Anxious dog nips baby. How to prevent future aggression with kids?

Question

I have a very anxious and jealous Blue Heeler (Sam). I started babysitting a 10 month old baby in the last month and he has nipped at him. Granted the baby was trying to reach out for him and trying to grab him, I still won't let him around him. I keep the baby in one room and let Sam roam around the house and have his safe space in his kennel. I'm not worried about this baby because its temporary, but I'm fearful of having a baby in the future. How can I try to avoid this in the future? Pet's info: Dog | Australian Cattle Dog | Male | neutered | 2 years and 8 months old | 25 lbs

Dr. Leigh, DVM · Accepted Answer

That is very concerning and you should definitely not have the baby and the dog in the same room. The best thing would be to have a professional trainer work with your dog to try and modify the behavior, especially if you are planning on having a baby soon. You could also get an Adaptil collar and see if that helps. Your vet could also prescribe an anti-anxiety medication, like Prozac or Trazodone, to see if that helps, too.

Anxious dog nips baby. How to prevent future aggression with kids?

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