Dogs that snap.

merlin68

If you had children would you keep a dog that snapped.
My mum has a dog that has bitten 4 times, not the kids, the postman mainly. Just worries me.

davsidipp

not if i had children but thats just my personal opinion i know some dogs hate the postman but to bite 4 times is a bit risky with children.

cjmumto2

Probably not a good idea and really the dog should not be allowed to bite postmen either, it should either have a muzzle or be kept under control, poor postman. I am guessing it is a terrier of some type and they do tend to be more snappy but unless they have been brought up with the children it is a bit risky

merlin68

It's a jack russell, mum was it's third owner. Just wondered if it was safe round the Grand children. It also bit my Dad and the carpet fitter.

davsidipp

simple answer no i have 2jrt both brought up with children and my grandson and they no their place but with this one you dont know the history being rehomed 3 times is sad but if its snappy maybe that was the reason.muzzles are good for short periods but should not be on for too long but i must say your mum is brave keeping a dog like that.

Fire_Fox

What is the alternative to keeping the dog, a rescue would probably PTS with that history. How is the dog getting access to the postman? Have you considered asking your vet for a referral to an animal behaviourist? Do you have insurance in case the dog injures a stranger?

meritaten

good grief, the dog has snapped at all those people? and you are wondering if you should let the kids near it??????????? I wouldnt! as much as I love dogs there is no way any child of mine (or me for that matter) would go near this dog! while it obvously has problems - I wouldnt trust that dog at all.

Humphrey10

You need to work out why the bites happened, and is there any pattern as to who he bites.

A relative had a dog that bit many adults, but never unprovoked, though the provocation was never attacking the dog, it was things like trying to take something stolen away from the dog (if you handed the dog something, or if it was an object he knew was his eg a toy, he would let you take it away from him, but if he had something he knew he was not allowed like a shoe, a dead animal, a live animal, he would not let you take it), or hurting the dog eg he would try to bite the vet if the vet was doing painful things.

Children were different though, he let them take things from, pick him up, drag him about, dress him up, fiddle with his ears and tail. He loved the attention he got from children, he was much more likely to get fed cakes and sweets from children, so I assume he had worked out time spent with children fiddling with him = food, biting children = no food.

elsien

I'm guessing that the dog doesn't live with children, but your concern is for when they visit?

Mutt snaps when excited or nervous and I don't generally let her near children, but it does depend on the situation. I always start off with her on the other side of the baby gate away from them. She's ok if the kids stay calm, but will jump and nip if they run around and get boisterous. So my older calmer nieces (with parents permission) can let her out once she's used to them being there if there's an adult in the room with them and they promise to stay calm and quiet. The younger boisterous ones, she stays locked away from them while they're there. If they come to stay and I don't feel I can keep them safely separate, she goes in kennels for the duration.

You need to think about the reasons and circumstances, and what the kids will be like around the dog. But if in doubt, I'd always say play safe and don't take the chance.

Oliver14

merlin68 wrote: »

It's a jack russell, mum was it's third owner. Just wondered if it was safe round the Grand children. It also bit my Dad and the carpet fitter.

When dogs bite if they continue to do this it can escalate to serious bites. You mum needs to take action now. She needs to find a good behaviourist or Trainer to get an opinion and help. Your vets is a good place to ask as they normally have behaviorsts that they know.

i would not risk children around the dog.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

No, I wouldn't.

But then again, I wouldn't allow an animal to get away with aggressive behaviour in the first place, so snapping just wouldn't happen.

Even the cats don't claw or hiss at anyone, as I wouldn't let them get away with it as kittens, so a dog, with the additional potential to wound, certainly would have been taught that snapping was unacceptable.