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Expecting a baby please help!

This is a place to gain some understanding of dog behavior and to assist people in training their dogs and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. This can cover the spectrum from non-aversive to traditional methods of dog training. There are many ways to train a dog. Please avoid aggressive responses, and counter ideas and opinions with which you don't agree with friendly and helpful advice. Please refrain from submitting posts that promote off-topic discussions. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

  
Bubba

Bubbalicious!		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 6:32am PST 
My partner and I are expecting our first baby and he insists that we have to get id of Bubba. This is something I really don't want to do but I know that I won't be able to cope with his demanding behaviour and look after a baby whilst my partner is at work. Bubba is a 2 year old shih tzu and very very needy. He sleeps in bed with me, follows me around everywhere, barks if he can't get up on the sofa or bed. Outside he pulls me off my feet, attacks other dogs, and goes after cars, buses etc and it's really taking it's toll on me and stresing me out. I work during the day but my mum takes him out during the day for me and I take him out in the morning, when I return an in the evening before bed. I am o homonal and can't cope at the moment as my pregnancy ha been really bad an I have tried putting him downstairs in the kitchen at night but he barks and barks and I need to give up and I can't imagine him and a baby, I would be a wreck. I don't want to give him away but could someone please give me advice in how to stop his agressive and needy behaviour. Thank you!
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Kolbe

Where can I run- today?		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 6:55am PST 
I'd be absolutely livid if my husband wanted me to get rid of my dogs when I get pregnant. That's something we discussed before we ever got married and definitely would have been an absolute deal breaker. My parents had 2 Rough Collies before I was born and I grew up with them - I honestly have a hard time imagining my childhood without them.

What kind of training has your dog been to? How many levels of obedience? What books have you read so far? Do you institute NILIF in your house ("Nothing In Life Is Free")? I think we need a little more information because as it stands it just sounds like he's just a dog who has had very little manners training and maybe a little too much coddling.
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Pippin CGC

King- Dingleberry!		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 8:22am PST 
I agree with Kolbe!...Your dog sounds like he is in need of training & needs to learn some manners!...What have you done with him so far in regards to these things?...Let us know & we'll go from there.
eta: I see that Bubba is really just a puppy at 1 yr. old...Full of energy!...How much exercise is he getting?...Have you considered crate training?

Edited by author Wed Mar 4, '09 8:28am PST

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Rally Pood

Hand over the- treats'n nobody- gets hurt!		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 9:51am PST 
I agree with the others that more information is needed. It sounds to me as though you have a young dog, with no boundaries, who is most likely not getting enough mental and physical exercise every day. If that's the case, signing up for a positively trained obedience class and implementing Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) would be a great place to start.

Also check out http://www.dogsandstorks.com
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Sativa

Old Lady		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 10:06am PST 
I would suggest getting your dog into a training class before you have your baby. If you can't do that then research training ideas and start right away. It is going to be a bumpy ride but it can be done. I don't think there is really any reason a dog can't exsist with a baby.
Here is a link to another forum that was just descused about new babies and the dogs. If the link doesn't work the forum is under Behavior & Training and is called Pregnant and Worried
http://www.dogster.com/forums/Behavior_and_Training/thread/ 600818
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Nikki CGC- RLI- 1/09/01-08/1- 8/09

A Work In- Progress
 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 10:29am PST 
Get your doggie in a class! Better yet both you and your partner participate together. Find one with positive reinforcment like clicker training and watch a relationship develop between Bubba and your partner when he blossoms into a dog who finally knows his role in your little family. Plan to have fun and commit to your homework and everyone's attitude will change. I promise! way to go

Congratulations on your upcoming baby!
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Bubba

Bubbalicious!		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 10:49am PST 
Bubba is over 2 years old, I dont know why it is saying he is 1?

But he is good at learning things and responds to down, sit and high 5 and up, to jump up. I haven't really done any real training with him but I will definetly look into classes in our area for him.

He does get a lot of walks though, 4 a day and they are all 15 mins long so all in all that's an hour a day, I thought this was enough???

Thanks again x
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Kolbe

Where can I run- today?		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 4, '09 11:16am PST 
Hi again.

Walks are good, 1hour seems decent but he might require more since he's still pretty young at 2 (I have larger dogs so I am not really certain on physical exercise differences).

However, the other big thing that wears a dog out besides physical exercise is mental exercise. All of that thinking really wears a dog out. I would definitely recommend a good class - it will be fun for both you and your partner and like another poster said I think participating in such things helps the general attitude change.

If you can't do a class right away you could do some book-based stuff. I would pick up "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller. I got mine really cheap used on Amazon. I lend it out to friends often. It's a good starter book and has tons of step-by-step type stuff in it. There will be a bunch of things in the book that Bubba will already know but there are a lot of fun new things also.

Remember also, "it's all tricks to them" -- even stuff we don't view as tricks like general house manners like not barking at the door, that sort of stuff. If you go the home training route, take maybe 15 minutes twice a day to work on some stuff- either work on new things or re-train/brush up on stuff Bubba already knows. Make it fun and make him think.

I know right now being dead of winter (Buffalo) my dogs get a little "stir crazy" in the winter because we aren't doing as much physical exercise, so I try to keep a lot of training sessions in to wear out their minds.
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