Advice about rescued dog, please!

[nurturingnaturally]

As some of you know, my family rescued a 4 yr old, male weimaraner this last weekend. Overall, he is a real sweetie and it's going well. He seems mellow around the kids mostly. The problem is, he has started growling at the baby (9.5 monthold, who is very mobile). The first time was when emory (the dog) was sleeping on the couch and Des pulled up in front of him, and, I assumed, messed with his foot or nose. Since then, I've watched even more closely and not allowed Des to bug him. But a couple times now, Emory has growled at him for pulling up and not Touching him at all.

I am really conflicted...I'd hate to think he might hurt him, but he is an 80 lb dog with an unknown background...I guess I need some advice. I obviously never leave them alone in a room, but I can't carry the baby constantly, or lock the dog up all the time (how unfair)...So, I don't know

 

[terrilhb]

I have 2 theories. 1st one is you can get rid of the dog. Growling at a baby is not good. Unnaceptable. It can not be allowed. Never. I have a dog that growled a my friends daughter 3 yrs ago for no reason. He was still a puppy. I automatically put him down on his side and made him totally submit and had the child stand over him and pet him. I had my hand on his mouth so he could not bite her. After that either he avoids her or is really sweet to her. I did not trust him for quite awhile. I had to work with him everyday and still have to. Just be really careful. There is alot of research online for this. Good luck. Sorry I can not help anymore.

to you and your family.Oh the child was a yr old then. now she is 4 and has a sister who just turned 2. I babysat them for 2 yrs and everything was good.

 

[redhen]

My honest advice..
NO WAY i'd take in an unknown adult dog if i had children. No way in he**.
If that dog snaps..your kids face could be scarred for life. Its simply not worth the risk.
Hes WARNED you of what could happen.... its all on you now. Sorry.

 

[EmtheFishLady]

I'm a mom first and an animal lover second. I'd find a breed rescue to take him in. They have better resources to find him the perfect home without small children. It'll be way too much stress on you and the dog to keep him separate at ALL times. And you would have to, because he could bite at any second without warning.

 

[nurturingnaturally]

Thanks...it's so hard to know what to do. He seems like such a great dog, and is, most of the time. And I have always said that any dog we buy/rescue/adopt has a home forever...but my kids have to come first...I don't know. I don't want to give up on him, but I don't want to wait til something really bad either. I hate this.

 

[EmtheFishLady]

Quote:
I know how you feel, but you aren't giving up on him. You've given him a new start, now it's time he goes to his forever home.

 

[sourland]

I'm with redhen. That dog needs a home with no small children. My daughter had her face bitten by a dog (Rhodesian ridgeback) that had "just recently" developed the habit of growling at kids. The owners did the responsible thing with the dog, and my medical insurance covered the reconstructive work on my daughter's face. No child/parent should have to go through that. It's not worth taking the chance. As you full well know, you can't monitor the child and dog 100% of the time. It takes a split second for injuries like this to occur.

 

[TrystInn]

Honestly, this was a big mistake. Getting new dogs while you have a baby or young child in the house is almost always a gamble and both child and dog pay, sometimes with their very lives. It does not sound like the dog is appropriate to your family. Weimaraners in particular are known to be a problem around young children, as are many other hunting breeds.

Its time to find that dog a new home and keep them separated until you do. The suggestion to use a breed rescue is a good one, however the rescue contract you signed likely requires you to return the dog to the shelter/rescue, etc. where it came from. Many breeder contracts require that, as well.

 

[claud]

I'm sorry about your dog. It doesn't seem that he is a good fit for your family. maybe he would have been 5 years from now but not now.
I'd return him to the rescue - I'll bet he will make a fantastic dog for a family with older or no children.
I would not take a chance with the baby.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

this is from a pet rescuer. since u have very young child. you pick up a old dog. that was not used to children. i would return the dog and explain the sitution . that rescuer should work more with that dog and not adopt to family that has young children. period

but if u did not have children in the house then i would work with the dog. the dog could been abused children.

like my rescue dog is still a puppy he does not like dd who is 19 just left for college. he always bark at her.

in my rescue my dd was 11to 15 and we had agressive dogs and we broken them of their bad habits but it took us 6 months each