Treeing Walker Coonhound help! - Page 1

Hello
Im new here and looking for some help.  We have a 7mos old male who is a treeing walker coonhound.  My husband got him to train him to do his job chase and hunt.  Thing being my husband found out not long after getting him that he has MS, so he cant be trained to hunt.  But we wanted to keep him as a family dog as everything I read said they were great family dogs.  We have a 10 yr old 3 yr old and 1 yr old.  We got him from a friend who couldnt stand the barking and howeling when he was almost 3 mos old. After all the training I did with my chow mix hasnt worked with him, I have read how hard they can be to train and how stupid they can be at times.  I need some help on getting him to stop barking and he also growls at the younger kids and has snipped at them while they were just petting him.  Im unsure as to why he does this, but my kids cant shouldnt be afraid of him.  I was reading how they take everything to heart and Ill admit we have had times where the younger two did bite him yes bite him or hit him.  They are learning not to do this but it seems he might be still upset with them.  Like now my 3 yr old is sitting by him and he is growling and showing his teeth.  My husband himself has hit him, which makes him lash out at my husband as well.  Again I believe its due to the fact his feelings are still hurt.  I need some help on how to train him without hitting or anything, I read doggie snacks are a good thing.  We want to keep him as a family dog as we just moved to be able to get him out and running more.  He does love to be outside with the kids even in this cold weather! Any ideas would help, we have talked to the 3 yr about being nice and the 1 yr old we are teaching to be nice to everyone and anything still.  Please tell me I dont have to get rid of him as I do like him and he has taken to my 10 yr old.

Thanks!

This dog must be seperated from your children.  No matter how much you teach your children to respect the dog they are still only toddlers and do not have the maturity or cognitive ability to retain your lessons on being nice 100% of the time.  Something will happen and one of your children will end up needing stitches in the face, hopefully they won't have permanent eye damage or need reconstructive surgery. 
I've known several children whose family dogs bit them in the face and they all required stitches or even surgery to save part of their faces.  These children were all under the age of 7 when they were bitten by their dogs, each child had been pestering the dog in some way, either petting the dog when the dog had food or a toy, or teasing the dog.  Most young children will do these things to pets no matter how many times you tell them not too. 
The fact that this dog is willing to be aggressive to your husband shows even more evidence that it is not a safe family dog.  All it takes is for a child to accidentally step on it's tail, paws or accidentally stumble/fall on the dog and you'll be taking that child to the ER. 

I understand you love your dog, but from what you've said about him, he should not be around your younger children.  I would not even recommend having him around your 10 yr old, even 10 yr olds can accidentally do something that the dog may construe as a threat and bite. 
A dog's feelings may be hurt, some dogs will sulk when they feel wronged, but sulking does not equal aggressive retaliation.  Not all the doggie snacks in the world will make a dog safe. 

If this was my dog I would find it a new home with no children.  I would never risk owning a dog with a history of this kind of behavior towards children.  This dog is also a liability to people outside of the family, your children will want to have their friends over and you don't want to be sued if this dog bites someone else's child.  If that was to happen the dog would most likely be seized by animal control and destroyed. 

If you were having any other kind of problem with this dog; obedience, howling, soiling, hyper-activity, etc.  then that would be worth trying to fix so you could keep this dog a part of your family.  But a dog who shows aggression towards children will never be completely trust-worthy no matter how much training you give it.  You need to find the dog a new home.

I came looking for some training help to give the dog a chance, no way can I find a home who will take him.  He chews, he barks, he howls, he needs to be walked several times a day.  This is why I wanted to give him a chance not just throw him at an SPCA because that would be the only place to take him.  No older person is going to have enough time or room for him or deal with the chewing or anything. 

We have looked into some help around our area and will be going to this person for some training help.  They have informed us to take the kids away from him for a little while which we have and also to do positive training as he is still a puppy.  IF this doesnt help I will take him to the SPCA or try to find him a new home.

