advice needed asap.

Fosterdog

If I were you I would find a different vet, yours and the the nurse staff seem to have no clue about dogs at all.

Your vet should not be dismissive of blood tests to check things like thyroid as it is very common for there to be no other symptoms than a change in behaviour.

You have to do what's right for your family and considering you've only had the poor thing for a few weeks, however I really don't think your vet had any clue about dogs behaviour and there is no reason for a dog aggressive dog to ever have a problem with people, or even every dog they meet.

It could be as simple as your dog has previously been attacked by a fluffy white dog and now distrusts them and may be fine with other breeds.

neveranymoney

We did sort of know he wasn't a great fan of small dogs, the odd snap and in my first ever post about him here, I did comment about him going nuts to try and get at a Yorkie through my mother in laws fence and we couldn't be sure had he nipped my mother in laws King Charles but what happened last night was something else entirely. We never in our wildest dreams thought he was capable of this. In the most basic terms, the other dog was obviously friendly or else the woman wouldn't have let it come over to our dog, so she must have thought because scampers was jumping about he was friendly also (I know seasoned dog owners don't allow their dogs to get up in another dogs grill but it was a genuine mistake as far as I can see) the other dogs face was in scampers, he then lunged and attached himself to the poor dogs upper jaw/nose and refused to let go. My husband is a big guy and readily admitted he was incapable of prying his jaws open until that other guy showed up and assisted. As I said in a previous post, there was no head shaking, just a complete lock and the most horrific silence from the dogs. My head is all over the place, I just don't know what to do.

dandelionclock30

catkins wrote: »

The dog may well not need a behaviourist. It could have been a one off. Even if not, it can be handled and of course a dog can be muzzled when taken out every time. If it is muzzled it won't be able to hurt another dog so why would the OP be looking at paying lots of vet's bills? You are just scaremongering.

The OP has no reason to believe the dog is likely to show aggression to any of the family. There are lots and lots of dog reactive dogs (I had one and I know quite a few other people that have had or have one) and none of them have ever shown any aggression to people.

You cant keep your eye on a dog 24/7 and they can run out of the house/garden etc if you have a quick slip up. I know loads of dogs that have nipped off by themselves.
I dont think I'm scaremongering, I know dogs who have attacked people who also attacked other dogs. One was a rescue grayhound and the other was a gun dog. The former was sent back to the rescue and the other was PTS as it wouldnt let go of its owners lip.
I also wouldnt want my children having to see things like my dog attacking another. Who wants their children exposed to that?
A person doesnt have to have this worry, I wouldnt put up with it when there are gentle dogs out there. Sorry but lifes too short to be worrying about what if with an aggressive dog.

mellymoo74

Fosterdog wrote: »

If I were you I would find a different vet, yours and the the nurse staff seem to have no clue about dogs at all.

Your vet should not be dismissive of blood tests to check things like thyroid as it is very common for there to be no other symptoms than a change in behaviour.

You have to do what's right for your family and considering you've only had the poor thing for a few weeks, however I really don't think your vet had any clue about dogs behaviour and there is no reason for a dog aggressive dog to ever have a problem with people, or even every dog they meet.

It could be as simple as your dog has previously been attacked by a fluffy white dog and now distrusts them and may be fine with other breeds.

This.
The vets suffer from a well known disease its called tarring all terriers with the same brush. You can train JRT and terrier crosses its just hard work, my male was dog aggressive when we rescued him lots of short walks, socialisation and praise hes now good with most other breeds of dogs. My female is harder work but she will make friends with some dogs and I xan tell when shes on one.
Neither one of them are bad with people my female can be but again you read her body language and keep her away.

neveranymoney

I have to say, I don't think the vet is in anyway wrong in his advice. The out come of what happens now was left solely up to us and I don't think he could professionally say to someone with a 7 year old son, oh yes, he will be grand with humans, just keep him from other dogs. We were not made aware when we got him that he had other dog issues, in fact, a dog aggressive Doberman was being taken out the day we got him and the guy told us to keep scampers out if his was as the Doberman wasn't dog friendly and you could see scampers sort of hide behind us as it passed. We were also told he had been with a westie previously who had already been rehomed and when we told the vet this, he said therein might lie the rub. I have so much to think about, thank you all again for your help, without it I don't know where I would be.

