bad behavior from chi.

Question
OK i have a long haired Chi boy named Buddy. Ive had him for a year and seven months,hes not yet fixed but hes been a blast to have around esp. when i was preggo. he would warm my belly at nite n was just a joy to have around. After i had my baby he was fine with him and would love to give my son Isaiah kisses on his legs and feet. it was really cute but now for some reason he just started to growl and even try to bit my son who is now 8 months old. I hate to give him away since Buddy is such a big part of my life but when it comes to my son im sorry but his safety comes first. i dont want to give him away i want to see if i can maybe do something for him to stop this behavior! Can you PLEASE HELP me???

Answer
Hi Leanna, This is a normal problem, so do not worry. Buddy was your pack mate for some time and then along came Isaiah. Now there is a change in the pack. Buddy needs to understand that you are the Alpha dog, Isaiah comes second and Buddy is at the bottom of the pack. If Buddy even offers the slightest growl, you need to firmly say, "LEAVE IT" and if necessary offer him a slight pinch to his neck, then put him in a sit or down position. It will not hurt him, but make him understand that he is not to touch the child without your permission. Have you taken Buddy to any obedience classes?  This may help as well. It is hard to discipline our darling little dogs, but yes indeed, your child comes first. So it is important that Buddy understand that he must ask you first before he approaches your son. Hope this answer helps. If not write back and I can give you some more ideas. Please leave feedback, nominations, and follow-up with any questions you may have. As volunteers we really like to know that we are making a difference in the lives of our online friends and their canine companions. It is easy to see the results at our school, but more difficult online. So please do not hesitate to write back to me if you need further explanation or if any other issues come up. You can have and should be able to love your pet and have him behave nicely with those you love. Thank you. Regards, Susan