CRAZY BUT LOVED DOG!

[somanyquestions2018]

My baby is due in September 2018 and I am currently living with my parents and due to circumstances out of my control I will probably be here for the first year of my new arrivals life.

The only problem is my parents dog. Who I LOVE! But she is NUTS! There are a whole list of things you cannot do without her getting aggressive and attacking you. She is a jack Russell type so is only small but can still be terrifying when something has wound her up!

My sister has two kids a one year old a two and a half year old. When they visit the dog sits with my dad on a lead and shivers and becomes agitated if either child gets close to her. She has been off the lead sometimes with them and seems to react a bit better but can go a bit funny and look like she is going to pounce if things get too noisy.

Unlike my sister who has openly said she doesn’t like the dog I have a very close relationship with the dog. I know it sounds stupid but I’m positive she knows I’m pregnant and she likes to sleep around my bump and has generally been even more close to me since I became pregnant.

So I’m hoping she will love my baby! Maybe the baby will smell like me?! I’m going to get a sling so I have both hands free in case she has a freak out!

Any tips to help her bond with my baby and connect that the baby is a new family member?

If this is real, you're going to be sitting crying in A&E in the not-so-distant future, not because babies cannot be around dogs but because this dog hates children and is afraid of her life of them, and because you aren't seeing how serious the problem is. Awful situation.

So you want to treat a severe fear aggressive dog as you would the average chilled out pet dog and think it will all be ok? That's beyond deluded. I sincerely hope you're an under bridge dweller or that if you are real your maternal instinct kicks in at birth and you don't actually risk your baby's life by causing your parents fear reactive dog the distress of trying to bond her to a terrifying (to her) infant.

I'm afraid this sounds like a recipe for disaster. You have a dog who is so petrified of children that he shakes when he's in the same room as them and you want to have him around your baby?

In the nicest possible way, are you mad?!

So you emailed someone who told you your, fearful (terrified of children), dog could be cured by chucking a few treats at it several times a day?

Okay.

Oh and buying a doll.

How long did this person sit on the internet looking at and assessing your dog's behaviour before coming to this conclusion? Oh no it's the internet, so no assessment and clearly no qualifications.

I've got very strong doubts about the genuineness of this thread. But if it is genuine you need to open your eyes and realise you have a major problem with this dog.

He has had a day long session with the dog and is a qualified pet behaviour counsellor.

Firstly there is no offical "pet behaviour counsellor" qualification and secondly you stated he'd given this advice by email - he plainly does not remember your dog or has zero understanding of dog body language. What he has written is advice given for normal calm relaxed family pets not extremely fearful or agressive dogs.

Like I said I hope you're a troll but if not I sincerely hope you maternal instinct kicks in before you terrify your parents dog into killing your baby or at best maiming your baby.

www.apbc.org.uk/info/training_courses

That link is for certified behaviourist qualifications (aka a degree in animal behaviour). A "pet behaviour counsellor" is not a behaviourist - it is a very dodgy trainer trying to fool people by making up a name to sound like a behaviourist when they aren't.

Also there is no way on this earth a true behaviourist would risk telling someone by email only that their severely fear aggressive dog would be fine with a baby so long as you throw it treats whilst you have a fucking doll around it and other things people try to get a normal laid back non aggressive, non fearful dog used to before a baby is born. They would be sued when the baby is maimed or killed and the police have the dog put down. A twat who pretends to be a behaviourist by using a false title to sound like one would because they don't have a fucking clue what they are doing.

I'm hiding this thread now because you must be a troll to be acting like this the other option that you are actually going to do something that has an extremely strong chance of resulting in death of baby (and dog) just doesn't bear thinking about