Family dog is overprotective of my 4month-old son

Hello there

I think that, on first impression, the range of problems and possible problems exhibited here is too wide a field to comprehensively discuss in a brief posting. However, there are certainly a few basic points one can establish. First off, your family has to decide what is more important: to keep the dog or to keep your father in an innocent state of dog-behavior-knowledge. Personally, my choice would be to keep the dog. If that is the case, you should do as follows: educate yourself by reading some appropriate literature regarding dog training and problem solving. Then educate your dad. There are precisely two options once more: either he learns to adjust his behavior to proper teaching methods (of which yelling at the dog is not one), or the problem will quite possibly spiral out of control. Your dad needs to be willing to constructively work on his relationship with the dog. He has to establish rules with the appropriate methods which, to say it again, does not mean yelling or getting angry with the dog. I am sure you and your family can resolve this, and your dog can learn how to be a better family member - but you need help him and teach him how. []

Literature I would recommend to you includes:
Jean Donaldson, The Culture Clash
Karen Pryor, Don't shoot the dog
Patricia McConnell, The other end of the leash

All three of those are absolute classics, easy to read and understand, with time-proven positive methods. Of course, you could also visit a good, experienced, positive reinforcement oriented (!!) trainer.

Here's something to try.  First, keep your dog crated in another room while dad is interacting with your son.  Be sure he's had a lot of exercise just before dad comes over - you want a tired dog for this, not one who can barely contain himself anyway.  After dad has had his time with your son, you put son down for a nap, or have someone watch him in another room and play a "meet & greet" game with Wallace & dad.  Tell dad not to stare at, reach for, or otherwise "threaten" Wallace.  Instead, he must sit or stand facing sideways (inviting Wallace to come closer - but with body language, not voice).  He should let Wallace come to him, not foist himself on the dog.  He can have a few treats in his hand so that Wallace can come take a sniff, a cookie, or both.  Wallace gets praised softly for doing that.  If he doesn't come over, have dad toss some treats on the floor for Wallace, and just ignore him and let him come get them when he's ready.  If he won't, you can try sitting on the couch next to dad and call Wallace to you for some roast beef or cheese, and then hand a piece to your "ally" (dad), so he can offer the dog a piece.
After a few sessions, you can hold your son, dad sits next to you, and he might toss some treats on the floor for Wallace.
That way, Wallace learns that when you and your son and he are in the presence of dad, good things happen for him.  If Wallace is too wound up to take the biscuits or Cheerios from the floor, substitute tiny pieces of roast beef. 
Next, dad can sit next to your son and hand feed Wallace (providing Wallace isn't food aggressive at all).
 
 

I just want to understand the situation as it seems a little unclear.  I believe the dog is your parents, right? Does your dad have a good relationship with the dog when you and the baby aren't around? Does the dog behave well when the your son is not there?  Because to me it sounds like the dog is jealous of the attention your dad is paying to your son.  Scout, when he was younger tried this very thing getting in between my husband and jumping on us when we hugged.  We saw it as him wanting to be the center of attention. This sounds exactly like what your parents dog is doing.
I don't know how you would remedy this with the baby. As the method we used was to totally ignore him until Scout stopped jumping on us and trying to get between us. Obviously that won't work in this situation. Hopefully someone will chime in and offer help!

Thanks, ewin, I did miss that.  So, maybe what's happening here is that Wallace is a bit jealous.  All the more reason for him NOT to get yelled at in the presence of the child, and to get treats instead.  He will learn to associate the presence of the baby with good things happening for him. 
Obviously, you would want to be very careful with such a large dog around a very small infant, but if it were me, I would be making Wallace think it's party time for him whenever you arrive with junior...

Jenny,
 
You might want to check out the t.v. show that comes on Friday nights on Nat'l Geo channel, called The Dog Whisperer.   His name is Cesar Millan and he's excellent.   Many of the worlds best dog behaviorist consider Cesar to be the at the top of the list of great behaviorist.   You can also order his CD.   Good luck.
 
Bill 

You may want to read "Raising Kids and Puppies Together".  Even though it's directed at pups, there is a lot of good info for parents there.