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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

My dog bit friends ds :(

21 replies

SillyTilly123 · 30/07/2013 17:06

I have 3 girls 3, 5 and 9. My dog is great with them. They can sit on her (not properly just like leaning against her) play with her, lie on the floor play fighting etc and she has never bit them. My friends son (4) went to stroke her today and she bit him. He had a dint/bruise above his eye and a small graze on his nose.
A few months back he put her in a kind of head lock and she snacked at him then too but luckily didnt bite him. It all happened so quick. She was lying on the floor and he went over to her and stroked his head and she snacked. I (and my friend) were sitting right behind them but didnt anticipate it at all.

I dont know how to handle it. Obviously we kept them away from each other the rest of the visit, but i have no-where to put her (dog) while they are here, which might mean they stop visiting which will devastate my friend as she is suffering from anxiety at the minute so needs my help/support and her dp will go ballistic if he finds out.

Any advice? I really really dont want to rehome her as, like i say she has never shown any aggression at all to anyone else and she is absolutely perfect but not sure if i would be expected to? What would you be thinking if it was your ds?

OP posts:

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peachactiviaminge · 30/07/2013 18:10

You need to show your dog more respect its not surprising the poor thing snapped when its treated like a toy. You'll get better advice soon but for now keep them separated and teach your kids how to behave around a dog if I was your friend I'd be very very angry with you as its your fault not the dogs.

ImNotBloody14 · 30/07/2013 18:11

Get him checked out by the vet to rule out any injuries/illness he might have.

And then teach your ds and visitors how to treat dogs properly.

ImNotBloody14 · 30/07/2013 18:12

Sorry- i mean dds

Branleuse · 30/07/2013 18:12

tell the kids to leave the dog alone.

My auntie has a dog that nips. I tell my 5 year old to not touch that one

handcream · 30/07/2013 18:14

I dont understand. How can you have nowhere to put your dog? The garden, the kitchen, a bedroom? I agree as well. A dog is not a toy and some dogs dont like strangers putting them in head locks. The fact it was a child is meaningless to a dog.

ImNotBloody14 · 30/07/2013 18:15

And you need to find a place where the dog can go to get away from everyone that is quiet and the dcs know they are NOT allowed to go to or bother him at- he needs a retreat for when he is streased

Iwaswatchingthat · 30/07/2013 18:16

A dog is a dog.

No matter how much a loved family pet - keep it away from small children.

Maybe reassure your friend that you will keep dog in garden or in another room next time they call.

handcream · 30/07/2013 18:17

Child gate across the kitchen door perhaps? When I was younger an Uncle had 3 German Shepherds. They were always locked in the bedroom when we visited and I was too young to ask to see them. I am a huge dog lover (have a large breed dog)

Morgause · 30/07/2013 18:19

Muzzle it when you have visitors, maybe. I wouldn't trust it with my own DCs in your place, though.

afromom · 30/07/2013 18:45

I wouldn't be happy if DS was bitten by someone else's dog, but I also wouldn't allow him to put a dog in a headlock (especially one he doesn't know). If I was your friend I don't think I would be coming back to visit until you had found somewhere that the dog could go away from visitors, to be honest I don't think my DS would want to return either!
I am not an animal lover anyway, but even I can see this is less an issue with your dog's temperament and more an issue with the way you allow others to treat your dog.

tabulahrasa · 30/07/2013 19:20

Don't let children manhandle your dog, put the dog in a different room if they visit...

You must have a room with with a door somewhere in your house?

1MitchellMum · 30/07/2013 19:27

Poor dog ... basically I agree with the other posts that I've skimmed. Dogs need to be respected ... I had a friend who's DS showed complete lack of respect for our dog ... who growled but didn't bite ... friend & son not invited back here. I wouldn't trust many dogs around small kids, particularly if the kids don't know how to behave. Hope you get it sorted.

MimsyBorogroves · 30/07/2013 19:28

I have a dog who is brilliant with children too.

