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Original poster

My dog has just bitten me. V upset. What do we do now?

54 replies

Nbg · 07/01/2008 09:40

I am absolutely gutted.

He is a Beagle and we have had him all his life. He is now 7 years old.

I have to admit that over the last few months he has been showing some confrontational behaviour in that he would steal one of the childrens soft toys and would be reluctant to give it back or growl when told to drop it or have it taken off him.
Anyway its become more frequent over the last few weeks. Whether or not its do with dc3 arriving and the fact we have another dog and its an attention thing, I dont know.

But and its a big but IMO, he does not do this when dh is at home.
Dh thinks its because he doesnt see me as his boss etc etc.

I told dh last week that if the dog carried on this behaviour we would have to do something about it as I cant be chasing him around the house getting him to drop teddies and him growling whilst I have to look after 3 young children.

Today really has been the straw that broke the camels back.
The minute I've got up with the children he took a teddy, he growled but actually gave me it back quite easily. I then go to makie breakfast and I can hear him with something else. He had taken another toy but this time he jumoed on the sofa with it, so I pulled him on to the floor to get him lower than me and held him by his choke chain and eventually he dropped it but the second he did he turned and bit my wrist

My dog that used to look after me, be my only company, cuddle up with me and be so so good has now disappeared.

Can anyone offer some advice please?

OP posts:

megglevache · 07/01/2008 09:43

Message withdrawn

NomDePlume · 07/01/2008 09:44

I'm no dog behaviourist (fgs, I don't even like the things, truth be told), but this stood out for me

"My dog that used to look after me, be my only company, cuddle up with me and be so so good has now disappeared."

I wonder if now that you are a mother of 3 and he isn't your only company etc, he is acting up for your attention ?

I have heard that beagles do not make great family pets (in fact any 'working breed' really), but obviously it also depends on the nature of the dog.

Can you take him to some sort of doggy professional who can advise ?

quickdrawmcgraw · 07/01/2008 09:48

It sounds as if it's a combination of all the things you mentioned that has him fighting for his place in your pack. I think the first thing you should do is to regain your position above him. I'd recommend getting the Dog Listener by Jan Fennell. If he growls at you today while you're getting something away from him, get him by the collar, roll him onto his back and stare directly into his eyes. Do you think if you did that he might bite you again or do you think it was a one off?

burstingbug · 07/01/2008 09:48

I don't know what to say How's your wrist?
Did he just putting his teeth on your skin then realised what he'd done and back of, kind of giving you a stern warning to leave him alone, or did he really mean it? Iyswim.

If our dog did anything that bad I would be sitting down with DH and working out various options, 2 of which would be wondering if he'd be better at MIL or being re-homed else where.

Original poster

Nbg · 07/01/2008 09:48

MLV, Atm i am thinking that we should rehome him.
My first thoughts are to ask family though as they may have him and have all been dog owners.

NDP, we could try a behaviourist but theres the big element of trust that has gone and i'm not sure i would be happy about having him around the kids, especially dd as she will confront him if he takes toys.

OP posts:

magnolia74 · 07/01/2008 09:49

Oh nbg

Ok yes I may get jumped on here but please don't just rehome him {I am sure you wouldn't but there will be some that come on here and say 'oh just re home him!'}
Was it a 'nip' or a full on drawing blood bite? There is a difference and if help is got from a good behaviorist then a 'nip' does not have to mean losing your dog.

I think your dh is right, he doesn't see you as higher than him and is pushing bouderies especially as you now have another child, he needs to be right at the bottom whcih at the moment he doesn't agree!

Also get him checked by the vet, probably not needed but a behaviorist will asways say to rule out any illness 1st just incase there is a medical reason for them behaving differently.
{{{{hugs}}}} to you x

NomDePlume · 07/01/2008 09:51

NBG. Having a dog that has bitten once around children is not a risk I could take. My DD has been bitten 3 times by 2 different dogs (belonging to my Mum ) and now I will not have them anywhere near her when we visit. The dog has to be shut away.

magnolia74 · 07/01/2008 09:52

Ok crossed posts, if the trust has gone and you are not happy to have him in the house then possibly rehoming but I wouldn't just pass him on without addressing the reasons why he is behaving this way.
Unless the person who takes him is willing to get it sorted it would be passing on the risk of it happening again

NomDePlume · 07/01/2008 09:52

My mum's dog, that is, not yours !

TurkeyLurkey · 07/01/2008 09:52

Hi, if you say he would not do this to your DH it is because he sees DH as Alpha male. I think when your DH isn't there the dog thinks he's in charge and sees you as a pack member rather than a leader, so he sees you as someone who need putting in their place (like whjen ytou tried to take the toy from him).

So, I think you either have to get some professional advise (you could ask your vet for a recommendation) on how to get him to see you as a leader or, alternativley think about re-homing him.

Sorry, I do know how awful this must be for you.

