Dog owners..Please Help!

[gshoemate]

I need some reasurance...About 3 weeks ago we decided to get a puppy. We have a 5 year old DD and a 14 month old DS. So we go to the animal shelter and pick out a real pretty 3 month old lab mix (one person said german shepard the other said they didn't know). So we get him home and DD is terrified of the dog. Right now his home is in the kitchen...there was already a gate up for our DS so we figured that was better then a crate. He spends alot of his time there. As soon as we let him out, he runs around all hyper and starts chewing on the toys...I know this is what puppies do, but then my 5 year old sits huddled on the couch scared to death. We don't know what to do. I don't want our DD to be tramatized. We have talked about returning him to the shelter but then this knot of guilt forms in my stomach. He's a good dog, doesn't bark, hasn't had to many accidents on the floor and he's really cute. And once our DD is scared of something, it stays that way for a long time. She took swimming lessons when she was 2 and the things the swim teacher made her do tramatized her and she is just now getting comfortable with the water again, and it has been 3 years. I am assuming that once the puppy gets a little older he will come down a little bit, but it may be to late by then for DD to get used to him. I just don't know what to do....any suggestions?

 

[alabamaalan]

We already had a dog in the family when my children were born so it hasn't been an issue.

The puppy is going to be more wild if it is confined and only let out on occassion.

We crate trained our puppy for housebreaking so when it was out, we knew it was playtime. Perhaps you should let it out more regularly and tell your daughter to get on the couch because the puppy is coming out.

I would definitely recommend obediance training, and to take your 5 year old to watch if it is allowed. That way she will start to feel it is "her" dog when compared to the other dogs in the class.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Was your DD not with you when you picked him out? If so, what was her reaction to him then? I remember our first dog. Youngest DS was almost 2, and here we were bringing a 3 month old Lab puppy into the mix! I would say keep the pup but do a lot of supervising for a while. They both need to adjust to each other. Maybe you can involve your DD in teaching him tricks. Hang in there!!!

TC

 

[gshoemate]

Yes, she was there when we got him. And the day before we had our company pool party and there was 3 adult dogs there and she didn't have a problem with them, but of course they were very calm. Thanks for the suggestions, I don't think I could handle the guilt of taking the puppy back.

 

[Keli]

You might also try to interest your dd in playing with the puppy. After he's run around for a while and isn't so wild I would play a gentle game of tug-of-war or something like that with the puppy. Sometimes it just takes a little interaction to stem the fear of little ones.

 

[peg2001]

My two DDs were born into a family that already had dogs. DD3 will walk right up to a dog bigger than she. However, neither DD likes dogs of any size that are too hyper or that jump on them. It is scary!

I like the ideas that have been posted. Have the dog trained ASAP so that you can order the dog to lay down and allow your DD to approach slowly to pat and stroke. Give the dog plenty of exercise, romping in the house, and walks outside. When the dog is tired and quiet, that is the time to get your DD used to him.

You are doing the RIGHT thing. Most kids will quickly adjust to a dog in their own family. It definitely helps them get over the "fear of dogs."

Peggy

 

[dianeschlicht]

Most obedience schools have a "puppy kindergarten" series that is kind of an introduction to obedience training. I would sign up for one ASAP. When we sell a puppy we require the buyer to have already registered for puppy class before they take the dog home.

I think you should consider using a crate training method as well. Put the puppy on a schedule of play, potty, crate etc. and gradually make his play times longer. I think he will settle down as he has more freedom. I also think involving your DD in the training is a good idea. We usually suggest the WHOLE family goes to training. Even though only one person does the training, it is a good idea for the rest of the family to observe so they can be consistant with the dog. If this is a lab/shepard cross, this will be a sizable dog. If your DD reacts negetively around him all the time, the dog may learn some bad interactions with children. Try taking him for walks with your DD going along.

 

[mrsv98]

I read about a really good method to introduce a child to a dog and start a bond forming. Take a stick of butter and rub it on your DD's hand. Help her hold her hand flat and tell the dog, "Kisses!" The dog will lick her hand which will tickle. This will help DD see that the dog is silly, not scary.

I have a 3yo DD and she has grown up with our older - 7yo - black lab and in Feb, we brought the puppy home. I have involved her from the start. She opens Lilly's crate to let her out, helps me put the food bowls on the floor, changes the towel in Lilly's crate and gives them treats. This really helps her have a feeling of control. I would also suggest that you take the dog on walks or give him some vigorus play time away from your DD so he can burn off energy. Another great thing my DD does with the puppy is to play the tennis ball game. She has two tennis balls, throws one across the kitchen, Lilly goes pell mell flying to get it, returns, and then DD throws the other. Lilly drops the first and chases the second. This way DD dosn't have to wrestle the ball away from Lilly and they have more bonding time.

Give everything a chance, just like any other relationship, it takes time to build ties. It sounds like the puppy is a really good one and worth the effort. Good luck and PM me if you need more ideas!

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Our DD was a little bit older than yours, more like 9 but she was terrified of dogs in any shape or form. When she heard we were getting one she cried and when we picked him up at the airport she wouldn't come near him. That lasted about a week. Now she takes a 90 pound labrador for a walk like it is nobody's business.
Does she look scared here?

What REALLY amazed us though is now she isn't scared of any dogs. She still has common sense about strange dogs but she will come to the vets and ask to pet people's dogs etc without blinking an eye. It's really an amazing transformation.
I guess I am with the give it a chance crowd!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by WebmasterAlex
Now she takes a 90 pound labrador for a walk like it is nobody's business.

Ninety pounds?!! I have that to look forward to with my puppy? He's Lab/Boxer. I was hoping he wouldn't outweigh my Flat-Coated Retriever who is 71 pounds.

 

[delikado]

I have a dog, Hogan, (who thinks he's still a puppy) that is just like yours: super hyper and always jumping around. I think this is really how most puppies are, but let me reassure you that they really do calm down with age. As for your daughter, the previous posters have offered great suggestions already, but I wanted to add something that worked for me. When I first got Hogan, he had a very difficult time socializing with other dogs because he's hyper-ness proved to be a little to overwhelming to older, more sedate dogs. He never bit or barked, but he just jumped around a lot, and I don't think the older guys like that too much Luckily, I found an enclosed park area close to my apartment where dog owners would let their dogs off their leashes and run around... Talk about a big improvement! I think interacting with all the different dogs and their owners taught him how to socialize "better," and while he is still a bit hyper, he definitely listens to me when I tell him to calm down. So if you can find a similar park for you (and maybe even your daughter) to take your puppy, I think it would make a world of difference.

Good luck!

This Hogan with my bf Brent