Dog Health Questions: How to change my husband's bad dog training?

We have a nine month old miniature pinscher, and I am constantly trying to train her. When I work with her, she seems to be interested and has quickly learned several commands. But my husband doesn't do anything like that with her, he just wrestles and plays with her, letting her bark, growl, and bite during play. I've told him that I don't want her to think that those things are acceptable, but he says she's so tiny that it's nothing to worry about! Guidance?

Beyond Canine Basics - Advanced Dog Training Methods

Recommended Answer:
You need to correct him.
Now.
If you come across a child on a walk one day and he wants to pet your dog, do you really want him biting a child? Or if a friend brings one over to your house?
And, even if your husband allows the dog to bite him, I'm pretty sure your friends and guests won't appreciate it. You need to tell him that these things can get a dog into serious trouble. I've seen people kill neighboring dogs over barking in the yard. While it is a felony, it happens and most of the time the owner gets there too late.
If your husband wants to risk your dog's life by letting him misbehave in obnoxious ways, let him continue. If he simply doesn't want to correct her, tell him to back off and let you do it. That dog is walking all over your husband and with him, she's the alpha dog. Eventually, dominance problems could start and she could start growling and snipping at him for getting close to you because he's a lower rank than she is.
That tiny pup is making your husband her b****.

Finding the Essential Dog Training Supplies

• If you train the dog, and your husband is the dog's "toy", hopefully the dog will see you as its leader and will conform to the training and boundaries you set.
  
  It's really not a good idea to let the dog bite, as you know -- it can become a bad habit. Maybe you can convince your husband to use a toy when he plays with the dog, so his hand doesn't get bitten? And enforce a no biting rule?
  
  Your husband might want to realize that, when excitement and play escalates, biting can be dangerous for visitors/children.


• That won't undo the overall training. Your dog still needs to be socialized. Barking and growling during play is normal. Make sure you are hitting the key training points re: Socialization and Commands. Make sure he is always under control and doesn't pull you down the street when walking. You should be able to open the front door without him going out. Al the basic commands. If nec. take him to a training class and bring your husband too. maybe he needs to hear it from a stranger. That tends to sink in more.


• get a rolled up news paper, wait until the two are playing rough, then Wack your husband on the back side saying "NO bad!!" several times.
  
  the dog will get it imediatly.
  you husband might not tho, so keep the paper handy.


• I have the exact same problem with my brother. He thinks that my dog knows that the ways he interacts with him are only meant in play and that if he tries to enforce something serious that the dog will obey.. but, surprise, surprise, my dog now thinks that my brother is lower in the pack than him.. so he never minds him (no, my brother is not special needs, and he's a tall, slightly intimidating person, not someone a dog would normally pass off as harmless so easily). Have your husband read up on proper puppy training, and if he will read this, show him my story:
  Two years ago, my family bought a Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy. My dad and I began training the dog and showing it we were in charge of him, not the other way around. My brother let the Corgi walk all over him, so to speak, so the Corgi thought he was above him. My brother likes to get up close with dogs and touch them in places that, in the dog world, only higher members of the pack are allowed to (hugging the dog, scratching on the stomach, anything that might show the corgi was submitting to my brother) And it all started because my brother refused to remain as an authority figure by allowing the dog to do the things your husband is allowing your pup to do. And, one day, when my brother went to hug the dog, the dog tried to attack him, snapping, snarling and trying to get at my brothers throat. He eventually displayed the same behavior with my mom as well, making several attempts at this. We tried taking him to vets, behavior specialists, trainers, and they all said the same thing- since my brother did not enforce the proper behavior early on, the dog would never view him as an authority. The dog eventually bit my brother, leaving him physically and emotionally scarred, and we were forced to put the dog down because we couldnt keep him when he threatened our family, and anyone else whom our dog might not tolerate. But through that, he still insists that it was not his fault, and with my other two year old dog, he trys to display the exact same behavior, so my parents and I never allow him much interaction with the dog.
  Please, no one make the same mistake my brother does! The earlier you establish hierarchy in the pack, the healthier relationship you will have with your dog!
  Like others have said, get him talking to professional trainers, or other dog owners you view as responsible, with a healthy relationship with their dogs. If he still does not listen, as much as you may not like it, your husband might not be the best dog owner, and for your dogs, and other peoples sake, it might be in all your best interests to rehome the dog until your husband better understands what raising a puppy requires. Being higher in the pack doesnt mean you have to be serious and boring all the times, but there are ways to play with a pup that they think are just as fun, but without biting, growling and wrestling.


• Training is an everyday thing for the rest of their lives. Tell him that tiny dogs can do just as much damage and big dogs when bitting. See if you can find the statistics on the dog bites and show them to him, then maybe he will change his mind.


• I suggest going to a training class together. I run classes and I always get lots of couples who are trying to find middle ground in how they train their dog.


• Show him the below website and ask him to count the amount of Minpins in rescue right now. Then tell him that most of them are there because their owners didn't train them and they turned into little horrific monsters.
  
  www.petfinder.com
  
  Then you can tell him for me that there is nothing more frustrating to a Minpin rescue volunteer than an owner who thinks that this breed doesn't need obedience training.
  
  Or you could invite me over to your house to bop him in the head for you! :o)