Dogs Behavior

Question
We recently adopted a shepard mix from the shelter. We don't know much about her background and the Vet there at the shelter said she is somewhere between 10 months and 2 years old. She is sweet and very smart. The problem we are having is getting her used to our two cats and our 18 month old granddaughter. She wants to chase the cats constantly and they hide. We have tried to use gates to separate them, but she jumps them. The greater concern is the baby. The dog snaps and nips at her if she is just walking in the house even if we are right there. I have been trying to keep them separated too, but I don't like confining her because I'm afraid that she will associate this with the baby being here. We have been using a crate at night and when we're out of the house to keep her from getting into trouble from chewing things or dumping the trash. Do you have any suggestions for stopping the snapping and nipping? I think the cats will eventually take care of themselves.

Answer
hI kArin
Yes the cats will take care of themselves. But this is most likely why the dog was in a shelter, was she temperment tested at all?  If so with children or babies?
Go back and ask?
If not, you have some work to do by starting to be boss and leader, grab hold of hair on the back of her neck area and shake it and say a loud, NO NO!  Mean it loudly.
Have a bottle of vinegar little water mix and spray her each time she goes near the baby for any reason and if she does with the spray, then grab her and shake her hard.

This dog is becoming dominant of the home and needs to be taught your not going to tolerate anymore nonsense from her from this day on.  Crating is a safe thing to do at night and when away but never use it as punishment, and keep the door always open when she is out so she can go in as like her den.

If this does not work, return her and get a puppy to raise, then u know exactly what your raising it into if your know how to raise a good pup into a wonderful adult.  Visit my site on playful page, femals, gino on males my stud, litters and look at my pack i run daily in full charge of them.

Kind Regards
Patt
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