Dog really hates toddler DS

[TheHolyGruel]

I have posted about this before. I have two dogs (staffs) and a toddler DS who is 20mo.

My older dog (male) really dislikes my DS. He growls at him constantly and it is just getting worse. We had problems with this dog being dog aggressive but this has been overcome somewhat by walking him on a muzzle and walking the dogs separately. The dog has been checked by a vet, other than a recent worm problem (now sorted) there is nothing wrong.

We sought advice from a dog trainer/rescue person who we had a couple of sessions with. His advice re the toddler/dog situation was to put the dog down, as if something did go wrong then not only would it be a dreadful situation for us, but dreadful for staffies everywhere (another story for the papers etc, another crack in the BSL nonsense defence - I fully believe that BSL is bollocks and that the problem is not because he's a staff, but I'll talk about that in a moment). But I don't feel I can do it. In the meantime, any attempts to unite dog and DS are failing. DS is instructed to offer dog treats, to sit nicely and pet nicely, not to run up to dog, not to touch anything belonging to dog, etc. I make an effort for the dogs to be in the same room as DS as often as possible, but I am becoming worried for DS safety, as dog is really sounding at the end of his rope.

I honestly believe it is because the dog has been usurped from his position of 'first born'. The other dog displays no such issues, and is very fond of DS. The problem dog has always been the established top dog.

DH works away from home sometimes and has his biggest stint of the year coming up next month. He is away for a month, and I am petrified of how I will cope with this situation alone. It is so stressful.

In the first instance, does anyone know of a way in which I could find a foster carer for my dog, initially for this upcoming period, or is this unrealistic? He is fine with dogs smaller than himself and with older children (all children aside from DS it seems, in fact).

Can anyone offer any other advice or solutions? I think ultimately he will need rehoming, but I also know it's not that simple...

No. And don't make me out to be a knee jerk hysterical. I've owned dogs all my life. This wouldn't happen with me because I TRAIN them. I have no sympathy for any dog owner that doesn't train their dog. I know that the jaw lock thing is a big fat myth. But some breeds such as staffie have been bred for eons to have tenacity. That makes them dangerous.

Dooin that dog is the cutest little scruff Ive ever seen.....hes defo 'type', look at the eyes, starting out the camera......devil dog I tells ya.

Exactly Lemon, if we go down the banning route, what next?? Ban worms & snails too incase kids slip on them
Ive slipped on many a slug but should they be banned because that one particular type slipped me up?
But in all seriousness this is about ops dog not the 'type' of dog

Or ban the owning of 'handbag' dogs , they can bite too ya know

No LBY, turd ownership makes them dangerous, not the breed.

Although to be fair maybe you have a point, I was mugged years ago by a boy with black hair, there was a case last week locally about an elderly lady who had her home broken into by someone with black hair.....coincidence? I think not!

There is no safe breed only safe owners.

If you do not train your dog you end up with an unpredictable dog, whatever breed it is.

That's why I don't see the need to bring staffies into the discussion purely to speculate on how dangerous they are and for everyone to make sweeping generalizations about a particular breed who do not deserve the reputation.
Staffies can make wonderful family dogs as long as the owner is responsible.

No idea. Couldn't care less. It has nothing to do with the problem that was posted. A breed is as safe as its owner.

Exactlly Tantrums, staffies can be wonderful loving pets

so glad you agree its not the breed LBY. Think the confusion came from when you said it was

And looky, I have the same opinion as all of you. Stop making me out to be against all staffies. I am against owning a potentially dangerous animal that is consistently growling at a little child. It is not okay that the dc can't enter the kitchen.

That was the sound of my head hitting the desk.

Okay it's time for Staffordshire Bull Terrier History 101.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was originally bred for the purpose of Bull Baiting. Not people killing or baby eating.

Once this sport decreased in popularity, they were used for dog fighting. It is this breeding that makes them so great with people.

Dogs used in fighting had to accept being handled by strangers for the sport. They'd be checked by the opponents and referee prior to fighting to ensure the dog was healthy and was a pure staffy and not crossed with a bigger or stronger dog and that they had not been injured prior to fighting for the purpose of bet fixing, so that the fight was fair.

They would need to be separated during the fight and it had to be safe for people, even strangers, such as the ref to be able to handle them, even in a state of high arousal. As such any dog who showed aggression towards a person, even under duress, was destroyed and not bred from seeing as they were not fit for their intended purpose.

Once dog fighting became illegal the staffy's loyal and courageous personality coupled with it's love for people and natural affinity with children led to it becoming a firm family favourite and it was subsequently named the nanny dog.

