Nice but nervous dog freaking out about new baby

[aferreira]

Hello - We have a 5 yr old lab mix who we got from the humane society when he was 6mos...he is very nice but has always been rather nervous/submissive in nature. We recently had a new baby and when we brought him home the dog whined whenever the baby cried; at first we thought it was sweet, we thought he was worried about him. However, his nervous behavior has gotten worse (baby is now 5 mos) and is now more jealousy I would say. Dog follows wherever baby goes (I stay home with the baby), 'gooses' him whenever he gets a chance, and whines whenever the baby makes ANY noise at all (even laughing), when we change the baby's diaper, when we give the baby a bath, when we burp the baby, play with the baby... basically anytime we or the baby moves. Only time he is calm is when the baby sleeps. It is getting very frustrating and we are not sure if it will worsen as the baby gets older and starts to crawl around on the floor, etc. Will his nervous/defensive personality mean he is bad for young children when they become more active? I can't see him reacting well to pulling on ears, 'petting' that is more like hitting, etc. - the normal ways babies and young children start to interact with animals.

[adunphy]

Sounds like anxiety to me. You will want to work on some basic obedience around the baby, things like down stays, using food rewards. Reinforcing calm behavior, making sure the dog has adequate exercise, and general management like keeping the dog / baby separated when needed will all be things that will help you out.

If it were me, I would get a professional dog trainer to come in and offer some one on one specific help. Look for a certified dog trainer (CPDT) whenever possible.

Good luck.
Amy Dunphy CPDT