Shock Collars - Laingsburg,MI

Yep ...put that shock collar on the 2 yr old and she will learn to leave the dog alone.

j/k..just had to.. you know you all wanted to say it too!

You want to protect your child, by hurting the dog? Why? Your daughter NEEDS to be taught how to treat this dog. You are punishing the dog, for your child's behavior. That's a bit backwards. We have two large dogs and also have a two year old. EVERY time he is rough with the dogs, he gets taken away and put in time out. It is incredibly exhausting. Seriously. There are times we take him away from the dog 20 times in 30 minutes. However, it's working. He very occasionally gets rough, but he is really learning. When he is rough, we take him away for a short time, then call the dog over. We show him "gentle touch" and have the dog sit while my son pets him.

The ONLY way to keep peace, promote safety, and be humane...is to diligently teach your daughter how to behave with this animal. The shock collar will make your dog tense, insecure, on-edge, and want to flight every time your daughter is near. You know what craetes a recipe for disaster and a SERIOUS bite? An insecure, tense dog. When a dog is in flight mode, they bite. When they are insecure, they bite. When they are cornered and know they are going to get a shock, they bite. You will only promote an unsafe environment. It's your responsibility to teach your daughter. It's NOT the dogs fault, that your daughter won't leave him alone. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but to harm the dog is the easy way out. It's the mean thing to do. You're letting your daughter get away with this behavior. If it was another child, would you let her get away with this. NO. Don't allow her to do this with the dog.
P.S
The dog isn't playing rough, your daughter is. The dog is reacting. People think if a tail is wagging and the dog is there, they are playing. That's not true. The dog is being protective of itself. Your daughter is rough housing, the dog is simply reacting.

I agree your daughter does need a shock collar....

Oh wait were you were thinking the dog? The dog is 7 months old, that is like punishing a 6 month old child for wanting to crawl or sit up... it is a NORMAL developmental stage for a puppy to want to roughhouse and play in this manner... The puppy thinks this is a game and so does your daughter apparently. You either need to let it go (I wouldn't, but you can) or keep them apart unless you can actually WATCH them interact. This does not mean crate the poor thing 24/7 or just keep the dear animal outside either.

That dog needs to be trained too. Don't think that if you can train a dog that is basically the same as a 6 month old that your daughter can't be trained not to torment the dog though.

The dog (puppy) is reacting to the way your daughter plays, hence she only acts like this to your daughter. Teach your daughter how to treat animals with no rough housing. If you have tried then you need to enforce rules and punish her when she does that. Not only will it solve that puppy problem, it will teach her how to treat all animals she comes in contact with.
My friend got a kitten who scratches her son when he holds the kitten like a baby and won't let her go. Not the kittens fault. You have to teach the child.
I'm not sure how old your daughter is but mine is 2 1/2 and I've taught her how to be nice to my 2 cats and to my mom's dog. They will learn in time.

Just to add, I've never seen a shock collar that shocked unless the dog barked so honestly I don't even get how it would work to prevent rough housing but the above comment obviously still remains if they do make them for rough housing. And will add that like others have said, train the dog at the same time after b/c she may want to rough house like they used to after your daughter learns rough housing is not ok.

I agree completely with Tori. A shock collar is not designed to prevent a dog from playing. She won't know why she's getting shocked, and even if she runs away, there's no penalty to your daughter that would keep her from going right after the dog for more play. This could be a setup for a dog that hates your daughter.

It really is up to you to keep them separated, and to train both the child and the dog not to play so rough. That will take time and persistence. When they are together, you should be monitoring closely until your daughter is old enough to understand appropriate play with an animal.

Dog bites can do tremendous damage to a child's face. One bite can tear flesh and require extensive reconstructive surgery. Please don't treat this lightly – and according to your description, it sounds like you really can't blame the dog under present circumstances.

I hate the idea of a shock collar.

