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Dog bit.. again!

54 replies

Nc5683939w9er · 17/02/2019 07:59

We have got a 16 month old Labrador/German shepherd cross. We rehomed him from 5 months from a family on gumtree. At the time all seemed well, but they didn't tell us much about him and it turns out he hadn't been trained at all (except for toilet training). He's a big dog and it's been a struggle with a now 5 and 2 year old. He drags on the lead despite following training etc and chases our poor cat. Nonetheless we see him as part of the family. A few months ago he snapped at both children and nipped them- both times over food that they had. We now shut him out when they have food but can't 100% guarantee that he won't see them with food. Anyway he's been fine on this front for a while and started to feel like he can stay after all.

Yesterday my youngest fell asleep on me. He had had some sweets which I put behind me in the chair. After about half an hour I decided to take him up to bed, forgetting about the sweets. While I took him up, dog started to steal them. 5 year old saw and walked over and said no.... and he bit him. Will try to attach photo. Slightly broke skin but mostly bruised. I feel sad but feel like he has to go as I'm also 30 weeks pregnant and terrified that he could do it to a baby although it wasn't the worst bite in the world. My partner is not happy, defending dog saying kids shouldn't have tried to take it (he didnt) and it was my fault. Just to add- he is constantly scrounging for food and acts starved despite feeding him the recommended amount by vets- even when he has just eaten, he will still beg for food. What do I do?

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Gligeen · 17/02/2019 08:02

3 small children will be difficult enough without having to watch the dog.
You could rehome..dunno how difficult that is in the UK Or pay for behaviour training?

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longwayoff · 17/02/2019 08:03

You choose the safety of your children over your affection for the dangerous dog.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/02/2019 08:05

Could one option be to never leave him with the children unattended? How realistic an option that would be might influence your decision.

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LilQuim · 17/02/2019 08:06

So when your children were 4 & 1 you thought it was a good idea to rehome a large breed dog from some random on gumtree.

And here we are. Another dog passed around.

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westendshits · 17/02/2019 08:08

I'm no expert but sounds like a poor mistake to take this dog on.
But going forward, clearly if training has left him still biting the kids he needs to go 🤷‍♂️

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Nc5683939w9er · 17/02/2019 08:09

Thats what we have been trying to do. He is outside or in a different room while we eat our meals and he is only allowed with them with one of us present. We weren't at home yesterday and took him as we had to leave early and wouldn't have been home until late so felt it was too long to leave him- but it meant he wasn't able to be shut away. I do worry though how he feels being shut away from the kids as they are obviously time consuming which means he doesn't get as much attention and perhaps gets jealous?

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00100001 · 17/02/2019 08:12

I thought it was fairly standard advice that you never leave digs and kids alone?

Who knows what the 5 yo did to stop the dig taking the sweets? Who knows what warning signs the dog gave?

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Nc5683939w9er · 17/02/2019 08:15

We weren't actively looking but saw the advert and it said dog needed a high energy family and that he was good with kids. I thought rehoming was better than getting a tiny puppy because it would have been trained but obviously we were a bit naive! It wasn't done maliciously and hindsight is a wonderful thing but we are just trying to provide him with a happy home- I just don't want it to be at the cost of one of our children!

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00100001 · 17/02/2019 08:16

The dig won't be jealous of the attention the children get.

Surely thehe dog will be confused about the mixed messages. Sometimes he's locked out of dinner. Sometimes he's allowed.

What's the"rule"? My DBros dog has his Kong at dinner time. And will chew on that whilst people are eating. Then send himself to bed.

But that's because that's what he's done every meal time.

It's not mix and match

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GertrudeCB · 17/02/2019 08:16

Labrador cross will usually be very food oriented. I've got one.
This is not sustainable in your circumstances.
Re-home to a rescue, DO NOT RE SELL THE POOR CREATURE ON GUMTREE.

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00100001 · 17/02/2019 08:17

Did you do any research into the breed before getting him?

Was the owner a responsible owner/breeder?

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Yogagirl123 · 17/02/2019 08:19

We had our dog, long before we had our family, he was 7 by the time we had our children.

He was such a lovely dog, but I NEVER EVER left him unattended with our children.

I wasn’t because I didn’t trust my dog, but he was getting older and I didn’t want my children grabbing at him, holding food near him etc, because quite honestly what do you expect a dog to do in those circumstances?

The dog was happy and we cherished him until he was PTS at 13.

Most dogs are possessive over food, it’s to be expected.

There is a choice to be made OP, either you change the set up at home and keep the dog or the dog will need to be rehomed, but please don’t rehome the dog on gumtree an animal charity will be a better option.

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Namechangedforthis79 · 17/02/2019 08:20

Get rid of the dog. Your children's safety is more important. Dogs and young children don't mix, especially large untrained ones.

