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

SAMHP_2

Perhaps your Springer would be happier doing a job rather than as a family pet and there are quite a few rehoming places that are looking for dogs to train as sniffers etc - go to your local newsagents and try and find a copy of the Shooting Times - they often run adverts in the back specifically looking for these types of breeds who absolutely thrive on work
Sam

Rev

I honestly can't understand why you're even asking. The childs safety is the most important thing, the dog is obviously not suitable to be around a child that age.

Look at it a different way, if a family friend hit your child a few times for no reason you could define (you stated in the first post the most recent bite was unprovoked), you wouldn't tolerate it would you? So I don't understand why you're allowing the dog to do it.

I'm sorry, if my dog bit and marked any child in my family, they'd be gone that day (I'm talking rehoming, not being pts), as much as it would break my heart to do so. I wouldn't wait around until it did some real damage.

mrcol1000

I don't think the dog is totally to blame for this as it is just a stupid animal. Was the kid taunting it? Was it teasing it? Did the dog think it was a game? Did the kid hurt the dog or did the dog think it was about to be attacked?
This is why dogs should not be left alone with kids for the safety of both of them. Anyone who lives a four year old with any dog no matter how soft is being irresponsible. Just because its a cute little springer spaniel doesn't make it alright.
I really can't belive that you kept this dog after the second time it bit your child let alone the third time! The dog needs finding a new home where there is no young children or a temporary home where it can recieve behaviour training without any children being at risk

Wkdwill

I would be rehoming the dog straight away, but would also make sure that the new owners knew about it and make sure that it isnt going to a house with small children.

Shortly after having my DD we went to visit MIL and FIL and I expressed my concerns over their dog (old dog never been round babies) and they kept assuring me it would be fine, well it wasnt fine as soon as we went in the dog was going crazy and when MIL had hold of DD the dog went bazerk, jumping up, growling, snapping and trying to get to DD, I told FIL that if he didnt remove his dog immeadiately not only would I drop kick it out of the window but DD would never enter their house ever again.

The dog is always locked up in a bedroom whenever we go for visits now, it still to this day goes barmy whenever DD enters the house, its a shame as it is a lovely dog otherwise but when it comes to it, the safety of my child is most important and I dont believe in harming any animals but if a dog or anything else for that matter ever hurt my child it would have to be removed before I got a hold of it.

Frugalista

Wkdwill wrote: »

I told FIL that if he didnt remove his dog immeadiately not only would I drop kick it out of the window but DD would never enter their house ever again.

WOW! You sound like a really nice guy!! :whistle:

Nicki

Frugalista wrote: »

WOW! You sound like a really nice guy!! :whistle:

No, he sounds like a responsible parent who values his child more than a dog. Given that he's expressed his concerns before the visit, and they'd been ignored, a strong verbal reaction was understandable (and dare I say it called for). It's not like he actually did drop kick the dog, though he'd be forgiven for being tempted.

I am tbh flabbergasted by the number of people on this thread who apparently value their dogs as much as they value their children :rolleyes:. To say nothing at all of those very sad individuals who have posted who clearly value their dogs more...

Frugalista

Nicki wrote: »

No, he sounds like a responsible parent who values his child more than a dog. Given that he's expressed his concerns before the visit, and they'd been ignored, a strong verbal reaction was understandable (and dare I say it called for). It's not like he actually did drop kick the dog, though he'd be forgiven for being tempted....

I'm sorry, but that sort of threat is not the action of a responsible or reasonable person. And the dog didn't actually bite the baby either. Why can't an elderly dog (who has never been used to children) also be forgiven for reacting (however inappropriately) to the strange smell and noises emanating from the baby? Presumably the poster has some reasoning power? Are you saying that this bully boy posturing and threatening physical harm to an elderly animal somehow makes his behaviour better than the dogs?

Nicki

Frugalista wrote: »

I'm sorry, but that sort of threat is not the action of a responsible or reasonable person. And the dog didn't actually bite the baby either. Why can't an elderly dog (who has never been used to children) also be forgiven for reacting (however inappropriately) to the strange smell and noises emanating from the baby? Presumably the poster has some reasoning power? Are you saying that this bully boy posturing and threatening physical harm to an elderly animal somehow makes his behaviour better than the dogs?

I'd hazard a guess that his frustration was directed at his parents in law, as owners of said elderly dog, for not accepting his concerns expressed in advance that a dog unused to children might behave unpredictably, and for not dealing with the situation swiftly and appropriately when his fears proved correct.

Twas the dogs owners who were irresponsible and unreasonable, not that poster.

mrcol1000

Frugalista wrote: »

I'm sorry, but that sort of threat is not the action of a responsible or reasonable person. And the dog didn't actually bite the baby either. Why can't an elderly dog (who has never been used to children) also be forgiven for reacting (however inappropriately) to the strange smell and noises emanating from the baby? Presumably the poster has some reasoning power? Are you saying that this bully boy posturing and threatening physical harm to an elderly animal somehow makes his behaviour better than the dogs?

I would agree that the guy who threatened to drop kick the dog does sound like the kind of person who you'd probably avoid at parties at all costs and I love my dog dearly but if the dog is agressive to children for any reason then it needs to be kept away from the children. My dog is much more well behaved than many kids and parents it meets and complete strangers kids will come up to the dog and pull its ears while the parents watch on and can't understand why I move my dog away from their lovely little children but she doesn't react to them. However if your dog does react to kids and even if the kid does deserve to have just a tiny bite just to remind it not to be nasty to animals then you need to do everything you can to keep away from kids

anguk

Often it's the owners fault but sometimes it is the dog and all dogs are different. We got a lab as a puppy and he was 6 months old when my son was born, he absolutely adored children. We've now got a rescue dog that doesn't like young kids at all, she's very frightened of them. It's not a problem for us as my kids are grown up now but when my great nephews & nieces come round the dog is always shut in another room before the kids even come into the house.

I love my dog to pieces but I would never risk having her around young children in the house. If a dog has already snapped at a child 3 times I think it's past the point of needing training and time to rehome to childless owners.