What would you do? My dog bit my 4yo?

Tigerlilley1980

I really think you should find the dog a new home. I have had dogs all my life, recently a White German Shepherd, and although he never snapped at my DD he was so big he kept knocking her over so I found him a wonderful new home. A young child should never be left alone with a dog anyway and you have to think which is more important and also what is fair to the dog. A tough one I know, but do let us know what the vet has said aswell and what you decide to do x

supermezzo

I have to be honest and say that I wondered why you would even need to ask what to do after 3 bites.

marshallka

ariba10 wrote: »

You must be very forgiving.

I have had dogs all my life but if he had not been put down after the first incident, he would definitely gone after the second.

MY mum did that with one of hers that bit my son. It was only at the vets that they found she had a growth in her ear anyway.

Also to the OP if it were once I would give it the benefit of the doubt BUT also never leave my child with that dog unsupervised too. If it were twice then that would be it for me. If it broke the skin and it was a proper bite then I would not hesitate to rehome.

MRSCARNEY

The fact that your child's face was bit seems to imply that her face was next to the dogs face and perhaps this made the dog feel threatened. Also, the fact that you still have this dog and are looking at things such as training makes me think that generally this isn't an agressive dog. I appreciate that your daughter's safety comes first but I admire you for not writing the dog off completely as there can often be a reason for a dog biting which is not necessarily agreesion.

Springers are bositerous, playful dogs (apart from when they've had a good walk and then they crash out on the settee and snore) and they do need appropriate exercise and stimulation.

I guess only you have all the facts and are in the best postion to make a decision.

Good Luck

b3nton

I would not keep the dog after this. Especially since this was the second occurence. Your daughter could be scarred for life or worse.
Give the dog away.

Good luck

marshallka

b3nton wrote: »

I would not keep the dog after this. Especially since this was the second occurence. Your daughter could be scarred for life or worse.
Give the dog away.

Good luck

Its actually the third time the OP said I think. I was bitten when I was 5 by a boxer dog that went straight through the lip and I had stitches. The dog was not detroyed however and that i am glad about. It was the dog where my mum did cleaning. I loved that dog but just caught it when lying in the sun and put my head next to its head and when already hot and bothered in the sun I tried to cuddle it. I look at it as both "natural" things to do but it was the first time this had bitten anyone. I was then taught to have more respect for animals really I suppose. (not saying that anyone that is bitten does not have respect for them either).

I have got what some would call an aggressive dog now who growls at people that get too close but we have had him since my daughter was 3 (she is now age 12) and he has never actually gone so far as to bite. If he did then I don't know what i would do to be totally honest.

Topdogfran

How many of the 'rehome it or have it PTS' folk can honestly say they have never felt like lashing out at a small child who was annoying them?

Hintza

Oh when i wrote my first post I hadn't noticed this was the 3rd time, that rather shifts things in favour of getting rid of the dog.

The one thing that must be reiterated is severe chastisement (probably a smack if they haven't listened the first time) to any child that annoys the dog. There are occasions when it is just not fair on the dog.

Times the dog might get the benefit of the doubt:-

1. Severe provocation by child (but dog has to live in the family so this can not be excused too much) but there are some mean kids out there.

2. When he is having his food or a bone. (Kids must learn NEVER to annoy the dog when he is eating)

3. When dog is sleeping and is surprised (this one is more marginal)

If in doubt the dog goes.

marshallka

Topdogfran wrote: »

How many of the 'rehome it or have it PTS' folk can honestly say they have never felt like lashing out at a small child who was annoying them?

I don't understand what you are saying here Topdogfan..

Even if we as humans do feel like "lashing out" at a child we seldom do. If people do (and I do not ) smack their kids then it would hardly be something that would "endanger" the childs life. I think the two things are completely different. A dog thinks "dog" and a human thinks "human". We as humans know when enough is enough mostly. Its like the thing of the rotties hitting the headlines if they bite someone but how many jack russells hit the front pages. Its the damage that a dog CAN do that matters.

I would urge the OP to get a professional vet behavioural therapist to have a look at the dog though and NEVER leave the child in the dogs company again.

BeenieCat

There could be many reasons why your dog bit your child. Alot of reasons are due to the fact that their owners have not trained their dogs properly. We must remember dogs are 99.98% wolf and also live in packs. I have a springer which lives in the house with a young child, so i've made sure the dogs knows that my child is at the top of the pecking order and that the dog is at the bottom. Whether its 2 late with your dog it's hard to tell with not knowing what you've done with training since the dog was a pup.

what I've done to incorporate this is simple... We eat first and make sure the dog is not around the table. And then my child gives the dog his food and only for 20mins and then takes the food away, even if the dog is not finished. (MAKE SURE YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE)

Don't give the dog full roam of the house.. Its your house not the dogs..

Little things like this is what would happen if the dog was living in the wild in a pack. It needs to be the follower and not the leader.

oh yes plenty of exercise and love...