Chihuahua aggressive to husband near baby while breastfeeding. What to do?

This is a very uneasy situation for everyone and is very difficult to resolve easily and unfortunately it may be worthwhile considering rehoming. A house visit from a trained behaviourist and calming supplements may help but should not be used without professional input

Definitely take Max into a veterinary behavioral expert for help! Aggressive dogs are not something to leave alone, and this behavior can and does get worse over time. In addition, if he did bite someone, he could seriously injure them and there could be very severe repercussions for that occurring including euthanasia. There are a number of cases where a dog has had to be put to sleep for biting people, and you do not want that to happen. Speak to your vet about a referral to a professional behavioral expert asap. I hope this helps!

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.

Oh goodness. This is a big question. You may want to consider a visit with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist. As a veterinarian and a mom I can tell you that is pretty easy to keep them separated the first year of baby’s life, but as they become more mobile the next several years are hard. If you have a dog who as a low bite inhibition, meaning he has already proven he will bite, then the likelihood that he will bite a child is high. Other options are to keep them separated 100% of the time (near impossible in my experience), or to keep a basket muzzle on him any time he has access to the children. I also encourage you to consider the size of the dog - and how powerful and destructive a bite will be to a small child. I have been in your shoes and it is a very hard decision to make. I have also been the mom of the child who was bitten. I encourage you to always put your child’s safety above all else. If you want to discuss this further I would be happy to consult with you. Take care.

You have to do what is best for your family. All dogs, whether trusted or not, should always be under direct supervision around babies. I would recommend that you have Jack evaluated by a veterinary behaviorist. The vet will be able to help you work on behavior modification and give you guidance on what changes need to be made before the baby comes. Use this link to find a veterinary behaviorist near you: https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709

I would get Bentley in with a professional behavioral expert immediately, and do not introduce her to your newborn baby at all. I'm very concerned that she has already lunged at your 4 month old niece, and that is an aggressive behavior that could have extremely serious and even fatal consequences. The safety of your baby is paramount, and I would not allow Bentley anywhere near your newborn because she already has a history of lunging at babies. You need professional help managing this behavior, and it may be honestly that rehoming her is best. I know that this would be extremely hard, but you can't have an aggressive dog around a baby. Have her seen by a professional behavioral expert first to discuss training if you want to keep Bentley, but until they feel it's safe, keep her completely separate from the baby. It may seem like I'm overreacting, but I know of cases where this has gone fatally wrong. The last thing I would ever want is for that to happen to someone else, so I will always advice extreme caution. Speak to your vet first thing Monday about a referral to a professional behavioral expert. I hope this helps!

I can certainly understand being worried about your daughter's safety around an aggressive dog. She is not safe around him, as he could hurt her greatly, and I would speak to your parents's about your concerns over his aggression. Make a list of incidences where he has shown aggression (documented behavior) as proof of his aggression. If they still won't listen to reason, then I would consider finding alternative childcare while you are at work. If they do listen to your and your concerns, then I would take to them about having their dog start in training with a professional behavior expert ASAP. I never recommend owners try to train an aggressive dog due to safety issues, it should only be left to a professional. Their vet can give them a recommendation to one. Another thing to consider is if he isn't neutered. That can contribute to aggression, and he should be neutered as well.