I have mentioned about my mates dog Rodney a few times just lately being scared by his bed.

My friend told me the other day that he has started going toilet in the house again since his upset with his bed. She just cleans it up and generally gone back to toilet training as a pup so no telling off and just popping him into the garden and cleaning up.

The most worrying thing he did the other day and she asked me for advise over was that there was her the OH and the OH nephew all in the front room, Rodney was standing over them getting in there way, so my mate said Rodney go away and pushed his chest- then the other OH did the same, the young nephew he's 7 joined in and said the same and tried to move Rodney also copying what the 2 adult had done and Rodney growled at the boy.

This dog is 2 yrs old now and my friend realises that his walks he used to get has gone down due to having a new baby in the house.
My friend is worried about this behaviour that it might be due to the baby arriving? She has noticed he will always stand in front of "Mum"- blocking the baby . The OH and her older daughter have also been growled at by Rodney . What would be the best thing to help this family out? 

Unless children are actively involved in feeding and teaching a dog, a dog will view a child as a lesser status than themselves.  In other words children are way down in the pecking order as far as a dog is concerned, so unless the child is to become a major role in training and teaching this dog, don't allow the child to repremand the dog at all, in any way no matter how slight. Allowing a child especially that young to push a dog 'out of the way' is asking for trouble.

So firstly give the dog some respect, far better to teach him commands than push or pull him around.

The baby has obviously caused a lot of upset to routine let alone attention, personally even though I've always had very well trained dogs, whom I do trust She has noticed he will always stand in front of "Mum"- blocking the baby. I've never allowed dogs near babies, if the dog is standing infront of mum and baby he is obviously closer to the baby, not something I would agree with at all, I have always and even to this day when I have a baby nephew or niece over will pop my dog behind a dog gate, if this dog is growling not just at the children but also the O/H too why on earth is the dog still in the same room with the most precious things a parent will have..... sorry that makes no sense to me.

Rodney is not getting his proper walks, IMO children/babies should not stop a dog getting his exercise, otherwise it is very unfair to have had the dog in the first place, will the O/H not walk him when he gets home, can the mother not go for a longer pram walk with the dog? He's most probably got excess energy building up, as well as having to get used to all the noise and fuss from a baby in the house.

But priority, do not allow the children to ever boss the dog, children are a dogs friend and playmate not authority figures and if he is growling and grouchy keep him behind a dog gate, allow him in the room when the children are in bed, and I certainly would not allow a dog that growls near my baby.

There is no reason for a new baby to stop or slow down the dogs walks. I used to walk my dog with my 1 year old in the buggy and pregnant with my second baby (yep, there is just over a year between my boys - glutton for punishment!!), this walk was up hill into woodland along a very bumpy stoney path. When I had my second baby it was a struggle for me to get the double buggy up there with the dog, so I would take the dog on a short walk in the daytime along paths (with buggy) and my OH would take the dog for a long walk when he got in from work.

I completely agree with Carrington, children should not be telling the dog off, especially using physical force (collar grabbing, pushing), I wouldn't even allow the children to say 'no' to this dog.

I think your friends also need to remeber that Rodney is a dog, he doesn't speak English, he only understands the words they have taken the time to teach him, unless they have actually taught him that "go away" means he has to move away from them, Rodney will not have a clue what he is meant to be doing, so being pushed away is confusing for him, ontop of his whole routine changing and a new noisey attention-grabbing baby in the house. Far better to use words he knows, eg. Buster has been taught that "kithchen" means he has to go to the kitchen, if he is pestering the boys (ie, trying to eat thier homework), I say "kitchen", he trots off to it and gets a treat for doing as he's told - he's happy because he's been praised for complying, the boys are happy because thier homework is intact and I am happy beacuse there was a calm solution.
If I anticipate that Buster is going to be 'in the way' (eg. will be exited with visitors and will pester them and I will be busy), I will shut him in a different room with a chew toy to keep him occupied untill I have the time to give him direction.

