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

ariba10

All this talk of Rescue and Re home.

All you are doing is passing the problem on to someone else.

If a dog is trained properly and it knows its place (It is a pack animal after all) usually it works O K

It is not a human being and treating them as such is doing them no favours.

They have to know their place in the pecking order and when they do you will have a safe and happy dog.

Rev

ariba10 wrote: »

All this talk of Rescue and Re home.

All you are doing is passing the problem on to someone else.

If a dog is trained properly and it knows its place (It is a pack animal after all) usually it works O K

It is not a human being and treating them as such is doing them no favours.

They have to know their place in the pecking order and when they do you will have a safe and happy dog.

So in the mean time, whilst this training is taking place, teaching the dog it's place and such, they're meant to keep the dog in the same house as the child?

Wkdwill

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?

For starters im a she not a he, secondly I had voiced my opinions about how the dog may react around my baby many times beforehand even demanding that the dog not be let near her in the first place, this was ignored by my inlaws and therefore the only way for them to take notice was to make a threat against the dog afterall the way I see it, a dog which doesn't usually react around visitors and is very unactive in the presence of visitors (inlaws dog) which then goes on to jumping, snapping and growling at a baby is the dogs way of threatening my child, it took no notice of its owners when being told to stop.

Im not saying I would have actually dropped kicked the dog, the most I would have done is dragged it out of the room, but as it wasnt my dog it wasnt my place to, therefore the only way for the inlaws to get off their backsides and do something was to say that.

If the dog had of actually caused harm to my child then that would have been a different story altogether.

IHateDida

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

No reputable rescue (which is what I presume you mean when you say 'charity kennels') would pass this on to a new owner without ensuring they are fully informed of its history. The dog would certainly not be homed with young children by any good rescue.

However, with a purebred dog like a springer there are likely to be no shortage of childfree homes which would be willing to work with a dog with this knowledge.

OP - you may want to have a look at some of the specialist springer forums for more advice - I think there is one caled 'its a spring thing' or something similar.. aha - here - http://www.itsaspringthing.co.uk/

Definitely- we have rescued a dog that couldn't live with children - when we first had her we were terribly bitten. However, with the correct training - she hasn't bitten since. But...we don't have children and never will have whilst we still have the dog.

I wouldn't have her put down - just contact a reputable rescue who may be willing to help - there is clearly something that has irritated the dog that has caused her to suddenly bite (the breed doesn't have a tendency to bite) and if you do not know what this is, then you need to contact a breed specific rescue who may be able to help.

If you join Dogpages.org.uk - there are loads of breed specific people who will be able to offer help and advice.

There are people willing to rehome "child unfriendly" dogs - I am one of those people and there will be many others like me - but do join Dogpages for further advice.

IHateDida

ariba10 wrote: »

All this talk of Rescue and Re home.

All you are doing is passing the problem on to someone else.

.

Some of us are willing to work with and own so-called "unhomeable" dogs. Look at the people at Dogpages and you will find many others like me. But the dog MUST go to a breed specific rehoming centre or one that can deal with "problem" dogs as opposed to just being advertised in Freepages (very irresponsible for any pets to be advertised there) or taken to a pound (where the dog will almost definitely be put to sleep or sold to someone without a full assessment).

ariba10

Rev wrote: »

So in the mean time, whilst this training is taking place, teaching the dog it's place and such, they're meant to keep the dog in the same house as the child?

If you had read my earlier posting you would have seen that I would have had the dog put down, if not after the first event then certainly after the second.

Dogs need to be trained while they are young.

It is no good spoiling a dog and then giving the problem to someone else by re homing.

MRSCARNEY

I think training is a big issue. For instance a dog that's not used to children won't benefit from being shut away every time a child comes into the house. Well supervised interaction with children will ensure that they become used to children and see them as non threatening - and will also teach children how to behave around dogs.

Obviously children and dogs should never be left unsupervised and there will always be the odd dog who will be aggressive but generally common sense and training can ensure that children can have fun and loving relationships with dogs.

bellrooster

I'm sorry to say that I think that the dog should be rehomed.

hethmar

Springers are vry excitable dogs - the only dog that has ever bitten my husband was a springer which had attacked one of my dogs in the park. The bite was as OH tried to separate them (I know you arent sposed to but our dog is disabled). The bite was very bad but on his hand and he didnt take it any further.

Is the dog castrated by the way?

I think that it would be wise as others have said, to contact the springer welfare and ask them if anyone is on their lists who would be a suitable adopter.

Hopefully there will be a number of middle aged couples who would be prepared to take him on if they dont have children or visiting children.

If/when he is adopted, please think about waiting a while til your children are older before taking on another dog. Children can be frightening and clumsy with dogs and many a dog must have lost his life due to this.

meanastheycome

But you should love your child more.
Years ago my wife and i had a dog we loved but it too turned
it bit my son he was 5 at the time.
I had the dog destroyed immediately.
i hope your daughter is ok.
you can aleays get another dog.
you cant a child...