Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get rid of puppy?

236 replies

chubbychipmonk · 23/01/2013 13:12

Posting this on behalf on friend who doesn't know what to do.

She has a 4 yr old DD & 8 year old DS, is also in a relationship with DP who has 8 year old DD who stays at the house regularly.

She bought a Dalmatian puppy at Xmas who up until now has been playful & boisterous. She has been taking him to puppy classes & he seems to be training well. Last night however she was in the kitchen, heard a scream & found the dog had jumped up on DD & bitten her behind the ear whilst trying to retrieve a toy. Resulted in a hospital visit, tetanus jag & stitches.

Her DP (as well as his ex) now understandably don't want the dog round their daughter. My opinion is also that she should get rid of the dog as its too big a risk. However she has spoken to otherswho advise that the dog is merely being playful & she should persevere. Basically she just wants to see what the common consensus is, it's already causing arguments between her & DP. My opinion is she's being unreasonable to keep the puppy but what do others think?

OP posts:
LadyBeagleEyes · 24/01/2013 10:53

It does seem to me that this wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't for the wanky partner.
Who works offshore but still thinks he can tell Op's friend what to do with the dog.
If what he thinks is more important than Op's friend concentrating on training (which according to the Op, she was doing) then she should rehome.
Personally I'd keep the dog and get shot of the partner, it's her home.

theodorakisses · 24/01/2013 10:54

floralnomad, that wasn't me, I do like animals I am just sick to death of idiotic vain twats buying designer dogs and then dumping them on people like me. Who in their right mind would want a boisterous dalmation? It feels so good "rehoming" your dog when you are bored of it. The reality of it is people like me end up bearing the financial and emotional cost or is just as likely to be pts at a rescue or dumped by the next vain twat and left as a stray.

My comment was stupid and rash and I apologise to everyone except floral. I live in Qatar and sometimes forget this is a nasty harsh place not the UK where people do rescue dogs, although I still wonder what future there is for an untrained unsocialised designer dog.

Anyway floral , please withdraw your accusation about the cat thread. I couldn't care less if a cat scratches a kid, hardly a crime of the century. If you want to insult me and call me names then fine but do not lie. I am very angry, I hate liars.

mrsjay · 24/01/2013 10:56

He sounds a twat tbh but if the kids mum is creating about the dog and not letting the child go back until they are rid of the friend must be all over the place

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/01/2013 11:05

This puppy isn't at the untrained unsocialised stage (yet) it's a puppy who has caused a bite/nip resulting in a hospital visit, stitches and a tetnus for a child.

If it was an adult that was bitten, no-one would think it odd that a mouthy puppy had maybe gone for a toy . But a child should not have been left with a puppy.
Maybe the child was teasing the puppy.? The owner won't know.
The puppy is having training classes. They can give her advice (I'm sure it's normal for a puppy to be bitey. But it's behaviour that needs corrected)

It's the DP and the DPex who don't want the dog near their DD.
The OP thinks keeping the pup is BU and too big a risk.

She's done a stupid thing (and who hasn't) She's been a bit stupid with her purchase of the dog.

But she needs to decide what's in the best interest all round.
And though the DP is being an arse, maybe there's history there. He might have been bitten as a child. Or his DD?

DreamsTurnToGoldDust · 24/01/2013 11:07

Was it the partners DD that was bitten? If so, you cant blame the mother for not wanting her to go back there whilst the dog is there can you. That doesnt mean its the dogs fault, it should never have been left with the children, but I can see it makes it difficult for the girls parents.

theodorakisses · 24/01/2013 11:19

It is irresponsible, selfish and stupid to get a dog in the first place if all parties don't agree. The mother has every right to say where her daughter does and doesn't go but how in the actual world can such a small dog be a biter? Nasty little needle teeth that nibble but a baby biter? Sounds like a load of rubbish to me, sounds more like she got the designer toy against his wishes and now him and his ex who probably doesn't like dogs either are uniting over it against her. Sounds like it is about more than just a black and white spotty dog.

mrsjay · 24/01/2013 11:27

No it was her own child I was wrong sorry,

TantrumsAndBalloons · 24/01/2013 11:32

This makes no sense to me.

where is the puppy all day? I know he gets a walk in the morning and a walk at lunch but where is he for the rest of the time?

It's great the dog is going to puppy classes but is he still being trained at home as well?

BinarySolo · 24/01/2013 11:33

Exactly theo why did the ex even need to know? It wasn't her child that was bitten.

Pandemoniaa · 24/01/2013 11:44

I can't see the situation ending well. I very much doubt that the puppy came from a reputable breeder if bought at Christmas and I also doubt that any breed research was done before buying a Dalmation. They are beautiful dogs but often chosen for all the wrong reasons. The pup doesn't sound vicious either but instead, was behaving like boisterous pups do. Pups are bitey but they get through this stage. However this is precisely why you are careful not to leave excitable small children alone with excitable pups!

Now that the partner and partner's ex are weighing in with demands to get rid if the pup I suspects it's days in this household are numbered. So please ensure your friend does the best she can for him. Get in touch with Dalmation Rescue and rehome it responsibly. That's the least they owe the poor pup.

Original poster
chubbychipmonk · 24/01/2013 11:44

Theo your wrong. . . He bought her the dog, he was 100% behind the decision to get the dog.