I think the most important thing is to teach your daughter to stop playing that way with the dog. The dog is just following instincts (if she was playing with another dog, there would probably by nipping and stuff). I don't know how old your daughter is (the 2 year old, I'm guessing), but she needs to learn the boundaries. As soon as she gets down on the level of the dog, you need to intervene and remove her from the situation. Otherwise, things could easily get really out of hand and require stitches (or worse). Even a shock collar might not be sufficient, especially since it's not the dog starting it (it could as easily be the pup feeling a need to protect herself.) So, whether you decide to get a shock collar or not, you need to teach your daughter the way to interact with animals. (Imagine if you got the collar, taught this dog not to nip, then your daughter plays the same way with another dog ... could be big trouble).

Please don't use a shock collar in this case. I firmly believe that shock collars have a time and a place, we used one on our dog. This isn't one of those cases though. You have to teach your daughter how to play with the dog. She can't rough house with a puppy and not expect to be bitten. That's how puppies play. BUT..if you let this behavior continue, the dog could turn into a biter. It's time to keep baby and animal apart. Let your 15 year old be the one to play with the dog. Get the puppy some toys. Teach your little one how to properly play with the dog. Or let her snuggle the puppy when she's sleeping. But NO MORE ROUGH HOUSING. This isn't a problem with the dog, it's a problem with lack of supervision of your daughter.

I really hate it when I see people blaming animals for human short comings. It's not fair to the dog to pin this on her.

I'm confused, Who are you going to put the shock collar on and why? First I thought the dog, being part beagle and all....then I suspected your daughter as she's the problem.....Okay, Seriously - Usually the shock collar is used to stop behavour such as barking. The 2 year old should not be left alone with any dog. She's not old enough (neither is the dog) to know when to stop. Ears would be sensitive to dog teeth but it's going too far! You have to protect your child be keeping her away from the dog when you aren't there (RIGHT THERE) to show her how to treat the dog. She is too little to in anyway play with the dog, especially a rambunctious puppy. Use child gates and crates to keep them apart when you can't be right there.

Don't think pup is going to get off easy, he should be in training class whether that is a formal class you go to (Lots of puses because it's structured, you're accountable, and socialization with other dogs) or you follow a show or book. He should start learning Sit and Off, RIGHT AWAY!

I have to tell you, I haven't had a puppy in a long time (the last 3 dogs I've had in the family were older when we got them) I think there would be a lot of relearning to do. Good luck!

I have done a lot of dog training and I don't believe this is a good time to use a shock collar. This is temporary bc your daughter is so young. This is a case where you need to simultaneously train your puppy AND your daughter and be very firm with both. Your daughter needs to learn she is not allowed to rough house with the puppy. Is she the one instigating it? It sounds like you have been allowing this to happen so both your toddler and your puppy think it is ok. You need to train them both and be very consistent and repetitive. Separate them with baby gates and use a kennel as well if needed. As your daughter gets older she will understand better but for now YOU have to physically remove her and tell her no each time she tried to wrestle w the puppy. After separating them get your puppy to sit and stay and give her a treat. Be STERN! Get help from a local dog trainer if needed (If there are dog training classes in your area). Explain over and over to your toddler that no, she cannot wrestle with puppy. Show your toddler how she CAN play. Show her how to throw a ball or toy over and over. You will have to separate them into different rooms if you cannot be right there with them. (Or put puppy in the kennel or outside). This will take a lot of work but you can do it! PS - there are a lot of good books for toddlers you can get as well. One is called Pets Are Not For Hitting. I know your toddler is not hitting but it goes over not bugging a pet and to leave them alone. Good luck! As your daughter gets older this will get easier. Remember to give LOTS of positive rewards to both of them when they do it right.

Shock collars have their time and place (I know I'll hear it from animal rights people, but it's true). If the dog is not acting aggressively (big warning growls and all out snapping and actual biting )and only doing what new untrained puppies do, your best bet is to kennel train the dog, keep the child and dog separated until the dog is trained, and get it into obedience training classes ASAP.