It has only been within the last twenty years that this reputation has changed. Since it became the dog of choice for drug dealers and criminals looking for a strong, but portable dog that would lay down it's life to protect those it loved.

Hairy, can you show me that. Where did I say they are the most dangerous?
Tantrums, your dog sounds well trained. But if it attacked old instincts would kick in. As your dog is well trained its impulse control is probably well honed so an attack is unlikely. But we are talking about the OP and her dog.

The staffy's 'old instinct' is to fight bulls, last time I looked people did not resemble bulls.

But it doesn't attack

Milo never came close to attacking anything for 14 years.

When I started nursing nearly 30 years ago dog bites weren't common and most were by GSDs. I stopped hospital nursing two years ago and I. The last year saw 6 nasty bites by nasty I mean requiring surgery and often smll toddler aged children having parts of their faces bitten off; lips noses ears according to the parents when asked all were bitten by staffys or staffy crosses. I don't own a staffy and was always lead to understand that they are good with children but this flies in the face of my actu experience. In 30 yeas I have never seen a child bitten by a cavalier kings Charles spaniel or a poodle or any of the well know gun dogs and I have worked in rural areas and urban. I don't know how others on MN interpret this but my interpretation is that for some reason I can't ex

Lemarch you're sounding a bit defensive. You're just picking out the bits that wind you up. Can't help you with that.

I talked about the OPs dog. You cannot tell me that an untrained staffy is not an accident waiting to happen.

No they were bred to latch on to the bull and not let go. Are you getting it yet?

When I started nursing nearly 30 years ago dog bites weren't common and most were by GSDs. I stopped hospital nursing two years ago and In the last year saw 6 nasty bites by nasty I mean requiring surgery and often small toddler aged children having parts of their faces bitten off; lips noses ears according to the parents when asked all were bitten by staffys or staffy crosses. I don't own a staffy and was always lead to understand that they are good with children but this flies in the face of my actual experience. In 30 yeas I have never seen a child bitten by a cavalier kings Charles spaniel or a poodle or any of the well know gun dogs and I have worked in rural areas and urban. I don't know how others on MN interpret this but my interpretation is that for some reason I can't explain staffy or staffy crosses seem more likely to bite small children that other dogs.

For a start I didnt say you said they were the "most" dangerous. But am happy to help show where you made a massive sweeping statement

"But some breeds such as staffie have been bred for eons to have tenacity. That makes them dangerous."

That's because 30 years ago the GSD was the dog of choice for eejits.

A Poodle or KCS has never been the dog of choice for numpties. They don't have the right 'look'. Soon it will be Huskies and their crosses that are the brunt of this on going hate campaign because the numpties have finally begun to realise that 99.99% of staffies are about as dangerous as a soggy kitten and have moved on to more a more menacing looking breed.

In another 20 years they will move again and new breed will be over bred and under trained. How long until they move on to 'your breed'?

Stop blaming the wrong end of the lead and make people take responsibility for their actions.

Tantrums I said that your dog was trained so an attack was unlikely. You're arguing against a straw man.

Completely agree. I have been bitten by 3 staffies on two seperate occasions. Completely unprovoked attack, off the lead and out of control. It hurt like a bastard and they hurt my dog too, no amount of kicking would get them off.

BUT

Do I blame those three staffies? No. I blame the owners not the breed.

My collie springer cross is adorable - has also bitten me numerous times (admittedly not for a few years) and will happily take a chunk out of anyone he gets close enough too who fits his description for "worth havinig a go at" Namely old people with glasses.

Again, this is not a breed problem, its my problem. I was inexperienced when I got him and took no advice when issues came about, as a result his aggression is down to my management.

I am pregnant. I am praying and hoping that he accepts the baby, he has been round small children without incident numerous times but I will never let my guard down.

If by some chance I end up in the same position as the OP I would of course put my children's safety first BUT I would also look at all options and try and resolve the issues before PTS or rehoming simply because although "its only a dog" he is "my dog" and my responsibility. My lack of knowledge has made him the way he is, I do wish for him to be PTS as a result of my incompetence. The day I got him I signed up for 16 years. Not 8 and when the going gets tough get him out the door. The OP sounds like they have thought this through rationally and without knee jerks reactions. Would everyone's response be the same if this dog was a poodle? a lab? no, probably not. Hysteria breeds hysteria.

OP whatever outcome this has, I hope it works out for you. It is not a position I would want to be in.