A tad bit aggressive

Howdy folks!

New to the group, so forgive any FAQ related stuff please.

We just got a great 4 month old Daschund pup "Chuck" and he's a wonderful
addition to our family.

One thing we've noticed is that he's a bit aggressive towards my son who
also happens to be the youngest (9).

Handsome Jack Morrison...

Steve, many dachshunds don't tolerate children very well. It's
possible that your son is playing too roughly with your pup. Or may
be doing something else that is encouraging this "aggressive"
behavior.

And now's the time to nip it in the bud.

They can get along just fine, but at times he growls, and has bitten him a
couple of times. We're quick to respond with a very firm "NO" and he gets

Handsome Jack Morrison...

I recomend that you enroll your pup, yourself, and your children, in
a puppy OBEDIENCE TRAINING class, and to do it ASAP.

You'll also learn things like how to pick up and/or play with
puppies correctly, a lot of other stuff you'll need to know.

Even tips on housebreaking, which can sometimes be a challenge for
dachshund owners. :) Heh.

Your vet can usually help you find a good class.

It'll be great for your pup, for your son, and for you, too.

crated until he's calm. My son can be timid sometimes, so I'm wondering if
the dog is reacting to that, or if there's something else I can do or look
for.

Any help is appreciated.

scfundogs...

Puppies can be pushy. Dachshunds tend to be very headstrong, strong-willed
and independent. Kids tend not to be very authoritative. Supervise their

Sionnach...

Kids also tend to roughhouse play with puppies, to tease puppies when
nobody's watching, to inadvertently mishandle puppies, and to take out their
feelings on puppies (and other animals) when nobody's watching.
Some kids also act *inappropriately* authoritative with dogs and puppies,
trying to order them around.

And IME, kids who are "timid" are MORE likely to be the ones secretly
tormenting a puppy, or harshly "disciplining" a puppy it doesn't behave as
they want; it gives them a sense of power which they're otherwise lacking.

scfundogs...

Your experience differs widely from mine.

This is especially true of kids who are bossed around or otherwise
overshadowed by older siblings.

On the little evidence we have, there's no way of knowing whether the pup's
behaviour towards the child is play, dominance, or defensiveness/fear.

scfundogs...

I agree we can't know for sure but I'm going off the age & breed of dog more
than the age of the child. I'm no Dachshund expert but I know a thing or
two more than many people about the breed. Its pretty normal for a 4mo male
Dachshund to be pushy and mouthy.

For one thing, the OP really hasn't described what's going on when the pup
growls and bites; what are the circumstances under which it occurs? Given
that he said they "crate until he calms down", it could very well be that
the puppy's trying to engage in normal terrier-type puppy play, and simply
sees the smallest human in the household as the most approprite target for
that sort of play.

scfundogs...

Even if its play, which it may very well be, having the child do things to
establish his authority role can't hurt and can help give more verbal
control to the child vs needing a parent to intervene after the puppy was
allowed to get overstimulated.

It could also be that the child has deliberately or inadvertently hurt or
frightened the puppy when adults weren't present, and the dog bites when he
thinks it may happen again.

interactions but don't allow the puppy to rule your son.

Sionnach...

I'll certainly agree with the recommendation to supervise all
interactions; I can't automatically agree that what's going on is a baby
puppy trying to "rule" a human without knowing a lot more about the
circumstances and the dynamics of the household.

scfundogs...

As I said, I'm going by breed. However, I wasn't trying to paint a picture
of "rule" in any light other than that the puppy should learn that all
humans in the house, even the youngest child, are to be obeyed.

I'd especially like to know a lot more exactly what's going on when the
puppy bites, how everyone in the family has been playing with him, how much
exercise the pup is getting, and whether or not he's getting
puppy-appropriate roughhouse playtime with other dogs.

Have your son be the only one to feed the puppy, give him his treats, give
him praise *and* verbal corrections as well as be at least an equal person
involved in the puppy's training. Teach your son how to use an
authoritative and commanding voice and to expect obedience rather than
politely request it. Having your son be the person who walks the puppy can
also be very beneficial. These things should teach the puppy that great
things come from your 9yo but also that your 9yo is an authority figure in
the home.

If you can find a local puppy class I'd recommend signing up both puppy &
son...assuming your son is willing to become this involved.

TIA
Steve