My dog has bit my daughter...kindof long*

[Insanityprofanity]

I am so bloody pissed at my dog right now. Stupid bloody animal!
Went up Dfil this eve,i have horses there so go up all the time to sort those. Normally my 3 doggys stay at home as younger dog gets stressed and panicky when travelling but hates staying home alone.
Tonight though... i decided as a one off to take all dogs up with me so they can let off some steam without being attatched to a lead. I live in middle of a well built up area,Dfil lives in countryside with open garden/fields. My dogs are restricted to lead walks at home and occasionally i have taken them with me before until young dog (d3) decided to get stressy in cars.
So as we were sorting horse food and hay our DD10 was playing with dogs.never jad a problem here. Middle dog (d2) is known for being temperamental but never with us and never ever with our 3kids.
As all 3 dogs were playing d2 has snapped at d3,no reason there at all. My DD has gone to pull d2 off d3 and without realising d3 has bit her right wrist and upper left arm. DH managed to seperate both dogs and with the realisation there was a load of blood my DD has gone into full blown panic/shock/hyperventilation thinking it was her. It wasnt. It was infact d2 ear as d3 had nipped it in retaliation.
DD has nasty bruising to her arms and significant bite marks although no actual cuts/open wounds.
Now obviousley the option for me here is have d2 pts. d3 has never acted this way and was playing happily until d2 went for her and carried on trying to play after all the commotion.
Would i be wrong to try and find d2 another more suitable home for d2? And what about d3? This is unlike d2 but i also have a 9mnth old baby who will be in the stages of wanting to play alot the second he can i am a very careful mum and dog owner and teach my kids that all dogs need their space and and dont allow my kids to get rough or heavy handed with our dogs thus making this situation unusual and i am sooo worried it could be him. Im also aware that it couldve been DD face,she was lucky but i cannot keep d2 with us in the hopes that it wont happen again. I dont want to risk it.
Im unsure of d3 reaction but just seemed like a typical reaction. d3 has been around baby alot and has shown no aggression at all whereas i was unsure with d2 as she cam be grumpy in the way of wanting to be left alone so ive always told kids to leave her be when playing and its always been fine till now.
Weve had all dogs from pups and are all well trained too.
d3 is 8
d2 is 6
d1 is 4
All are vaccinated/spayed etc and get walked twice a day sometimes three times.

I suppose advice would be good right now.
Pts or new home away from playful kids and other playful dogs.

Also.... d1 hates commotion and happily wandered off to leave a stinking pile of shit by the back door....

Sorry for long post..

[KittensWithSuperpowers]

With three dogs, three horses a dd and a baby I think you have enough on tbh.

It sounds like the dogs could do with some professional training of some sort. They should be socialised enough to walk off a lead.

Also ime dogs don't react to each other for no reason. Something must have agitated one of them at least.

How's the bleeding dog?
I would probably rehome at least one dog.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Oh God, so sorry you are in this position. I have always had dogs but didn't replace them when the last one was pts. One was snappy but very well behaved (easily to predict/prevent etc) and snapped at a child who ran at her and grabbed a puppy.

I never liked the 'have baby get rid of dog' train of thought. Then I had a baby.

I think it hugely depends on the sort of dog, my snappy one was a wimpy spaniel. I am as sure as I can be that if she 'went' for anyone, even just a shout at her would have sent her skulking off, unlike some of the more 'bred to be agressive' breeds.

I'm really sorry but in your position I would be rehousing both dogs. You seem more concerned with d2 though it was d3 that bit? And d3 is the oldest or youngest?

Alternatively, dd will be wary of the same thing happening again, are you in a position to keep kids (esp baby) and dogs separate?

[LittleDittyAbout]

I can't figure out who is a dog and who is a child. Hope your child is okay.

[Insanityprofanity]

Bleeding dog (d3) is fine,it was small snip of her ear which bled for ages.. not much really but seemed alot in the eyes of a panicky child.
Dogs are trained and very well behaved... this was in our own garden (father in laws gsrden to be precise) so no leads were needed amd they are fine without leads on anyway.. as they are very well trained.
Repeating myself here.. ALL dogs are very well trained and normally well behaved. However d2 has shown she prefers to be left alone in stressful situations so we have always left her alone. She has been happy with that and kids have accepted it. She will happily sit in her safe place away from any kids or visitors. But when shes outside she normally ok. Whats happened tonight has happened whilst sorting food...there was nothing to provoke d2 to snap at d3.. maybe d2 was stressed with the playing...the hype etc. I just honestly dont know.
Al.dogs are regularly vet checked too and in good full health.
I just dont know for sure what to do..
Have d2 pts or rehome d2 in a more suitable environment where she will be able to relax better away from any stresses....
I have dd10 and a ds16 which ds2 is normally ok with. I dont want to risk it with ds3 who is 9mnths. Removing d2 from pur home is the only way i can go.. injust dont know which way once out the front door...

also perfectly capable of dealing with my kids and pets so just advice on the dog situation would be great

[Insanityprofanity]

DD is darling daughter
d1/2/3 are the dogs.

[Insanityprofanity]

Sorry again.. back to front with soddin stress...
dog1 is 8
dog2 is 6
dog3 is 4

[YouHadMeAtCake]

So your DD tried to separate the fighting dogs and got bitten accidentally?

