Please Help!

[Alisa KM]

Our 7 year old boxer Bucky is like any other average boxer, friendly, excitable, etc.

Last week, we had guests over, specifically my sisters in law. They are adult women but when they see Bucky they get excited themselves, start squealing and getting him even more excited than he already is about having guests over!

Well anyway, I was in the same room as them and my husband. My sisters in law sat down on the couch, and Bucky was between them, the coffee table, and my husband who was seated in the corner in a one-seater. They kept calling to him and squealing at him, and he kept trying to approach them. My husband on the other hand kept telling him to stop and go back to his bed (he is usually very good at following this command).

When Bucky didn't listen, my husband pulled his legs back from behind, he may have even grabbed a little skin. At this, Bucky seemed startled and flung his head back and growled, and snapped at my husband. He didn't bite, but made a motion towards his hand.

My husband got even madder and forced Bucky onto his bed. Of course this left my sisters in law with horrified expressions on their faces. And I of course was mortified by both my husband and Bucky.

I just want to know what everyone else thinks about the situation? We have a baby in the home and it makes me worried that if he approaches Bucky from behind, or startles him, or grabs his fur, that he may react on our infant in a split second.

I don't know if Bucky reacted this way due to being surprised/startled (couldn't see my husband from behind, although I feel like he already knew he was there because he was right next to him, though out of sight), or if it was because he was trying to get to them and the couch so badly and seeing my sisters in law as resources/possessions (resource guarding), or because my husband may have inflicted pain on him accidentally? Or maybe a combination of those things?

I do know dogs do NOT like to be grabbed from behind or startled from behind, but how do you prevent anything like this from not happening? How do you minimize a dog's reaction to such a thing especially with an infant in the house who may unknowingly grab him from the back? Is this just something we have to avoid or deal with in another way? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[LILYLARUE]

If I was excited and heading over to friends and someone grabbed me from behind forcefully, I would turn around and punch them too! Put yourself in the place of your dog......confused and excited then someone forces him to do something without forewarning? Yep, Daddy got just what was expected.

Do not force your dog to do anything by putting your hands on him. What this will most likely do is to teach your dog not to trust hands, or people approaching him aggressively. Dog's aren't stupid......they will tolerate so much from their owners but then they can retailiate. Often to their own demise.

Get some books on positive reinforcement training. Get into a "partnership" with your dog......don't dominate or bully him. He wants to be part of the family, so treat him as such. Don't treat him any more forcefully than you would a child. Dogs are perpetual 2 yr olds needing direction, boundries, and patience.

 

[Roge]

I am by no means an expert but this is my thinking on the issue... I think that the dogs excitement level was very high at that moment and that your husband startled Bucky and maybe hurt him and that it was just a reflex action on the dogs behalf.

As for the baby I think that no matter how well anyone thinks that they know their dog it should NEVER be left alone with an infant.. A dog is not a child.s toy to be pulled and poked at ,even if the child is only giving the dog a cuddle it could end up unknowingly hurting the dog and a dogs reflex to pain just like a human would be to remove the source

As I said I think that the episode with Bucky was caused by overexcitement I don't think that he is turning into a vicious dog and if you spend time training the dog and infant how to be together with both knowing how to play by the rules they will end up being best pals.

 

[TwoDogs]

Dogs have quicker reflexes than we do. If Bucky had wanted to bite your husband he could have. What he did instead was growl and snap--perfectly acceptable dog warning language. It sounds to me like Bucky showed restraint in a circumstance where he likely was startled and possibly hurt.

If it were me, I'd have told the ladies to knock it off and quit with the squealing at my dog. I'd have told my husband he was an dope for grabbing at the dog (if I had been the dog I'd have probably really bit him!)--but that's just me. Dogs are thinking beings with emotions. I'm big on respecting that. My dogs need to behave well and tolerate a lot of human stupidness but I respect that they don't like to be poked, prodded, or teased any more than I do and shouldn't have to endure it needlessly.

As for when the baby comes, you aren't going to leave them unsupervised. Search some of the threads in the Boxers & Children forum. There are a number of threads where posters have listed good resources (online and books) for parents raising kids and dogs together.

 

[Alisa KM]

Thank you, everyone. I knew my husband had def. been too harsh; he felt bad about it afterwards. I explained to him he needs to be clear and firm, but not physical with Bucky.

He is not an easily startled kind of dog; I honestly believe it was a mixture of over-excitement, confusion, fear, and pain.

Thanks again!

 

[Alisa KM]

P.s.

That goes without saying that if my husband had stood up and commanded Bucky, or even gently touched his backside, while telling his sisters to calm down, things would have turned out differently, as opposed to pulling him back by his legs.

 

[Alisa KM]

One more question...

I had an additional question that nagged at me after this post. If a dog is intensely staring off into space at something and is not really paying attention to his surroundings (even if previously aware of the people in the room with him), can he be startled even by the gentlest touch from behind (by a person or child who is out of sight) and attempt to snap or bite?

Thanks again.

 

[Alisa KM]

I had an additional question that nagged at me after this post. If a dog is intensely staring off into space at something and is not really paying attention to his surroundings (even if previously aware of the people in the room with him), can he be startled even by the gentlest touch from behind (by a person or child who is out of sight) and attempt to snap or bite?

Thanks again.

 

[LILYLARUE]

I would call his name first before I would touch him. I have to call my one dog's name when he is entranced by something. I wouldn't just grab him or touch him without a forewarning. I think he may be losing his hearing so I am cautious not to scare him.

 

[Alisa KM]

thanks, my dog is always entranced on something and i usually just gently touch him. sometimes he startles, sometimes he doesn't at all, but he's never reacted with a snap or bite to a gentle touch or nudge. but i guess to be safe it's better to 'get his attention' with my voice first.