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Original poster

our golden retriever has bitten my daughter.

88 replies

anastasia74 · 29/10/2007 10:55

Got a problem,could anyone whose had a similar situation advise me what to do. Our 6 month old nearly fully grown dog has biten my daughter, we were in casualty 3 hours having it xrayed etc. My first reaction is to get rid of him, but it would break my daughters heart. he was not been tormented,just did not want something took off him which she took away from him, and he whipped around and bit her. He also snapped at my husband the day before but just made indentations not breaking the skin. So, it seems to be escalating. I feel I want to give him another chance. My husband is very attached to him as well. The dog has always been very grumpy and bad tempered from being a little pup. My husband has rang a dog whisperer, who has been recommended by the r.s.p.c.a. any advice please how to go forward. thanks

OP posts:

MerlinsBeard · 29/10/2007 11:23

i searched the OPs other posts (because she hasn't beenback yet)

it appears her DD is a teenager rather than a toddler/young child which i assumed and that she has posted a lot of times for advice with this dog in particular.

Original poster

anastasia74 · 29/10/2007 11:24

To be honest with myself. I cannot see how he can remain with in the family, and if it was down to me I would have took him away his morning. But I feel that my daughter and husband are against that decision. So I have no support. My husband has said he will have to be muzzled when we are not in. My daughter is 16 and feels she should have some say in the decision. what a nightmare. How can I rest at work. thanks for the comments it helps talking about it

OP posts:

seeker · 29/10/2007 11:24

NoNameToday - there's no indication that the dog is not being trained and cared for where it is now!

MerlinsBeard · 29/10/2007 11:27

isn't it the law that if a dog bites someone they have to be put down? or am i talking bollocks?

Lazarou · 29/10/2007 11:28

What wannabe said

Original poster

anastasia74 · 29/10/2007 11:28

OP posts:

wannaBe · 29/10/2007 11:28

When I was three I was attacked by a dog that had been rehomed to someone because "it bit a little boy". The people in question had no children so it was deemed safe to give the dog to them. I was lucky, the dog was on a chain and knocked me out of the way as it went for my throat, totally unprovoked. I wasn't hurt other than a scratch and a couple of tooth marks but I could have been killed.

I am not afraid of dogs. Unlike some who have been attacked by them I do not carry a fear of them around with me. But I would not keep a dog that bit someone unprovoked, and taking something off the dog and the dog immediately turning around and biting to the extent that it warrants a trip to hospital demonstrates huge unpredictability on the part of the dog IMO.

At the very least I would see the vet with this dog today, and ask their opinion as to whether the dog should be put to sleep.

But I would feel very, very uncomfortable about passing on a dog that has showed such agression at such a young age.

Original poster

anastasia74 · 29/10/2007 11:29

my daughter is 16 and feels she should have some say in the decision.

OP posts:

minorityrules · 29/10/2007 11:29

All young dogs will go through an assertive phase (think teenager) It is trying to find his place in the 'pack'

YOu need to intensively train it if you are going to keep it. Find a dog trainer urgently to learn how to deal with this TODAY

A young dog like this can be rehomed as it is old enough to relearn bad behaviour.

From day one, you should have been taking things from it, so it was used to it and it would have learned the humans are top of the 'pack'

Whatever you do, you need to do it NOW. Not wait and see what happens next. It will only escalate if this dog doesn't get some training

ShaunOfTheThread · 29/10/2007 11:31

When I was a child my parents took on a golden retriever as a rescue dog. It had bitten in its earlier home. One day it approached a child out of the blue and reared up and bit her quite badly. My parents took it back to the rescue centre and sadly it was destroyed.

I've read somewhere that golden retrievers are among the breeds most commonly responsible for bites needing medical treatment. This is a strange statistic, because of course they are generally extremely docile dogs. Perhaps there is a rogue strain, and because retrievers are so popular, irresponsible breeding has allowed it to persist.

LittleMissNorty · 29/10/2007 11:31

My immediate thoughts are that he should be rehomed to someone who has the skills and time to train this puppy....and also someone without young children in the house....this isn't normal behaviour for this breed. He may be big but he is only a pup and should be able to be trained easily...perhaps google a golden retreiver rescue in your area.....breed specific rescue homes are excellent at re-homing animals like this with suitable owners.

for all of you.....my labrador is fantastic with my 5 month old DD and I'd be devastated if he hurt her....

Original poster

anastasia74 · 29/10/2007 11:34

my husband has contacted a behavourist who will be coming tomorrow. But honestly being realistic I cannot see a future for him within the family. But at least my daughter and my husband will feel that every avenue has been tried.

OP posts:

wannaBe · 29/10/2007 11:35

I believe the reason why retrievers are the most likely to cause injury is because there are so many of them. So the more dogs there are, the more likely that one is to bite iyswim.

But retrievers can be extremely headstrong/stubbern/dominant.

LittleMissNorty · 29/10/2007 11:37

Ahh DD is 16.....is the dog well? I grew up with a golden retreiver and when I was about the same age as your DD he got ill (think he had a brain tumour) and he used to growl at us...which scared us rigid as it was totally out of character....perhaps a vet will be able to give him the once over?