[Sparrowlegs248]

Dog 2 snapped at another dog, but dog 3 bit your daughter? I think dog 3 would be my biggest concern.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Also, what cake said - I once (as an adult) went to pull a dog (not my dog but one I knew) aware from a rabbit hole. It bit me. Apparently to be expected said the owner.
It was one bite, and snarl/snap. I realised I'd been a bit silly after. I didn't do it again! ( though would have told my own dog off for such behaviour)

It could all just be an unfortunate, and avoidable series of events but dog3's inability to realise it was not appropriate behaviour (biting child not another dog) would worry me.

[IAmNoAngel]

I have been bitten whilst separating dogs, it doesn't sound like either dog went for dd, more like she was caught by accident trying to pull them apart.

I wouldn't have either dog rehomed or pts, as it was accidental, is behavioural training an option?

Sometimes dogs fight. Make sure dd knows not to separate dogs herself in future, instead get dog-confident adult to do it. Your dogs aren't suddenly going to go for your children because they caught dd by mistake, when going for each other. It's completely different. You sound like a good mother and responsible dog owner and i don't think you should rehome unless you feel 3 dogs are too much to cope with.

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

I'm not actually sure how see the problem here, let alone why you'd have a dog put down because of it.

Dogs sometimes snap at each other & fight, such is life.

Your DD got accidentally bitten when she put herself in the middle of dogs fighting.

I'm sorry DD got hurt 💐 But a lesson learned and move on.

[KittensWithSuperpowers]

I misread re the leads sorry. Thought I read they had to be on a lead because ones temperamental.

So, Dog 3 gets stressy in cars
Dog 2 is temperamental

Dog 2 snaps at dog 3. Dd pulls dog off and gets bitten (not bleeding)
Small cuts/bites between both dogs.
Dh separates dogs.

I'm sure you care for your pets and obviously DC but I still feel you have an awful lot on your plate. By what you've said I'd rehome dog 2 and 3 I think. They might be better placed elsewhere - more quiet as you suggested

[Insanityprofanity]

Dog 2 snapped at dog 1,daughter went to seperate them and dog 2 bit her...
Daughter described it as "dog2 was blind,like she thought i was dog3".

Apologies for what i believe on mn is drip feeding... heck im so stressed with this i cant even sleep...

[Sparrowlegs248]

I think.i would put precautions in place with the baby (not left with dogs) and assume dd knows not to interfere with squabbling dogs. I'm not sure though that it's realistic/practical to keep both dogs permemantly away from.baby.

[Athrawes]

Your child has now learnt not to come between fighting dogs. Important lesson. And you should have left the stressy dog at home, or have it rehomed. You have too many dogs and can't manage them in a safe manner.

[Pluto30]

Teach your daughter not to get involved in a dog fight. It's common sense, but a lot of dog owners seem blissfully unaware of how bloody stupid it is to stick themselves (or their hand) down into a fight between two dogs.

[Cherubneddy1]

I had a very similar situation, except it was me who stupidly got bitten trying to separate 2 of our dogs (normally soppy spaniels) when they had a fight. I was badly bitten and there was blood everywhere, all I could think of was if it had been one of the children caught in the crossfire.

We actually re-homed one of the spaniels, but that was because the fighting between them continued and we couldn't risk the children accidentally getting in the way and getting hurt. HOWEVER, I agree with Annie, these things happen occasionally, and some dogs will have the odd disagreement then be fine. Your children are a bit older than mine too ( my youngest is 3), so you can explain to them to stay away if it happens again.

Sorry this happened, it sounds very stressful. But unless the 'spats' are becoming a problem I would monitor but move on.

[Cherubneddy1]

Pluto, I totally agree, it was bloody stupid of me to try to separate fighting dogs! I won't do that again!

[KittensWithSuperpowers]

Ops DC are not older cherub. The op has a two year old and 9 month old.

[KittensWithSuperpowers]

Oh fgs I mixed that up too!

Op doesn't have a two year old.

[Pluto30]

Her child is 10...

[Pluto30]

Oops, late reply kitten

[KittensWithSuperpowers]

16 y old ds. 10 year old dd. 9 month old ds

[YouHadMeAtCake]

Your fault entirely OP for not teaching your daughter how to be with dogs, not to get in between fighting dogs! She got bitten by accident, the dog is not at fault. It all sounds rather manic and that added to it. If would be cruel and unfair for you rehome or god forbid Have any of them put down. Your DD has learnt the hard way.

[TrionicLettuce]

I'm still not entirely sure which dog did what but you say yourself that one is "temperamental", another was potentially still stressed out from travelling and that running around off lead in the open together is a rare occurrence. That's a pretty good recipe for the dogs becoming over aroused and things kicking off.

I know it doesn't seem like it but the fact that your DD only came away with bruises having tried to intervene in a fight is actually a positive sign, that's some pretty good bite inhibition from a presumably very amped up dog.

In a situation like this I'd always have the dogs involved checked over by a vet, just to rule out any physical causes for the behaviour. Being snarkier than usual with other dogs is a pretty common indicator of pain/discomfort.

If there's nothing physically wrong with either dog involved then I'd recommend getting a decent behaviourist in who can advise you about managing them. Even if you decide to rehome one or other of them it probably won't happen instantly so it would still be sensible to get a professional in to help whilst you're finding a rescue space/making arrangements with the breeder. I'd suggest looking for someone through an organisation like the APBC or the CAPBT.