Each and every time my DS has friends round, the dog is either put outside or in the downstairs bathroom.

It's not because I don't trust her - I would just rather take evasive action than wish I had.

Can you put a baby gate across any of your rooms - even if it's one in which you wouldn't normally allow the dog?

Canidae · 30/07/2013 19:32

The dog must be put in another room while guests are here. It's not safe for the child or fair on the dog who has tried to tell you already that she doesn't feel comfortable around him.

LEMisdisappointed · 30/07/2013 19:33

you are allowing your children to do too much with the dog - he will "tolerate" it with them to a degree but with soeone else he wont. Dogs really aren't toys and shouldn't be put in a position where their only response is to bite.

So its because of the way your children are with the dog that this boy got bitten i think

SillyTilly123 · 30/07/2013 19:35

Thanks for all the replies. I WILL be keeping the dog away from her ds from now on. Ive had advice from another forum on how to do that. Just for the record, my dds are not rough with ddog, they know how to be around her (dd3 still needs reminding sometimes as shes only 3) Will reply more later as just on my phone and it takes ages to type.

OP posts:

SillyTilly123 · 30/07/2013 19:39

When i say play fighting, i mean tug of war etc, not like body slamming her lol. I didn't explain properly as i was a bit upset (was shaking after they left )

If someone lies on the floor with their head down ddog gets excited and tried to lick your face but she can't because its hidden so climbs over you to try to get it, its just a silly game we play.

OP posts:

ImNotBloody14 · 30/07/2013 19:59

I know opinion varies on this but i never let anyone play tug of war with my dog. It confuses the dog when he picks up something he shouldnt have and one of the dcs try to get it off him- he thinks its a game and doesnt give it back, growls, gets possesive- needs to keep it in order to win. Imo tug of war is a terrible 'game' to introduce to any dog. Unless you are completely on top of training commands to give or drop and he knows them well.

Also- you dont have to be body slamming or rough playing to annoy him- just being in his space can be too much for any dog. Think how sometimes you just arent in the mood for your child to be talking right in your face or cuddling you round the leg while you try to wash up- dogs need their space too- try to discourage your dcs from lying on him.

SillyTilly123 · 30/07/2013 20:16

They only play tug with her tug toy. If she has a teddy or something, I get it off her. My dc are not constantly harassing her btw. If ddog lies down they dont immediately jump on her. Im pretty good at reading her signs (there was none today except for the incident a few month ago) My friend and I were watching telly and hadnt even noticed her ds going over. Once second he was sittin in between us the next he was on the floor having been bit. I believe a lot of you will say "you should of read the signs..." but it was so quick and unexpected. The 1st time it happened we both thought he'd hurt ddog and thats why she snacked, but now I know that was hes "warning". I didnt realise there could be so long between warnings (we've seen him a few times inbetween) Now I do and im going to do everything I can to make sure it will not happen again, without having to rehome her.

OP posts:

ImNotBloody14 · 30/07/2013 20:27

No i dont think this is about learning or reading the signs- you need to take preventative action rather than reactive iyswim- the fact you didnt notice the boy going over tells me maybe you arent as watchful as you need to be with small dcs and dogs in the same room.

I didnt say your dcs jump on him. Tey should just be leaving him alone altogether unless he comes to them for a cuddle. Lying on him is them being in his personal space and as he cant talk- you cant tell whether he wants it or not.

I wouldnt have a tug toy tbh- its still tug whether a specific toy or not and one day one of your dcs will try and take something from his mouth.

MagratGarlik · 31/07/2013 10:43

Don't let any child approach your dog. If the child wants to stroke the dog, he or she must call the dog to him/her. Arm your children with lots of high value treats and get them to practice calling the dog and treating, so they associate the children with good things (getting treats).

To be honest, I would go ballistic if any child (my own, or someone else's) put either of my dogs into a headlock.

I do think though you should seek specialist advice. This was a warning and no one was seriously hurt. That may not be the case next time and if the dog and children do not learn mutual respect, there almost certainly will be a next time.

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