The circumstances that you share here tell me this IS NOT the situation to use the shock collar. When used properly, they are used for training and obedience of stubborn and slow to learn dogs, NOT as a defense mechanism when you feel like the dog is getting too hyper, which untrained puppies tend to do this (hop on people, scratch and nip) because that is how they play.

Observe a liter closely and you'll see that is what they are doing together when they play. In all reality, if more people would get their puppies into bonafide obedience classes, shock collars would very rarely be needed. Puppies are very pliable and eager to please during the first crucial months, that is why NOW is the optimum time for obedience training. And yes they'll chew up a few things and have a few accidents, and even hop and scratch, but not for long if you do things right. There are methods to get dogs to stop jumping on people without having to use a shock collar. Go through obedience you'll learn these methods and find out about some of the training products that help (there are harnesses and muzzles that keep stubborn dogs from doing these things).

In the scenario you describe, you would be using a shock collar as a weapon (which in this circumstance it would be - you know shock collar versus claws and teeth) in time, the dog will come to resent your child and possibly become reticent because it will in no time beging to associate playtime with punishment. You DON'T want that! You will only be raising an angry and mean dog.

If you haven't done so already, purchase a nice size dog crate, and begin housetraining by kennel training the pup. There are books and websites that show how to properly kennel train. You don't want to leave the dog in the kennel day and night. But you do want to use it at the right times and places. When he hops or is naughty, she goes to the kennel for a break. You put her there when it's bedtime, and when you leave the house, and it will greatly speed up housebreaking if she's still making puddles etc. here and there.

Never leave the two year old alone with the pup, and teach HER not to be too aggressive with the dog, and send HER to another room when she disobeys. Sounds mean or counter-intuitive, but you should know that more dogs get put to sleep because trusting parents are too slow to teach their children to give their pets space, and often just leave the pets and children unattended. SHE needs to be taught that the dog nor any animal she meets, is not a giant stuffed animal or jungle gym.

Don't feel upset about keeping them apart. As the adult pet owner, this is your responsibility and job to referee the pets and children. Until your daughter is older, she should never be left alone with the dog. There should always be a responsible adult to monitor the situation. If the dogs jumps and scratches or she starts pulling and pounding...put them in separate rooms. Neither will like separation from each other, so this will help speed up the learning curve.

Furthermore, monitoring, training and separation when necessary, are what any animal expert would tell you to do, until she and the dog both have learned proper behavior and boundaries. Your dog sounds like it has a very good temperment and wants to please.

I strongly recommend you read the following links:

See:

http://strongdogz.com/blogs/babies-children-dogs/
http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/57/Dog-Bite-Prevent...

http://www.safetyarounddogs.org/statistics.html

I'm not sure how a shock collar will help this situation, if your daughter is initiating the horseplay. While shock collars used appropriately can be a useful training tool, you can't shock a dog for biting/scratching after the fact as though the punishment will teach them not to do that. That's not how they work. It's used to initiate/reinforce a command - like when you want the dog to come. So you would have to shock the dog to not engage in play with your daughter - which I don't think is what you want and actually sounds like it could make the situation much worse. A shock collar is something you need to be trained to use under the advise and supervision of a trainer experienced in e-collars. It sounds like your daughter needs a little training - most dog training is actually training the owner/handler but if she is 2, it's hard to involve her in the handling role. So I would teach your daughter "gentle" - not allowing her to rough house with the dog. And I would teach the dog the command "leave it" so if rough housing starts, you have something to make the dog walk away without the dog associating the command with your daughter. I use "leave it" to stop my dog from chasing squirrels and rabbits! You can teach "leave it" with a treat or a clicker or a shock collar - get help from a dog trainer. You can also give your daughter appropriate ways to play with the dog by teaching "fetch" and letting her throw the ball and you can let her give the dog treats (after you've trained the dog to sit for a treat and take a treat gently). Also, just in case there is an aggression issue, I would make sure that the dog knew the 2 year old was alpha to him. You can do this in little ways. Picking up your daughter and giving her a hug first, when you walk in the room. Having the dog sit before you give him his food dish and letting your 2 year old place the dish on the floor. Get help from a trainer in transitioning this puppy into your household - it shouldn't just be a free for all with a 2 year old - that could be a sad story.

