Help/ over protective dog and baby due soon.

we really need help and advice about nemo,, he is a great little dog, very loving,,, too loving i think.
he has become very protective over me, and quite often sits between me and anyone else in the room, including OH

he invites himself on to the furniture and jumps on my lap without being invited too, he seems to think I am HIS and he needs to protect me,, from EVERYTHING

bonnie cant come near me or he jumps on me and barks, OH cant hug me without him getting in the middle and he is so affectionate he ends up hurting both me and the kids but not meaning it, ie he jumped up to say hello to abbie but headbutted her and made her nose bleed

im really worried about how he is going to react to the baby as when my freind brings her baby round nemo has to be put in the kitchen as he wont let me touch the baby and keeps jumping on him

what am i going to do???

Think the only way is for you to let the dog know that it's place is on the floor and in your eyes you are only going to give him attention when you decide to. Push him away when you are on your own with him so when you do it when you have company he will not be surprised. Think to yourself that the dog is the bottom of the pack and make sure you treat him thus, last to be greeted, that is if you bother to greet him at all, and push away his overtures to you and shoo him off the furniture.

I agree with Jackie - looks to me like he thinks "he's" the pack leader - sounds touch Kimberly but you must show him where his place in the pecking order really is. As baby is imminent, I'd start straight away, and don't give in (it'll be realy hard not to). Good luck and let us know how you get on

thankyou both usually when we come in as the dogs are left in the kitchen we go straight in and say hello
maybe i should stop doing this and maybe ignore him when i come in the room unless he is behaving?? ie not jumping up??

we are very carefull to feed him last, we eat then bonnie eats then he gets his, is this right??

My view is that in a way he just needs to understand manners and boundaries - all intelligent dogs will push to see what they can and can't do, much like teenagers will

I'd not worry about when you greet them, but simply do some training (you can use rewards like liver etc) and insist on a sit before lead goes on, sit before getting up on the sofa, and only when you say, etc.

You must however, be totallly consistent or Nemo will be confused

You might enjoy investing in Gwen Bailey's "dogs behaving badly" for some more ideas.

Good luck!

Think as long as you feed him when it suits you that is ok but letting him dictate when he is allowed to have your attention is the thing you need to get under control. Dogs are expert at wheedling their way in and before you know they are on the chair beside you and demanding you are grooming them, stroking them and giving them your attention, this is not the way it should be, it should be you who decides if and when attention is given and not the dog.

Try ignoring him for about 3 days, just call him to you and make him do something like a sit, praise and then walk away, do not let him on the sofa and if you pesters you walk away. It will work, I promise you and you must not allow there to be competition between him and the babies in your family.

thanx jackie,, i really appreciate the advice,, will deff put it into play, only have 8 weeks until baby comes so need to get the issue sorted

thankyou everyone for the advice and for listening really helps to have you all to talk to

Meant to say " is he pesters, walk away"

Hi Kimberley with so little time left before the baby arrives it is a good idea to address the issue of Nemos behaviour firmly now.

As the others have said Nemo needs to learn his place in your household and earn rather than demand your attention, a good way to do this is with the NILF method of training, make sure everyone in your house treats Nemo in the same way and sticks to the method..link below. There is also a link to Shadowboxers dog and baby article which you may find interesting if you have not already seen it

click here

http://www.dogweb.co.uk/talkdogs/dogs-and-young-children_10261.html

thanx mini,,

just read the article,, very good, some great tips

nemo is going to have to spend some time in the kitchen when baby is feeding and things so i have started putting him in there for a while during the day so it doesnt come as a shock to him

im finding it quite hard pushing him away and telling him no when he comes for attention as he gives me those big sad eyes, but i know it needs done for the sake of nemo and the baby so will stick to it

thanx again everyone x x x