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averylongtimeago · 17/02/2019 08:20

Have you taken him to training classes?
Or had any professional advice?

Please don't just stick him back on gumtree

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Nc5683939w9er · 17/02/2019 08:23

We absolutely would not sell him, only look at rehoming centres if that is what we decide. Some advice says once they bite the dog goes, others say to change what we do etc but it's still a worry to know what to do for the best.

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Nc5683939w9er · 17/02/2019 08:25

This is the bite. Not sure how bad you would say it is? Bruising starting to come out.

Dog bit.. again!
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youbethemummylion · 17/02/2019 08:26

You werent actively looking for a dog but then saw a 5 month old large breed dog on gumtree and bought it whilst having very small children in your house? Hmm
Also you say bitten again? So this isnt the first time, what were the circumstances last time? You either need to invest a lot of time and possibly money in this dog or let a responsible rehoming centre find him a suitable home.

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Wintersnowdrop · 17/02/2019 08:28

I wouldn’t feel happy with that dog around young children. I think you need to take to a rescue for the sake of your children.

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adaline · 17/02/2019 08:28

It makes me so angry when people just get dogs on a whim like this, sorry OP.

You had no idea about his previous owners, his health, his background, what kind of training he'd received or anything and thought it would be a good idea to take him into your home anyway.

Dogs are bloody hard work even when you don't have small children involved. You have a Labrador (mouthy breed at the best of times) crossed with a German Shepard - even for an experienced owner that won't be easy. Both are trainable but incredibly big and strong dogs with strong jaws who need consistency and training their entire lives.

I think for the dogs benefit he needs to go to a home without children where the owners have time to dedicate to his training. And please never buy a dog off the bloody internet again!

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SpanielEars070 · 17/02/2019 08:28

There are literally hundreds of breed specific rescues online, who are used to dealing with problem dogs. My eldest DD got a completely manic springer spaniel that she couldn't deal with as well as 3 young DC, and he was rehomed through an amazing charity - he now lives with a family in the Peak District and they post regular updates and photos to the FB page. It's been heartwarming to know that someone stepped in and sorted out my DDs stupidity, though I was ready to kill her and her DH at the time. Your dog needs to be with a family with teenagers, not young kids and especially not a baby. You have no choice for the dog or yourselves.

I won't say what I think of people who advertise animals on Gumtree Sad

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crazycatgal · 17/02/2019 08:34

What made you think that a large breed puppy that you knew nothing about would be a good idea with a 4 year old and a 1 year old?

Take the dog to a rescue centre so it can have a decent home.

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Namechangedforthis79 · 17/02/2019 08:34

Next time that dog could bite your child's face. Absolutely crazy choice of breed with young children in the house. That dog would be out of my house today if it did that to my child.

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Dontgiveamonkeys1350 · 17/02/2019 08:42

I had a springer who was nervous and turned nervous aggressive. Despite all the hours of training and behaviourist help I had. it was obvious that he needed on hand 24 hour help. Better help than I could give him. Despite all my hours and hours of research etc.
One day he jumped over the gate we had been keepin him behind and jumped up and went for my sons neck.

Everyone told me to have him put down. What I did instead was give him one last chance. He went to a rescue place that had specially trained people. They took him in. And they worked with him for months and months. When he was re homed he was rehomed with someone who knew what they were doing. He is happy and better off with them than he could ever have been with me. But I wanted to give him a chance and I’m so glad I did. Man I miss that face everyday.

What I’m trying to say is. Sometimes it is best to hand them over to someone else before it gets to the point where there is no turning back. You have children. And things with children and dogs can go so badly wrong very very quickly.

Wha I’m trying to say is.... help your dog now before it gets to the point where he is put down due to no fault of his own. He clearly can’t be around children. And realistically keeping him shut away isn’t going to do the dog or the family any good. The dog doesn’t deserve that life at all. So let him move to a place where he can be in home that suits his needs.

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LazyFace · 17/02/2019 08:44

Please do rehome him. Your children are more important. I have a dog who is food agressive towards other dogs and the new cat. It's bloody hard, you have to be aware all the tome where all animals are, he can be rummaging for food under the table and consider it his. My children are bigger and aware but your are still small, please don't take the risk.
(My dog is now 7, his breed can live up to 13 easily.... I love him but should have sent him back at the first signs. With small children in the house it's very hard to find the time to re-train a dog and Might not always work anyway.)

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LazyFace · 17/02/2019 08:49

There's nothing wrong with her 'choice of breed'. It's not even a breed, it's a mix who was sold off as he had issues. Labs are the nations favourite dog, german shepherds used by the police as they're another working breed. They are all individuals within a breed.
I've been sold my dog by a 'breeder' who happily sold him to me as the ideal family dog to go with a (then 1.5 and 3 year old).

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