How to cure a jealous dog?

[GSPVIZ]

My GSP is so jealous of our Viz that he wants to get closer to you than she is. If my viz is cuddled up next to me he will jump on the couch, smack her out of the way and plop right down on our laps.

I am afraid of this when our baby comes in April. I feel that if we are holding the baby on the couch that he will try and jump up and get closer to us than the baby is (just like he does with our Viz).

Right now we just push him away and tell him no but he continues to try and get closer and closer no matter what we do.

Any advice?

[Sharon]

I don't think babies and dogs go together.
I know, you see these cute pics of dog/baby cuddled up.
To me that's too big a risk. Even the best dog is unpredictable in that situation.
Just a simple, unintentional reaction from a dog can injure a baby.
When baby is with me on the couch, dog is crated.

[gar-dog]

We had a beagle when our kids were born. This was never a problem. When we got home with each of them, Old Fat Nellie would give them a big sniff, then generally stay away from them.

[A/C Guy]

Right now we just push him away and tell him no but he continues to try and get closer and closer no matter what we do.

That will make the problem worse. Instead of pushing him away and validating his fear that you don't want him, give him a big hug and bring the other dog closer for a group hug. The best way to displace a dog's insecurity (and a child's insecurity) is with a lot of hugs, love, and words of encouragement.

[gotblika]

I think that is normal behavior for a GSP, they are just over sized lap dogs. Mine gets real jealous with other dogs but never aggressive. Just wants to be the big baby and get all the attention. I was afraid of this to when I had my first child but it was never a problem, she actually became very protective over my family. My son is almost 3 and my daughter is 9 months the GSP still gets jealous if i play with the other dogs, but she doesn't push herself on you when you have the kids. Although she'll come to say hello with a big wet kiss.

[JimB]

Right now we just push him away and tell him no but he continues to try and get closer and closer no matter what we do.

That will make the problem worse. Instead of pushing him away and validating his fear that you don't want him, give him a big hug and bring the other dog closer for a group hug. The best way to displace a dog's insecurity (and a child's insecurity) is with a lot of hugs, love, and words of encouragement.

Although I haven't posted here much lately, when I read the above post, I just had to jump in here. Why is it that people forget that dogs are dogs, they are NOT people and you can't treat them that way. You can not reward bad or unwanted behavior ! Isn't that what all the loving and hugging is doing ? Dogs are pack animals and they need to know where they stand in the pack. The dogs that doesn't allow the other dog to be close to you is, in fact taking charge and making the rules. The person HAS to be the pack leader. You and only you decides who gets attention, and when.( BTW, I don't think that either dog belongs on the couch) With a baby coming, you had better iron this out now. The baby has to be higher in the pack order than the dogs as well. Watch the dog whisper some time. Save the hugs for behavior that you want

[h.q.s]

I think when you push away it triggers it more. Spend one on one time with your GSP in the yard, play fetch with him or something. GSP's need that.

[kninebirddog]

Right now we just push him away and tell him no but he continues to try and get closer and closer no matter what we do.

That will make the problem worse. Instead of pushing him away and validating his fear that you don't want him, give him a big hug and bring the other dog closer for a group hug. The best way to displace a dog's insecurity (and a child's insecurity) is with a lot of hugs, love, and words of encouragement.

Although I haven't posted here much lately, when I read the above post, I just had to jump in here. Why is it that people forget that dogs are dogs, they are NOT people and you can't treat them that way. You can not reward bad or unwanted behavior ! Isn't that what all the loving and hugging is doing ? Dogs are pack animals and they need to know where they stand in the pack. The dogs that doesn't allow the other dog to be close to you is, in fact taking charge and making the rules. The person HAS to be the pack leader. You and only you decides who gets attention, and when.( BTW, I don't think that either dog belongs on the couch) With a baby coming, you had better iron this out now. The baby has to be higher in the pack order than the dogs as well. Watch the dog whisper some time. Save the hugs for behavior that you want

agree very much
don't push away ,POKE away and make it uncomfortable not abusive but make a point that the dog is NOT welcome and that your the boss and in control... ...and do not allow the dog to work/worm the way up and hone in when they have not been asked to come up

again you need to make it a poke not a push and if he tries to get up again poke again ..make it uncomfortable if the dog keeps trying then it may take a time of really making a good point of making that poke really uncomfortable

It isn't jealousy it is the dog claiming you

I also suggest the dog whisperer....much of the very basic simple things people allow are what cause most of an animals very undesired behaviors cause they were not stopped in the first place before it got out of hand

What you allow a dog to do you train a dog to do

[KFhunter]

In the dog world a new momma would be very protective of the baby, keep all dogs away with a gruff voice, pokes and pull baby away from them. They'll be very submissive when you have baby, problem is there is two dogs so the dominate one will want to be closer to you and baby. That could create a problem.

When you finally do let them sniff babys toe or something they'll almost be afraid to do so, but then be elated they were trusted enough. ANy roughhousing while baby is around should be delt with harshly...pretty soon you have perfect baby dogs, they'll lay down and let baby pull their ears and they'll love it.

[Sharon]

As I said , why do folk take a chance with all this. It's baby time. The dog's in the crate.

[slistoe]

JimB and Knine have this one right. YOU need to set the rules about who gets petted and when. You need to set the rules hard and soon. More lovin will exacerbate the problem.