joansgirl

There's a large dog walking community where I live and there's a couple who have 2 terrier crosses. The female is a delight, she loves everybody and everything but the male is dog aggressive. So, when out and about they keep him muzzled and on a lead. They've told me in the past that he doesn't have a problem with people and kids at all. They have 2 small children themselves and she is a child minder with a houseful of kids every day. Previously to being a child minder she worked in a dog rescue centre which is where she got both dogs from. He has bitten other dogs in the past so now they don't take any chances. He doesn't like the muzzle (who would?) but has learnt to live with it. We all know him and give him plenty of space but tbh any dog that is muzzled will be given a wide berth by most people. If you keep him muzzled and on the lead and warn anybody who approaches "my dog is NOT friendly" that should be enough. As for whether you trust him with people, only time will tell. The kids will have to treat him with respect, no teasing, and they will also have to be involved with any training. Maybe you should play it by ear and give him a chance to redeem himself. But there again, if he bites someone then it's too late. This is a really difficult situation and I don't know the answer but as he's not shown people aggression I personally would give him a chance. But that's just my opinion.

gettingready

the other dog was obviously friendly or else the woman wouldn't have let it come over to our dog

Nobody picked on that so far so I will.

YOUR dog was on a lead. Woman approaching you should not have assumed anything but seeing a dog on a lead should have put her dog on a lead too.

This is common courtessy:

if you see a dog on a lead - do not let your off the lead dog approach as you do not know WHY the dog is on a lead. May be ill, may be agressive, may be in season etc etc

So again. YOUR dog was on a lead. There was absolutely nothing you could do to prevent this attack at the time it happened.

The other woman should have not allowed her dog to approach freely as it did.

Yes, it is terrible what happened and yes I do feel sorry for the other dog but I also feel sorry for your dog which may now end up back in kennels, away from the family that he has learnt to love.

Muzzle when out - simple.

Dog agressive dog does NOT mean he will attack your or your kids.

All the best and pls let us know if you manage to find the other dog's owner and how the other dog is?

Also - change the vets. Yours (both vet and nurse) have no idea what they are talking about. With new vets - get the tests done as mentioned by other people on here. I is your dog, you request what you want to be done as you are paying for it.

neveranymoney

The other dog was on a leash too, but an extendable one. Scampers was too as we allow him to scamper when out in fields but it was on its shortest setting and my husband had him tight to his leg as this was on the way home and on a pavement.

Person_one

I don't think blaming anybody helps. Do we even know if the other dog was on a lead? I don't think the OP has actually specified...

I don't think anybody was at fault here, the OP says her dog was acting friendly and that she didn't see any reason to prevent the bichon from approaching. I think two people both misread this dog's body language and it was a terrible accident due to two people's mistakes.

Yes, good doggie etiquette is not to approach on-lead dogs, but accidents always happen and not everybody is very clued up. Personally I think there should be a leaflet on doggie manners given out with every pup and rescue dog, but that's another thread!

Edit: OP posted while I was, both dogs were on leads and I think both owners have learned some hard lessons.

gettingready

I did not mean to blame anyone.

OP said "other dog approached" so i assumed (wrongly - sorry) that the other dog was off lead. Still, even on extendable lead...

The reason I wrote this is my own dog - Zara hates dogs approaching her, especially when she is on a lead. And my pet hate is a dog running over to her (while she is on a lead) and the dog's owner shouting from farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr away "he is friendly/he only wants to play/say hello".

Well mine is not, THAT is why mine is on a lead so pls kee your away.

Generally where I live/walk zara the unspoken rule about on/off leads is as i described above - do not let your dog appreach mine when mine is on a lead.

Yes, I agree about handing out leaflets...