My 4 year old daughter is mean to our new dog. The dog is really attached to me?

Question

I am hoping someone can shed some light on this as the dog is very sweet and docile for a dog that was left for dead and pregnant before we adopted her

Answer 1

Make your daughter stop being mean to the dog.

Who's in charge at your house, you or a four-year-old?

Answer 2

Firstly your daughter needs some clear cut boundaries, she needs to learn that no matter how docile a dog is, it can at some point decide it has had enough, if it bites her, it will really hurt her, so tell her if she doesn't want to be around that doggy that is okay, but she must not be mean to it. Then try and get her involved with caring for the dog, grooming it, feeding it (never disturb a dog when it is eating) and walking it, throwing a ball for it. Tell her the dog has been hurt and very unhappy and you need your special girl to help you get her back to health, and then one day, this doggy will be her best friend. Tell her you love her more than anything in the world and you are relying on her to help you. Good luck.

Answer 3

Apparently your daughter is resentful of the dog. She probably feels you are spending too much time with the dog and not enough with her. Try including her in things when your doing things with the dog. If this doesn't help you need to discipline the child and teach the proper way to treat animals before she gets bit. By all means don't let the child alone in the room with the dog until she learns the proper way to treat a pet. If she get bit the dog will be the one in trouble whether it did anything wrong or not. That's just the way it always goes. They always say the dog is wrong regardless of what the child did to it.

Answer 4

My question is: is she mean to all animals that she comes in contact with? or is this a unique case, where she is only mean because it happens to be living with you?

Like many others who have responded, it sounds like she may be a little resentful at the attention that the dog may be taking from her etc.,

However, with the risk of being redundant, your daughter, regardless needs to be taught how to treat animals. Think positive rewards (praise and specific words of what she is doing right is probably the best bet) everytime you see her do something with the dog that is good. Lets face it, not everyone knows how to behave around animals, and being that she is four, she just needs guidance.

As for the dog being attached to you: It probably has realized that you are the one person in the world that is showing it real compassion and not to mention a second chance at happiness. Good luck, and I hope your daughter learns to love the dog, as much as you do.

Answer 5

Your daughter needs to learn respect for animals,
The dog is probably looking to you as her Savior because you have shown her some much needed kindness
perhaps your daughter is jealous of the dog, but either way you need to be firm... if she pulls the dogs fur, pull her hair..... if she smacks the dog...smack her...and so on
I'm not saying to hurt your daughter, but at 4 years old she should have some concept that a dog is a living creature just like her and has feelings...
for example... she pulls the dogs fur, immediately give her a little tug on her hair, when she gets upset ask her if she likes having her hair pulled.... when she says no, explain that the doggy doesn't like it either...
If your daughter is going to persist and be mean, then maybe you should find the dog a better home, after all , it sounds like shes already been through enough hell for one lifetime
~n~

Answer 6

Obviously the dog still has some amount of trust in people. But if your daughter continues to be mean to her she won't. You should educate your daughter on the proper way to treat animals. There is no excuse to abuse animals (even if you're only four years old) Tell her that what she is doing is wrong and that you will not accept it at first. If you see her do it again punish her. (only you would know the proper way to punish her since you are her parent) Animal abuse should not be tolerated, and if your daughter grows up thinking that it is okay and you won't do anything when she abuses/treats an animal badly then she will most likely abuse animals all of her life. Please teach your daughter to be kinder to animals for the sake of all animals.

Answer 7

Teach your daughter the 'right way' to play with the doggie. Show her that she needs to gently pet the dogs head. If she hurts the dog again than take the dog away and don't let it see her anymore or until your daughter is able to be gentle with the dog.

Best wishes and I hope that this helps!=D

Answer 8

Your the parent here, you need to stop the behavior now, and i mean your daughters.. I would hate to see something happen to the dog, and in place then something happen to your daughter. You are the responsible adult.... The dog probally see's you as the pack leader as to why she is so devoted to you, start getting your daughter to play with the dog, get some interesting toys, take both to the pet store, and let her pick out toys and such, she will eventually learn to play nice..... But that all stems down to you....

Answer 9

You HAVE to teach her to respect animals . Many criminals involved in the worst of crimes against others started out as animal abusers . That`s a FACT you can check on Google .

Unless you want to risk her becoming like mike vick , you should nip this behaviour in the bud .

It`s possible she`s doing this because she`s jealous she has to share her time with you with the dog . Maybe spending more time with her AND the dog will help .............. try to make her realize she has no reason to be jealous .

Answer 10

Your daughter is plenty old enough to learn about respect. She needs to learn respect for the dog before the dog teaches her himself.

You need to sit her down and ask her how she would be feeling if someone did the things she does to the dog to her. Explain to her the dog has feelings just like her and it's unkind to do the things she is doing.

After your talk put her in time out each time she does something to the dog. Each time a little longer than the last. Don;t let her get away with it. If you do nothing you are basically saying to her it's okay to do the things she is doing.

My kids grew up with animals all of their lives. They knew how to respect them right from about 2 years onwards. They are now animal lovers themselves. Both own their own animals. One volunteers for our local rescue like I do.

She can learn some very valuable lessons for life if you do this the right way.

good luck

Answer 11

awe.
keep the dog. your daughter is only four. I would say she would grow out of that by the time shes 5-6. everytiem shes mean to the dog, just say "NO. Thats bad. We dont hit the dog." in a stern voice and she will probably stop.
She wont be mean to the dog forever, and unless the dog trys to bite her or anything, don't get rid of it. If the dog sits there and takes your daughter being mean to it, you just know its one heck of a good dog.