My pitbull growls at kids. How to introduce him to my new baby?

Question

My pitbull is very sweet and loving but he does not like kids. There was a little kid in my house yesterday and he became obssesive with him and started growling and barking at him & would not react to my husband or me.He was in his cage. Im about to have a baby girl and it scares me that maybe he'll become aggressive with her. We always treat him like a baby himself and he is very attached to us. I fear also that he may become jealous of her. Experts in pitbulls. What advice can you give me? Pet's info: Dog | Pit Bull Terrier | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 2 months old | 50 lbs

Bette Isacoff · Accepted Answer

It is very, very important that you stop treating Zeus like a baby RIGHT NOW, so he does not associate any change in your behavior towards him with your new daughter. It is not a good idea to treat him like a baby anyway, as he is not a baby. He is a dog. If he is accustomed to a certain amount of attention from you, he is going to expect it to continue once the baby is here, so you need to get him used to less attention from you right away. Remember that your baby will take up a lot of your time, and he can become resentful and start to act out . As soon as you bring the baby home, sit on a chair with her, cover her with a light blanket, and have someone bring her slowly towards you. Praise him if he is good along the way, and give him a sharp "NO!" if he starts to act aggresive. If he makes it to your chair, give him a treat and praise and "introduce" her to him. He will not understand your words, but he will get from your tone of voice that this is a good thing. If he is calm, you can start to remove the blanket from her feet and let her sniff and lick them. Be sure to keep praising and treating. Gradually lift more of the blanket from her upward as long as he behaves. Continue to praise and treat. Let him lick any part of her except her face, and give her a baath immediately after the exercise. Should he start to misbehave, simply have the other person remove him from the site. Do not scold, or he will make a negative association with the baby, and you holding her. Try again later. This may take several attempts, but if they are introduced in the right way, you may find that he becomes her greatest friend and protector. As she grows, watch for signs of possessiveness when other family members or friends are around. Good luck with this!

My pitbull growls at kids. How to introduce him to my new baby?

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