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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We adopted a dog several months ago and our family adores him.  However, our youngest child seems to adore him more than he wants.  We've tried working with the child on the way the child touches him and we've tried working with him on his response to the child (he growls and snaps).  This morning, when our child was pulling at his bone, he lashed out and bit the child.  We don't know what to do.  We're very concerned that the biting is going to worsen and that it could be much worse next time, but we don't want to over-react and give him up without thinking it through.  It doesn't seem that the tension between the two of them is going to work out, though. Tonight, we caught our child doing exactly the same thing to him.

Thoughts? What do we do?  And, if the answer is that we need to give the dog up, how do we explain this to the rest of the family? [/quote]

Another case of DCUMD idiots being reactionary without understanding the problem.   Geez.

I used to train dogs for the police.   Based on your post - ANY new adult dog will tend to bite in those situations.   Your kid was doing things that a dog sees as challenging him and threatening him.  Learn what those things are - and don't to them unless/until the dog imprints that your child is "above" the dog.  Without training your pet, he doesn't know what's going on - so he is just being instinctual.   Get a trainer - and it may save your pet and family from unnecessary grief.

While you look for a trainer (it won't take that long nor be that expensive so don't worry) here's what is possibly happening in your dog's mind vis a vis your child's actions:

1) don't touch the dog's food when he's eating it - it's a challenge in the animal world - and if your kid is seen by the dog as alpha - the dog will defending it's ability to feed himself.  That's how dogs do it with each other.  :)  My suggestion is let the dog see your son fill his bowl.  Have your son give a command to make the dog sit and wait for 30 seconds.  Have your son say "ok" and let the dog eat.    It's a great way to quickly imprint alpha on your son.   It literally teaches the dog literally to not bite the hand that feeds him.   :)   Over time - the dog will learn "that kid is the reason I get fed.  If I bite him, I won't get fed."
2) don't play tug of war and lose - it gives the dog a sense that he's equal or better than you.
3) don't lie down with the dog; nor let him up on furniture that you also sit on - again it literally makes him believe he's on the same level as you.

If you train your dog - simple commands of sit/stay/down/heel - are all things that 1) allow you to control the dog....but MORE IMPORTANTLY - 1) it imprints "alpha" in the trainer; and 2) starts to build a bond b/t owner and dog and you learn to trust each other (as the trust builds, depending on the breed of the dog - he will seem smarter and smarter - b/c he's now trying to please you)  and 3) teaches all of you consistency.

Good luck - it's not a hard problem to solve, if you're willing.[/quote]

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