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.]

Did you miss the bit about OPs partner being in A&E as a result of this dog's behaviour? The dog can't come home to potentially do it again, especially with a 4 year old in the house. And who would want to rehome them? They will need to be put down, unfortunately.

I certainly wouldn't be so sure he's in pain. He's got a bit of a chequered history by the sounds of it and they aren't the easiest breed anyway.

I would (for completeness) have him checked by a vet if you can. However I suspect this is behavioural if he's otherwise a young, fit, healthy dog.

If it is behavioural then unfortunately PTS is the only sensible option.

Sorry OP and don't beat yourself up.

What a horrible situation for you. I think calling the police was the right choice. I hope you have a resolution soon.

Don't know how it's going OP but if I were you I would try whatever you can to get some painkillers into the dog (in a bowl of food?) to see if that resolves the behaviour, because if it does you can perhaps get him to the vet for a check up and maybe find the source. If it doesn't then it does seem more behavioral than pain related 😔

the vet can give you sedative to give to the dog. The vet can give you this asap. Then take the dog to be seen. It sounds like the dog is in considerable pain and needs urgent treatment.

I don't know much about dogs @FlangeBoil but I know about pets and losing them, and realise how upset you must be. I just wanted to mention that if you do have to have him PTS, you always have the option to pay for a post mortem, and if it does turn out to be, say, a brain tumour as pp have suggested, it might help you to feel there was no help to be had and nothing you could have done differently.

A Jack Russell bit my kid once. Luckily very minor just a massive shock and totally unprovoked. I would never ever let him near that nasty dog again.

I'm sorry you are having to deal with this OP, I too wonder if the dog is ill, possibly seizures or something, but you really can't re home him with a bite history, and they don't sound like warning nips/bites, a dog that fully attacks someone like that isn't a happy dog.

You are doing the right thing trying to get help and contacting the police as hard as it is

Are you prepared to risk the dog attacking your child?

No, she isn't, and has said so.

It sounds like something is seriously wrong. Off the top of my head I can only think of dog is in pain, some sort of hormonal problem ( adrenals? Thyroid ?) or something like a brain tumour. If your dog is either very ill or so disturbed to not to let your partner in the house the kindest thing is to have the dog pts. Sorry, you must be horribly distressed but a vet will give you the best advice for the dog and your family.

That sounds like a good idea.

I would be doing PTS. The dog may have treatment, seem ok to the behavioural coach, you rehome and then the dog relapses and attacks another human… it could be worse the next time, could attack a child.

Most fatal dog attacks, the dog has attacked before and it is due to soft hearted owners trying to rationalise it as no one died so my dog should get another chance….

This dog will always be a ticking time bomb.

You probably won’t say this and I know you’re feeling bad but thank you for being a responsible dog owner, doing your best but now escalating.

Seriously read the OP’s comments if nothing else.

@SpiritAdder Totally agree.

I'm sorry OP that sounds so difficult. I appreciate you said you're trying to get the dog to a vet, and I do think that's the priority here. There's a good chance the dog's suffering and in pain right now. I hope it all works out for you, and your DP recovers quickly

Not worth the risk.

The only reason for the owner to do it is to appease any feelings of guilt or doing right by the dog. The dog is currently so aggressive it is going to be stressful for it to be removed by any human, owner or not. The dog won't care at this point.

If police can probably deal with it safely and end the situation quickly it is the obvious choice.

Oh OP I'm so sorry. I have had this with dog (a St Bernard so terrifying Cujo vibes but tiny teeth) and it did turn out to be a large frontal tumour. Snarling, biting and growling gave way over the course of an hour to fitting and loss of bowel control. We called the vet out and when he made it to us there was no debate. PTS is kindest in these circumstances but I'm so sorry you are going through this.

Get the vet to check him out. It suggests he’s in pain or distressed.

RTFT. She’s already said she isn’t.

What a horrible situation OP. I wish you all the best, whatever the outcome. You were doing the right thing by the sound of it.

hopefully you have heard back from the police

Op you have all of my sympathy, this is an awful situation to be in.

I was attacked by my dog 4 years ago. We had bought her from someone who had said they couldn't walk her due to them having an injury and we brought her home and enjoyed a blissful 6 months. She was a dream dog. We had her neutered and we immediately noticed a ramp up in resource guarding behaviour. We spoke to behaviour specialist at the time and were taking measures to handle and had her seen by a vet but similarly to you, one day it was like a flip switched. She bit my face (we were playing a game of fetch, then instead of bringing back her toy she brought back a treat chew, we thought we had found and removed them all but this one sneaked through the cracks, as soon as she dropped it in front of me she realised what it was and suddenly just lunged) she continued to attack as I tried to retreat. I needed stitches to my hand and face. She was crate trained when we got her but she became erratic in the crate, launching herself at the bars to the point we thought she would injure herself and we had to barricade off a portion of the house to maintain distance. The vet wouldn't give us medication to calm her as she said that sometimes it can just make the dog "high" and more dangerous - not sure about this but it was our experience and honestly don't see how we would have got anything in her anyway. It was genuinely terrifying - I also had young children. When we got her back to the vets to be checked out they couldn't find anything physically wrong and she was at this stage showing aggression to everyone in between being bouts of being absolutely fine and her usual sweet girl self. We did choose to have her PTS and it was heartbreaking but necessary. Our attempts to see if we could re-home her to someone who could work with her was hampered greatly by the pandemic and the fact the attack was sustained, no one would touch her (fairly so given the risks) - it was a ridiculously hard decision and I STILL feel awful about the whole thing. Looking back I can see all the mistakes and missed opportunities to avoid this and the guilt is still bad but I think in the circumstances it was the right choice. Sorry for the ramble, word vomit but just wanted you to know you aren't alone. An attack from a loved family pet is traumatic and the fallout just as much so. Please be kind to yourself for any hard choices you have to make.