't think he has mouthed since he was about 5 months. r.e pulling I use the pram to stop my dog pulling and it is not that hard. I make him walk along a wall and if he tries to pull in front of the pram I push the pram into the wall blocking his way forward. When he comes back to behind the pram I treat.

My family hate dogs as a result, so since getting him my family no longer visit my house . Everytime my nan did come round she told me all the horror stories and eventually decided to lie and say my dog had bitten her . I knew he hadn't because I was sat right next to her and he didn't growl or anything there was no mark and I saw him lick her hand. Since that day my family have not come to my house so I am with you there, I know how hard it is when your family don't support you .

I have a yellow lab, we got her when the dd's were 3 and 4 so a bit older than your dc's. But she was, and still is, the best dog ever. I think she just has a great temperament which is true for any breed of dog. I remember seeing a very aggressive lab pup, and my friends (elderly) parents has the most massive mastiff but was a total softy.

When ds came along (now 3) I was worried about him and the dog as dog was totally used to children but not living wiith a very small child. We had to keep her behind the stair gate on the upstairs landing to sleep so ds couldn't fall on her or do anything. Though she was totally fine and just puts up with whatever happens, it's still worrying, but tbh I was more worried for the dog than ds!

When training her as a puppy, I remember getting the kids to put more food into the bowl at feeding times with their hands and taking some out and hand feeding her because I read somewhere that it teaches them to not be possesive, have no idea if it's true but it worked as now she wouldn't care who was next to her when she is eating, or what they are doing.

It takes quite a few years for them to stop being bouncy, but as long as they are excersised enough, when they are a bit older they will lounge around half the day only getting up when you start cooking.

My lab is now 10 months and I have a severe ASD ds. Initially it was hard work - but that was to be expected. Alfie mouthed when he was small but it is all part of the learning process and soon grew out of it.

He is a big show dog but a gentle giant. He adores both dc but is very protective of ds when they are out together (im conviced he knows ds is vulnerable and needs looking after).

At 10 months he still has a lot of learning to do and as he is our first dog so do we.

Tibni that is lovely. OUr lab is very protective too. They are great dogs.

Just sitting watching ds getting sensory feedback from Alfies velvet ears - win/win situation

ds ignored Alfie while he was little and bouncy but they now get into bother together. Like a certain 9 yr old leaving the stairgate open and when I go upstairs I hear "Alfie dog no upstairs" followed be giggles and the 2 boys are sitting cuddling! This is even more amazing as ds has very few words and really struggles to use language in context.

Oh yes we have a no dog upstairs rule that is often flouted by the dog. We have actually seen him creeping up very slowly when he thinks no one is looking, all quiet with his ears pinned back trying to make himeslf unseen!

Ahhhh some lovely posts. Have been crying alot today. DH been away only since Wednesday and been finding it really difficult to keep on top of keeping puppy away from the kids. NOt sure I can do this.

Have taken her back to the lovely lovely breeder for the weekend for a bit of respite and thinking time.

I am going to wait til DH home next week and see how keen he is to keep her. I am going have to say we can only keep her if he takes her to his warehouse almost everyday. He mostly works from home but has this office and warehouse just 2 miles away and in middle of lovely countryside.

If he is really keen to keep dog then I think that will make it ok for me as I can relax with toddler in day time.

Also must fence off a section of garden for dog so kids can enjoy paddling pool without it being torn to shreds!

My DH's family had a lab when he was still living at home.
They got the dog as a puppy, as it grew bigger it became very posessive of the kitchen. By the time it was a large, bouncey 'teenage' dog, it pushed my DH over, pinned him up against the kitchen cupboards and chewed a chunk out of his face. At the time DH was 18yo and 6ft tall. V.v. glad he wasn't a small child.
I only met DH a year later, so I don't know why the dog behaved as it did - it has been suggested that the way it was breed as a pedigree dog had some how made it mentally unstable - I really don't know if that is possible.

i want one

have to stop reading these puppy posts.

We had a black lab before we had DC. She was our first baby. When I was PG I asked our vet about how to introduce baby to dog (rather than the other way round). He didn't have much to suggest but did say that a lab was THE best dog to have around small children and not to worry. DS is now 6, DD is 4 and DDog is 8!
Use crates,fireguards/room dividers/playpens to divide children and dogs if you're not around. Agree with doing dog training lessons.

Hope it works out for you - couldn't imagine being without part of our family now, ie. the hound.

Flum, I think you're doing the right thing. Puppies are very hard work, especially if you haven't had a dog before and a huge shock to the system. I know there is absolutely no way I could have coped with children the ages yours are and a puppy. The training and socialisation are pretty full on whilst they are little.

Your DH sounds well set up to have the dog at work with him and he can sort all the training. That way you'll both be there when the puppy and children are together which should be much easier. If he won't commit to that it would probably be better to let the breeder find another home whilst still little.

I've had two people with puppies and children ages 2/3 and 6 say what a nightmare they are finding it with the children and puppies, much harder than they could have ever thought, the whole jumping/mouthing/stealing toys thing. One has a dog but had her from when she was 2, the other used to work in kennels.

And the reason I am posting at a ridiculous hour is because the dog was making a noise about 1am and I now can't sleep knowing she's likely to start again at 5. She was spayed a week ago and it's like having a baby again.

Flum FWIW we got a wee black lab bitch and she is 16 weeks now and has virtually stopped nipping, my youngest is 3 and we taught her to say a firm NO, and it has worked

Also we have an 11 year old lab dog,who is now blind, and the pup has been torturing him, not once has he snapped or growled at her, just yelped or barked. I think this is an example of what a wonderful dog they are.

Although I do think you should get dh to do abit more dog care if possible

My 19 week golden retriever was very 'mouthy' and nippy until about 2 weeks ago and then it seemed to stop very suddenly. Sorry to say this, but this backs up my theory that you should NEVER buy anyone a dog as a gift

sorry but why on earth did you get the dog???? I know that's not constructive but you seem staggeringly ill-prepared. have you not seen the ubiguitous literature on how dogs are not for christmas (or birthdays)and just how much you need to think about getting a dog.

so now the constructive bit: read read read. do all the reading that you should have done before getting her. get to a book shop or library tomorrow. there's also lots on the web too but books tend to be more thorough. read about how much time and energy (and money) she requires. about exactly what looking after her, keeping him safe and happy and keeping your kids safe and happy requires. then decide if you're prepared to do that. If you're not then "get rid". for her sake. the quicker you do it the better. she's at a really crucial age for training and socialisation and needs particular care right now.

ubiquitous

hatwoman- i totally agree with all you have said.

this book is excellent - it's got everything you need to know

small lab puppies nip. and chew paddling pools (and a few other things).

slightly bigger puppies grow out of all that, and with a bit of training and firm boundaries, have a lovely time romping with kids and chasing the balls they throw.

we've had two lab puppies and have three dcs (quite small at the time - one with cerebral palsy and balance problems). i wouldn't be without any of them (kids or dogs lol), but tbh you sound so fearful that i'm unsure you can manage to provide the authority the pup will respect, which really won't help with training and obedience. shipping the pup off to work is not going to provide the socialisation experiences the animal needs, and you are still left with a dog who presumably you are going to have to look after when dh works away.

puppies only shred paddling pools if they are unattended.

they generally stop mouthing and nipping once all their puppy teeth are gone - surprisingly quickly, but it seems like an age whilst you are waiting for it!

there are literally tons of books on raising puppies and children together. read some of them!