Also IMHO dogs should always have things taken away from them (especially food) and learn not to be agressive. We do it to our dog all the time and if he shows the slightest bit of annoyance, its not given back....they learn very quickly.

haychEebeeJeebees · 29/10/2007 11:39

When we got our first dog dd1 was 1yr. I told dh at the time, that if the dog ever showed its teeth or even growled it would have to go. We both agreed.

She never ever showed her teeth nor has her son (now 14m pup). They have been dressed up, claws painted in nail varnish, jumped on from great heights whilst sleeping, pocked and pulled at while eating, i mean they both have been pushed to the edge and never once has either dog even considered growling or worse.

Id be extemely concerned. Consider a dog behaviourist if your not sure, they are very good and cost around £25p/h. It is unusual for this breed to be so nasty. But, it doesnt sound like a one off incident - you describe how it has alwyas been bad tempered. Id be very worried.

ShaunOfTheThread · 29/10/2007 11:41

I'm sure that's right, up to a point, wannabe. But there are several other breeds as common as GRs, aren't there? I'm wondering whether GR bites are more likely than most to be serious enough to need medical attention -- and therefore to get reported. This would partly be because they are large dogs. (Terriers are surely more likely to bite but are less powerful). But might it also indicate the possibility that some bites from GRs are not just run-of-the-mill self-assertion, but connected with a disorder/genetic problem, generating untypical serious agression?

(I really don't know: it just seems an interesting possibility to me)

Plinkyplonk · 29/10/2007 11:43

Not read all the posts, but, if a dog nipped or attacked either of my dd's no matter how it was or whether they had taken something off it etc, i would kill it myself nevermind take it to the vets.

I do agree with one poster who said an attack is an attack and the next time you/your daughter may not be so lucky.

haychEebeeJeebees · 29/10/2007 11:45

Have i got this right?
is the bitten dd 16yrs old?

throckenholt · 29/10/2007 11:46

as a general rule I think part of the socialising process with a dog is teaching it where it is in the pack. That should include being able to remove toys and food from it without aggression. Ie anyone higher in the pack should be able to do that. BUT it is also important to teach kids that it is not a game to take things from the dog.

Any dog that attacks when something is taken from it either needs serious, immediate retraining or if that is not an option probably putting down.

LittleB · 29/10/2007 12:21

I've known of a couple of aggressive retrievers, probably due to poor breeding, my vets said the worst dog on dog attack they'd ever dealt with was from a Golden retriever attacking a terrier and that he'd seen some retrievers with a very nasty streak. I grew up with a golden retriever who was very gentle affectionate. If your daughter and dh are the ones who were bitten and want to give the dog another chance and your dd is obviously old enough to know the risks, perhaps you could try seeing a behavoiourist and triaining it, but I would muzzle him when you are walking him so he can't hurt anyone else.
There is another option other than putting it to sleep or rehoming to a another home(which has high risks), you could look into rehoming to the police force. I don't know if they take retrievers, but my FIL rehomed a GSD who turned out to be very dominant and aggressive, although he never bit anyone, and they couldn't cope with him so asked the police, he was assessed by them and they accepted him and he's working for them now as far as I know.

kinderBOOsurprise · 29/10/2007 12:50

As far as I can tell, you have basically made up your mind and really you are trying to come to terms with it and figure out how to persuade your DD that this is the only option. Perhaps you could show her this thread to let her see how other parents judge this situation.

I do understand your DD not wanting the dog put down but I think that it the dog is just not safe. Imagine it was a neighbours young child that got bitten. Could you live with the guilt of that?

brimfull · 29/10/2007 13:19

Have you contacted the breeder.
They should be made aware of the dog's temperment so as not to use the same breeding stock.
Sadly dog's of this temperment are often from puppy farms.

hercules1 · 29/10/2007 13:22

I have known a gr who was rehomed due to biting a small child.
You dont say how it has been brought up so far. Were there any warning signs? How is it treated at home in general, I mean does it rule the roost iykwim.

Personally I'd have it pts.

FrankAwenstein · 29/10/2007 13:31

If the dog was another breed such as pit bull / rottweiler etc would your dh and dd be quite so willing to keep it?

I dont think you should necessarily put the dog down but i do think you should look at rehoming him perhaps to be assessed at police dog? Perhaps it isnbt temperament and dare i say poor training. What happened when he bit DH? was he punished? Does he go to lessons? Has he been taught not to be possessive of toys etc? These are all questions you need to think about as if the dog has been well trained and is acting out agression then it is likely there is nothing to be doen. However if it is because of poor training then the dog may have another chance in another home/setting.

Original poster

anastasia74 · 29/10/2007 13:36

The dog was from a reputable breeder and we took great care in choosing him. What makes thing worst,we previousy had to our first golden put to sleep in january, she was dying from kidney failure. We had had 11 years of the most loving affectionate dog who grew up with my daughter from her being very young, we were all devastated when she died she was should a lovely companian for all the family and took 5 months thinking about getting another dog and then this happens. He was always very dominant and have had to deal with this from day one. So, have always kept his posessiveness trait etc, in check. Outside the home walking him is fine and he has never growled at another dog. But it seems to put since he's had a growth spurt, hes a different dog.

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