Should I keep my dog?

Question

I have a female Shiba Inu but Im not sure if I should keep her. We got her from a family who had both the mother and father, but it was obvious she was abused there. She is very loving and protective of me and plays fine with our other dog and our cat .When my mom came to visit us she bit her, and we all assumed it was because she was scared with new people and such. But shortly after that she bit my husband because he said bad and pointed at a piece of paper she ripped up. He didnt make any advance towards her or anything, just pointed at the paper. She is still a puppy, ten moths old, but we got her when she was 4 months old. Im pregnant and I dont know if this is something she will grow out of with time or was her initial experience of being abused going to stay with her forever, causing her to act out. She is getting better, now she doesnt cower in front of strangers and she plays with our neighbors kids, but do I want her around the new baby once I have it?

Answer 1

It sounds like you are a dedicated person, and i admire that in pet owners. You understand that getting a pet is for life, not until you get bored, but obviously the safety of your family must come first. If you are willing to work with her i would search your area for a great behaviorist. Call your local humane society or animal shelter, they may know the best trainers for possibly aggressive dogs. Work with a trainer, a dog can be trained and socialized out of being aggressive. If this isnt something you are able to do, whether it be financial or time wise, then it may be best not to risk your families safety and i would take her to your local humane society, they will most likey evaluate her for temperment and decide whether she is safe to rehome. But remember if you do decide not to keep her, she will be dangerous for any other family and you should not try to find her a home with someone else on your own, if you believe she is dangerous, you have to do the responsible thing and leave her with professionals. I hope it all works out for the best and congrats on your baby on the way!

Answer 2

Sounds more like she was poorly socialized than abused to me. There is no way I would recommend keeping a dog known to bite in a family that was going to have a baby.

Even good Shibas are not easy dogs to train - you can't train away bad temperament or lack of proper socialization. If I were you, I'd find another home for her - but be very honest with anyone willing to adopt her.

If you decide to keep her, make sure she is on a leash ALL the time and start doing motivational training immediately! These are the books that I recommend to my students; you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/

Answer 3

First and foremost be patient. If she were abused, it certainly will take some time to for her to rebuild her trust. I would consult a trainer one that specializes in behavioral issues. Definitely keep her socialized with other dogs as well as other people as well. Keep a tight leash on her around new folks at first. But I promise once she regains her trust (and she will because of her young age) then go forward. Certainly she needs to know who is boss and the husband issue and being scolded, hopefully she was sent to crate for that boo-boo. Do realize that the Shiba Inu breed can be quite temperamental so be aware of that too. Patience and a little effort she may be the best pet you have ever had. Good luck and God bless!

Answer 4

Only you can really answer this one. You said she's getting better and playing with the neighbor's kids. That's a positive! How old are the kids? Not cowering is also a good sign because a lot of dogs are fear biters so she may be past that.

If you keep her, you'll have to wait and see how she acts. What you'll want to do is introduce her to the baby in stages. With you holding the baby, let the dog come into the room, but not up to you. Keep her in a sit stay across the room. Let her get used to the baby from a distance. Then, you let her come closer, till she's sitting beside you. When you feel confident, you can let her sniff the baby (with you holding the baby).

No one can tell what's happened to her in the past and you have to be theone to judge if she's recovering enough to be a stable dog with a baby in the house. Good luck with her.

Answer 5

There is a man named Cesar Millan that can help you address these problems. I guarantee you of that. He has a book and videotape out. He also has a show that showcases all kinds of dogs with issues. The show is free to watch and airs in my time zone on the National Geographic Channel. Check with your tv provider. Your dog will not outgrow this aggressive behaviour. It usually comes about from lack of leadership on your part and proper correction at the time of the incident. His lessons are gentle and effective. Much of his training occurs while you are enjoying liesurely walks with your dog on a leash. The amazing part of his training is it teaches people to be effectively assertive by acting as pack leader to a dog. it also teaches that you can rewrite a dog's behaviour even if he has been abused. They actually learn much faster than people. And guess what? This can carry over to issues in your own life. I watched the episode where he even dealt with bringing a new baby into the house.Please look him up on the internet. You will recognize greatness when you see it. He will also be listed on the internet as The Dog Whisperer. Have fun learning and in the future I guarantee you will be called upon to share what you have learned.

Answer 6

It's not her fault she was abused. But, if you've ever watched "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel, you'll know you need to show the dog that the people are the "pack leaders" - meaning you're in charge. He says that most dogs can be "rehabilitated" and the owners get trained.

The "Dog Whisperer" has a couple of books out that are worth reading - his name is Cesar Milan. You can get the books from the library or the bookstore.

Answer 7

find a trainer specifically for abused dogs. she might have bit your husband when he pointed because she might have thought the hand gesture was more of a fist about to hit her rather than just a pointing motion, and she might have bit your mom because she was being teritorial. thankfully she's still really young and has a better chance of getting over this. if you have the opportunity, you should take her somewhere you know there will be infants, especially crying ones, and she how she reacts. its good that she'll play with neighbor kids, so she understands the concepts of "smaller people"

my dog once bit me. she liked to sleep in the walk-in shower, but hated being confined and would get agressive if you cornered her, and once she was under the towl rack next to the shower and i went to grab the towl and i think she thought i was going to grab her and she freaked out and bit my hand. she knew it was wrong and was immediatly sorry when i started screaming bloody murder (i was about 12), but my mom was so scared that she was going to keep biting she wanted to get rid of her too. we didnt, and she lived with us for another 10 years almost, with only 1 other incident of biting, me again, but i deserved it that time. so you just need to really know your dog and its body language. trainning can really help a lot. but you really need to know how she will act around infants, so if you have a friend who's had a baby, see if they are willing to let your bring your dog around and listen to it cry and see if she gets aggitated.

Answer 8

Since she seems to already be making good progress, I wouldn't give up on her. Keep training her with positive reinforcement, and enlist the help of a dog behaviourist. I think even with only one or two private sessions, they will be able to guide you helping the dog trust people more.

I mean you wouldn't be having the dog play with the baby for a few years anyway right? With training and guidance the dog will be great by then.

Answer 9

Hi Jess,

I agree this is a dangerous situation--puppies should not bite out of anger. Agression always escalates unless dramatic changes are made in the dog's life. This takes a huge amount of work and vigilance. You need a dog behaviorist to evaluate your dog and work with you. Vets and many trainers do not have the detailed understanding of dogs that behaviorists have, and are probably inadequate for your situation. A good behaviorist has a veterinary degree and works as a trainer. You should be able to find one in your area by asking local rescue organizations and dog owners. Good luck!

ML

Answer 10

What sort of canines is he? He must be attacking because of the fact he's scared or basically attempting to be dominant. i might placed this canines on his part and not enable him up till he calms down each-time he is going for yet another canines. Do it in front of the different canines besides, and use the command "settle". He needs to examine from you that it is unacceptable habit and which you are the boss. He does not attack the little canines because of the fact he be attentive to it is no longer achieveable. Has this canines had obedience training? If no longer get some!