Anonymous wrote:The dog has as much right as your baby to be there. Fix it.

LOL. Seriously.... you have issues

Have you been to your vet to rule out any physical problems and discuss anti-anxiety medications?

But overall I am on the side of the give this dog up to rescue folks. It does not sound like you have the resources to deal with the training and behavioral modification this dog needs. You cannot risk a dog bite to any one of your kids.

Anonymous wrote:If my dog bit my kids, broken skin or not, it would be gone whether my spouse agreed or not.

What happens when the dog "nips" your newborn?

geeze. have you ever had a dog?? I hope you never get one, because you clearly do not know how to deal with one.

There's a huge difference between breaking skin or not.

Dogs don't have hands; they have mouths. Sometimes if they want to grab you, they don't have hands to grab you and they use their mouth. Like an excited kid that wants to show you something and lead the way.

Also, a lot of dogs posture and have zero intent to actually hurt anyone.

Personally I hate yappy dogs like cocker spanies, but I think OP just needs to train her dog.

I don't know that I would automatically give up a young dog for nipping at the kids because puppies nip until they are told not to. But it would require that an adult in the house take charge and be there to correct the dog whenever it happens. And certainly you would expect that someone would have corrected that behavior by the time the dog is 2.

A trainer or someone more experienced with dogs would need to see what this dog is doing to determine if there is aggression at play. But obviously it is NOT o.k. for the dog to be nipping, snapping at young kids.

If your dog nips at your kids, get rid of him. No question. Sorry. You have a responsibility to your family before this dog.

Anonymous wrote:The dog has as much right as your baby to be there. Fix it.

Uh, no the dog does not have the same right to be in a home as a child. It is a dog.

Op - the pottying in the house and the separation anxiety are significant problems in and of themselves. It is much harder to "untrain" these behaviors out of a dog than it is to establish good behavior from the get go. The fact that the dog has these behavioral issues indicates that as much as you love him, you don't have the time/attention available to train this dog. I'm not sure how you expect to have the time once your baby is born.

The snapping at your children is a deal breaker in my opinion. That is a recipe for disaster in a house full of young kids. I'm sorry Op, I would rehome.

Anonymous wrote:Somehow it doesn't for my dog. She lays on her mat and licks and chews it, sqeezing it to break up the frozen part. She's a lab so doesn't lose interest in food. It doesn't have a chance to completely thaw and she gets every bit. Her mat cover gets washed regularly.

I would only add yogurt or other messy things if you know your dog will finish it.

That sounds cute. I love spoiled dogs .

Anonymous wrote:For problem #2, stuff a kong with peanut butter and kibble or treats to keep him occupied on his mat before you leave the house or when people come over. I stuff yogurt, kibble and peanut butter in kongs and freeze them so it takes alot of time for my dog to finish. It also gives them a sense of accomplishment, reduces boredom.

I also make that! I soak the kibble first so it expands and looks like stuffing-maybe add some banana.

If you haven't tried a trainer you need to.
That said, I'd give him up.
FYI Fairfax County Animal Shelter offers training. I think it's to help correct problem behaviors like these so that you don't have to give up your dog.

Somehow it doesn't for my dog. She lays on her mat and licks and chews it, sqeezing it to break up the frozen part. She's a lab so doesn't lose interest in food. It doesn't have a chance to completely thaw and she gets every bit. Her mat cover gets washed regularly.

I would only add yogurt or other messy things if you know your dog will finish it.

Anonymous wrote:For problem #2, stuff a kong with peanut butter and kibble or treats to keep him occupied on his mat before you leave the house or when people come over. I stuff yogurt, kibble and peanut butter in kongs and freeze them so it takes alot of time for my dog to finish. It also gives them a sense of accomplishment, reduces boredom.

I have to ask - doesn't this get messy?

For problem #2, stuff a kong with peanut butter and kibble or treats to keep him occupied on his mat before you leave the house or when people come over. I stuff yogurt, kibble and peanut butter in kongs and freeze them so it takes alot of time for my dog to finish. It also gives them a sense of accomplishment, reduces boredom.

I have a contact at a local Cocker rescue. They are excellent and I would trust my dogs to them without hesitation. Your dog can wait in a foster home until he is adopted. Let me know if you want me to make the intro. Young dogs and young kids don't mix very well. That is why I waited until my child was 10 before I adopted a dog.