So thanks!

It is honorable of you to want to give this dog a chance BUT here is something that I would tell clients if they were to come to be, being
I AM a trainer.

If it were a household with only adults then I would work with you 100%. Adults understand that they may be bitten in the process of
working to eliminate the aggression issues. Because there are children involved and CAN NOT defend themselves or make a conscious
decision regarding training, I would recommend either A. the dog be euthanized or B. The dog be re homed ASAP. Rehabbing the dog
should be second to the safety of your children. This dog will NEVER be totally trustworthy and IMO ANY dog that shows aggression towards
children is a MAJOR liability. I will not work with clients whose dogs show major aggression and it is toward children under the age of 14.
Do you seriously put this dog above the safety of your children?

.02 from a trainer who has dealt with MANY cases of aggression.

Melissa

All of these things you don't like about the dog are in it's nature.
Walkers do not make good pets as they are bred to hunt.
A dog never forgets being hit, that's not how to deal with most things, what's done is done.
You could keep the dog as long as you understand it's nature but the kids present other problems.
Walkers are not house dogs and cannot be left loose to run at will outside either.
Moons.

We are working with a trainer who is also working with the kids to show them how to treat him.  We have a 9 yr old chow mix as well so its good they are getting worked with as well.  As for coonhounds not being a good house dog, this is wrong.  I have done so much research on them that states they are good with kids and ppl in general and do make good pets.  If my husband didnt get told he has MS he would be trained to hunt, as my husband cant get out to do it he wont be trained that way.  Today we started his classes and they are doing treat training, which he has picked up big time.  He has been with the kids most of the day as we did seperate them and hasnt done a thing what so ever.  He has 2 wks and if he doesnt change he will be rehomed and no nothing comes before my kids at all.  As he didnt leave marks or draw blood we are chosing to see if he will change.  I should have done more research on them before getting him but likes I said the reason we got him was for the hunting but things made that change.

Thanks!

To the person who said they were NOT good house dogs:

http://www.houndsong.com/coonhoundfaq.php#kids

you wrote :

Like now my 3 yr old is sitting by him and he is growling and showing his teeth.

your dog is telling you he is going to bite your 3 year old. Please listen to him and seperate him from your children.
I cant believe you are in the same room with a dog "growling and showing his teeth" at your 3 year old, and you are
on the computer watching.

I am not saying you must get rid of your pet, but he needs a nice outdoor shelter, a crate or room of his own in the
house, lots of exercise, and training. Be responsible so you dont have to explain to your teenager why he/she has
a huge scar on their face.

You've gotta be kidding me with that idiotic link.
I hope that's not where you got the dog.

I know the breed well and have seen some of the best.
You see Coon hunting here is almost a religion, redneck heaven, second only to beer and spitting in a bottle.
I don't know where your at but around here there's a coonclub in every county and that's where you should find a home for this dog.
Don't try to send it to another pet home please.

I found you all looking for help and feel like Ive been thrown in the fire here.  My husband was sitting next to them when he was doing it and YES they were removed from each other.  Im a mom I wouldnt risk anything for my kids thank you. I will not recomend this board to anyone to be honest especially the way I feel after coming for some help.

We have done all weekend with a trainer who has been helping us.  We have recieved a kennel from my MIL so when he needs his space he does go in the kennel.  We are making an outside run for him and taking him out for walks more as well which is what our trainer told me to do.  The trainer has seen his reaction to the kids and feels it can be changed.  This wkend he has done so well with the kids and they have been playing today nicely.  She is also working with the kids showing them how to treat an animal the right way.  My husband and I have are doing what we think is right for us and the dog.  If the trainer seems to think there is no change or something wrong we have another home waiting for him.

I personally will not be coming back to a board where Im throw in the fire or telling me to put down a 7mos old puppy.  The dog has NEVER drew blood or even made any marks, so to be told to put him down or to rehouse him to me was wrong.