the dog definitely needs to be trained, but i think in this case a shock collar is too much (they do have a place in training some dogs, just not here.) more important is working with your daughter. at 2 years old she's plenty old enough to learn 'you may not do that!'
at the moment she's training your dog to rough house and bite. i don't think you want to go there.
khairete
S.

I agree with Jo. This is your daughters problem, not the dog. How would a shock collar help the dog learn boundaries? Especially if your daughter and dog are rough housing, couldn't the shock transfer to her?
I normally am a no to shock collars and should only be used as a last resort for an unrully animal. But the problem is with your daughter and not the dog. Teacher her boundaries. If she doesn't learn, then it's her fault that she had to go to the hospital and I would tell her that. Sounds mean, but she needs to know that it's not the dogs fault, but her for playing with the dog that way.

For one the dog sees the child as another puppy, how puppies rough house is by nipping and grabbign each other by the neck and ears. that's what the puppy is doing , this behavior is not appropriate for a shock collar.
You need to teach the child how to play with the puppy. the puppy isn't a toy
You have to teach the child and the dog that the child is not a puppy and shouldn't act like one.
It's all about the dog learning the higherarchy of the house and that he and the child are not equal. you may need to crate the pup and keep the child from playing with him.
One trick we use with our puppies is what a mother dog would do, when the dog does something they aren't supposed to do , ie barking , nipping, getting over excited, take your hand and wrap it aroudn the dogs snout like a muzzle and tell him "no" . a mother dog would grab his snout with her mouth and growl at him. He will learn this behavior is not acceptable.
Teach your child that beign rough with the dog is not the right thing to do, head this behavior off on both sides

Agree with the majority here, you need to work on your daughter more so than the dog.

The dog is behaving as expected. At 7 months old a pup needs TONS of exercise (outside running around type exercise) and should be in the process of obedience training (whether you do it or go to classes, you don' t NEED to have a trainer). A great book on puppy raising is "the art of raising a puppy" by the Monks of New Skete.

It sounds like the more urgent need is to work on your daughter's behavior. You must instill in her a respect for animals and an understanding of what is and isn't acceptable. She needs to be taught how to play with the pup, and never ever left alone with him.

Good luck!

It sounds like they have a lot of fun together, but need to learn how to play nice for both of them. I wouldn't, a shock collar could make the dog much worse and it is just doing normal puppy stuff and your daughter is the one that keeps going after the puppy it sounds like. If you shock the dog every time it gets rough or your daughter is near, the dog is going to think it is getting shocked because your daughter is there and is not going to like her much thinking she is the one that is making his neck hurt. Keep the two separate when you can't watch them and be ready to put them both in a time out if they get too rough. Also make sure the pup is getting plenty of correct exercise, has good chew toys and take a training class of two if you have the time. Your daughter is young, but she needs to start learning that sometimes the puppy needs a break too and how to play easy with a pet.

.

Why don't you take the dog to a dog behaviorist. Teach your child how to play with the dog and don't do the collar. I don't think you will get a good result with that--Try therapy for dog first...GL

M

I don't see how a shock collar would help - I mean the dog wouldn't realize what was going on, every time your daughter went to play with the dog, it gets shocked, and so would associate playing with your daughter with pain - not good.
My daughter is difficult also, she would not be good with a dog in the house, we keep our dog outside, and maybe you should also. We love him, while he is outside, and he can get away when he wants a rest, he has a house, and the run of the yard (10 acres) he is very happy.
Litter mates? Nah, don't think so, probably the dog wants your daughter to stop the game, and gives a warning nip - which could escalate into a serious bite - I would seperate your daughter and the dog asap.

