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AIBU?

To rehome puppy?

395 replies

MarsBars123 · 07/10/2012 18:49

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.

OP posts:

Report

Paradisefound · 07/10/2012 19:59

Puppy is still learning. Don't rehome, but be careful when kids about.

McHappyPants2012 · 07/10/2012 20:05

Get a dog gate for your kitchen door and lock the puppy into the kitchen when eating. The puppy will be a great asset to the family once he/she is trained just stick at it :)

I am sorry, I was Ott on my 1st response

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:07

Don't you know anything about dogs at all?!

What the puppy did isn't cause for rehome! It's natural for them to want to be left alone with their food! It's ridiculous that the child was allowed to go near a dog whilst its eating.

It's no cause for alarm.

MarsBars123 · 07/10/2012 20:08

McHappyPants2012 - no worries

Just spoken to friend to apologise again, I feel terrible, her DD is fine though.

OP posts:

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:08

And it's not a case of 'puppy is learning' IMO. The child needs to learn not to go near an animal whilst its eating.

Education is both ways.

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:11

cory posted a good analogy.

MarsBars123 · 07/10/2012 20:12

GoldShip - Excuse me?! I think whether it's cause for rehome is a personal decision we have to make, it has nothing to do with how much we may or may not know about dogs.

Children should be able to go near a dog while it is eating without being bitten, can I ask how much you know about dogs? Dogs need to be trained in order to deal with food aggression, it is not acceptable behaviour.

OP posts:

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:14

If its a personal decision you have to make then can I ask why the hell you've posted here then?

The child wasnt BITTEN it was given a warning snap. It's perfectly natural for an animal to tell another to back off away from its food.

How much do I know about dogs? A LOT. I've currently got 3 boxer dogs, have had numerous rescue dogs because of people not being able to handle a little blip in their owning of it.

topbannana · 07/10/2012 20:14

I was bitten by my Aunts dog in identical circumstances to yours, except the dog was slightly older and my arm was bleeding a little.
My DM (who is not a dog lover) was unhappy but did not press the issue, the dog was never fed around people again (always in the garden with the door locked to prevent accidentally escaping children) and I, at one point, owned 5 dogs so no damage done.
There are more proactive things you can do (which my Aunt and Uncle never investigated, preferring to eliminate all risk) but it need not be the end of the world, more a warning to be more vigilant in future. :)

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:16

The dog will need to learn its not acceptable but obviously it wasnt the time! And you wanting to rehome it for that reason alone is poor dog keeping, so why are you talking about dealing with food aggression when you want to give up at the first hurdle?

Animals need to learn to respect people but people ESPECIALLY CHILDREN need to be taught that animals have boundaries too.

MarsBars123 · 07/10/2012 20:27

GoldShip - yes, she was bitten, just because he didn't quite draw blood doesn't mean she wasn't bitten.

If this had happened to a child we didn't know the parents could well have reported it. With 3 young children of my own it's not something I am prepared to take lightly.

Yes it is something we will have to decide on, personally, that doesn't mean I can't get reasonable advice from other people.

And it's not a case of 'puppy is learning' IMO. The child needs to learn not to go near an animal whilst its eating.

The dog will need to learn its not acceptable but obviously it wasnt the time!

You are contradicting yourself.

OP posts:

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:33

Sorry but who's being contradictory because the only person being that here is you.

I mean THIS isn't a case of the dog learning. The child shouldn't have been near the pup whilst its eating, full stop. And it's up to you to be vigilant.

This is partly why kids end up getting bitten and dogs get destroyed. It isn't fair and can be easily prevented but instead of looking at where themselves have gone wrong, people blame the dog

ToothbrushThief · 07/10/2012 20:34

I've got an ear worm of a strident Victoria Stilwell being angry and self righteous now...

OP I agree we others that this is unfortunate but doesn't suggest a permanent flaw

midori1999 · 07/10/2012 20:37

OP, what exactly did the vet suggest regarding training the dog to accept people around food?

Although tbh, you say there were lots of people around the dog, the dog was on edge, the child pushed past him. I don't think a bite is unreasonable in those circumstances. It was potentially avoidable though. You made a mistake and you now need to take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again and that shouldn't involve rejoining the dog.

Neither a vet or the RSPCA are dog behaviour experts, although some vets may take an interest in dog behaviour. I have heard of vets giving behaviour advice that ranges from misguided through shocking to laughable. You can find a qualified and accredited dog behaviour expert through //www.apbc.org.uk

MarsBars123 · 07/10/2012 20:39

ToothbrushThief - yes I hope now, I think it can likely be resolved, will speak to behaviourist at vets tomorrow and see what she says, I am guessing we will have to do more food aggression training, am just glad our friends have taken it so well and are being fairly understanding.

OP posts:

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:40

' I don't think a bite is unreasonable in those circumstances. It was potentially avoidable though. You made a mistake and you now need to take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again and that shouldn't involve rejoining the dog'

This sums it up in a much more polite way than I could have put it :)

MarsBars123 · 07/10/2012 20:41

midori1999 - it was the veterinary nurse, we were told to put our hand in his bowl while he was eating so he would get used to the idea that we weren't going to steal his food (DH and I) and all of us were meant to put other bits of food in his bowl while he was eating. When he was ok with that we were told to take the bowl away then give it back and praise him. It worked very well and he never guarded his food with any of us.

OP posts:

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:42

guessing we will have to do more food aggression training

Maybe you should allow the dog to eat its food in peace? You can't train every single emotion out of a dog just because you're not willing to implement things that suit it instead of yourself.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 07/10/2012 20:43

No I would not rehome because of this. Our family dog (a staff) was loving and wonderful in all other ways (except other dogs), but really didn't like being approached while eating. He lived with our Family for 14 happy years, with 2 toddlers in the house, and none of us were ever growled at because my mother had very strict rules about feeding him. He waited till we were done, then she put his bowl down, shut the kitchen door and we left him to it. It was very effective, no one ever bothered him while he was eating and we all stayed safe. We all knew the rules from being very young, and mum made sure we stuck to them.

Smeghead · 07/10/2012 20:45

Anyone else almost got a full house yet?

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:45

I put my dogs food down (in different corners) let them in the kitchen then leave them to it. When they're ready they'll give a little bark and ill let them out.
I wouldn't let anyone go anywhere near them whilst they were eating because its their meal time and they should be able to eat in peace without fear.

GoldShip · 07/10/2012 20:46

smeg I suspect you might win at the bingo because of me.... I can't help myself

Smeghead · 07/10/2012 20:49

I didnt want to say it but, yep, mainly you Gold :o

topknob · 07/10/2012 20:52

Have to say no child should approach any dog whilst eating let alone a child the dog doesn't live with !

topknob · 07/10/2012 20:54

And no wouldn't rehome, this is down to the lack of adult coverage whilst a dog was eating ! My kids can take a bowl of food from my 4 yr old GSD at any time, but she and they have been trained in this...how utterly irresponsible !

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