This will be long; as I want to make sure you have an understanding of what is going on. Anyways, I have a 3 year old, spayed, black lab that lives with my husband and me in a 2-story home with a large yard but no fence so when she goes outside she is always on a leash. As a puppy she was not around other dogs or people very often except for my close family and it’s still that way today. I am pregnant with our first child due in March. I work 9 hour days and my husband works 12 hour days on a rotating schedule. The dog, Angel, is left to roam the house while we are at work. Now and then she will get into trouble with snatching something from the table or trash and tearing it up but that is not my reason for this post. When Angel wants something she will bug you until she gets it. If she wants attention, food, water, or to go outside she will hop in front of you, bark, and just basically bug you until she gets it. My husband and I are able to take food, bones, and toys away from her and she will not react in any way. She is stubborn with commands but a very smart dog. Angel does pull while on a leash and will try to run after wildlife. She is also jealous. She will bark and move between my husband and I when we show affection to each other.

We acknowledge the fact that she was never properly trained and is currently dominant over us, which we are working on now. My concern is that she has been in 5 fights and I am now very worried about the safety of our baby.

Fight #1: Unfortunately I don’t have very much info on this incident since it occurred while Angel was at a puppy daycare. She had only been there a couple of times when I was informed that she could not come back since she got into a fight with a Jack Russell. At the time she was supposed to be in with the larger dogs since she was probably about 5 months old but this JR would be allowed in with the larger dogs. I’m not sure how the fight started but she was secluded until I could pick her up.

Fight #2: Can’t remember how old Angel was but we had her at my parents home who have an older male Dalmatian. We were there for a long period of time without any sign of a problem. Suddenly the two dogs got into a fight over a rawhide but were fairly easily broken apart and with the rawhide away they seemed fine.

Fight #3: Just this past June she was in a fight with my brothers’ male Jack Russell. His JR had not been around Angel before and has a history of biting people. My brothers’ girlfriend, Kate, and I had introduced the dogs to each other and they seemed fine. Kate went outside and I walked into another room and when Kate came back in apparently both dogs went over to greet her and the JR growled and snapped at Angel which made Angel go after the JR. A major fight ensued. It was hell breaking them apart since Angel just basically had the JR in her mouth and was flailing about. I honestly thought Angel was going to kill the JR. I still don’t know how I did it but I pried Angels mouth open and Kate was able to get the JR away. There was blood from the JR’s nose and from my fingers. Luckily no major damage but the most frightening thing I have ever been through.

Fight #4: This fight happened in August. I had dog-sat for a friend numerous times. She had a 1 year old, male, boxer that I was taking care of for 10 days. The two dogs had always gotten along before though at times I could tell that Angel would get annoyed and not want to play anymore so I would call away the boxer and play with him myself. I had noticed this happening but before I could get the boxer away, as he was jumping on Angel, she turned on him. I was by myself so I had a very hard time breaking them up and as I was trying to get them further apart, Angel tried to go back after the boxer again. From that point on I kept them separated until the boxer was picked up.

Fight #5: Last weekend my parents were visiting for the day and brought their Dalmatian as they have always done. The two pretty much leave each other alone and were fine all afternoon when suddenly a fight broke out. According to my husband Angel was holding a rawhide and dropped it so the Dalmatian approached to take it as Angel was about to pick it up again and the Dalmatian growled causing Angel to attack. The fight lasted no more than a minute. I ended up lying on top of the Dalmatian while my husband pulled Angel away. The Dalmatian was rushed to the pet ER because his ear had been torn in half vertically.

We love this dog as if it were a child. My husband is dead against finding another home for her and I really don’t want that either but I have this fear that she will turn on us and of course we know better than to leave any dog unattended around a baby or children.

We have been told by the pet ER vet to be very careful and just keep her separated from the baby at all times. Another vet has said she should go to another home. My mother is upset because her dog was injured, as am I, and she feels the dog should go. My father on the other hand says it was our fault, meaning all of us who were at the house that day, because we didn’t pick up the rawhides and we know dogs will fight over their toys and bones, and that she does need some good training and to be kept away from the baby but should not be given to another home.

I have soooo many thoughts going through my head. I have read many articles online and am just looking for help with our situation. I’m hoping to hear from someone who has been through this.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

Are you going to be giving birth to a human baby, or a dog?

Because from everything you posted, your dog is only aggressive towards other dogs (which is extremely common in spayed females, and was probably exacerbated by being attacked at puppy day care).

