to want to get rid of our dog who has bitten our son?

[paulaplumpbottom]

We have a 5 year old springer spaniel. He has always been the most gentle dog you can imagine and we all adore him. He has always been especially good with children and he has never shown any signs of aggression.

On Wed night my 20 month old son and I were sitting on the floor with the dog. My son was patting him very lightly on the head. This has been a very common occurance and our dog has always been very happy and relaxed before. My dog suddenly turned and aggressivly bit my son on the forhead. My son was fine and it did not break the skin.He did cry but was fine a minute later and I spoke to a doctor who said he would be fine. I then called my MIL who came and got my dog.

My husband was away on business and was not there to witness the attack. When I described the situation to him he said that I must be mistaken and that our dog was so placid that he would never do anything aggressive.This was also my MIL's reaction. I have been very furious because I feel that what I saw was a very aggressive attack and I am hurt that my judgement is being called into question. I no longer want the dog around the children. I have told my husband that he is never to be around our children again and that I want no legal responsibilty for him. My husband wants him back home but kept outside. My children and their friends play outside and I feel that it would be impossible to ensure that he would never come into unsupervised contact with him.
My Dh and MIL think i am being completely unreasonable. Am I?

Yanbu. The dog bit your son, you really can't risk him being around your ds. Your dh and mil need to get their priorities straight.

Tapping a dog on the head is an aggressive action. Your dog is being a dog. It wasnt a bite if it didnt break the skin but a nip.

I woudl take your dog to teh vet to get him checked out.

A dog who shows agression towards children should be put down.

YANBU - he bit your son when you were right there. Could have been far worse even if you were only on the other side of the room.

Do you think that your dog finally snapped because it couldn't put up with being patted on the head any more? Is this thread serious? Children should be taught to stroke dogs nicely, and to give them a bit of space from time to time. Patting on the head is going to piss anyone of after a while, most uncomfortable.
Maybe you should re-home the dog. Try here www.englishspringerrescue.org.uk/

No, you're not. Your child comes first.

What do they want to happen before they get rid of the dog? He bites your son so hard he needs stitches? Or worse?

You DON'T take chances. Not with your child's safety.

YANBU

He was being a dog, yes, but dogs are pack animals and try to find their place in the family. If he's tried to nip your son, he is very likely to do it again, and again to try to assert his place.

My parents have had a dog put down in the past for this and I have to say I would too. Dog bites, it goes.

you are being entirely reasonable - ni would get rid of the dog too. As long as you take steps to find a good home for the dog i cannot see the problem. And agree it is hurtful that your judgement is called into question.

But not worth the risk just to appease others.

Fluffyone he wasn't patting his head hard. He had never shown any irritation before.

Taught to stroke dgos nicely - this dog is hardly being abused. I always had a dog as a child and they were bomb proof, as they should be when around small children.

The dog will in all likelyhood do this again if it is a pack issue but god knows what could happen next time.

THe whole pack theory has been out of date for some time now.

Patting a dogs head is an aggressive action. Dogs can get used to this but it still an aggressive thing. I dont allow my children to pat our dogs on the head.

I dont understand how it was an aggressive bite that didnt actually break the skin. Dog bites to the face are awful, truly awful.

I don't think it matters if your little boy was patting your dog on the head hard or not, it is an aggressive action as far as the dog is concerned, and let's face it, not pleasant. I can understand why you are upset that the dog snapped, but I think it's worth at least recognising that your dog had some provocation and had been very, very patient for a long time.
I don't think you'll trust the dog again, and think that maybe you're expecting a bit much of it. So seriously, I would contact the rescue that I linked to above.

and as much as i like dogs, it is just a dog and this is a child and as long as it is rehomed thoughtfully then that's good. It is just a pet, just an animal and this is a child. After all my years of dog ownership i never realised that patting on the head was such an aggressive action....

I agree with fluffyone. The dog would be better of rehomed.

Once again the children are being blamed for not knowing that patting a dog on the head is an aggressive gesture.

My Dh wants his say:

I had a dog throughout my childhood, a very placid golden lab. She was the softest and kindest animal, even nursing kittens which appeared at our home. Having said that, when we were playing at various times in the 12 years she lived, she nipped me, often quite hard, breaking the skin on more than one occassion. It would never have occurred to me that this was anything other than what dogs did. Golden Labs, like springer spaniels, are not likely to make the "dangerous dogs list". As some of you and my wife have been quick to note about getting priorities right I think it should be a priority to understand and respect animals, to treat them fairly and not to judge them based on isolated incidents but on their character as a whole, as we would want to be judged.

i would rehome the dog in your position. it doesn't sound like he is a dangerous dog as such, just not suitable to be around small children. i think yanbu, your dh is being insufficiently careful imo. but of course, tough to have to let your dog go.

this kind of situation would make me want to re-home the dog.

Tend to agree with your DH. I got 'bitten' in that sort of way a few times. It never did any damage - just a serious sort of warning to back-off. Dogs aren't toys or bits of furniture and they will react. Accept that or don't have a dog. If the animal is normally placid and well-behaved I would personally just let it go.

Noone is blaming the child, Rhubarb. As I said personally i dont allow my cu children to pat our dogs on teh head.

I disagree with your dh though. THis shouldnt be ignored and treated as part of his whole character. If you are going to have a pet you have a duty to get it checked out at teh vets if any medical problems causing the nip and rethink training etc.

My parents had their springer put down after he went for my ds when he was about 16 months. My parents dog was 15 though and very cantankerous and i don't think he would have lasted much longer tbh.

I wouldn't be able to trust that particular dog again around my child. I would be considering rehoming for a 5 year old dog, specifying no young children.

Rehome the dog, to someone without children. Don't have it put down.

dog bit dc = get rid/put down