Lucky Dog Blog: How do you baby-proof a dog?

Or should you even try to? Should I just keep them separate? Is there hope for a dog that's bit two children now?

Let me tell you the stars have NOT been aligned this week in the Holtslag household! As you may know, we've recently relocated to British Columbia and are living in a one level suit temporarily until we find out... well, find out what the heck we're doin!

Calvin, our younger Vizsla snapped at our nine month baby this week and caught him in the forehead. Two days later, he growled at him. I'm at a total loss. A loss because you hope like heck it won't be your dog that has shows aggression to your own baby and a loss because Calvin is also a baby and we'd really love it if everyone could get along. Cash was crawling in front of him and over his legs while he was sitting. He didn't pull or pinch him or anything like that when Calvin snapped. Cash wasn't even reaching for him. When Calvin growled at Cash, they were both on the bed and Cash was crawling towards Calvin.

Just before we left Winnipeg, Calvin snapped at a toddler. This toddler was reaching for Calvin to give him a hug, and I just caught that sight out of the corner of my eye when Calvin snapped at him and caught him around his eye. Now, to Calvin's defense, he was dragged around by toddlers when he was 16 weeks old at a family Thanksgiving dinner. I thought the parents were watching and we didn't feel comfortable discipling. We told them multiple times not to mistreat the dogs but dogs still got some mistreatment. As a retailer once told me, dogs are like horses: they get traumatized once and it sticks for life. Believe you me, next time I'll be far more firm!

So now, until I figure this out, I need to keep the baby out of the dog's way if I can't watch 247. I really don't want to separate the dogs from us but I think it's my only choice until I can find some techniques to help Calvin feel more comfortable around Cash. At the moment, I can't tell if it's a dominant thing or a fear thing but either way, its too dangerous to not do something about. Not to mention, the baby found the dog dishes this morning for the first time(one level suit, not a lot of places to hide things!), and that's just asking for trouble.

Thank goodness Ruben likes the baby. He puts his head next to the baby and lets him tug away and even gives him little licks. Cash is too young to teach him how to be gentle with dogs, although we are constantly trying. At nine months, he's got kissing and crawling down pat but "please be gentle with dogs" hasn't quite stuck yet.

I'm off to figure this out. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish us luck!

Bonnie