Page 5 | Heartbroken my dog bit my toddler

Motherofmonsters · 2020-07-08T14:58:09+00:00

I'm so upset, I know what I need to do but it's so hard. Ive had him for 10years and he is the soppiest dog in the world, if you're an adult. He's always been wary of children so I've kept them apart and they were getting on so much better. But today he bit my DS on the face when he was behind him as we were leaving the house. Nothing serious but he has a couple marks by his mouth. I'm so absolutely gutted

Muminabun · 08/07/2020 17:21

When I was very small my parents had loads of dogs. Occasionally someone got bitten by the dogs if we were fighting or annoying them. The dogs were fine and we really loved them. A dog sometimes will give a Bite for whatever reason it is family life with animals and shouldn’t mean the dogs get sent to the gallows. I have dogs, horses and young children. I train the children. I know I will get flamed for this but people are so precious about animals and kid these days. I feel lucky to have grown up in the countryside and I am a bit more robust and pragmatic about these things.

Branleuse · 08/07/2020 17:21

Lots of people prefer older dogs. I would try rehoming him.

Chitlin · 08/07/2020 17:21

Animals can seriously hurt people, especially children which is why I can't understand why anyone would take the risk.

The risk of having children? Quite agree.

Hardbackwriter · 08/07/2020 17:23

@Chitlin

Animals can seriously hurt people, especially children which is why I can't understand why anyone would take the risk.

The risk of having children? Quite agree.

🙄

Hardbackwriter · 08/07/2020 17:24

I see the 'my dog is exactly equivalent to a child' bridgade has arrived. And yet it was me who was accused of being crazy.

MargotB7 · 08/07/2020 17:25

Hardbackwriter

There are plenty of adults that don't have small children in their lives and would keep their dog on a leash so it never came into contact when walking.

This dog has always been wary of children. It deserves at least for the OP to get some advice seeing as she put the dog in a situation he wasn't confident in. Not being horrible to you OP as I really feel for you. PTS is not the first option.

Quarantimespringclean · 08/07/2020 17:26

We had a family pet who bit a child once. We loved her and she was a big gentle lab so my parents resolved to keep a better eye on her ar9und youngsters from then on. Sadly (and I now know it was the most likely outcome) she went on to bite again. We had to have her PTS. It’s over 40 years ago and it still makes me cry. But really, with hindsight, a lot of pain and suffering would have been spared if we had done it the first time

Beebeet · 08/07/2020 17:26

Aw sorry to hear this OP, how heartbreaking for you. Although obviously you cannot keep the dog around your toddler, it might be worth trying to find out if he can be adopted. Before I had DS my aunt used to, she would adopt older dogs, many of whom had to leave their families because of children.

soruff · 08/07/2020 17:27

The dog has to be put down, would you rest if you thought it had been allowed to put another child in danger?
Please do the right thing for children.

MistyMinge2 · 08/07/2020 17:28

In my experience Border Collies get grumpy and are prone to nip as they get older. We had one when I was a child that nipped me on the face. It was a warning nip really, but frightening all the same. There's a high chance it could happen again.

I feel for you being in this position.

unlikelytobe · 08/07/2020 17:29

There is more than one possible course of action and once you're less upset have a good think about the pet I presume you've loved. Nobody wants their child hurt, hope they're OK now.

Have the dog checked at the vet's ? Consider if there's ways of keeping him and your DC safe. You do not have to PTS. Many old dogs even with issues can be rehomed e.g. Dog's Trust.

CambsAlways · 08/07/2020 17:29

Heartbreaking but I know I’d always put my child first however much I loved the dog, I would PTS

Notmyrealname855 · 08/07/2020 17:31

Hello! We adopted an older (11 yr old) border collie a few years ago, quite a few people are very fond of the breed and would (hopefully) be keen to adopt. Esp old farmers!

Grandmi · 08/07/2020 17:31

Please do not PTS ..there are various doggie adoption charities . I do not agree with pp who say dogs and children shouldn’t live together. You will get the very occasional problems but every picture I have of myself as a baby/ toddler was with our family dog and likewise with my children. I definitely know more people with dogs and children than without.

diddl · 08/07/2020 17:32

@CambsAlways

Heartbreaking but I know I’d always put my child first however much I loved the dog, I would PTS

Perhaps Op should have put her child first by rehoming the dog that she knew was wary of kids!

GhettoDefendant · 08/07/2020 17:33

When I was very small my parents had loads of dogs. Occasionally someone got bitten by the dogs if we were fighting or annoying them. The dogs were fine and we really loved them. A dog sometimes will give a Bite for whatever reason it is family life with animals and shouldn’t mean the dogs get sent to the gallows. I have dogs, horses and young children. I train the children. I know I will get flamed for this but people are so precious about animals and kid these days. I feel lucky to have grown up in the countryside and I am a bit more robust and pragmatic about these things

I actually agree with you. A lot of people in England (or maybe just on mumsnet) seem to have this idea that if a dog so much as growls at a child, it will forever after be a bloody thirsty monster that could kill a child at any moment.

