All dogs have a natural prey drive ... whether they be chihuahuas, chinese crested, poodles, pugs, labradors or northern inuits. It is natural that they do, and I totally agree m'dear ... you can never "cure" prey drive, it would be like saying you have "cured" tail wagging!

You can train any dog to have a good recall of course, to disengage when chasing, say, a deer, or a rabbit ... but to "cure" them completely, I would say absolutely not, and even with their own small furries ... such as my daughter's hamster with Hal ... you can never be totally 100% sure.

Totally agree here, sounds awful but the breeder probably has no interest in her now she has been spayed and can't give them anymore pups It could be for the best though, if they have ltots of kennels with dogs in. At the very least, you want to give her the best care and a dog living in kennels for a long time is not the best if she has been used to a lovely home, with a lovely family and being spoilt rotten.

I am not a behaviourist, but from what you have said she does not sound a serious threat. Obviously i will illustrate no dog no matter size, breed or age should be left alone with a child. A friend of mine has a toothless 15 year old yorkie, but even that is never left alone with a youngster. You will probably find River is getting used to the new smells and sounds. Babies nappies are often a really fantastic smell for dogs and they will go up behind and have a good whiff.
Why not try and take them out for a long walk together, baby in the push chair, and river out on a lead and see how she interacts if there is any interest, or observant behaviours.
One thing i will illustrate which is quite important, is not to change Rivers routine too much, so if she has not been used to a crate, introduce this very slowly so as not to stress her out to much. Perhaps give her special things when she does go inside, such as a sticky kong.

If the behaviourist was not APBC i would maybe advise to look for one in your area that is, and see if they can offer you any help or advice. It seems such a shame to have to give up such a gorgeous girl, if there is a way you can work things out. With the prey drive, its a tricky one. But when you think about it, sighthounds are very prey-driven but i know many which do live with young children. I know Northern Inuits being husky crosses are a whole different kettle of fish and much more on the ball, but hopefully there is a way to work things out.

Your pictures look lovely! I really hope it all works out for her and yourself.

Good luck!

Sorry to hear things have not worked out with the other trainers
I must say i don't think a swap would be the answer! lol. If you have a young child, you probably won't have the time to work with a behaviourial problem which could in turn modify itself into a whole different behaviour problem. Please... don't go down that road!! Swapping just is not the answer, and please don't suggest it to some people, as people out there will happily want to swap a staffie say, for your northern inuit... but don't be fooled. These people will not love your dog anymore than they loved their dog they just so readily swapped and gave up.

If i was in a better situation with less work hours, i would have totally considered but at the present time i'm afraid i can be of no help. Hope you find her the perfect forever home somewhere in the countryside with a log fire and a huge garden with lots of squirrels to chase. If not, have you tried looking at rescue centres which may be able to help?

Any news on the situation with River?? I feel this has gone on too long if she is still with you, not that that is your fault at all, I think it's good to take the time to try different things or find the right home. But each of you human and animals in the family are clearly not as happy/comfortable as you could be and that needs to be resolved. I don't see a massive problem aside from the fact I think it is possibly unsafe to have a dog that you don't trust with children/animals as they may sense this and act out of character.
Is she ok with other dogs in general? And you say she's good with adults?
I'd love to help, but i'm a bit far away. Plus I am away from home for at least a couple hours each day. Is she destructive when left alone? And is she better with the other dog there or still anxious? How much exercise does she get per day?

Hello, sorry for the late reply, it seems the new post notifications went to the junk folder for some reason, not done it before though.
Anyways, thanks for the replies. She's not so good with small dogs, she gets very exciteable when she's around them although she used to be very good with our elderly staffie bitch (sadly passed away now).
She's fine with adults, she doesn't like to be fussed by them until she gets to know them. When she does she likes lots of cuddles and tummy tickles.
She's never been destructive when left alone although she does pace and will most definately howl. She used to defacate, although it's very rare she'll do it when she's with the other dog.
She goes a walk everyday, although we no longer let her off lead.
If it means a good home we will travel to anywhere.

Hi Dan,

Do you still have River? Are you still looking for a home for her?

Hello, yes we do still have her, and we are still looking for a home for her. If you have any questions please let me know.
Thankyou.
Dan

Wow, this is a sad thread.

Okay, so its been a while since the original thread. Has there been any changes in behaviour? How old is your child now?

I don't want too, and won't, criticize another behaviourist, especially one who has interacted with your dog. What techniques did they use? Were they general techniques, or aggression techniques? It sounds as if they perhaps felt overwhelmed, and that has in turn concerned you. There is now a touch of hysteria in dealing with her, which can't be helpful.

If there was a way to manage your dog until your child was older, would you be happy to keep her? Or have you decided that you are unable to keep her?

(Just so we know where we stand. Offering help and advice is useless if you only want a new home)

E x