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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Our dog bit me :(

341 replies

Jellymuffin · 14/02/2016 08:57

Yesterday our dog bit my face, completely unprovoked though he had got out unknown to us and come back in so could have been stressed. We have a toddler who is typical tough and tumble. The dog and DS get on reasonably well but dog has always been nervous around him. The dog is 10 and my husband is adamant he has to go :( I understand why but feel so terrible about losing a member of the family. He really is a quiet and sweet little dog and this was massively out of character for him. AIBU to want to keep him when he is a potential danger to my beautiful child?

OP posts:
AnthonyBlanche · 14/02/2016 09:27

So your nervous dog has tried to bite a stranger and has bitten you and you want to keep it? Unless you are going to keep your dog permanently muzzled (probably not realistic) you MUST have it put to sleep. Your dog is dangerous.

ohtheholidays · 14/02/2016 09:28

Honestly Jelly we all love animals in our family and we have 3 Dogs but your Dog tried to bite someone else and bit you,you really do need to let the Dog go.Like others have said I'd take him to the vets to check he's not ill but after that I would see if there was somewhere willing to take him in.It's just not worth the risk for your DC.

WizardOfToss · 14/02/2016 09:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Collaborate · 14/02/2016 09:28

Meant to add - awful that people are saying PTS - rehoming would be by far the better thing to do.

bumbleymummy · 14/02/2016 09:31

I'm not sure rehoming is likely with a history of biting Collaborate. He could bite again with the new owners and it could be a child.

So sorry you're in this situation OP :(

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/02/2016 09:31

I'm a dog owner and dog lover and I would firstly get a vet check done to rule out illness and if that's clear then sadly I would Have him put to sleep. It's very unlikely at his age and with a history of biting that he would be rehomed. Even if a rescue tried to rehome it would be very stressful for him.

Someone on here once told me that being put to sleep is not the worst thing that can happen to a dog. It took me a while to get my head round that but I believe they're right.

I had to have a dog put down for biting And it was a very hard decision but I do think it was the right thing to do.

AnthonyBlanche · 14/02/2016 09:33

Re homing is not the best thing to do at all. Once a dog is known to be a biter it should be put down. If not, who knows when it will randomly bite someone again. And ten is quite old for a dog - who would want to take on an old dog that has a history of biting?

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/02/2016 09:34

There's so many dogs looking for new homes who don't have a history of biting which is why I think it would be very difficult to rehome a dog that has bitten. You could ring The Dogs Trust and talk to them, see what they think? I did read they have a special centre for dogs which are unable to be rehomed.

Original poster
Jellymuffin · 14/02/2016 09:34

The worst part of it was that I wasn't shouting at or disciplining him, I was fussing him because I was relieved he was home unhurt :( thank you for all the replies, we are trying to rehome him. He really is a sweet kind little dog and deserves to spend the rest of his life not being harangued by a well meaning toddler. DS will really miss him though :(

OP posts:
bletheringboys · 14/02/2016 09:35

I would take dog to the vet and get him checked out. If this is something completely out of character, he may have an ear infection or be hurt in some way - dogs are very good at masking pain. It can make their behaviour different.

10 years old is a grand age to get to and if he has an unblemished record before now, you have to try and invesigate it for him.

Definitely keep away from ds, but that goes without saying really.

What an awful situation. I'm so sorry.

I had a 10 year old jrt when ds was little and thankfully he was very good. I have no idea what I would have done if he had ever bitten.

Hugs.

EweAreHere · 14/02/2016 09:36

Sorry, but the dog has to go.

You would never be able to forgive yourself if you kept him and he attacked your child, or someone else's for that matter.

Greyhorses · 14/02/2016 09:37

I wouldn't rehome this dog either.

I have a dog who is nervous aggressive. She would bite a stranger in fear however has never ever show aggression to family, if she had I would do the decent thing and PTS her in my arms where she feels safest. I manage her very carefully but I always have to be on guard just incase!

I don't think it's realistic to rehome a 10 year old dog who has bitten, sorry.

AnthonyBlanche · 14/02/2016 09:37

OP if you re home him and he bites again YOU will be responsible for that. Best have him pts before he bites a child.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/02/2016 09:38

My thought that when I had my dog pts (and it was persistent biting over two years and during that time we had worked with a few behaviourists) was that it was my responsibility to do the right thing rather than to pass the buck to someone else.

If I had somehow found a rescue that would have taken him I think he would have faced a long, stressful time in kennels waiting to be rehomed. The rescue may have then decided to pts to free up kennel space and it would have been stressful for him being taken by a stranger to be pts. Or if he'd been rehomed and bitten again which was highly likely again a new owner/stranger would have had him pts.

As it was we had a nice walk across the fields, went to the vet. He had an injection with no idea what was happening with me cuddling him and I hope as far as he knew he fell asleep and then didn't wake up.

Writerwannabe83 · 14/02/2016 09:44

In my previous job I had to go and visit a child who had been bitten on the face by the family dog (she was 3 years old) and when I asked about the dog the mother said she'd rehomed it.

I asked her if she'd informed the new owners that her dog has bitten a child and caused significant injuries and she said no. I couldn't believe it.

If a dog is dangerous and bites people then where it lives isn't going to change that behaviour.

I know I certainly wouldn't take on s dog who had previously bitten and injured someone in the same way you have OP.

Having an animal PTS for this reason is incredibly sad but how can you risk it happening again to somebody else?

However, I do agree that you should get him checked out at the vets first. For an elderly dog to savagely bite its owner when being fussed does seem unusual and it may be down to an illness.

ShowMeTheWonder · 14/02/2016 09:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Eliza22 · 14/02/2016 09:57

Awww. I'm so sorry. Poor old thing.

You must do the right thing for your family, I'm afraid. There's no question imo. Flowers

Eliza22 · 14/02/2016 09:58

Sorry, meant "do the right thing" as PTS.

londonrach · 14/02/2016 09:58

Sorry but he tried to bite a lady and then did bite you i have one sad answer for that. No way would i have that dog anywhere near your dd.

Original poster
Jellymuffin · 14/02/2016 09:58

Your sage advice is noted, it's true I just couldn't go through with pts so was hoping he would be rehomed. Very selfish of me and not thinking about his best interests, only my feelings. Have discussed with husband and we will PTS. This is so so so hard :( I lost my nan last month, husband has threat of redundancy for a job he's been in only 6 months and DH car has been in the garage for a week as they can't fix it :( I just don't want anymore and was trying not to be a grown up about it :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Jellymuffin · 14/02/2016 09:59

Though it could have been my baby's beautiful face and not mine.

OP posts:
Auti · 14/02/2016 10:00

You need to get him checked at a vets ASAP.

A change in behaviour at such a late age may well be due to illness of some sort.

A friends dog bit her nose very badly, nearly biting it off.
He had previously been fine with no history of aggression.
It turned out he had a brain tumour.

0hCrepe · 14/02/2016 10:02

Really sad for you. A horrible decision you've had to make very quickly. He really won't know though and you can focus on all the happy times you've had together and know your dog won't be stressed anymore any your ds is safe. Flowers

StableYard · 14/02/2016 10:03

Again more Flowers for you

I am not a fan of dogs but am Sad for you

villainousbroodmare · 14/02/2016 10:04

Not sure what your dilemma is tbh. Sad for you though.

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