With some fore-sight it is easier to avoid situations in the first place, like not allowing dog in room with baby, not allowing kids to tell dog off, removing dog from situations where owner will be too busy to pay enough attention/direction to dog. And above all, regardless of how many babies/children are in the home, Rodney has needs of his own that need to be met, he will not automatically take a 'back seat' just beacue the baby has arrived.

It would be good for Rodney if his owners took some time each day to do some training with him, fun for Rodney and good for bonding/trust building and working on obedience.

Thank you for your reply=

Yes I do remember now that my friend is getting her older daughter 10 next month to feed Rodney, forgot to put that.
Her 10 yr old daughter will ask Rodney to move and he has growled so the daughter calls her mum to help out and move Rodney. My friend was a sleep in the lounge when this happened and Rodney was lying on her daughters quilt she had brought down Rodney joined her on the cover which was half hanging on the floor that is when he growled as he wanted to stay put. The young girl woke up her mum and he instantly moved off.

I will tell my friend about what you have said. The growling has only happened a few times when he has been a sleep and once when the OH tried to move him from the sofa this was when he was a young pup and has been banned from the sofa since.

Another friend and myself take Rodney out for walks and also the OH takes him out when home from work so he is going out just not as much.
The dog has never growled at the baby obviously the baby is only 3 months old so has not interacted with him- this is something my friend whats to sort out before the baby is crawling.

The growling has only happened a few times when he has been a sleep and once when the OH tried to move him from the sofa this was when he was a young pup

That's not so bad then, it is understandable that a dog may growl if disturbed whilst asleep and also from being moved when comfortable.

If the dog is somewhere you do not wish him to be then unless I knew the dog had a fab temperament I wouldn't force him physically, A quick OFF! from someone he values as an authority figure is all that is needed, I know my mothers terrier the only one of all the family dogs will often put up resistance if on the sofa and visitors mean she has to move, but if any of us adults just tell her to move or off she does it without fail,  out of any of our dogs she would probably be the one to growl (though not bite) if anyone tried to pick her up and move her too, though when you know dogs you know not to be physical with them, just use commands. If this dog knows no commands, then clip a lead on the collar and pull him off via the lead.

Dogs as already said are only communicating, they don't speak English a growl is basically saying I'm not happy about that or this, the owner needs to take heed at what the dog is saying, think why, and figure out a way to communicate, physically touching a dog or pushing it is not an explanation, and more likely to get a negative response. I think perhaps this is what the family need to be taught and then teach the dog with words, clickers, whistles with rewards for doing the correct behaviour this is understood by a dog. :-)

> Another friend and myself take Rodney out for walks

that's really good of you helping out like that :)

That is very good of you to take Rodney for a walk, but it is not a long term solution to the problem. I think the family need to have a good hard think as to whether they want a dog, and whether they can look after a dog. The dog and baby and rest of the family all need to cohabit and get on as one. If the family cant put the time and effort in with this dog then i dont think its right for them to keep him.

I did mention to my friend to buy a halti collar, if he was difficult to walk him with the pram then that might help. I do not think that is the issue though she came up here with him the other day with pram as far as I know he was good as gold. I think looking after the baby has taken over from Rodney's needs which is sad to be honest.
He is truly his mums dog as when told he will react in an instant with her voice. Where as the OH lets him do as he pleases.
I have mentioned about a clicker but will it be put to good use?
I taught him after 3 goes the leave command he sussed it out in no time to my amazement. He  pulled my friend over when she was heavily pregnant he loves plastic bottles so when he saw one flew for it that's how the accident happened. When I told them how easy to train he was and how intelligent he was they both laughed not actually believing me. Compared to my lad a EBT he was very quick.
  Looking back at that time it was a shame neither one of them came outside to ask how I did what I did and try it themselves- because the only way to learn is to interact with the dog. But they didn't- they just watched from the kitchen window and the OH said when I went back in- I can't believe you got him not to take the bottle.

I would just hate for Rodney to go that one step further and growl then snap- as did with the number 3 dog in my life who is an absolute angel in my mind. :-)