I'm not sure if I understand you...instead of teaching your daughter to respect your dog, you're going to put a shock collar on your dog and punish her for playing with your daughter?

I'm a dog trainer and behaviorist. I do private lessons only and have worked in 100's of homes. I run across this very situation constantly. You've gotten some great advice on here...

Teach your daughter to respect your dog.
Get and use a dog crate to keep an eye on what your dog is doing.
Do NOT use the crate as punishment for your dog, but instead as a babysitter to keep her out of trouble.
Keep fun things in the crate to keep her busy until she can come out for real exercise (walk, obedience lesson, game of fetch, game of hide n seek, etc)
Give your dog more exercise
Give your dog more exercise
GIve your dog MORE EXERCISE Very rarely do people exercise their dogs and puppies enough. She should be getting 6-8hrs of exercise a day for her age and breed. There are many ways to stimulate a dog mentally and phycially to meet these needs. Find a trainer (group or private) that can help you with your dog.
Take your dog to an obedience class or have a trainer come to you
You CANNOT punish your dog after the fact. You would have to catch her in the act of tackling your daughter for her to understand this behavior is wrong. By the time you react all you've done is teach your dog to fear you or your daughter.
Teach your puppy HOW YOU WANT her to behave not how you DO NOT want her to behave. This require the use of obedience commands. If you do NOT know how to teach a dog properly, enroll them in a training program.
Using a shock collar (or any correction) around small children may teach your puppy to fear children, therefore creating an aggressive situation

Shock collars were invented to be used on dogs that could not be trained with a leash and collar. For example, when hunting a handler cannot use a 100ft leash on a dog and properly control the dog to perform the specific function they need them to do. This is when shock collars are necessary. They should ONLY be used by professional handlers and trainers and not by the novice pet owner. They are commonly used in yard to prevent a dog from excaping and can be appropriate here becaue the fence is givnig the correction (shock) not you. By the time you actually give the dog a shock it will be way too late and you will be creating a horrible situation.

Good luck!! And please if you have any questions don't hesitate to PM me.

First of all, 'training' kids and dogs are not that different. You need to catch them in the act for effectiveness. Toddlers can be rough. To the pup it might seem like playing as it would with a litter mate. But it needs to be stopped early so it doesn't happen to other kids the dog encounters. Try a muzzle first on the dog and show your toddler proper affection, like petting the dog and brisk rubbing.
A shock collar seems extreme at this point. Puppies don't know any better than toddlers.
You've got your work cut out for you. Potentially changing dogs doesn't solve anything. That'd be passing on a bad habit. Train your child, train your dog.

Our lab is going to be 11 years this fall. I was so against the shock collar. We live on 16 acres, but rarely let her out because she would take off. I finally said yes and it has been the best thing EVER!! We gave her the warning signal the first time and when she took off we shocked her one time. After that she responded to the warning signal. 6 months later she no longer needs the collar. She stays in our yard and our 4 and 6 year olds can let her out and she stays with them as well. She spends a lot more time out of her pen and with our family. One zap was all it took. It is a great training tool. It sounds like the safety of your little one is at stake too!

Hi Shauna---I was going to suggest that unless you put a shock collar on both of them, it won't do any good. In all seriousness, I think you've gotten plenty of great suggestions. Sounds like your job right now is to be that referee and teach your daughter how to treat the puppy. Maybe you could call Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer. Sounds like it would be a great episode. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make fun of your situation but I couldn't help myself. Have you ever watched his show? I believe he states that he trains people and rehabilitates dogs. It's really very interesting.

Your biggest job right now is to teach your daughter how to treat the puppy. Good luck. I'm sure you'll be successful in no time. D.

when the puppy starts getting carried away roughhousing give her a time out in her kennel that will seperate them and give time to calm down.