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Hi Christine.
Make sure your leadership is 100 percent in check. No toys on the ground, no couch or beds, no acknowledging attempts for soliciting attention and make sure it’s 100 percent of the time. Not most times. A nip, IS a bite you’ve just gotten lucky so far and have not had a bad bite. Work on leadership and control. If you know you are having company they don’t even need to pet Mason. In fact have them ignore him. Make sure there is nothing around that Mason can feel conflict over. You should muzzle him and or manage the situation so this doesn’t keep happening. I wouldn’t even have him around the baby or other people when you are having company. You already know how he is going to react. Keep Working on a place command. Make sure you don’t bluff him though. You must follow through 100 percent of the time. Muzzle him if you know company is coming over and then if you are unable to keep him in a place command it’s better to crate him….even though you may not want to. You said you don’t want to have a bad bite and have to euthanize him. It’s better to manage the situation when people come over so he doesn’t even have the opportunity to make a mistake. Make sure the leadership is 100 percent in order all the time. No bluffing ….if you are unable to follow through with propper command structure don’t use formal commands. Work on all phases and make sure there’s no holes in the plan. Make a plan….make sure it makes sence and follow a routine. Set Mason up for success. If you know someone is coming prepare and have a plan. Waiting and hoping outsiders will act appropriately around Mason is not something to rely on. Assume everyone may do the wrong thing and prepare ahead of time with a preventative plan to keep him far away from trouble. Don’t underestimate the importance of 100 percent leadership all the time and management. It’s ok to manage the situation you are protecting Mason, yourself and your visitors. If you establish operations you won’t have to feel bad if you have to put him away when visitors come. Give him something he never gets but really likes and let him chill out somewhere where he doesn’t need to be stressed and worried. Keep working on it and keep us posted.