Original poster

Nbg · 07/01/2008 09:53

quickdraw, thats exactly what dh told me to do but he is a big beagle and very muscular. I dont think i could do it plus again i dont trust him.

my wrist hurts. its aching and sore but thankfully not broken the skin.

tbh what he did after he bit me is a blur. i was too shocked to see what he was doing.
I got really upset and called dh and asked him what to do and he said put him on his lead as he will think hes going out and stick him in the crate and leave him until he comes home.

OP posts:

Nemoandthefishes · 07/01/2008 09:54

tbh nbg with young children I would think about rehoming. maybe contact local rspca or ncdl and ask their advice?

Did he break the skin??A lot of things have changed in the 7yrs of having the dog and while it is hard you need to go with what your heart tells you. We have a x terrier who I have had for 15yrs and she is the most lovely dog. She has been battered by all 3 little fishes and even at the point dd2 has an obsession with pulling her tail. However I know she is getting old and might snap I also know it would only be a warning not with intent...although as yet she hasnt dont it. I think you know your dog and know what you feel comfortable with and for me if I was worried there would be nothing to think about.

My nan had a dog that bit me as a child but I had wound it up. It broke the skin and I needed stitches but my nan kept it, it never ever bit anyone else and tbh taught me a lesson. Just trying to show it doesnt mean it will do it again if that makes sense.

Original poster

Nbg · 07/01/2008 09:56

thanks everyone.

it seems clearer now as to why he's doing it.

i'm not sure whether the bite would have been worse because as i look at my wrist i have obviously pulled away from him as there are long teeth marks across my wrist like they have dragged iyswim.

please excuse the typing, i'm feeding atm.

OP posts:

wannaBe · 07/01/2008 09:56

oh no .

It sounds as if he has become dominant over time, perhaps the fact you have been busy with the kids means he's been allowed to get away with behaviors he wouldn't normally - eg running upstairs/getting on to furniture etc, all behaviors which seem trivial to people but which to the dog are reinforcing his rise in the hierarchy.

Only you can make the decision, but IMO it depends on the kind of bite, eg was it an agressive bite, did he hold on and bite down or did he snap so as to say "I am the boss"? Because if it was merely a dominance type nip it is entirely possible to modify his behavior without having to just rehome him.

TurkeyLurkey · 07/01/2008 09:58

PS Agree with QuickDraw about pinning him down by the scruff of his neck until he becomes submissive to you.

Original poster

Nbg · 07/01/2008 09:58

Yes Nemo that makes sense.

My kids will torment him too. Lay all over him, pull his tail, ears, poke him in the eyes and he's never once made a muff to them.

I've even got a picture of dd fast asleep on him

OP posts:

Original poster

Nbg · 07/01/2008 10:00

wannabe, he was doing alot of running upstairs and going into bedrooms when he knows we dont allow it.

Another thing I should metnion but I dont think is relevant though, is that he is on steroids for a skin allergy and the only change we have seen in him since then is his appetite increasing but we have been told that is normal.

OP posts:

TurkeyLurkey · 07/01/2008 10:01

x posts - sorry - understand this may not be possible for you to do but there is a technique of getting their scruff so they cannot bite you. Really think you need a proffessional to show you how though if you are not confident to do it yourself.

Nemoandthefishes · 07/01/2008 10:03

NBG just seen you have similairish age gaps to me and for some dogs it can be a lot to handle.

TurkeyLurkey · 07/01/2008 10:03

HE will let the children do that because they are not challenging his authority or status. You did, in that you tried to take a toy off him and be the boss, which he clearly thought wasn't on, hence the bite.

Piggy · 07/01/2008 10:03

I think you need to take advice from a specialist about getting him back to the bottom of the pack where he belongs and perhaps you becoming leader of the pack rahter than dh or you being pack leader jointly. You know the stuff I mean - feeding them after you've eaten, you and your children going through doors first etc etc. I have 2 toddlers and a black lab and she is wonderful. However, as loved and adorable as she is, she does know she's at the bottom of the pack. The very first dog my parents got when I was a child was the pack leader amongst the children and he was a nightmare.

I really really hope you manage to sort something out. Your dog has obviously been a very important part of your life for so long.

andiemustlosehalfastonemore · 07/01/2008 10:04

I don't have a dog but there was a very interesting letter in the observer yesterday about dog attacks on children it was from a vet who specialises in small animal practice for 30 years and the gist of it was this
that dogs are pack animals, that they see children as siblings in the pack, that jealousy and resentment towards the children can build up over time in the dogs mind and that the dog will suddenly attack when adults (leader of the pack) are not around to reestablish the pecking order in the pack and to make themselves dominant again in the pack hierachy
the letter was explaining why attacks can seem to come from nowhere with dogs who have not been aggressive before
I don't want to frighten you but the letter made some very valid arguments about why these atttacks can happen not being a dog specialist I'm not sure how accurate the info was but it seemed like a reliable source iyswim

Piggy · 07/01/2008 10:04

And another thing. Never ever ever let your children torment the dog. That is an absolute no no.

andiemustlosehalfastonemore · 07/01/2008 10:06

sorry lots of people who know more than me have posted since I was typing that

FredBassett · 07/01/2008 10:09

I would take him to the vet for a check up incase there's something that's bothering him and making him less tolerant.

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