OP's kid is fine. A couple of marks by his mouth. Doesn't even sound like a proper bite at all. Dogs are animals. If we choose to live with them we should take responsibility for it, rather than just killing the animal for a little nip that was probably due to something the parent or the kid did wrong.

Sunnydayshereatlast · 08/07/2020 17:34

We had our beautiful ddog pts in Feb. Behaviour changes including a growling stand off with me - vet assumed brain tumour after adding together with a couple of other minor instances ...
Broke me op it did. Think hard about recent behaviour.
You may find your decision very slightly easier to take if there is an underlying cause.
So sorry you find yourself here..

justasking111 · 08/07/2020 17:35

Had labs. and springers/sprockers for forty years, no problems with children they all adored them. My mother had a border collie, that the children had to be taught to be respectful of, she would put him away when we visited because they stressed the dog out until they were much older.

MamanSparkles · 08/07/2020 17:35

OP first and most important thing to do here is - if the bite broke the skin AT ALL you must get your DS to out of hours as he will need antibiotics (and a tetanus jab if not up to date). This is unquestionably the first thing you need to do if you haven't already.
Then think about the dog longterm - healthcheck at the vet to see if there's an illness causing him to lash out, and regardless of the answer I think you should look into rehoming him in an adult only household with experienced dog owners who know the full history and will keep him away from children.

covilha · 08/07/2020 17:36

I am so sorry to read this.💐. The only dog to bite me was a border collie when I was a child. I am afraid they can be a bit highly strung but really are beautiful, intelligent animals. Is there any way your Mum could take him but put in another room if the kids visit? He would be good company for and a good defender, if necessary

Notmyrealname855 · 08/07/2020 17:36

PTS definitely not a first option! Dogs Trust are great - we got our collie through a group that rehomes working collies in the area, ours is really local (Lakes) but there are loads. We’re adults only and there are loads of others who love old collies

Try contacting www.bordercollietrustgb.org.uk/rehoming

and www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/dogs/filters/~269~~~~n~~

Collies get rehomed all the time once they’re done working so yours might still find a home easily enough! We’re semi retired farmers and love our old (adopted) collie to bits :)

for the shock you’ve gone through. Do contact people about rehoming, your dog can live in an adults only household very easily.

Couchbettato · 08/07/2020 17:37

I've already commented and made my point, but I also wanted to agree with the PP that mentioned it is OPs responsibility to protect her child. Even if that threat is from her dog.

I can't force OPs hand.

I had a dog who bit me multiple times, for very different reasons. Once we played fetch, and I tried to get the ball from her mouth and she understandably didn't want to let go. One time I was actively teasing her, because I was young and stupid and didn't think my dog who has shown nothing but love and affection would attack me, and once because someone threw some bread out for the birds, a piece got caught on my jumper and she saw that as a threat of me withholding food, and by this time I was much older and wiser.

It is actually a miracle she didn't attack any one else. I would also have described her as a dog who couldn't hurt a fly. And I would have also justified the bitings as being my fault, but would rehoming her have solved those issues? No of course not. What if someone else played with her and she got too testy, what if some kid didn't understand boundaries? What if some thin-skinned pentioner, who could hardly hold themselves up offered her a piece of their dinner or a biscuit from their pocket and she saw that as them being controlling with food?

I am speaking from experience.

And that dog was a big dog.

My ex-partner had a small dog who had severe aggression issues and it was dismissed just because he was small. Until his grandfather tried to offer him some turkey from his Christmas dinner and he ripped right through the old man's skin, and he spent Christmas in AnE on antibiotics and steroids.

I know there are so many reasons why dogs can bite. Provoked, genetic, illness, past abuse. But why is it fair to pass that on to someone else and how on earth is that fair to the dog? To give it to a family who don't love it as much, for it to go through all of that bonding and suffering and anxiety which might also contribute to further aggression.

At 10 year old it probably is caused by a medical issue. Treating the issue won't necessarily treat the mindset the dog is now in which it thinks it is acceptable to attack.

inmyshoos · 08/07/2020 17:37

Quite common for a collie.... I wouldnt pts I'd try to rehome to an adult only house. They are such clever dogs and so sensitive, but they can be tricky dogs around kids.

Unlikely to kill a child however.... They're not a breed known for mauling. They are usually nippers.

Longingtolearn · 08/07/2020 17:38

Going to start suggesting children get pts anytime there's a biting thread with their siblings/ friends in nurseries etc.

Parker231 · 08/07/2020 17:40

Some extreme responses and poor pet owners. Of course you can have a dog and DC ‘s. Both the dog and children need to be taught how to behave around each other. Too many dog owners don’t socialise their dogs properly and many more don’t teach their children about respecting dogs.