Parenting Question and Answers - Child's pet.

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Wendigo | January 2007

Child's pet.

Aidan has a pet dog. Her name is Chelsea. She spent the first several months here being a really good dog, and Aidan loves her dearly, but recently she has taken to picking fights with our other much older and larger dog, Tyson.

Tyson is a 48 kg (105 lb) Akita. He's normally the most placid floor rug you could ever hope to meet, and he has tolerated no end of torture from Chelsea, but now she is getting serious, and he is retalliating, as anyone would expect. At first he would just growl and grumble and roll her onto her back and she'd back off. Then she got worse and he'd rumble with her until we broke them up, but he never hurt her.

She's getting worse, pushing Tyson's boundaries, and the fights are getting more serious and harder for us to break up. Tyson still obeys me well, but she won't stop. I'll call him, he'll stop and come to me and she will attack him again. I'll pull him off her and she jumps up and attacks again. She almost bit me tonight as I tried to pull them apart! The last two fights they have had drew blood. It is a potentially dangerous situation and I won't have it. If Tyson doesn't end up killing her, Aidan will be too close when they start to fight and he will get hurt. Chelsea is the cause of all this, all Tyson ever wants to do is lounge around, but she picks and picks, snaps and bites him, and steals his food - even right out of his mouth! Chelsea is the problem and unfortunately, she must go.

My problem is, Aidan is only now really starting to settle after having to say goodbye to his former dog, Sooky, his cat, Moo Moo, his American Dad Jamie and his brother, Brendan, - and he almost lost me around that time as well - all within a few short weeks back in April. It has been 8 months since then, but it's not long enough. How do I explain it to him and then deal with another round of tears of having to say goodbye, this time to Chelsea, at a time when he's settling and gaiing confidence, thinking that all the goodbyes are finished?

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| January 2007 \| Goose

Child's pet.

Chelsea is trying to move up In what she see's as her pack. I'm guessing she see's you as the Alpha then the children but then she has decided to compete with the other dog for the next rung in the ladder so to speak. Feeding and not showing any preference in order sometimes results in a strong willed younger dog sometimes trying to be dominant. You could try feeding her second & while the first dog is eating she is made to wait on a leash, also when walking through doors or gates she must wait. When you come home from being out great the older dog first but then play with her longer. As she learns to wait reward her with a treat. Last but not least never try and break up fighting dogs the last thing you need is a dog bite or worse if the kids try to break it up they get bitten, if they start fighting outside a bucket of water works wonders if inside kids pump up water guns are very good. If you see her start to nip at Tyson grab her by the scruff give her a low threatning growl then remove her from every body for a couple of mins. I hope this helps. If not you could try to rehome her & prehaps get a different breed.( Terriers tend to have these dominence issue's) Some dog shelters encorage you to bring in other dogs to see if they get along, some even offer a trial period. Lots of Luck.!!!!!!

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	January 2007 \| Wendigo

Child's pet.

Chelsea is a 5 year old desexed female fox terrier cross. Tyson is a 7 year old desexed male akita. He was here a long time before Chelsea who has been here about 6 months. We've been very careful to not create jealousy issues by feeding them at the same time, playing with them together, walking them together, etc.

I can't think of any friend or neighbour that could or would take her so Aidan could visit. So far it's looking like the long explaination with Aidan. A kitten wouldn't help matters - we already have a cat as well (which by the way cuddles up to Tyson whenever Chelsea is sufficiently distracted, but doesn't get along with Chelsea at all). We also have budgies.

It's heartbreaking lately as he's been expressing that he wants me to have another baby and asking why I can't have one - I think he's missing his brother more than he's letting on - but even if I wanted to I can't, or rather, my partner can't.

Goldfish??? Any other ideas??? No ponies!!!

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| January 2007 \| breannababy

Child's pet.

Are you allowed rabbits?or ferrets?,one single male rat makes a great pet wot about a snake they are low maintenance so are turtles.I breed tenterfield foxies and unfortunately they do have a tendency toward a higher level of pecking order and jealousy issues LOL I am not saying all foxies are like this as not all mine are either,just in my experience(10 years) I have found this to be the case with the majority.I think It would be a good idea to have a replacement pet and to still sit him down and explain the reasons for the decision.You may find he is quite aware of the problem but just needs a positive nudge into excepting the pet does have to be given away. Hope this is of some assistance. regards Merle

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| January 2007 \| lexiw

Child's pet.

I think that the suggestion of putting chelsea somewhere close that Aidan can go and visit her would be the ideal situation. If that is not possible the I suggest sitting him down and asking him if he sees the problem and understands what the problem is. If he says no then explain it clearly to him and then ask him if he thinks that tyson likes to be attacked by chelsea all the time. when hopefully he says no then explain that chelsea has to find somewhere else to live where there isn't another dog to fight with. It is very hard to take something away from a child who has already lost so much so giving him a different sort of pet to replace chelsea ( let him pick maybe) should help to ease the loss. Hopefully he will become so enthralled with the new pet that he only thinks of chelsea occasionally.

Hope this helps, hugs and kisses, Good luck.

Lexi xxx

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| January 2007 \| breannababy

Child's pet.

I realize you have probably already considered obedience training,is the bitch desexed? If these options are of no use perhaps you could just tell him the truth and offer him a kitten,to soften the blow.You could even perhaps find a home for the bitch where he could still visit her so it wouldn't be a permanent goodbye.It can be difficult to introduce a younger dog with an older dog as there are nearly always dominance and jealousy problems as the younger dog matures and wants to jockey for pack position.I know my advice may be of no assistance however it all I have to offer regards Merle

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| January 2007 \| mandymum3

Child's pet.

Mabey you could say that Chelsea is very sad at tyson and is going to live somewhere else where she is an only dog so she get lots and lots of cuddles. Or is it that Chelsea is still learning her manners and will settle down soon? Good luck i wish you all the best

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