Needle teeth or not, it bit her daughter for whatever reason, drew blood & required stitches. I have seen the photo of the injury on her phone.

OP posts:
countrykitten · 24/01/2013 12:06

Ummm - how can this puppy be only 3 months old if she has had it since Xmas? Pups should not leave their mothers until at least 12 weeks old. Only puppy farms or cretins who know nothing would let a pup go at this age when he is still learning socialisation from his mother. But no reputable dog person would sell a pup at Xmas as only idiots would buy a dog for Xmas and they would not want to risk their precious puppy ending up with people like your friend.

This is an absolute disaster for this poor dog and your friend and her husband should be ashamed of themselves. For what it's worth, a breed rescue is the way that she should go as she is clearly not a fit person to own a dog in any case. Poor pup - what a shit start in life.

Can you tell that I am annoyed?

countrykitten · 24/01/2013 12:07

Sorry if repeating what others have said but it is so depressing and infuriating.

theodorakisses · 24/01/2013 12:08

If it drew blood and required stitches then that is a big deal. Hard to say without being there but I would not redone a dog if they had reacted in that way. None of this adds up, I don't really get it. I thought dogs who caused hospital treatment in the UK were destroyed. I am not being rude, I genuinely don't understand why you would keep it

LittleMissStupid · 24/01/2013 12:08

So have you told your friend any of the responces on this thread?

Has she/ they accepted that they are complete twats?

thegreylady · 24/01/2013 12:11

It is hard to imagine a 12 week old puppy causing an injury that requires stitches!

hoodoo12345 · 24/01/2013 13:10

I think the dog deserves another chance, he is a small puppy and still learning right and wrong.
They need to supervise him more and train him more.

atacareercrossroads · 24/01/2013 13:15

She should absolutely rehome. Responsibly. And not get a pet again. Well, a fish might be alright I guess

TheOriginalLadyFT · 24/01/2013 13:21

Frankly I'd advise rehoming because they don't sound suitable owners for a Dalmatian more than the fact that the puppy nipped her

Why do people not do some proper research into dog breeds before they buy them? Dalmatians are carriage dogs, bred to run alongside carriages and thus cover huge distances - they are just not suitable generally to live in an ordinary family home with walkies round the park twice a day

I speak from experience here - family member bought one (absolutely against everyone's advice) and no amount of walkies stopped the dog from becoming bored and miserable in their house. Eventually he had a good go at eating their kitchen while they were at work - and was regimes to a farm, where he is now happy as he spends his life running around burning off his huge reserves of energy

TheOriginalLadyFT · 24/01/2013 13:21

Rehomed not regimes

Bloody autocorrect

puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE · 24/01/2013 13:24

I'm sorry but your friend and her DP are obviously idiots. Did they not do any research before they bought the dog? Dalmatians are big, strong dogs that need a lot of exercise and attention.

I would never buy a dog like that to be around small children. I hate that people think 'oh yet a puppy' then 2 weeks later realise that having a puppy is a huge commitment and get rid of it.

Angry

FWIW the dog is a puppy, they nip, if they knew anything about dogs they would know that.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 24/01/2013 13:30

I'd say rehome the poor thing rather than condemning it to live in a household with people so clearly ignorant of the behaviour of particular breeds and/or puppies.

On the other hand, dogs should never be left alone with children.

On the other other hand, I know rehoming wouldn't be that easy, and God forbid the poor dog end up being PTS because no one wants it.

Maybe Dalmation Welfare can re-educate her and save the situation. Whatever happens, it was NOT the dog's fault.

Original poster
chubbychipmonk · 24/01/2013 13:32

Yes she has read the posts and is grateful for advice . . . Although some of the name calling is a bit uncalled for.

To clarify, her DD did indeed need stitches, hard as it may seem to believe. The bite was behind her DD ear. Obv since no adult witnessed it she can't be 100% sure if it was bite or claws however doctors at hospital are pretty sure it's bite.

The dog was bought from a breeder in Arran on 10th Dec (apologies if i implied it was given gift wrapped on Xmas day) & she travelled up to Arran to purchase it.

OP posts:
StuntGirl · 24/01/2013 13:42

The best thing for the puppy is for the humans in its life to accept that they were absolute idiots with no real understanding of this breed, to accept it was not the puppy's fault what happened and to rectify that by doing some serious research into the breed and its needs, and making sure they meet those needs. That includes never leaving children alone with the dog, and ensuring it has adequate exercise - both mental and physical.

If they cannot do that, for any reason, the second thing for you your friend to do would be to find a reputable rescue centre which specialises in dalmatians who will not put healthy animals to sleep and let them find a loving, new home for this poor dog.

Ullena · 24/01/2013 13:46

And what does the breeder say? Are they offering any advice/support/taking puppy back?

Also, did the DP buy it or did your friend? You say he bought it for her, then that she travelled up to the breeder to buy it...what actually happened?

Had they viewed the litter/got to know them, been quizzed by the breeder, etc?

Sorry, this doesn't add up. If the pup was bought on 10th December, and is now 12 weeks, then it cannot have been old enough to leave its mum when bought! And at 12 weeks, it is only just old enough to join classes...not to have been doing them for a while...