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?

I am certainly going to take the dog to the vets regardless. I think rehoming is the best option myself. I just have to convince him.

Would there be any chance of your MIL taking the dog on so your husband can still have contact?

We bought a puppy who ended up having to be rehomed with the prison service as a drug sniffer dog, I like to tell myself that this is because he wasn't suitable to live with children (he bit us all at least once) and some dogs just aren't.

They have six grandchildren. My two are over there a lot. I don't know if that would be safe. Its what my MIL will probably suggest though.

I've got 2 dogs and yeah, I'd say the dog has to go. Biting is a complete no-no, I have seen my kids whack our dogs about and even try to ride on them. Once ds1 went for dog with the electric fly swatter to "zap" her, poor thing. The dogs just look fed up and put-upon, possibly giving a low warning grumble but that is all. Aside from anything else, you clearly don't like/trust the dog and he's meant to be your pet, so why should you run around after an animal you don't like any more?

If pedigree will be easily re-homed.
Putting it to live outside is also a non-starter I'd say, if it has been inside until now. Dog will be miserable, surely.

Taking it to the RSPCA when dh is out sitting down and having sensible mature negotiation with dh is the way forward.

also, your dh is wrong to imagine that the breed of your dog is necessarily more than a rough indicator of what temperament the dog will have. i personally knew a labrador (belonged to the family of a college friend) who i thought was more like a cushion than a dog, really, the last dog you would have thought would have hurt anyone, who had to be put down because she killed a toddler. it is just wrong and unsafe to make assumptions about dogs around small children.

(i am not suggesting that your dog will do anything this extreme, op, just saying that you cannot absolutely trust a dog around a person so small the dog doesn't necessarily see it as a person, iykwim)

Tricky I love Cooper very much. Probably more than anyone actually. I don't want rid of him because I don't love him anymore. I love my son much more.

I grew up with a very vicious springer who should have been put down. Well, he was eventually when he was 7.

ilove sprouts. toddlers bite other toddlers should they be put down? they usually do it when tired out of sorts.Perhaps this poor dog feels undre the weather and does not want a baby patting his head.Op take him for a health check.give him some space,havn't we all snapped at times? I am sure this is a one off.Has he been getting lots of excercise as springers are known for having untapped energy if not walked enough.try and consult a behaviorist

I don't know what I think. If my DC were bitten I'd want the dog gone, but we had a dog when I was small and he bit me like this a few times (didn't break skin but left marks). Every time I had been winding him up and I never told my parents as I felt it was my fault, not the dog's. It was just his way of saying 'warning, I've had enough of you kid'. And he was a dog, not a person so fair enough.

I do think the dog living outside is a rubbish idea. Mean to the dog, the DH would try and sneak him back in too I bet.

In my Dh's defense he is not being mean to the dog. He is outside most of the time. It is rare for him to be indoors.

my dog does not like being patted on the head, we respect this.Our children are told to stroke her gently, all not a problem.

If he is rarely inside how used is he to your son? Does he have a place he can go to to get away from him?

'toddlers bite other toddlers should they be put down? ' What a pathetic and puerile comment...

I would be tempted to say rehome to someome without children but then though even if childless people "adopt" him it does not mean the dog will not at some point be in contact with children (in the park, out for a walk...) so saddly I think I would have him put down because I simply would not be able to relax about what might happen.

He is very used to my son. Its a big house and he was not restricted to where he could go. He had come to be with us himself.

forty plus toddlers are notorious nippers ime
what is pathetic about the truth?

Paula - I would be very tempted to give him to the earlier link for spaniel rescue. THey are best placed to decide what is best for him. It doesnt feel nice but as you say if you cant trust him...

I'll have to find one in NI. I don't live in England

I disagree with darkandstormy. My dogs have never snapped even when one was close to death and the other in great pain. I dont think it should be accepted just because your dog is having a bad day. Separate the dog, train it, educate yourself, rehome it but dont just put it down to one of those things.

darkandstormy -

das what a stupid comment ,where on about a dog here its a big difference whith kids /dogs, kids can not give bites like dogs can

We had a dog when I was young who came with us on the walk to school. My mum always kept her on a lead. A girl in my class went to stroke her one morning in the playground and the dog bit her hand - not seriously but honestly can't remember if it broke the skin or not. Nothing was said about it, but I don't remember us taking her to school again. My dog lived another 12 years and ever, ever bit anyone again. I dread to think what would have happened if it were nowadays (IYSWIM). I'm sure there'd be uproar from parents in the playground (not that the dog would be allowed in in the first place), probably whisperings of being sued, dog put down, etc.

Yes there are more dangerous breads but ANY dog my bite someone at ANY time. A dog may have been placid for ten years, but today something made it bite.

I think that if you've made up your mind to get rid of the dog (I so hope not to have it put down ? at some point you chose to have this dog as a pet and have children ? in whichever order) then we're not going to change your mind. But anyone who takes on ANY dog as a pet must accept that it may bite someone at some point. Also, children need to be taught that if they chose to stroke a dog (either their own, a dog known to them or a strange dog) then they are risking being bitten. (And no - I'm not saying that it was your child's fault at all)

For the future, make sure that you never have ANY dog as a pet. And for that matter do not get a cat (they can give nasty nips and scratches) or a hamster/gerbil/similar.

We has humans chose to take dogs as pets into our homes. They are animals, not robots. If you a completely risk free dog - get one of those robot ones from the Gadget Shop.

PS - I actually think that YANBU - you want to protect your child. I'm just making the point that any dog = potential risk. It's your choice.

even if kids could bite like dogs it's still an irrelevant comment. Dogs are not people.

Patting on the head is an irritant to to dogs, he didn't break the skin but you will never be happy to have him around, keeping a dog outside when he is used to being inside would be cruel and cold. Are you sure that you're not looking for a reason to get rid of the dog? He obviously came before your ds was he a child substitute? Rehoming is your only option for you and him. Please find a kind home.