I've been bitten by my parents dog twice

[Sapph1e]

I know the title sounds straightforward, but it's not.

They have two dogs; one an aged spaniel and one 18 month old retriever. I also have my own dogs.

Back in the summer I was staying and both my parents' dogs started scrapping under the table. I raised my legs so I didn't get in the way and unfortunately my movement coincided with the younger dog savagely trying to bite the other dog. In no way did he mean to strike me, but he bit hard, straight down to the muscle and the pain was immense; I was debilitated for days (literally hobbling) and I have a scar. Anyway, it wasn't his fault and I didn't think any more of it.

Until yesterday when I stood up in the kitchen and he thought I was the other dog and bit me AGAIN. It's not as bad but again, I'm in a lot of pain and though it was a quick snap he obviously did it violently because the bruising is bad.

I'm used to dogs, I own two and I grew up with them and I have never been bitten before. I am not one to overreact but I have two children and I am petrified that he will do this again to one of them. He does not mean to bite one of us, that is certain, but on neither occasion did I do anything that remotely antagonised him. It was literally wrong place, wrong time. The dog in question thought he was snapping at another dog.

I feel uncomfortable but am I BU??? Do tell!

Your sister is an arse.

Its also not true to say a bad dog is always due to the fault of its owners - though no doubt I'll be shot down for saying it. Like people, most dogs are fine. Some are fucked up by ill treatment or improper upbringing/control...and some are just arses from birth. This dog sounds to be very quickly and strongly reactive, very difficult to address and to have confidence in attempted behaviour modification. Your parents may have brought it up no differently to previously 'good' dogs, and can't get the head round the reality of the dogs nature...This lad sounds like a hormonal teenage aggressive arse. You need to leave and refuse to return unless the dog is made safe/gone. I was in the same situation as you once. My mum didn't believe the aggressive behaviour I told her her dog had shown. The dog went on to nearly kill another dog, bite numerous other dogs and several people before being destroyed a couple of years later.

My MIL had a springer who was "fine with children". It snapped at DS1 one day when he was a toddler. Thereafter MIL put the dog in kennels whenever we went to stay. I didn't have to ask her.

Similarly, one of my dogs snapped at my nephew when at my sister's house. I was out and DS1 says nephew was pulling the dog about (unchecked by any of the adults in the room....). Even though my dog was provoked, I won't take my dogs to my sister's house now I know he's capable of reacting badly around small children.

Your parents should do the same. Their dog, they ought to be keeping it away from you and your dcs.

And I do feel very sorry for their other dog. We have two dogs who 'play fight' - it involves a lot of grunting, a fair amount of mouthing and a lot of rolling around. It does not involve biting.

Givesyouhell - I don't see a dog in any way being responsible for its own behaviour. Just as I don't see a child as being responsible for its own behaviour. The adult is ALWAYS the culpable party in any dog attack. As such, and depending on injury (especially when a child is the injured party), the adult should be prosecuted and the dog destroyed. If the dog draws blood, kill it. If the adults engineered the encounter deliberately, prosecute them for neglect and injuring a minor, and jail them. Adults need to start caring for children properly, and stop blaming dogs for their own neglect and wilfull ignorance.

ProcrastinaRemNunc - So do you advocate carrying a small fire extinguisher (presumably those sold for cars)? I have considered pepper spray, oven cleaner, or an electic immobiliser, but I don't think self defence weapons are legal in the UK. Pepper sprays are classified as firearms I believe.

Yes, a small co2 fire extinguisher (not foam or powder!). If you genuinely felt you or dc were at risk of an attack, then yes.

If you're planning to snipe innocent passing dogs or to bop one over the head with it, then no

I, personally, would not have issue with you deterring my dogs by this means - not that you'd ever need to. It's a benign form of protection.

The other means you mention would not be so effective and could leave you liable for enormous vets bills, damages and at risk of a criminal record, unless you could prove brd, that you were being or were about to be attacked. It would be nigh on impossible to prove that you were about to be attacked.

Yes, a small co2 fire extinguisher (not foam or powder!). If you genuinely felt you or dc were at risk of an attack, then yes.

If you're planning to snipe innocent passing dogs or to bop one over the head with it, then no

I, personally, would not have issue with you deterring my dogs by this means - not that you'd ever need to. It's a benign form of protection.

The other means you mention would not be so effective and could leave you liable for enormous vets bills, damages and at risk of a criminal record, unless you could prove brd, that you were being or were about to be attacked. It would be nigh on impossible to prove that you were about to be attacked.

Yes, a small co2 fire extinguisher (not foam or powder!). If you genuinely felt you or dc were at risk of an attack, then yes.

If you're planning to snipe innocent passing dogs or to bop one over the head with it, then no

I, personally, would not have issue with you deterring my dogs by this means - not that you'd ever need to. It's a benign form of protection.

The other means you mention would not be so effective and could leave you liable for enormous vets bills, damages and at risk of a criminal record, unless you could prove brd, that you were being or were about to be attacked. It would be nigh on impossible to prove that you were about to be attacked.

