pitbulls

Question
I have a red nose pit bull she like 6 months old and every time my boyfriend touches me are kisses me she start barking at him.
Is that she is jealousy are trying to protect me.

Answer
Hi Keturah,

It's very possible your dog is jealous of your boy friend, but it's also possible that she's being protective. It's hard to say which it is because a dog can seem aggressive when it's jealous.

Whenever your dog barks when you're with your boyfriend, she should be removed from the room and given a "time-out". Time-outs work well with dogs because, as social animals, they do not like being separated from their group. To properly execute a time-out, pair a phrase such as "time out" or "that's it" with the aggressive/jealous behavior and immediately remove your dog from the room. You can put her in another room and close the door, or put her in her crate. The time-out should not last longer than about five minutes. When you let her back out, ask her to sit or lie down. If your timing is good, your dog will soon learn that her aggressive/jealous behavior leads to isolation.

While trying to eliminate your dog's aggressive/jealous behavior toward your boyfriend, it's a good idea to work on improving their relationship. Ask your boyfriend to feed your dog her dinner, take her for walks, and play with her when he comes over. He should also spend some time training your dog to perform basic commands (sit, down, come, stay), using extra-special food rewards such as hot dogs, chicken, or cheese. Remember, the way to a dog's heart is through her stomach! With this type of positive reinforcement, it won't be long before your dog changes the way she feels about your boyfriend. And if she likes your boyfriend, she will be less likely to become upset by your closeness.

Reinforce these lessons by asking your dog to go to her bed and giving her a Kong Toy or hollow bone stuffed with peanut butter, Cheese Wiz, or liverwurst when you and your boy friend cuddle. Not only will this keep your dog happily occupied; she'll soon realize that great things happen for her when the two of you snuggle.

I hope that helps!

Patti