Pet Lovers

[queendiva]

I hired a certified trainer for my 5+ year old dog. At the first session he told me that the "window" for training and redirecting undesirable behavior was most likely closed at the dog's age. These were his words. Add anxiety to the mix- and a baby?

That dog should NOT be in a home with children or other animals, nor with people who are clearly inexperienced with raising a dog who has multiple issues.

WHY the resistance to returning him to wherever they adopted him? A shelter or rescue group will aways take back a dog who is in the wrong home, as is clearly the case here. 

There seems to be more concern for the dog than the baby! 

Certified trainer? I see that the overwhelming responses to your question here have been that the dog needs to be removed from the home. I can't image that he is happy, either.

[CrazyDaisy]

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@queendiva wrote:

I hired a certified trainer for my 5+ year old dog. At the first session he told me that the "window" for training and redirecting undesirable behavior was most likely closed at the dog's age. These were his words. Add anxiety to the mix- and a baby?

That dog should NOT be in a home with children or other animals, nor with people who are clearly inexperienced with raising a dog who has multiple issues.

WHY the resistance to returning him to wherever they adopted him? A shelter or rescue group will aways take back a dog who is in the wrong home, as is clearly the case here. 

There seems to be more concern for the dog than the baby! 

Certified trainer? I see that the overwhelming responses to your question here have been that the dog needs to be removed from the home. I can't image that he is happy, either.

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I am not sure who certified the trainer you hired but there is no "window". Granted some dog can be stubborn or set in their ways which make it more difficult but to give up after one session is silly.  Good trainers have a whole "bag of tricks" to work with dogs of all ages.

[CrazyDaisy]

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@KingstonsMom wrote:

As a certified member of the Certification Council For Professional Dog Trainers, you're very welcome @CrazyDaisy .

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Cool how long have you been a CCPDT member?  Do you also have your Behavior Certification?  Perhaps we have met before.

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You might have missed this...

Also how do you use your certification(s)?  How do you feel about the continuing edcuation program in your area? I hear some areas are difficult to find classes which make the recertification hard.

@KingstonsMom

[NickNack]

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@eddyandme wrote:

To @KingstonsMom, @queendiva, @hollusunshine, @MziMac, @NameAlreadyTaken, @Tallgal, @CrazyDaisy, @Pook, @Foxxee, @kelsey17, @felinegroovy, @MoonieBaby

Summarized your replies and messaged my friend.  Then she told me she had forgotten to mention the dog has anxiety issues!  Anyways, left it at recommending a certified trainer come to home and take it from there...

Want to than you all for the helpful information.  Hope this furbaby can be helped.  Hopefully the Lab and Levi (the baby!) will easily get thru this and become 'best friends' for life!

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@eddyandme   I'm very surprised that after reading all the responses here your recommendation to your friend was that she get a trainer and take it from there.  The overwhelming majority responded that the dog should be rehomed.  The baby is clearly more important than the dog, and the dog could be rehomed with an adult only family and be much happier.

[SeaMaiden]

any aggression at the age of 5 is not going to be UNLEARNED.  I had a dog years ago that was very food aggressive and I kept the dog only because I had no children and I knew I could not give him to anyone else with this problem... so it was either put him to sleep or keep him... he even bite me once.

I would not have the dog you are talking about near a child. Sorry.

[eddyandme]

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@NickNack wrote:

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@eddyandme wrote:

To @KingstonsMom, @queendiva, @hollusunshine, @MziMac, @NameAlreadyTaken, @Tallgal, @CrazyDaisy, @Pook, @Foxxee, @kelsey17, @felinegroovy, @MoonieBaby

Summarized your replies and messaged my friend.  Then she told me she had forgotten to mention the dog has anxiety issues!  Anyways, left it at recommending a certified trainer come to home and take it from there...

Want to than you all for the helpful information.  Hope this furbaby can be helped.  Hopefully the Lab and Levi (the baby!) will easily get thru this and become 'best friends' for life!

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@eddyandme   I'm very surprised that after reading all the responses here your recommendation to your friend was that she get a trainer and take it from there.  The overwhelming majority responded that the dog should be rehomed.  The baby is clearly more important than the dog, and the dog could be rehomed with an adult only family and be much happier.

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@NickNack, in my fb msg to her I mentioned rehoming was suggested and even mentioned another dog we're both familiar with that was successfully amd happily rehomed.  Also stated, which they knew, the baby should always be supervised with the dog - which they never leave Levi alone. Told her I've always treated my dogs like children, stating they know the meaning of NO.  And then suggested a professional who could evaluate the situation.  We all know the baby is most important and I'm sure they're going to do what's best for Levi.  Guess I should have gone into more detail in my message to everyone here.  Sorry!  But, rest assured that I did mention rehoming.

[pigletsmom]

I think the most important question is how much time and energy are they willing to put in on working with the dog. It's easy to say you're going to do the work but life can get in the way pretty quick. Next thing you know you're not paying attention and then there's a problem.

Food aggression can obviously spread to other items like toys as well. Baby toys or dog toys or whatever. So if they don't think they can deal with it then a home with just adults would be a better option. The og can be helped but it needs a real commitment.

[CrazyDaisy]

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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@KingstonsMom wrote:

As a certified member of the Certification Council For Professional Dog Trainers, you're very welcome @CrazyDaisy .

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Cool how long have you been a CCPDT member?  Do you also have your Behavior Certification?  Perhaps we have met before.

---

You might have missed this...

Also how do you use your certification(s)?  How do you feel about the continuing edcuation program in your area? I hear some areas are difficult to find classes which make the recertification hard.

@KingstonsMom

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@KingstonsMom

Not sure this notification thing is working, perhaps I should start a new discussion.

This would be a wonderful topic. You could share the criteria that you were tested on to become certified.  That way when people are looking or recommending a trainer they would have a basis for the differences between the ones you find at PetsMart and one that has actually been certified such as yourself.  It takes work to be a CCPDT member, please share.

[Shanus]

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

There is a lot of information missing from your comments and seems a lot of assumptions being made concerning the dog.

Would suggest having him contact a local trainer who can come in asses the situation.  Him not liking the baby may be him not wanting the baby pulling on his tail.  Him being food aggressive may be him not wanting the baby around his food bowl while eating.  These are all perfectly normal responses. A good trainer will see what needs to be done.  Sometimes it is training the dogs, other times it can be training the family.

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@CrazyDaisy   Very good points, although a trainer is quite expensive and in the meantime, the baby could still be at risk.