To rehome puppy?

[MarsBars123]

Our 6 month old puppy bit our friends 6 year old daughter today.

We were having a meal and gave him his food afterwards. She walked behind him while he was eating and he spun around and bit her, he didn't draw blood but her hand was red.

I am in total shock, he has never done anything like this before, should we rehome him straight away? I'm really confused.

TantrumsAndBalloons - Yes we have been training him, he's also been to classes and is a really lovely well behaved dog. He has never done this before which is why it was such a shock.

GoldShip - Just out of interest what would your dog do if a child went up behind them while they were eating or put their hand in their food bowl? I realise you would never let this happen of course, but why, what do you think the dog would do?

Well, obviously feed the dog away from strange people, especially strange children who the dog doesn't know.

I don't know what you want to happen, that any stranger can come and stick their hands in your dogs bowl whilst it is eating or come up behind it and pull its tail?

Is that what you want to train your puppy to do?

Is this part of the "know your place in the pack" nonsense?
Because you might want to read up on pack theory if it is. You might find out that leaving a dog to eat in peace, and god forbid letting it walk in the door before you does not actually turn your dog wild.
It doesn't start thinking its equal and better go and get a job and start buying its own food.

What really annoys me is when people watch a film, like marley and me, then think it is a good idea to have a dog.

When having DC i didn't just ask HCP advice but also other parents. The experts don't know everything imo.

I wouldn't let a child walk up behind any of my dogs while they were eating, nor would I allow them to put their hand in the bowl.

Dog1: He would growl, possibly snarl and then walk away
Dog2: Would happily give up her food
Dog3: Would simply snatch his food back

If it happened regularly all of them would learn they need to protect their food from children at all costs.

TantrumsAndBalloons - he knows the child quite well.

mars I know you didn't ask me, but I'll answer.

I'd never in a million years let a strange child go behind my dog whilst it's eating,put its hand in its bowl, pull its tail, any more than I'd let anyone follow the dog into its safe place under the stairs.

It would upset the dog, it's unnecessary and tbh both of my dogs would growl at the child who did this. And if it continued to do it, may snap.

I don't think it's ever ok to put a child or a dog in that position.

That's why responsible dog owners supervise their dogs with children. So that it doesn't happen.

You didn't do that. You allowed a strange child to go up behind your puppy whilst it was eating. That makes the situation your fault

He knows the child well? Has the child ever done this before?

You know what, I don't think this is a constructive thread, I don't want my dog to show food aggression and don't think it's acceptable, neither does my vet.

Some of you obviously think it's a good thing and are happy with it.

We are not going to agree on this.

It is just going round and round in circles punctuated by random inane comments from McHappyPants2012.

I am going to go now, start re-training our puppy and I will speak to the behaviourist on Wednesday,

Thanks for all the advice, good and bad, it has bee interesting to say the least!

My dog doesn't like to be approached when he's eating. He doesn't respond aggressively, but he shys away from his food bowl, head down, tail appeasing wildly. He is anxious if he is surprised. I can approach him, from the front, and he'll eye me while trying to inhale the food, bum waggling enough to make him unstable (he often falls over). So we just don't deliberately approach him. Visiting children are told to leave the dog alone while he eats. It clearly makes him uncomfortable, and I tend to leave him be. I was always told to leave a dog alone when it was eating or sleeping.

Yes food aggression is a wonderful thing. That's exactly what this thread said.

You need to address your own behaviour as well as the dogs.

You don't allow children to go behind a dog whilst it's eating. A child that is not part of the family, you supervise. It's quite simple.

Food aggression isn't a good thing, imo, but I think you can train a dog to be comfortable and therefore not feel the need to guard. Doesn't food guarding come from fear of not having food?

No I am not the oracle

I've been a rescue dog owner for 15 years, I also foster dogs who have been mistreated beyond belief. I also have 3 children, nieces, nephews, godchildren. And not one of the dogs in my home has ever bitten or snapped at any child.