Where I live, generally, a good shout at the owner to get their dog on a lead, or to control their dog is usually suffice. A visible display of aggression towards the dog as a second warning is sometimes necessary. I'll only resort to force if I genuinely feel that an animal I do not know is intent on bounding towards my kids. Usually the owners will comply, but if they choose not to, I'm always happy to answer for my actions to the. Police, or in court if necessary. I've never been sued, but then I've never had to take my kids to A&E with a bite either.

Why dog owners believe they have a God Given right to run their pets free around other people's kids is beyond me. As I see it, if they believe they have the right to allow their dogs to play with my children, I believe I have the right to play football with their dog.

I have no issue with dog owners who take responsibility for their dogs, and who control their dogs in a timely and preemptive manner without being asked to, and who respect the danger an unknown dog poses to a child.

I'll have to look into a CO2 extinguisher, thanks for the tip.

That's going to bruise - take another photo in a few days when the bruising comes out! Is that cut quite deep (puncture wound?). It looks as if it might be. If so are you up to date with tetanus? Poor you.

Where do you get those fire extinguishers from? Not for my dog, but I walk my dog in a doggy park a lot & every now and then you get s very dog aggressive dog being walked. It's not happened often (I've seen it maybe twice in 4 years - same dog both times) but heard of other occasions & it sounds a useful piece of kit (worst one I saw was a small dog being pinned by the throat against a tree by a husky cross)

Hi Elephantspoo. No, I'm not excusing the owners at all. Just making the point that not all dogs have bad temperaments because of bad upbringing or poor training. Some are just born with bad nature, nervous or neurotic. I think the current mantra of 'no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad owner' can leave decent owners baffled when their dog turns out differently to their previous dogs. It's a bit unhelpful really as it can mean owners take the dogs behaviour personally instead of looking and dealing with it objectively.

Also, for clarity - very often it IS the owners!

I have chosen to destroy a rescue dog, and I'm not a believer of 'managing' a biter. It's too great a risk if safety measures fail. To quote a friend who advised me at the time - 'put the zebra crossing in before the child gets killed, not afterwards when it's too late'.

Also, while I agree parents need to be very aware and care for their children well, children are slippery wilful little beggers at times and even the most careful parent can slip up so the emphasis must be on dog owners to be aware thir dog is safe in society. I have three dogs and three older children by the way, so not a dog or child hater!

Your sister is refusing to see the very obvious problem. The dog doesn't have to be labelled nasty or vicious for it to be dangerous. It may even be very good with humans but it still looses the plot with the second dog in such a way that makes it very dangerous to anyone around it. If a young child or someone sitting on the floor is caught up in the middle of the dog fight next time they could easily get seriously bitten on the face.

I know how difficult the situation is as I had a similar dog. Despite 18 months of training, support from two behaviourists and a specialist vet she was never 100% reliable so she was rehomed to a home with no other pets and no children where she is very relaxed and happy and everyone else is safe,

Does your sister often pander to your parents? Just to stay out of it, keep the pace, not get the shit? You said earlier you'd get a lot of shit if you stuck to your guns so I wonder how much of your sister's response is her being sensible (which she certainly isn't) and her not wanting to incur crap from your parents.

You need to stand firm- after Christmas you and the DCs don't go near the dog, it is either out of the house and away or you don't go near.

Have you seen a doctor? You may need a shot and you certainly need it documented. Your parents need to sort themselves out-absolutely appalling owners, the dogs should both be removed fro their care.

And you definitely need to document it. A owner down our street refused to muzzle or do anything about their aggressive dog. It was on the lead in the park and went for a small dog. It tore it up bad enough for the other dog to be put to sleep. Then it was put down. It was on a lead and it wasn't a massive dog, it just saw the smaller one and snapped, the smaller one wasn't even near it or engaging. That could be your parents dog, with another animal or child or person.

Good Lord, your sister sounds like an arse! Don't, whatever you do, allow your DC near the dog, even if you/other adults are present, it's obviously not safe.

On a tangent, what were the dogs doing under the table at a mealtime? That's a really stupid thing to do, dogs are much more likely to snap when in the presence of food they're not allowed.

How have you got on OP?

It doesn't matter what your sister, your parents, or Uncle Tom Cobbler an' all thinks. YOU KNOW this dog is a danger (you knew it before you started this thread) and you know your DD is your responsibility to keep safe.

Take the affirmation you have got from this thread and use it to keep your daughter safe, please.

I know it's hard to be the one 'being difficult' in a family where the status quo is never questioned. But no one is asking you to get your parents to have the dog put down. Your immediate concern is to keep your DD away from the dog. If that means not taking your DD to your parents then so be it.

It's hard sometimes to do the right thing by our children, because it puts us in a position of confrontation which, if it were down to being just about ourselves, we would simply avoid. You cant bury your head in the sand about your kids safety issues though.

"I've never seen him behave like that" is perfectly reasonable... just as reasonable as saying "he never killed someone before now, I don't know the context".

Your family are being horrible to you. You are being perfectly rational. The dog has shown it can turn. The dog has shown it bites and bites HARD without notice of what it's biting.

The dog has issues. They can say what they bloody like but you know you'd be to blame if anything happened to you or your child because "you knew better". Protect yourself and bugger the ones who refuse to listen to you.