In shock - Dog just "nipped" DS

z.n

madjay wrote: »

For all those who said it was the childs fault, it is so easy to point the finger at the child. The dog has done it once whats to say it will do more damage next time. Sorry to put any pet before any child is wong. Get rid of the dog, you will only blame youself if you do not and it does it again. I would not take the risk no matter how small.

On this basis no child should ever be in the same room/park/street as any dog. If one accepts in principle that it is acceptable in some circumstances for a family to have both child and dog in the same household then one acknowledges there is a risk of a bite at any time at any degree of severity. Dogs walk around with their weapons at the ready after all. The issue then is how to ensure that risk is minimised. It cannot be eliminated.

Keeping dog and child safe has much to do with the fundamental temperament of the dog, the relative status of dog and owner and the position of the child within the 'pack' (ie are they above or below dog). Some dogs are willing to be trodden on and abused-others will say enough is enough. Some dogs are unsuited to be family pets and need a very disciplined fully adult household (the true alphas). I am not an expert but we are talking cross-species communication here and surely owners have some responsibility to try to understand what a previously happy dog is saying.


Incidentally, the same rules apply to cats and children-it is just that the risk is probably more one of damage to eyesight from a scratch.

tara747

tiggerbodhi wrote: »

Muppet, the Westie nipped, there is some discussion on here as to a "nip", "bite" etc, the fact is that a Westie being a terrier could have inflicted a lot more "damage" than it did, the Dog is seven and has never shown these tendancies before so the OP is doing the correct thing, get the Dog checked to see if there is a reason, at 7 could be cataract giving them a "blindside" my JRT had this as would lash out in surprise once the good eye saw.

Personally IMHO would get rid of the child, dogs are cheaper to run, won't crash your car and you can sell their babies.

Calling another poster a muppet, how mature of you.

mumps

Person_one wrote: »

Oh, right.

I thought it was about keeping any animal that has drawn blood being outrageous, as the post I replied to stated.

The answer's simple really, anyone who feels that way about dogs and the risk they pose doesn't need to get a dog in the first place.

Its almost as if people don't fully think things through first...

I have had six dogs in my life, two while I was still at school and four as an adult. My current dog is 18, my last dog was 19 when he died. They were much loved by me and my family. I spend a fortune in vets bills for my dog, she is old and has arthritis and I hate the thought of losing her. We haven't had a proper holiday in years as last time she was in kennels her arthritis was really bad.

I had to get rid of one dog as he was mad, yes he really was. He loved me and protected me, my husband has the bite marks (not that he was actually harming me but the dog saw danger for me everywhere.) I did everything to keep him, little one and him never in the same room, home run like a prison. She was just starting to toddle and I realised we couldn't go on. As we were realising what had to be done he attacked my husband, I had to beat him off with a broom. He was lovely most of the time but when he lost it he was like something from a horror movie.

I think I did think it through, I had never had a dog like him and would never have realised how some dogs can attack when totally unprovoked and for no reason. Sometimes as responsible adults we have to make hard decisions.

quietheart

nottslass wrote: »

OP Here


We'll definitely be making an appointment at the vets to get the dog checked over for any sign of sore spots or illness which may have made him react out of character.

good point. when it happened with the guide dog puppy we later found she had a really sore tummy and partial bowel blockage. that was probably why she snapped. best of luck.

splishsplash

I'm glad your son if fine today, OP. I'm also glad you're going to give doggins a second chance.

Our family dog is a westie. We got her when my youngest was a toddler (he's 15 now). She is a lovely dog, well trained, kind, friendly, has never bitten anyone.

However, she has always disliked small children. I have no idea why, she's never had a bad experience to my knowledge, but from the first time we had toddler-aged visitors, she made it plain she was not impressed. At that stage, she could hop on the armchairs to sleep, which put her at exactly the wrong height for a toddler, i.e. face to face.

Once we were aware of all this, we just made sure to never let a situation arise where anyone was at risk. That meant the dog was never allowed on the furniture if small children were around (including my own), if we had small children visiting, the dog was put in another room. All of the children who visited regularly and my own children knew not to go near the dog if she was sleeping or eating, and they all knew not to go near the dog's food, toys or bed.

I think you're right that she deserves a second chance. I do think you should assume there is a chance of this happening again though, so set things up that the opportunity will never arise. It's not a big deal really, it's just another thing to put on your radar. In the same way we don't allow children to play close to open fires or to go in the cupboard where the cleaning supplies are, we don't allow pets too close to small children either unless it's in controlled circumstances.

My dog is elderly now, my children are grown, and we've never had an incident, so it's definitely possible to be sufficiently aware and pro-active. It just takes the willingness on your part. I'm so glad you've decided to give it a go. We have a responsibility to all our dependents imho. That includes our four-legged ones too. I'm not suggesting animals are more important than people, I'm just suggesting that pets are not disposable items that can be thrown out at the first sign of trouble.

suki1964

Waiting for the ones who were baying for the dog to be destroyed to pop their heads above the pulpit and now give the op the roasting of their lives....

flashnazia

suki1964 wrote: »

Waiting for the ones who were baying for the dog to be destroyed to pop their heads above the pulpit and now give the op the roasting of their lives....

I don't recall anyone 'baying for the dog to be destroyed'?

andy.m_2

suki1964 wrote: »

Waiting for the ones who were baying for the dog to be destroyed to pop their heads above the pulpit and now give the op the roasting of their lives....

oh good grief, it is people like you with this attitude that do nothing to close the gap between those who own dogs and those who don't.

My thoughts wre that that the dog should be rehomed but I stated that the OP had made their choice as was their right.

Much less dramatic wouldn't you think dear?

tara747

suki1964 wrote: »

Waiting for the ones who were baying for the dog to be destroyed to pop their heads above the pulpit and now give the op the roasting of their lives....

Calm down, now. Do you write for the Daily Mail, by any chance?

I suggested 'getting rid' i.e. to a home where there are no children, not PTS.

amus

Person_one wrote: »

The child is the adult's responsibility.

The dog is the adult's responsibility.

I know who I'd blame if one of my dogs bit somebody, and it wouldn't be the dog...

That's exactly the reaction my father got when he confronted one of our neighbours after his terrier ran from the back garden and bit me as I was walking to school. How dare I offend the dog by walking on the pavement! Apparently their dog would NEVER have done such a thing. I must have taken a detour on my way to school, sneaked into the back garden and booted it up the !!!!.


Dogs can and do attack without provocation.