[prairiefirepointers]

Watch the dog whisper some time.

ROTFLMAO. Yeah he trains alot of gundogs.

[ezzy333]

Have had dogs and kids in the house since I was a baby plus all of our kids and never have had a problem and know no one that ever has. If I had it to do over I would still make sure we had dogs when the kids are babies. They bond quite well. My kids are doing the same thing, getting a puppy before the babies are born and letting them grow up together. Just today in the paper there is an article about some puppies saving a toddlers life by staying with him when he was lost and out in the cold overnight. Its been happening for more decades than any of us will ever know.

Ezzy

[gotblika]

If I can't trust my dogs around my kids, that dog would no longer be a part of our family. Plain and simple.

[kninebirddog]

Watch the dog whisper some time.

ROTFLMAO. Yeah he trains alot of gundogs.

Just because we have gun dogs doesn't mean they have to be or an excuse for ill manners

a dog that will test you at home will be more bound to really test you out in the field

[gar-dog]

Saw this and had to share:

LONDON (Reuters) - Dogs can sniff out unfair situations and show a simple emotion similar to envy or jealousy, Austrian researchers reported Monday.

Dogs sulked and refused to "shake" paws if other dogs got treats for tricks and they did not, said Friederike Range, an animal psychologist at the University of Vienna, who led the study into canine emotions.

"It is a more complex feeling or emotion than what we would normally attribute to animals," said Range.

The study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also showed dogs licked and scratched themselves and acted stressed when they were denied rewards given to other dogs.

Other studies have shown monkeys often express resentful behavior when a partner receives a greater reward for performing an identical task, staging strikes or ignoring what they view as inferior compensation.

It turns out dogs are able to show a similar, if less sensitive, response, said Range in a telephone interview.

In a series of experiments using different breeds of dogs, the researchers looked at how two animals sitting next to each other reacted to unequal rewards after handing a paw to a researcher.

Dogs not given a treat licked their mouths, yawned, scratched and showed other signs of stress and stopped performing the task, Range said.

To show this was not just because the animals were not getting food, the researchers then tested the dogs alone and found that in this situation the envious canines cooperated longer before stopping.

"It is really about the unequal distribution of the reward," Range said. "If it was only about frustration they would stop at the same time."

[prairiefirepointers]

Just because we have gun dogs doesn't mean they have to be or an excuse for ill manners

a dog that will test you at home will be more bound to really test you out in the field

I don't recall anyone disputing that.. I was merely colorfully commenting on the choice of dog trainer someone had recomended. I can do that right? :roll:

[kninebirddog]

Just because we have gun dogs doesn't mean they have to be or an excuse for ill manners

a dog that will test you at home will be more bound to really test you out in the field

I don't recall anyone disputing that.. I was merely colorfully commenting on the choice of dog trainer someone had recomended. I can do that right? :roll:

Maybe

He got a vizsla to hold his tail up when walking Does that count?

Yes that was for humor hahaha

[Ayres]

Agree with JimB and Knine here. Dogs are pack animals. Irregardless of any new study that shows dogs can feel the emotion of jealousy, you have to establish yourself as alpha in the pack. Don't get emotion confused with behavior. The dog doesn't decide, you decide. There's too much research over too many years to dispute that.

Also, when talking about dog behavior with normal human interaction I think Cesar has a lot to add to the discussion, whether talking about gun dogs or not. When it comes to field training, then I'll consult the methods of Delmar, etc., because then you're talking about a totally different type of training and desired behavior.

[kninebirddog]

What I was surprised with in the Rick Smith seminars how much there is parellel on what cesar shows and what rick does

at the very basic foundation level

would love to see the two of them together

[brotherbill3]

and the reason Cesar doesn't have to deal with gun dogs is probably that most of us ( ) know that we CANNOT let the dog dominate ... or it will not work in the field at all ... so we don't have the 'purty fluffy puppy in pink outfit' :roll: treated like a human baby and not let to run, but getting away w/ everything else, etc etc ... that he has to deal with on the show.

you have to be the alpha ... and then show the dog plenty of affection - when it IS behaving ... not tolerate it doing something you don't want ...

[prairiefirepointers]

I totally agree, and have yet to dispute that. All I am saying is that IMO cesar is a little to lispy and feminine for my taste.

[Ayres]

Maybe, but you can't argue with results.

I like how it's a part of every solution that the dog gets proper exercise. People seem to be amazed how well a properly exercised dog behaves as compared to a dog who doesn't get to do anything.

[Sharon]

"Other studies have shown monkeys often express resentful behavior when a partner receives a greater reward for performing an identical task, staging strikes or ignoring what they view as inferior compensation." QUOTE Gar-dog

The whole article you posted is very interesting. I can see this with monkeys as they are apparently much more intelligent then a dog.
I've never seen it , but I've heard that dogs can hold grudges. Has anyone seen this? Does the grudge pass quickly?

As far as I know humans are the only ones who can hold on to bitterness for life. Sad. We should be more like dogs.

[High Roll-N-Angel]

If I can't trust my dogs around my kids, that dog would no longer be a part of our family. Plain and simple.

I agree totally!

[High Roll-N-Angel]

We have a female GSP that will hold grudges, not so much in the house, but it will play out in the field either during a trial or when working her at home. All I have to say is she better be the first one worked or run out of our string that day. :roll: