# Help! The dog hates the baby! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596 "2008-11-01T17:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Neeps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a183cd/32.png) [@Neeps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neeps)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/21 "2008-11-01T20:33:14Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It’s about setting priorities. When you become a parent, nothing should rank higher than the wellbeing of the child whose life is in your hands. Nothing. If you have a scintilla of doubt about the dog’s behavior, then the dog gets tossed. To another family if possible, to the pound if not. I’d rather mourn a pet than a child. > > Dogs are not people. I wouldn’t abuse one, but I wouldn’t expose my child, or \*\*any \*\*child, to an instant’s jeopardy for affection for one. > Dangerosa has beaten me to it: I’m not going to hijack this, but suffice it to say that it seems like the OP has set her priorities, and she is comfortable with them for the moment. She is not opposed to rehoming the dog if it is necessary, she is protecting the child by never leaving it alone with the dog, and she is trying to solve the problem without abrogating her responsibilities to all involved. I still can’t see where you are being helpful to her. All the best **torie** , whatever you decide to do. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/22 "2008-11-01T20:36:54Z")
Here’s a few links: [A “protective” family dog today mauled an 8-month-old boy to death as his grandmother screamed in horror, unable to wrench the infant from the Doberman’s jaws in the family’s Brooklyn apartment.](http://www.nypost.com/seven/01032008/news/regionalnews/dog_kills_baby_676508.htm) [An 18-day-old baby severely bitten on the head by one of the two pet dogs in her home died hours later Friday after emergency surgery at All Children’s Hospital.](http://www.sptimes.com/News/061700/TampaBay/Pet_dog_kills_18_day_.shtml) [A family dog attacks and kills a 2-month-old infant. Two others were injured in the attack](http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/10245/40/) ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/23 "2008-11-01T20:38:44Z")
> [@Oregon\_sunshine](#): > > Also, you don’t \*owe \*anything to a dog that growls at your baby!! You owe something to the innocent, defenseless boy whom you created (or adopted), and for whom you are the main protector!! Unless you’re just of the mindset of, “we can always make (or adopt) another one”??? :mad::mad::mad:😕😕:rolleyes: That is NOT fair, and I hope that when you have sometime to think about what you have said, that you will have the decency to apologize. I have supervised the situation, they are never alone together. No, not even while I am “just in the next room”. I am never more than about 10-15 feet from them when they are together, and now that this is a problem, the dog is not going to be in a situation where she can get to the baby. Period. I read the Google links you are talking about. Most of those were bigger and stronger breeds of dogs. I have a SHIH TZU. Leo is bigger than this dog. If I had a bigger and stronger breed of dog, I may be approaching this situation differently. You can think that I am not going about this right if you want to, but to suggest that I care so little about my child that “I can just make another one” is hurtful and beyond the pale. ---
**Author:** ![Neeps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a183cd/32.png) [@Neeps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neeps)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/24 "2008-11-01T20:43:41Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Here’s a few links: > > [A “protective” family dog today mauled an 8-month-old boy to death as his grandmother screamed in horror, unable to wrench the infant from the Doberman’s jaws in the family’s Brooklyn apartment.](http://www.nypost.com/seven/01032008/news/regionalnews/dog_kills_baby_676508.htm) > > [An 18-day-old baby severely bitten on the head by one of the two pet dogs in her home died hours later Friday after emergency surgery at All Children’s Hospital.](http://www.sptimes.com/News/061700/TampaBay/Pet_dog_kills_18_day_.shtml) > > [A family dog attacks and kills a 2-month-old infant. Two others were injured in the attack](http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/10245/40/) Yeah, and it doesn’t make headlines when responsible parents don’t overreact, and solve a problem without resorting to booting the dog out at the first sign of different behaviour. I am still failing to see how you are helping. In fact, you are being pretty condescending to **torie**. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/25 "2008-11-01T20:44:45Z")
> [@](#): > > She left the room momentarily to go fix a bottle for the baby," said St. Petersburg police spokesman Rick Stelljes. “She heard the baby cry and found the baby in the swing, bleeding.” I don’t leave the room without putting Java on the back porch or taking her with me, or putting Leo in his playpen away from the dog. > [@](#): > > No one knew which dog had bitten her, so both of the large mixed-breed dogs were taken into custody. The pit bull-Labrador mix named Malachi and the German shepherd-husky mix named Bear will be held for 10 days to be checked for rabies, said Dr. Welch Agnew, assistant director of veterinary services for Pinellas County Animal Services. I have a Shih-Tzu, who is much less likely to be able to do fatal damage. > [@](#): > > “My daughter just went to the kitchen to get a glass of water,” Campbell said. “The dog was behind her. When she turned around, the dog wasn’t there. When she rushed to the room, the dog was on the bed.” > > The dog, that neighbors say was about 75 pounds, was on the bed with the sleeping infant. Police say it attacked, biting down on the baby. Big dog. Baby and dog unsupervised. How do these situations apply to me? ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/26 "2008-11-01T20:56:15Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] Every year babies are killed by dogs under similar circumstances. I have a friend who was maimed by a dog as a small child. If you are going to fart around with a behaviorist, put your kid in foster care while you retrain your dog. [/QUOTE] At times I really hate this board, and posters like you are usually the reason, Dangerosa. Feel really good about yourself now that you behaved like a raving bitch without the slightest provocation? Get your nasty little rush of internet self-righteousness? “Put your kid in foster care”, my ass. Nauseating, cheap, opportunistic bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/27 "2008-11-01T21:01:08Z")
> [@Neeps](#): > > Yeah, and it doesn’t make headlines when responsible parents don’t overreact, and solve a problem without resorting to booting the dog out at the first sign of different behaviour. > > I am still failing to see how you are helping. In fact, you are being pretty condescending to **torie**. I don’t mean to be condescending. I do mean to encourage her to care INFINITELY more about her child than a dog. Look. I had a son who died some years ago. No, by a dog, but of natural causes. I don’t mean to imply that torie is deliberately risking her son’s life. I do mean to say that any parent’s prime responsibility is the protection of his or her child above nearly all else. Perhaps my personal history has significantly lowered what I think is an acceptable risk. But the mere hint of aggression from any animal toward my child would result in that animal leaving my home post haste. If you can retrain the dog, or have it retrained, then fine, but get it out of your house in the meantime. The dog is not a person, it is not your child, and it does not merit a fraction of the concern you give your child. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/28 "2008-11-01T21:02:44Z")
The dog is trying to establish it’s dominance in the pack. You have to actually hurt the dog. I don’t mean bad, but actually cause it pain, make it afraid, knowing that the alpha whose child that is will turn on them. Let it know that the baby is dominant in the pack over it, and that’s just something the dog has to accept. Holding the dog down with enough pressure that it’s uncomfortable, growling and bearing your teeth will work. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/29 "2008-11-01T21:07:43Z")
To those talking about dogs killing babies, do you have any evidence of a shih tzu killing a baby? You have to let it know that response will be swift and harsh. There is no shih tzu on Earth who my Grandmother could not remove from the baby, and if it did attack the baby that dog would be out the door then and there. If I had a larger dog like husky or something, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill the dog with my bare hands if I thought it was going after my baby. That being said, I have cats and they are very well behaved with my daughter and always have been. The only time the kitty has ever attacked the baby is when the baby runs up and tackles her and won’t leave her alone, and even then only long enough to get the baby to leave her alone. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/30 "2008-11-01T21:11:35Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > To those talking about dogs killing babies, do you have any evidence of a shih tzu killing a baby? Even the dog biting the baby is utterly unacceptable to me. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/31 "2008-11-01T21:19:09Z")
I second getting rid of the dog. Yeah, you can train it and take all the precautions but all it takes is one moment of backsliding on the dog’s part or you to turn your back for ten seconds and the child is in danger. The questions is whether or not do you think there is any risk whatsoever on the dog attacking the child. If there is, it’s a no brainer. Besides, it’s just a fucking dog. ---
**Author:** ![Neeps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a183cd/32.png) [@Neeps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neeps)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/32 "2008-11-01T21:28:38Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > The dog is trying to establish it’s dominance in the pack. You have to actually hurt the dog. I don’t mean bad, but actually cause it pain, make it afraid, knowing that the alpha whose child that is will turn on them. Let it know that the baby is dominant in the pack over it, and that’s just something the dog has to accept. Holding the dog down with enough pressure that it’s uncomfortable, growling and bearing your teeth will work. Just be careful when trying to physically assert your dominance. It may not have the desired effects - [alpha roll](http://www.bogartsdaddy.com/bouvier/Training/alpha-roll_no.htm) Professional help is the way to go if you can’t get any help from books/online sources. **Skald the Rhymer** - I’m sorry you feel the way the way you do, but I can understand why. Other people, however, obviously feel differently. > [@RandMcnally](#): > > Besides, it’s just a fucking dog. Apparently not to **torie**. Newsflash. Some people feel differently from you. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/33 "2008-11-01T21:34:16Z")
> [@torie](#): > > How do these situations apply to me? They don’t. Dogs respond to what _you_ do. Break a boundary - get a smack on the nose. Feed the kid - all happy families - dog gets a treat. Some dogs cannot get past the competition though, but most do learn quickly. If you can get your mutt to lick the hands or feet of your wean, sniff the nappy or whatever, and the dog lies down to sleep beside the kid, you are golden. It doesn’t always work out like that though. On a positive note my mum and dad have a series of crackly old photographs of me in my basinette as a baby with our Alsatian and two of our Collies being very maternal and concerned looking, overlooking proceedings. Apparently Kim the Alsatian tried to climb into my little tub, spilling me and the water all over the floor. My dad claims he was laughing so hard he dropped the camera onto the floor and only some photos remain. I don’t really believe him. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/34 "2008-11-01T21:39:06Z")
**skald** The dog hasn’t bitten the baby yet. Also, just because it is giving an aggressive posture doesn’t mean he’ll cross the threshold to violence. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/35 "2008-11-01T21:42:40Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > **skald** The dog hasn’t bitten the baby yet. Also, just because it is giving an aggressive posture doesn’t mean he’ll cross the threshold to violence. I wouldn’t be willing to take the risk. i’m not saying to kill the dog or send it to live elsewhere permanently; I’m saying that, were this my dog and my child, the dog at the very least goes to live elsewhere while it’s trained, and does not get to come home until it has demonstrated that ti’s willing and able to treat the child with utter deference. And that would be its one chance; if it came back and growled once, it’s out for good. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/36 "2008-11-01T21:45:17Z")
Even if the dog does not fatally attack the child, there can be permanent scarring and trauma. Dogs typically go for the face or neck on children. Google dog bite images, and you’ll see what I mean. The dog is trying to establish pack order above your son. To me it’s a no brainer. Dog is snapping, growling, barking, making very aggressive moves to your son. I’d much rather feel regret over rehoming my dog, than regret about my injured son. But then again, I have seen the results on several children, and watched them go through multiple surgeries. Thank God none of the kids were mine. I love dogs, have always owned at least one dog my entire life, but I wouldn’t hesitate on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/37 "2008-11-01T21:47:16Z")
Muzzles, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/38 "2008-11-01T21:52:20Z")
I think you need to ask yourself if you can live with the consequences of your decision, should the worst scenario happen. My dad worked with a guy whose loving family dog bit the baby’s cheek off. He never forgave himself. The dog is telling you something. It doesn’t like the baby. It thinks he’s another dog, he smells funny, whatever. I realize you adopt an animal with the intention of keeping it for life, but this is one of a very small handful of reasons that would negate that owner/pet contract. Is it possible to give the dog to a family member until your son is two or so? Maybe once they’re reintroduced when your son isn’t crawling, things might go better. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/39 "2008-11-01T21:54:05Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I wouldn’t be willing to take the risk. i’m not saying to kill the dog or send it to live elsewhere permanently; I’m saying that, were this my dog and my child, the dog at the very least goes to live elsewhere while it’s trained, and does not get to come home until it has demonstrated that ti’s willing and able to treat the child with utter deference. And that would be its one chance; if it came back and growled once, it’s out for good. It’s kind of difficult to train the dog to acclimate to that child if the dog isn’t present. I mean, lets put it in perspective here. We’re talking about a dog that weighs max what? 10lbs? Yes it can hurt a baby, no doubt, but it also shouldn’t be that hard to keep it away from the child, as she seems like she has done pretty well. Heck, toss cold water on it when it gets yippie at the baby. I think this is a dominance establishment. One has to work to establish the dynamic and assure the dog of its place and its role in the family. Like she said, it wasn’t doing this before the baby started crawling. Some little dogs just don’t like small children. My step-Mom had a Yorkie that hated me. It never bit me, but it would yip like mad at me. Of course I was 6 at the time and much bigger than it. **torie** Can you keep the dog separated reasonably from the baby for the long haul until the baby learns to walk and the dynamic changes? ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596/40 "2008-11-01T21:55:52Z")
You’ll just have to get rid of the baby i guess. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-dog-hates-the-baby/470596.md?page=3)