Help 4 yr old hits our dogs!?

Question

my four year old all of a sudden thinks its funny to hit the dogs and chase after them with sticks and things. I've never hit our dogs..i keep telling him if he continues to be mean to them we will take them to the pound (i don't mean it)..he gets mad because the dogs won't go outside with him alone i keep telling him if he is nicer to the dogs they will go outside with him if he continues to be mean they don't want anything to do with him..i tell him to pet them like mommy because he is jealous they follow me around everyone...I have 2 labs and neither of them would ever bite him. I just don't know what to do to stop the behavior i'm worried he is going to turn into some homicidial killer or something when he grows up...help me!

Answer 1

time out?

this is not a negotiation point - 'take the dogs away'- HA
he doesn't care now

need to get "The Strong Willed Child" by Dr James Dobson

or

when he is 15 - you will be miserable

Answer 2

Ok your freaking out because you have a boy! Boys are like that and he is thinking mom is a whimp right now. NEVER threaten a child UNLESS you are willing to carry the threat through. Kids know.

He is a boy my 5 year old thinks the entire world needs to be slain because he is a knight of the round tabel and he invisions dragons and beasts! Does he actually mean harm? NO. He is a boy and boys in todays society are not suppose to be boys. Leave that part alone he is a boy.

But get it under control absoulty! He still needs to know that hitting rather it is hitting an adult, mom, dad, brother, sister, friends or an animal is a big no no no.

I would had started with a good swift swat on the tail end. Usually that will stop it. BUT boys have a tendancy to be a little more stubborn in this area where girls usually are a little more deceiving....spanking isn't going to kill him but even the bible says spank your children you may very well save their lives.

The next time he hits pack the dog up and take him to someone elses home (prearranged of course) for about a week. Then after your son is devasted by it then bring him home. Say to him we, use the word, we can not hit. If he brings spanking up tell him that is his punishment and is not the same things. Explain no more. Threaten no more.

When you bring the dog home and if he hits him again take the dog to the pound and or find him another home.

He is not going to be a homicidial killer becaouse he hits the dog. He may though think he has the right to do what he wants wihtout any consquence because you don't follow through and wound up in a jail cell.

You are his mother not his friend. He is not going to stop loving you because you discpline him he will love you and respect you more.

Answer 3

He is challenging your authority...and your dogs can't do anything except bite him to get him to stop.

He understands what you are saying and it seems as if he doesn't care.

You need to keep him away from the dogs until he stops this negative behavior. You may have nice dogs, but the only way they can let him know they have had enough of him is by biting him.

If they end up biting him it will be your fault because you didn't get it under control.

I had neighbors that had this happen. It was awful. Their son had to get plastic surgery because the dog got his face. They had to have the dog put to death.

Spank him everytime and make him take a time-out every time he does this. Do not let him go near the dogs unless you are with him.

Answer 4

If it isn't working with the threat of taking dogs away then he should be put in time out whenever he is being mean to the dogs, if that doesn't work after a few days, than try to put him in time out and take away a privilege or a toy. At 4 years old he is really starting to understand consequences for actions alot better than when he was 3 and more of a punishment is appropriate. I have 3 girls, 5, 3, 5months and we just got a lab puppy, my 3 year old doesn't want her nipping at her legs so she started kicking her and she gets a 3 min time out every time she even lifts her leg to kick even if she doesn't actually kick her. We have told her what to do if the puppy tries to nip, so her kicking is her easy way out. It has been working really good and she has been starting to do what we told her instead of kicking. Our puppy is 8 weeks old.

Answer 5

Well this will sound really strange but it will not harm your son at all to train my cats and dogs to stay off furniture or leave the kids alone while at there lunch table i use a spray bottle with water in it and when my son started trying to hit the dog or cat when he didn't like what they did i squirted him with the water cause he knew that is what made the puppies listen and he didn't like it but it didn't do any harm and i felt spanking him would just reinforce the hitting by hitting him but it worked really well and the funny thing is he loved the puppy kisses when they licked the water off him lol

Answer 6

and he will keep doing it no matter what-especially if you aren't looking. all i can say is, buy your pets extra treats and give them more attention. my poor cat will not come downstairs when my daughter is up because she screams at her, pulls her tail, and rubs her backwards. kids just always mess with their animals.
i saw this awesome article once on how we don't need to teach children to lie, steal, or be cruel because they figure it all out on their own. it was funny i wish i remember the site. don't worry, if you keep teaching your child manners, respect and kindness, it WILL one day kick in(probably after highschool) but hey it's better than never, he prob won't be a killer honey.

Answer 7

If he hits an animal, send him to his room! Really, punish him. It is unacceptable to hit a dog. Do something!

Answer 8

Keep correcting him and time out everytime he does it.

Answer 9

them dogs are gonna attack your child can't hit animals. animals that are hit can become very vicious.