New baby and dog issues...

saunders

Hi,
We have a new baby, 4 months old, and our dog Harry has started tearing up the kitchen each night when we go to bed. Harry has destroyed 2 wooden blinds, long curtains and a wooden door.

What’s strange is that it has only started happening. For the first 4 months he was grand about the new baby being home, although a lot more needy.

Harry is a collie cross who is placid in nature and loves kids etc. He’s about 5 years old and we’ve had him for 4 years. We have made sure he still gets his daily walks, plenty of attention and is not excluded from the baby.

Please help as this is costing us hundreds of Euros and alot of stress, for Harry too.
Thanks in advance!

RubyGirl

Oh poor u, that's alot of damage. Is he neutered? Has he always slept in the kitchen? Maybe time for some crate training.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056253303 bit of a similar thread here, might pick up some tips.

stephendevlin

Hold him in mid air ... Open Door ... Drop dog ... Extend right leg ... kick dog out the door.

boomerang

The crate is a great idea, but you'll need to introduce him to it gradually, making it a cosy, happy place for him to be. You can start by leaving it open for him at all times, and put treats and toys in there for him to find. You can feed him his dinner in there too. You want him to have really positive associations with it.

I'd also give him something appropriate to chew on, especially while he is in the crate. Stuffed kongs are great for this.

Has he always slept in the kitchen, or is this a new routine for him since baby came?

He may be distressed at being separated from you all. Does he vocalise when he's doing all this chewing, and scratch at the doors? Or is it silent?

saunders

He is neutured, and has always slept in the kitchen. His behaviour is silent and we haven't heard a thing. Nothing new to his routine aside of the baby.

We did everything you should do before bringing the baby home from hospital, baby clothes/nappy etc... As mentioned we have him 4 years, but we found him so we dont know any of his history. He is very clingy to me.
I have made up a new bed in his outside kennel for tonight as the damage is too much. He has also taken down some of the babys belongings from the kitchen table (a toy and a cardigan) but he has not damaged these, which I find very odd. I may be able to borrow a crate next week.

I don't think he would hurt the baby but he is very troubled at present and would rather not have him medicated.. I think it is some form of stress or seperation anxiety.
Thanks for the suggestions and any more would be much appreciated.

ISDW

I wonder, as the damage seems to be to the window area, and the door, whether there is something coming into the garden that he can smell or hear at night, and he wants to get out to it, and the timing, with the baby is just a coincidence? Or in fact, he may be more protective of the house because of the baby. Do you know if you have any neighbourhood cats or foxes as regular nocturnal visitors?

TooManyDogs

I wonder if he's getting anxious because the baby is removed and upstairs at night? Has your baby been waking up during the night? I wonder if he can hear the baby crying, not be able to get to the baby to check on it and takes out his anxiety on your blinds.

It can be incredibly easy to let a dog think the baby is his baby and let him become protective of the baby, have you noticed him minding the baby or guarding him/her during the day? If he thinks the baby is his, and you've removed the baby from him at night and he/she gets upset but can't get to the baby then that will result in him either trying to escape or re-directing his worry on your belongings. If he's secure in the fact that it's your baby and not his, that you'll be responsible for the baby if he/she is upset and crying then the behaviour should stop.

Maybe it has nothing to do with the baby but it can happen very easily that in order to prevent the dog feeling jealous of a new baby people can allow the dog to think it's their new 'puppy' and to mind it and guard it. But this can result in huge problems particularily when the baby is mobile and is one of the more common reasons for dogs being handed into rescues. Like I said, maybe it's not the case here but might be worth keeping an eye on.

saunders

I think he is upset by the baby crying. He is very protective of her, and does sit beside the pram or wherever she is most of the time. He is very attached to me, and always wants to be with me too. I don't know how to try to curb this behaviour, so any suggestions would be appreciated. When he ate the blinds; on both occasions he took down a toy/item of clothing belonging to the baby from the kitchen table but did no damage to them, which I found strange given the levels of destruction to the rest of the items.

For the past 2 nights he has slept outside. he has a kennel and I made up a fresh bed for him. No damage in the garden yet, but I would rather him sleep indoors but just can't risk it at present. He is really keen to get into the house in the morning, but he has not barked.

I think it is stress/anxiety as when we go on holidays he gets very upset too, even though he just stays with my mother whom he sees everyday.

TooManyDogs

It does sound like Harry is top dog. In a dog's mind someone needs to be clearly in charge taking care of things, if they don't see someone doing that job they normally always make it upon themselves to do the job but most of the time it puts massive pressure on them and they handle that by destructive behaviours and other bad behaviours and anxiety. This could also be why he gets anxious when you go on holidays, all of his 'babies' have suddenly disappeared. All dogs hate to be seperated from their family but if Harry things you're all his baby and you've simply disappeared and he's prevented from going looking for you then it results in major anxiety

You'll need to go back to basics with Harry, I'd suggest employing the 'Nothing in life is free' idea, ie he gets nothing nice without working for it even if its as simple as a 'sit' to get his dinner so an idea would be
- not to be allowed on the sofa/chairs
- no pushing through doors
- no tid bits unless its part of his training
- no getting out of the house/on to his lead/into the car until he's calm

These aren't a permanent thing but a way of showing that you're taking over the job and he just needs to follow your house rules, when he's consistently calmer you can relax on them or reward him by cuddling him on the sofa.

As regards the baby, as a mother of 1 human baby and 6 furry ones I've had to be really careful about how everyone interacts with each other. Firstly I'd suggest if you see him sitting by the pram I'd move him on, send him to lie down some where else, he needs to get used to the idea that you're her protector and its not his job to mind her. You don't need to be cross about it at all, simply ask him to go to bed and give him a small treat so going to bed is a good thing. Initially you'll probably have to constantly move him away so using small treat pieces will be better so he doesn't get full and not see the incentive in moving away.

If you have visitors around and find that he's harder to keep away from her because he's anxious to make sure the visitors aren't harming the baby you might want to keep bigger treats like rawhide bones or stuffed kongs ready. You can give him something that will keep him well occupied while the visitors are there.

If you can manage it I'd increase his exercise while you're making these changes. A tired dog is far less anxious and will be more receptive to changes. I know its hard when you have a new baby but if you or someone could find the time it'd be a big advantage.

At the moment Harry minding your baby might not seem like a big deal except for your blinds but normally when the baby becomes mobile is when the bigger problems start. Dogs that feel a baby is 'their' baby will mind the baby but also correct the baby. These corrections will come initially with very subtle canine language but obviously babies will be oblivious, it will be followed up by lifted lips and growling, which again babies won't see any danger and finally the dog will nip. My dogs are very clear on the idea that if any one needs to mind the baby it's my job, but equally if anyone needs to 'bite' the baby I'll do it myself!

saunders

Many thanks for the tips toomanydogs. Much appreciated. I'll give them a go. We though we had it covered with Harry and things had gone so well up until last week, so it's back to the beginning. We had gone with all the tips/things to do before the baby was born. I'm over the damage, but just worried about the dog himself behaving so out of character. Thanks again