URGENT - DOG ATTACKED PARTNER **Please read OP's latest updates** [edited by MNHQ]

[FlangeBoil]

Hi all, my 6yo JRT has attacked my partner twice this morning. He has recently developed some territorial aggression, and we have to 'coax' him away from his bed each morning. This morning was as normal, but he wouldn't come so we just left him. My partner went to get milk, about 2m away from him, and the dog lunged and has bitten his hand fairly badly. We managed to lock him away whilst we sorted things, and have since boarded a section of the kitchen away so he can get outside but also can't get to us.
Anytime we enter the kitchen he viciously barks. I have a 4yo at home, so this isn't something I can risk.
He has since bitten my partner again when we went to open the back door for him (by leaning over the barrier we've created) and it's really bad - blood everywhere and he is now in a&e.
I cannnot get near the dog. How do I get him to a point where I can get him checked out - or as I'm probably denying to myself, put to sleep..?
I'm in absolute bits - I just need advice please urgently.

To note - I can't get a vet to come to him, I have already called around

• [Note from MNHQ: We've already edited the title to ask people to read the OP's updates before responding (just click on the See All tab). As that doesn't seem to have worked, we feel the need to explain here in the opening post that the OP's dog has been put to sleep by now as he was found to be suffering from a brain tumour. The OP is obviously in pieces about this so please be sensitive when responding.]

The vet is the only one who can answer this one.

To the recent posters suggesting vet etc, the OP has already had to contact the police as couldn’t get the dog to the vet and is likely very upset if they had to PTS.

Wise decision OP, no dog, however much he is 'part of the family, like another child', is wholly trustworthy and may react unpredictably. Very sad though, you must feel upset but you've done the right thing.

Can I just ask if JRT is a Jack Russell terrier? I only ask because a family member had one that attacked my daughter out of the blue. She was about 4 years old and she'd just walked by him and he went for her. She hadn't touched him at all. Fortunately the injury was minor but the dog was PTS because he was becoming increasingly aggressive. That was the last straw. Family member just lived with adults but realised he couldn't trust the dog going forward. It was the right decision.

This. I think it’s likely that the dog has been PTS.

I hope OP is ok.

We had a rescue dog a few years ago that turned on my dd (luckily he was on a leash at the time and I managed to pull him off her), I had no choice but to call the rescue to take him back, they refused so I called RSPCA and they took him. I’m pretty sure this dog was just scared, he was rehomed to us without many checks, he developed a bond with me pretty quickly but when my daughter came near me he would lunge at her. I couldn’t risk my daughter being attacked (he was much bigger than a JRT). I posted on here at the time and got a load of abuse. I have been unable to get another dog as my daughter is petrified and I’m worried it could happen again.

I wouldn’t want an aggressive or scared dog around my dc. Yes some dogs can be trained out of it but what do you do in the meantime? Live in fear that the dogs going to bite you or your dc? Live in fear that you could go to prison because your dog attacked someone? I don’t think I could have a dog in my home that has already attacked several times, what ever the reason behind it.

Yes

They can be quite a possessive breed

Rehoming an aggressive dog that has already bitten is disgraceful. Any dog that has bitten someone in a domestic situation should be pts. To do otherwise is utterly irresponsible.

Your dog has viciously attacked (twice!) your partner causing a need for a and e emergency services and will possibly have life long issues with his hand now, you have a vulnerable 4 year old child at home and you are honestly asking if you need to put the dog down? How would you like your 4 year old living with life long facial disfigurement, an amputation or to be dead but keep your dog? Who is more important, dog, daughter or DP? What quality of life do you think your dog will have permanently sedated or in a crate/with a muzzle on as that's what needs to happen now if it can't be trusted.if you give the dog to a sanctuary it will just be another problem dog in a sanctuary that won't be rehomed and will probably be PTS anyway.

He could have a tumour on his brain. He could've in pain from something else. Vet needs to rule them out before being pts. Can you get a muzzle on him while this is all being sorted.

Oh gosh so that is probably why op hasn’t been back. Sad for her.

Please do not rehome him. Passing it to an unsuspecting family that cannot be fully aware of previous degree of aggression, or are not knowledgeable enough to deal with a dangerous dog, should be penalised, it is just criminal. Is like asking a granny you don't know to take the gun that you know that backfires, into her house, therefore protecting your little daughter while exposing all the people around the other family.

If you, who love the dog and know the extent of aggression cannot deal with it, for everyone's sake, please grow a pair to deal with it or put it to sleep. Passing the buck to another family to save your heart from breaking is selfish, irresponsible and should be made a criminal offence. If you see the news you would see that many of those people killed by dogs in the last few years, had only had the dog around for days or weeks.

Maybe try reading the OP's updates before jumping on her.

Hope you, your partner and your child are OK.

I don't understand the calling of the police? I'm so sorry for all of you, including the dog. There must have been an issue just not caught, my granny always had jack Russells and even when they were bitey (would grab the ends of your trousers or something), they never seemed dangerous like that. Hope you're all ok and everyone acted decently to your dog and that you're all ok

Seen the update, glad she's doing the right thing now but she had an opportunity to prevent this happening when the dog gave prior warning signals. When a dog tells you something is wrong you listen, it's got teeth and can maim, it doesn't think like a human and will act on instinct and impulse like any animal. She's extremely lucky it wasn't her child, but her partner wasn't so lucky and has ended up with a serious injury.

Just because something isn’t your experience of the world doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. The dog had attacked twice needing hospital treatment, to the extent now that OP can’t get near to muzzle or put in a cage to take to the vet. They have tried the vet and they can’t come out to do that. The only way to secure the dog is via someone with dog handling skills and a pole/noose etc.

This is entirely appropriate to contact then police and ask about their dog handlers coming to assess and helping to crate or remove for safety to PTS. 100% appropriate to call the police who agreed did so did the vet.

Things happen outside our own little bubble.

Could everyone just take the poor OP's arse off their plates and give it back please?! Bloody hell - I think she already knew what she had to do. Make some allowances for it being upsetting for her all around!

SwingingPlantar
I was just saying there’s possibly an issue not caught, which is sad for everyone, including op and the dog. No need for bubble comments, not that big a deal

But if he has a tumour on his brain then surely the dug would need to be pts anyway so the result is the same

I’m a carer and had the horrible experience of having to inform a lady that her brother had passed on Xmas day. When I told her the news she slumped down on the floor in shock, where her jack russell which was close by turned and jumped at her and tore a large part of her face off. She now wears a prosthetic nose. He has to be taken by police. They may be small but they’re bred to do serious harm. I’ve always said if they were any bigger they’d be on the banned breeds list

Hi all - an update - though I haven't read any replies or private messages since yesterday.

The police dog handlers arrived and were amazing. Got him in a crate without the use of any tools, just a confident officer, some ham and a nudge.

Sadly, after getting him to the vets and sedated, tested - he had a brain tumour.

We've just said our goodbyes. He went so peacefully and we spoke to him throughout. Even managed a cuddle before the euthanasia whilst he was sedated.

We are in bits, but he's in a far better place now.

Thank you for the support.

Sending you love OP and well done for making the difficult (but correct) choice for all of your family, including your dog. Xx

Oh, I am so sorry to read this but also relieved that this was the outcome and there was a reason 😔
I'm so glad you were with him throughout.

Poor poor dog. He wasn’t a bad boy, just very poorly.