[meiko09]

...old child. How do you train dog not to? My dogs have always been my children. Meiko, the alpha mail of the pack is closest to me. He has done Pet Therapy at hospitols and is GREAT around people/children. Enter...Corbin, our 20 month old son. We have been slowly integrating the dogs with Corbin. He has been able to pet them and all is well. Now, Corbin wants to pinch, poke and pull. The other 2 dogs tolerate this, Meiko does not. He has tried to bite 3 times now...fortunately we are right there to stop it. Meiko get scolded and is sent to his bed.Does anyone have advice on how to deal with this? Corbin is my son and comes first, but...Meiko is my other son. If he ever bit Corbin I would die! Please advise.

[swishyvt]

Meiko is NOT being aggressive. He is being defensive. He feels that Corbin is being threatening to him. Work with your child on how to treat the dogs, and scold Corbin for being too rough with them.

[Deli Ozy]

Taking a woman to bedWhat is the difference between girls/woman aged: 8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68 and 78?At 8 -- You take her to bed and tell her a story.At 18 -- You tell her a story and take her to bed.At 28 -- You don't need to tell her a story to take her to bed.At 38 -- She tells you a story and takes you to bedAt 48 -- She tells you a story to avoid going to bed.At 58 -- You stay in bed to avoid her story.At 68 -- If you take her to bed, that'll be a story!At 78 -- What story??? What bed??? Who the hell are you???

[lizo0110]

I think you need to teach Meiko that he's not the alpha dog, you are. What I did with my chocolate lab is when she would do something like that I would lay her on her back and straddle her and make her look me in the eye till she calmed down. Usually just a minute at the most. I think it's a good way of showing them who's the boss without hitting them. It might be that Meiko is getting old and ornery and doesn't have the patience. Maybe keep him and your son separated till you can teach your son that pinching and pulling the dogs fur isn't ok.Good luck!

[presleygirl]

you want advice how to train a dog to tolerate abuse? train your child not to do these things. no dog should tolerate that, i saw a beautiful baby girl in the hosp. with a hugh gapping hole in her face, from the family's beloved dog, train your kid for his own good, my g.s. demands respect. lol

[oddball59]

Meiko is very jealous and being the alpha male MUST show your child that HE is boss. Hence the problem.You need to show that YOU are alpha top dog, not him. Here is a list of things to do :1. Gently tug at his fur and do the things that your child might do to him so he gets used to being handled like this. Then, if your son does tug him, he is less likely to retaliate.2. Squirt water on his nose if he shows signs of aggression. Try not to shout because that can cause further excitement...to a dog it's like barking. Use a firm No as you squirt.3. Have one to one times with your dog so he doesn't feel pushed out.4. Praise him whenever he is behaving around your child and make a fuss. If he allows the child to stoke him with you there, really praise him. Keep a few treats in your pocket for him5. Hold your child's hand and guide it stroking the dog nicely so Corbin learns HOW to stroke...he's not too young to learn this. Then really praise your dog for tolerating it, AND praise Corbin for stroking nicely.6. And finally, you're already doing this, never leave Corbin alone with Meiko, not even for a second as dog's can seize the opportunity.As they grow together I'm sure there will be a loving bond between them.Best wishes!(We have a blue and gold macaw called Meiko!)

[pknutson_sws]

It has taken 3 years for us to work this one out. I am alpha in the house, and my dog is always subserviant to me, but takes all the agression out on the youngest, like there are jealousy issues. If I'm snuggling my boy, the dog gets upset and vice versa. So, I've slowly intergrated them into getting attention at the same time. Now both sit on my lap and all are happy.What has helped us is to have our son, who is now 6, do a lot of the care of the dog that I would normally do. Like fill the food and water bowl and give the treats. Our dog has formed this happy mental relationship that our boy is the giver of food! So, my son is now greeted with a wagging tail and the dog has even approached him to play and get pet. That's probably not possible with a 20mo, but you can work at it slowly, and keep close eye on your son. Your dog will eventually learn that pleasing you means being nice to your son. I wish you the best!

[David G]

You need to establish the order in the pack. You are alpha. Your son should be next. The dogs after that.When you come home you should greet your son before acknowledging the dogs.Your son should always walk through doorways before the dog.Your son should eat his meals before the dogs are allowed to eat.If your dog is aggressive you need to growl at your dog. This will tell him you are not happy with his behavior. If you yell at your son to stop, this reinforces the dog's belief that he is above your son in the hierarchy.Do not allow your dog to sleep in your bed while your son sleeps in another room. The dog should be on the floor.Good luck.