But just ignore that, because my tone is irritating

Do you know what else is irritating? People not supervising their dogs and children and then getting rid of them when the dog growls because the owner thinks any child should be able to do whatever they like to a dog and it shouldn't react.

It's irritating to have to try and find homes for these dogs.
It's irritating that there are dogs PTS because of this.

But obviously my tone is the worst thing of all

Do you guys think it's possible she called her vet?
You are nuts. Seriously, get some perspective.

mars if a random child came up and pulled my dogs tail whilst he was eating then he would just ignore it! but that is just because he just doesnt give a shit.

No, of course you shouldn't rehome your puppy FFS. If you feel unable to keep him for any reason, please contact the breeder you bought him from as your first port of call. A responsible breeder should take their puppies back.

However, puppies nip and mouth, it's what they do (unless they're taught not to) and you should be able to prevent a repeat incident with a combination of training your pup and supervising young children around him.

Mars - do you have space for a crate or a large dog bed? That could be used as a safe space for your dog. My boy has a crate (the door is never closed) and no one disturbs him if he goes in there. He'll take himself off to the crate if we have a lot of people over as he doesn't do crowds. We don't feed him there though - If we have guests with children around then he is fed in the utility room instead of the kitchen - Minimises the potential risks

I can put food into and take food out of his bowl.
I can move his bowl
I can tell him to leave it and he'll back away from the bowl or whatever he was trying to eat that I didn't want him to - random bone found in the street etc.
I can tell him to drop it and he'll drop whatever he has in his mouth
He won't eat food from the floor unless told that he can
He won't take food from your hands unless given permission - he also knows damn well not to think that young children waving food around is an invitation to come and eat it
I can stroke him all over both while he is eating and when he isn't - very important

I should add that usually he is left in peace to eat but I wanted to make sure that he was food safe especially after growing up with a very food aggressive dog. He has never been hit just has very firm boundaries and a set routine

BUT I would never let DS or any young child go near the food bowl while he is eating. Young children do not always understand that pushing past/pulling fur/generally being annoying can be very irritating to the dog. You do have to train both dog and child to ensure that everyone is happy and safe, anyone who tells you any different is an idiot - Do I also bother to tell you that the vast majority of problem dog behaviours stem from the owners lack of knowledge in - the dogs body language, behaviour, how the dog would see a situation, inconsistent to non existent training etc.

The dog never bothers us while we are eating so we generally try to avoid bothering him and shock horror I studied canine behaviour and nutrition as part of one of my degrees.

The dog never bothers us while we are eating so we generally try to avoid bothering him

I would be more worried about your dog OP, in honesty. If you genuinely believe that Flatbread is the epitome of responsible dog ownership and that the poster who hits her dog is anything more than a bully and a coward then I fear you need far more help than any behaviorist can give you

Lol. I am a very good dog owner. I get compliments on my dogs so often when we are out. People come up and play with our dogs and just love their good nature and responsiveness to human touch. My vet has said if anything were to happen to us, she would be the first in line to get our dogs.

My neighbour's dog has decided to adopt us and come and live with us, and he refuses to go back. He has all the 'private space' he needs at my neighbour's home and no children to bug him. But still, he feels happier in our home. Why? Because he likes how we treat our dogs and he wants to enjoy the kind of life they lead.

Dogs respond to leadership and a tap on the bum is neither here nor there. If you don't want to do it, fine. But it is a non-issue. What is a problem is a nervous, aggressive dog who is stressed because its owners have not made adequate effort to socialise it and train it. And yours sound like that, Doing. Resource guarding is bad, and any moron who panders to it, is frankly bonkers as conkers, in my book.

Mars, best of luck. I think you are doing the right thing.

I am appalled, but not surprised at some of the poster. Questioning whether OP is telling the truth is way out of line. Honestly, most of you should be ashamed of yourself.

And while you are at it, please wipe the froth from your mouths. It is most unappealing.