Puppy trying to kill 5 year old

[Lau123lau]

My 17 week old pup has finally realised humans are not chew toys (for the most part anyway) but seems to think my 5 year old is still fair game. We have tried everything from shutting him in another room, yelping and distraction with toys/commands etc but he isn’t getting the message. He full on lunges at her so standing still isn’t an option as he is drawing blood on her arms and legs. They’re not left alone together but he can be asleep on the sofa one minute and she will move and within a split second he’s clamped to her leg (he’s a whippet so very quick). When we’re out walking him off lead, he will be running round the field one minute and next minute he’s after her again. We do put him back on lead as soon as this happens. I really need a solution as she’s becoming frightened of him. Is it possible he still thinks he’s above her in the ranks and if so, how do we put the little blighter back in his rightful place?

[pigsDOfly]

I suppose if you're the sort of person who will hit an animal nothing much is going to persuade you that hitting animals because they're doing something you don't want them to do isn't actually training them.

And as you say fivedogs it's very often counterproductive.

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Penelope they're NOT domesticated wolves. Any more than you are a domesticated chimp. You know even less about evolution than you do about caring for your dog.

[Wolfiefan]

Mouthing is biting.

[fivedogstofeed]

Dogs are not wolves.

I wouldn't hit a puppy. Or a dog. Or a child. At best it's unnecessary and at worst counterproductive.

[PenelopeFlintstone]

Yes, my dogs want to please almost all of us and love training too but wanted to bite - not mouthe - the youngest. It wasn't playing. I know what mouthing is - they did that to me. He wasn't mouthing my daughter; he was biting her and we stopped it.

[Wolfiefan]

They’re not wolves.
They are very young puppies who need to be taught boundaries. But I would no sooner hit my kids with a slipper than the dog. It’s unnecessary and unkind.
Positive and reward based training is the way to go. My dog enjoys training, wants to please me and we enjoy it.

[Harrypotterfan1604]

Positive reinforcement all the way! Get a chew toy or a carrot or frozen kong to give to the puppy when he starts the biting as a distraction.
My dog used to do this to me as a puppy but only me she’d go mental but she soon learnt to do what I wanted her to do instead. She will grow out of it.
Dominance theory is utter nonsense it’s been proved to be rubbish so he certainly is not dominating he’s being a playful puppy and doesn’t realise he’s hurting her.
Do lots of mind games with him, physical exercise isn’t enough they need mental stimulation too so maybe try a shuffle mat or a treat dispensing toy something to keep him bush for a while especially when he’s in one of those giddy moods. Good luck x

[PenelopeFlintstone]

Sorry. Toughen up was rude, but these are domesticated wolves and I don't think there's anything wrong with what we did.

[PenelopeFlintstone]

He hit your puppy with a slipper?

Starting to think most of these replies are a windup.

The dog was not hurt at all, but my daughter was. And then it stopped. Toughen up.

[PenelopeFlintstone]

There aren't always triggers and it always seems to be the youngest child. My dog just ran up to her from behind and bit her on the bum while she was standing playing with something that was on her bed. She hadn't moved!

[mellongoose]

People can be a dramatic as they like about my suggestions. I'm certainly not up to date with 'dominance theory'. All I can tell you is what we tried and it worked.

It certainly hasn't made my dog fearful 😂 and no children were harmed!!

Good luck with whatever you decide OP. Your picture was lovely 👍

[Cath2907]

My Bichon pup was the same. His sharp teeth drew blood and he found DD (age 7) and DN and DN (3&8) irresistible. I taught Them to get dog to sit. However most of the improvements came from time. I taught dog to sit before going through doors (as he used to charge through and leap on the kids heads). DD used to sit on top of the back of the arm chair where he couldn’t reach her. Dog was on a lead in the house a lot to stop him chasing and biting. He is 10 months old now and no longer bites any of the kids. They sit on the sofa together and he is very gentle with her. He plays with my little nephew without any mouthing. Hang on in there!

[Sparrowlegs248]

The puppy is regularly drawing blood. Your child is frightened if it. It's ok though, the puppy is much wanted.

