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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:
JodieG1 · 07/01/2008 10:11

Personally I would rehome the dog as I would not trust it around my children. I would not risk my children for anything and you really don't know with animals what they will do next. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to my children. I was attacked by a dog when I was about 2 and a half and the dog ended up being put down.

I was in a butchers with my grandad and it was a dobernan, the dog was a guard dog for the jewellers next door. I was upset the dog was put down but had no say in the matter. It jumped up and me and nearly had my eye out, I still have a scar today right under my eye. I remember it bleeding and having to go to hospital.

It hasn't put me off dogs and I've always wanted one but definitely not while the children are young. I think I'd get a lab as they are very friendly dogs.

JodieG1 · 07/01/2008 10:12

Excuse typos in last post, don't have my glasses on and am squinting at the screen.

TurkeyLurkey · 07/01/2008 10:12

Yes, agree with Fred, book him in to the vets for advice, also re steroids affecting him. Its seems the logical firt step.

I do think there is a way of regaining your status and authority with him but it will take continued and persistant effort and changes in the way you and your family deal with him.

ChubbyShcotsBurd · 07/01/2008 10:12

OK, have only skim read, but here's my tuppence worth.

To sort this out will take much more time and committment than reading some of Jan Fennell's (out-dated and frankly crazy) ideas. There is a major safety issue here in that you have a dog which is currently untrustworthy and several small children who won't be able to appreciate that it is no longer safe to treat him like a big furry toy.

You have two options: keep the dog but ensure extremely strict safety and supervision rules are adhered to by all family members. Go via the APBC and find a behaviourist near you, and ask your vet for a referral (you cannot usually be seen by a counsellor without a vet's involvement). If you keep this dog and work through the problems here then you need a professional to assess the dog and his interactions with the family in your home environment. It's not as simple as reading a book for the answers, I'm afraid. It certainly won't be as cut-and-dried as the old Alpha stuff would suggest.

Alternatively rehome the dog but you have a responsibility to inform the next owners of his issues. Beware that you are then surrendering control over the final outcome should he go on to bite again.

Please take care in the meantime - the growling is a good thing as he is trying to warn you before he bites at least - take heed of his message. And show your kids The Blue Dog.

HTH, good luck.

ChubbyShcotsBurd · 07/01/2008 10:14

Just to add, if you see a behaviourist then do please ensure they are accredited - all sorts of unqualified dubious types call themselves dog trainers and they may make things worse

Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 10:18

You can see the teeth marks clearly now.
It definately wasnt a nip

I'm really really going to have an issue trusting him now.
He certainly wont be leaving the crate until dh comes home.

OP posts:
MuffinMclay · 07/01/2008 10:19

Although it sounds like a behaviour problem, I'd take her to the vets for a thorough examination. There could well be something wrong that is making her less tolerant of life's irritations.
Next step after that is a behaviourist, but they won't see a dog until it has had the all clear from the vet.

If you decide to rehome her (and I hope you don't have to), do it sooner rather than later. Decent rehoming places might take dogs who have bitten once or twice if it is out of character, but not if it has been more than that. I had to have a dog put to sleep because no rehoming place would take him (and he went for the vet) which was utterly heartbreaking.

Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 10:20

Chubby, I know our pet insurance covers us for a behaviourist so that wouldnt be a problem.

Thank you for the links. I am just going to look at them now.

OP posts:
JodieG1 · 07/01/2008 10:21

You sound like you don't want to keep the dog so I'd get on with calling the rspca and/or local dog shelters.

ladytophamhatt · 07/01/2008 10:23

Hmmm, that is ahard one nbg.

In my head I'd want to rehome him, our dog is getting older now and I can see her very slowly losing her patience with the boys. She has never shown them any aggression but I can just tell she's getting fed up with them and it does worry me.

In my heart I;d want to keep him, to re-train him and sort out the peeking order so that he know I'm boss.

Its very hard when he's been the family dog for so long.

Piggy · 07/01/2008 10:26

Agree with Jodie - you do seem to have made up your mind and that's entirely understandable. Have a really good think about it and decide what you want. If you decide that you want to rehome then make sure that dh doesn't try to talk you out of it. After all, he hasn't seen the aggressive side to oyur dog and doesn't have to deal with him day in day out.

Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 10:37

I've just had a look on the APBC site and there isnt a behaviourist in our area!

I would ask family first if they would take him.
My PIL's already have a dog but he is the same age as Oliver and they have known each other all their lives and had alot of contact over the years.

Other than that it would be my BIL but they already have 4 dogs and will be undergoing fertility treatment later in the year, so if they end up having children it seems silly passing him on to them.
However knowing SIL, she wouldnt want him going to the RSPCA or a dog shelter and tbh neither do I.
In fact it breaks my heart to think of him in one of them cages waiting for someone to come and pick him

OP posts:
Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 13:20

He's now ripped up dd's coat that was on top of the crate

My fault for leaving it on there I suppose but he's just out to destroy.