From duplicate thread

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

There is nothing wrong with this dog. Not a thing.

The problem here is all due to the owners.

I'm not attacking you, but if you really want to keep this dog, you have to accept that up front.

Your father, BTW, has a damned good head on his shoulders, and knows what he is talking about.

Dogs fight over toys. Leaving two dogs alone with toys out, is a recipe for disaster- especially since your dog has a proven history of aggression towards other dogs.

Your dog should never be off-leash around another dog. Ever.

Why don't you have a crate for this dog?
Leaving it home alone, and then being upset when it destroyes the house, makes no sense, to me, or to the dog.

from duplicate thread

 Quote: Lynne Barrows

Here is a thread that has some suggestions about how to prepare your home/dog for the arrival of a newborn.
And, although you didn't ask, I highly recommend that you get a crate, if you don't have one, and crate train your dog.

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=196441

from duplicate thread

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

Some info that you definitely need:

The Ground Work to Establishing Pack Structure with an Adult Dog
http://leerburg.com/groundwork.htm

Why Dogs Become Dog Aggressive, and What to do About It
http://leerburg.com/dog-agg.htm

Why Dog Parks (and Doggie Daycares) Are Bad Ideas
http://leerburg.com/dogparks.htm

Preventing Dog Bites in Children
http://leerburg.com/pdf/Preventing%20Dog%20Bites%20in%20Children.pdf

Introducing Dogs and Babies
http://leerburg.com/pdf/introducingdogsandbabies.pdf

The Power of Training Dogs with Markers or Clickers
http://leerburg.com/markers.htm

from duplicate thread

 Quote: Amanda Amend

We do have a crate and she goes into it willingly. Sometimes even on her own. We keep her out during the day so that she isn't locked up so long and also as hopefully a theft deterrent.

from duplicate thread

 Quote: cathy goessman

This dog was put in situations with unstable dogs and had strange dogs come onto her territory without a proper introduction. You have a totally normal dog. Not some vicious beast.

Fight #1: Don't take her to any form of doggy day care. I used to work at one and the staff does NOT know what they are doing. Especially with breeds like the JR that don't tend to vocalize their intent to fight before they do it. I was told I was cruel for using a squirt bottle to stop the fights before they start. Excepting one of the managers none of them could read dog behavior well enough to know they were headed for a fight. The JR was most likely put in with the larger dogs because of a behavior problem. Some small dogs are holy terrors with equal sized dogs but will "mind their manners" with large dogs.

Fight #2: You took her into another dog's territory and let her go for "his" property. Of course that's going to result in a fight.

Fight #3:Unstable undisciplined dogs should NEVER be left loose if they "have a history of biting people". That dog needs some serious pack leadership which it obviously isn't getting.

Fight #4: You let another dog come onto her territory and pester her. Pack leaders don't allow that kind of thing so she took it upon herself to teach the intruder who's boss around there.

Fight #5: Why have not learned by NOW? I mean it's fight #5. Yet again, you allowed a strange dog to come onto her territory and try to grab something of hers. A pack leader doesn't allow that stuff.

All these fights ARE NOT THE DOG'S FAULT!
Your dad is the only one who is thinking and using his head "My father on the other hand says it was our fault, meaning all of us who were at the house that day, because we didn’t pick up the rawhides and we know dogs will fight over their toys and bones, and that she does need some good training and to be kept away from the baby but should not be given to another home." You need to read and apply the groundwork article. Get a dog crate. Start implementing structured walks. Ignore her when she starts bouncing to get attention. I know dog fights are scary especially when a dog gets injured but you really need to give this dog a chance.

from duplicate threads

To all responders: If I missed your post, please copy it (from the "user's posts" threads) and re-post here from the locked threads. Sorry. Cleaning up 6 duplicates was tricky, and I got lost.

Good answers. You already had the answer from your father:

My father on the other hand says it was our fault, meaning all of us who were at the house that day, because we didn’t pick up the rawhides and we know dogs will fight over their toys and bones, and that she does need some good training and to be kept away from the baby but should not be given to another home.

You have two things going on: Terrible, nonexistent training and pack structure to correct, and then (separate issue) learning how to prepare for the baby.

Links provided above are great! If I were the O.P., I would get to work.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

There is nothing wrong with this dog. Not a thing.

The problem here is all due to the owners. .....

Your dog should never be off-leash around another dog. Ever.

Why don't you have a crate for this dog?
Leaving it home alone, and then being upset when it destroyes the house, makes no sense, to me, or to the dog.

All need to be addressed!