[Wally31]

Judy thanks for the advice, I am going to try to blend fun into things and not be so insistant. I will do as much as I can with patience and be accepting if he has a hard time with some things. I guess take the "more bees with honey approach" and only correct when it is warranted. I am going go back to training by rewards.


I have now read the other replies from the link that was posted by montanarott. I/we never leave the girl in the room with our boy alone. She is given help with him before she needs it. She yells leave it on her own when he grabs her toys (you know how kids are about toys she is six) and most of the time he drops it right away (he never takes them from her hand) all other commands are with me. I personally let him chew her toys up as a lesson, you are responsible for your toys.

The other part is that everyone has stated she should not be around him when he is eating. I obviously don't want her trying to take his food bowl away or anything like that, but I was hoping for her to be able to walk by him to go do something without there being a bite. Such as throw something on the garbage which is in the area of his food bowl. I as a child was always taught never to bother a dog when he is eating. I now have read a ton of things that say you should be able to take his food away. So which is it? or is it only if it is dire need?

From those posts I feel like they say my daughter shouldn't be around the dog really at all. I have told her never to run up on the dog in fact two days ago, and told her if she did it again it would be the longest time out she has ever experienced. I worry a little about her scaring him when he is sleeping but aside from food he really is a relaxed dog. Now don't jump on me saying "you are trivializing the situation" because I am not I am just trying to get the clearest information possible. I worry just not like I worry with the food.

Should she be taking part in his training? As I stated I plan on focusing heavily on trading to make him more relaxed. Obviously this is not something she would participate in but what about basic commands and obiediance? My feeling (but as I have stated am a beginner) was that if she participated she would be given more respect from the dog and could if a bad situation arose handle the dog well enough to get him in the crate/out of the house, what have you. Is this thinking nieve? Should I stop all training with her? Just where food is concerned? Participate here, but never here!

I am really trying my hardest to do best by this dog and the whole family. Please don't chastize me, I am just looking for a more cut and dry - do not do this! this would be alright but there is a grey area of concern so think twice, then think again. It is alright for her to play and run as children do or the dog should be in his crate?

I just really would like her to feel the dog is hers as well, not just something she can look at and not touch. If there are things she can do I want her to be apart of it. She loves animals more than anything and I want her to experience what she can. Things she can not do I really want her to know about and protect her from them. I really never want this to happen at all. In a way it was a blessing, it was an eye opener that we are doing something wrong - GET HELP!. I am just glad it was a minor bite that was just a little more than you common cut. Thanks again for all of your help.