I'm waiting for a call from a local behaviourist. I got her details from our vets so will wait and see what she has to say.

OP posts:
ChubbyShcotsBurd · 07/01/2008 13:25

Nbg talk it over with the bahaviourist but he's not "out to destroy", he's probably just bored and anxious in his crate and I bet he knows you're anxious too - as you'll know, beagles are needy, bright dogs that need loads of stimulation - often choosing a method that you don't approve of to entertain themselves. Don't read more into the coat thing, please.

ChubbyShcotsBurd · 07/01/2008 13:25

behaviourist doh!

Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 13:29

I put the other dog in with him when I took dd to preschool at lunch time and he was desperate to come out when I came back. I'm just not risking it. He's growled at me while he's been in it.

It'll be interesting to see how he reacts when dh arrives home.

OP posts:
CountryGirl2007 · 07/01/2008 13:33

[quote] 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 [/quote]

Firstly, you need to teach your kids to respect the dog! I don't blame the dog for getting grumpy when he has to put up with that! But the damage is probably done now so get a qualified behaviourists assessment done. How much exercise does the dog get? Does he have his own toys?

Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 13:36

But he hasnt snapped at the children once countrygirl. That was the point I was making. Its me he has bitten and the children do respect the dogs.

We are responsible owners that love their pets.

They are walked twice a day without fail and yes they have their own toys and plenty of them!

OP posts:
Rantmum · 07/01/2008 13:37

Agree with the pack thing - your dog has to KNOW in no uncertain terms that it is absolutely bottom of the heap in your pack. The children need to know that they must leave the dog alone, but the dog has to know that biting is unacceptable. We have a 5 year old dog and he has a cage that he can retire to if the children all get to be too much which helps cos he knows that it is his safe place. Also you need to make sure the dog is getting enough exercise and so that its energy levels are reduced when indoors.

Finally, my lovely dog once jumped up at me when I was holding ds as a baby. He just jumped - didn't growl or anything but I was a nervous first time mum and my reaction was that I put my ds down, grabbed the dog by the scruff of its neck and shoved it into the cage whilst saying "NO" in the angriest voice I have. I am against hurting animals, but in this instant when it was the baby or the dog and the dog was testing I needed the message to be "the baby comes first".

I would:
consider getting a cage for the dog to escape to
consider going to behaviour classes with dog to reassert your dominance over it
ensure that the dog is getting a good walk and play outdoors everyday
ensure the children know that the dog must be treated with respect

if these things don't help you may need to consider rehoming.

Sorry to rant but that is my name

Rantmum · 07/01/2008 13:40

Oh and definitely see a vet if you are already doing many of the suggestions - it is possible the problem is medical and if so you will want to catch it early...

Good luck

Original poster
Nbg · 07/01/2008 13:44

thanks ranty

when i say crate i mean cage and over the last few weeks it has been left up for both dogs to go in and out as they please.

OP posts:
TurkeyLurkey · 08/01/2008 16:43

Nbg - Just wondering how you got on? Hope everything is ok?

Original poster
Nbg · 08/01/2008 20:32

Hi, thanks for asking

Well I finally spoke to the behaviourist today and she is going to come out after we have had a referal off from the vets.
She basically has been trained by Jan Fennel and I liked what she had to say about the training.
Shes said in the meantime to avoid any confrontations with Oliver and if needs be when he steals the childrens toys just give him some food to get him to drop the toy to avoid any agression. Also to keep him away from the children.

She also said that there is obviously something that he isnt happy about but also because of skin condition this training could possibly help clear it up. She said if I imagine how a humans skin reacts when we are stressed we can break out in spots and this could be the case for Oliver.

Soooo, hopefully we are going to get things sorted out.
I'm feeling much more positive about it all.

OP posts:
TurkeyLurkey · 08/01/2008 20:39

That sounds really positive. I'm so glad you are going down this route before re-homing him (I have a huge sense of relief and I don't even know you or your dog!). At least you can say that you've tried with him.
Good luck, I really hope it works out, hopefully you will end up with a much happier dog.

bunnyhunny · 08/01/2008 20:43

This is very similar to what happened to me. had dog1 for 12 years, and dog2 for about 8. ds came along and dog 1 started to go for dog2 (dog1 is beagle x btw). dog1 was my favourite - he was wonderfully trained, well behaved etc, but was suddenly not the dog i knew.

After much soul searching, I realised I could never trust him again. Dad has him now, so he still visits and we see him probably once a week or so.

I am so glad we did what we did. dog2 is a jack russell and is so tolerant that ds can pull his hair and tail and hug him and he just takes it all. I would never have had the freedom to let ds grow up knowing this dog so well if we had kept dog1.

I'm sorry. I know it's not what you want to hear, and I hope you can do something about it without rehoming.

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