[pigsDOfly]

My dog's high value treat was chicken liver treats. Most dogs can't resist them.

Oh dear god some of these 'training' methods just get worse: yanking a dog by the neck after encouraging it to come to a child, walloping it with a slipper.

Like you fivedogstofeed I'm gessing some posters are just being silly for the sake of it.

Just what is the point of posting on a forum like the doghouse with stupid windup remarks like that. This isn't AIBU you know.

[Lau123lau]

Just to add my daughter would be devastated if we did suggest rehoming the puppy as she loves him dearly, she just wishes he would stop trying to eat her leg.

The sprinting thing sounds fun! Only issue is my pup is a whippet and rather speedy 😂

We do try and offer positive re-enforcement but could probably do it a bit more. He loves cheese so maybe high value rewards would work better than the standard doggy treats.

[Meepmoop]

My dog used to nip and bite me loads when he was a puppy. I would do time outs with him.

If he bit me he would go in his crate or I would get up and leave the room for 30 seconds. I would then let him out/return if he did it again repeat. He soon got the idea the fun would stop
If he did it

[VillageCats]

^sit command. I have no idea what the air command is!

[VillageCats]

For what it's worth I've had dogs all my life and I absolutely believe positive reinforcement is the most important part of dog training but I don't believe that setting boundaries and letting them know what isn't acceptable is some sort of evil. In my opinion the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. If it were my dog any time it nipped it would get a firm but quiet "ah-ah" with hard stare while I backed it away from the child with my legs. It really is ok to let dogs know when they are out of line and yours is.

I'd insist your daughter tie her hair up while the pup is young. You do have to set them up to succeed. I'd try and do your training sessions on lead near play parks full of screaming running children to get the dog desensitised to triggers. Keep it short and really happy. Only get closer to the park fence when your dog is completely ignoring the kids. All dogs need to learn not to pursue running squealing kids no matter how tempting they might be.

Another trick we've used in the past is to do sprints. Place the dog on a lead on your left, daughter on your right. Yell ready steady go and run say 2 meters to start. Then stop and give the air command. Lots and lots of praise for running without jumping and mouthing. Slow it down if he can't handle it and decrease the distance. Slowly increase the distance and speed. Eventually you want to be able to stick the dog in between you and your DD. We've done this with all our dogs over the years because we have always had massive dogs who would terrify most kids if they leapt at them never mind mouthed them.

[BertieBotts]

17 week old puppies are nothing like 17 week old human babies They are more like 17 month old toddlers - and while you wouldn't get a behaviourist in for a toddler's challenging behaviour, you probably would read a parenting book, look for advice online, watch a programme like Supernanny or take a parenting class for advice on how to manage their behaviour.

Getting a dog trainer in is simply the dog equivalent!

Nb do make sure you pick a positive or officially accredited dog trainer OP, as you can see from this thread there is a lot of bollocks talked about how to train dogs.

There are also books and youtube videos about how to train positively. I think Zak George's stuff is good.

[fivedogstofeed]

After a wallop from my husband with a slipper every time the dog bit my daughter, it soon stopped.

He hit your puppy with a slipper?

Starting to think most of these replies are a windup.

[fivedogstofeed]

Encourage the child to try and get the pup to jump up on them, as in clapping thighs, saying 'come on, come here etc'
When the dog tries to jump up, pull the lead back with a very stern, very low 'NO

Seriously? How to confuse a puppy & child in one easy lesson.

[PenelopeFlintstone]

My little girl wanted a fluffy white dog and we got her one. She was devastated when it used to bite her - and only her - because she was the youngest. The dog loved my husband who wasn't that keen. After a wallop from my husband with a slipper every time the dog bit my daughter, it soon stopped. Took about 4 times. No yelping heard ever.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Get rid of the dog. I'm amazed you're even questioning what to do.

[BumDisease]

"Get rid of the bloody thing - by whatever means you choose.

Must be lovely for your 5 year old to know that keeping this vicious animal is higher on your priorities than protecting her!"

😂😂😂 it's a puppy!!

[geekone]

@Lau123lau gorgeous picture