Dog I don’t want and never asked for that I’m scared of

[Vicks1]

Basicallly I don’t know what to do with a dog that I’m scared of and don’t want in my house.
My partner got the dog without asking because his friends dog had puppies. I’ve never owned a dog in my life and first as it was young it was fine.

then the dog got older and it’s a large dog, I don’t want to say the breed, but it’s big. I’m more of a cat person although I don’t have cats atm.
anyway my partner works away. Often I’m alone with the dog and my 3 youngest kids.

My eldest boys don’t live away but they’re often out wirh friends especially at the weekend.
They do come home in the evening obviously as they’re only 14 and 12. But then home they do the dog care because I am scared of the dog. They do the feed and walk etc. but weekends from around 11am to 11pm it’s all on me.

The dog isn’t super aggressive but he’s had his moments. I’m rambling I’m so sorry I’m just not sure what to do and where I can go. Partner doesn’t listen, my eldest kids like the dogs, youngest 3 are scared but may be because they’ve picked it up from me.
i don’t want the dog to be put to spew he’s only bitten twice within the family. No where will take him when I ask and say theyre full.
please can someone give advice and options I asked on FB groups and got bad things said and even mocking of my account photos and children which were just day to day photos and really unjustified thabjs

It's a relevant question because the context of a dog bite matters when you speak with any professional or rescue, as they need to know that before assessing whether the dog is suitable for rehoming or not. And that can only be done by them asking questions about the incidents.

Please note this is NOT me suggesting OP should keep the dog, as it's very clear this is not a suitable home for it.

It's unclear based on the information given by the OP that the dog bit due to unprovoked aggression. In at least one case, the kid had food in their hand. An untrained puppy snatching food from a child and accidentally biting their hand in the process is not unprovoked aggression, because the dog has not had any sort of training by the sound of it. We've had dogs all our DC lives and never, ever would we have let them wander around with food in their hands around any of our dogs, even the most placid ones we've had. The dogs were not ever in the same room as DC while they ate when they were young.

The second incident, OP doesn't know. This is the more potentially concerning one.

Our Italian rescue was rehomed for play biting, incidentally. Because the stupid owners let their young children rough play with him and they encouraged behaviours like mouthing and nipping, which you need to train puppies out of because it can become dangerous when they are bigger and have their adult teeth. So again, context. From day 1 of him arriving with us a few months ago we had zero tolerance for any mouthing or biting, we would turn our backs or move away from him if he started to do it and redirect him with something he was allowed to bite, like a toy or chew. He doesn't do it at all now, 3 months later.

Would he be suitable for a home with young children? No. He's a large working breed dog with a lot of energy who never should have been rehomed with young kids, I don't know what the charity were thinking. Should he have been put to sleep for what was essentially a problem his then owners created? Also no.

Your kids shouldn't be walking this dog if it bites. They won't be able to control it.

The dog is not a banned breed and the Police are not there to deal with people's pets.

This dog needs delivering to a vet today with the information that it has bitten and drawn blood on children with whom it lives. End of problem.

Reading through, it seems your partner has got this dog on impulse and hasn’t thought it through at all !!
Your partner is offshore working hard then you’re basically left managing all your children , your home and this dog too .
Also from what I’ve read the dog is resource guarding your 14 year old + 14 year old’s bedroom.
And he’s bitten to grab food ? So a nip ?? Rather than a bite ?
I have a terrier and their bite force Psi is strong so any staffie mix will have quite a strong bite force .
Sounds to me like the bites were the dog nipping to try and get food ?
This needs a lot of training and management which you don’t have time for so dog needs to go , there must be a dogs home that will take the dog ?

I agree wholeheartedly .
Play nipping needs to be trained out of the dog .
Snatching food too , needs to be trained out of the dog .
This isn’t aggression.
The OPs pup was probably taken from its mum and the litter far too soon and wasn’t taught by its mum or the other pups .
poorly socialised and no bite inhibition

I had a dog who bit my children, it was however entirely their - and subsequently - my fault! she was a small dog, they were rowdy toddlers and i was naive to the signs she was getting stressed - she warned and i didnt see it. Scenarios matter a lot here, many of you saying its a dangerous dog and should be PTS are ridiculous, this might be a very scared dog, couldnt have reacted to being hurt, could've given many warning signs but been ignored - OP has already said shes scared of it and is a cat person so not really understanding your dog here is also a big problem! Has it ever had any training? If you're wanting to keep it then that'd be my first suggestion - this will build your confidence, your understanding of your dogs body language and your ability to read situations your dog might not be comfortable with, you'll also bond better with your dog. If you cant give the dog the exercise and stimulation it needs you need to reconsider keeping it - bored stressed dogs are unhappy and find other ways to entertain themselves often by being destructive. You could use a dog walker if you can do this yourself. You have options available to you - think about whats also right for the dog

I don't understand why you won't name the breed?

Because she doesn't know it by the sounds of it

It's a mongrel, probably a staffy cross
"I’m not sure on the actual breed tbh. He’s kind of like a staffy in the face but his body is big. He’s a mix breed. Not an xl manchestwr dogs home even said so"

OP said The dog bit once my 9 year old who has toast, on the hand, and my 12 year old on the waist area but the 12 year old isn’t scared of the dog at all. Walks it etc May have been an accident we’re not sure

so no, we’re not being ridiculous by asking for it to be PTS for the safety of society @Teenmumgoingcrazy . The fact you’re suggesting OP keeps this staffy mix dog that has bitten her children, and one of them as well as her are living in fear of it is what’s ridiculous.

Dogs especially ones with that much power and strength are already quite risky around people, let alone one that has already bitten two family members. And I believe it drew blood.

Irrespective of the reason for biting ( poor training etc) we can’t turn back the clock and it’s shown what it’s easily capable of doing and biting is now unfortunately part of its nature . We can argue all day about whether it was nature or nurture that led to this but this is the present reality.

There’s no reason to think a 9 year old eating toast was being cruel or provoking it. And based on the fact OP has provided there’s nothing to suggest some kind of obvious provocation.

I am not willing to risk anyone’s lives or safety to give this dog a third time to bite
given that we don’t how vigilant or good of an owner the next owner will be, and the consequences if they are not on it 100% are fatal.

He’s had aggressive behaviour in that he doesn’t like people to go in or near my 14 yr olds room. Growls and lunges etc.

ETA : a fatal attack waiting to happen. In all these cases where a dog mauls or even bites a human the owners all act surprised. But the more I read these stories it makes me think many of these dogs have bitten people before. It is just that it was within the home/family, so it wasn’t officially recorded.

A simple solution.
Give DH a reality check.
Show him all these comments if, as you say, you're relationship is fine.
I do have my doubts about your relationship though.

Just want to tell you all that the dog is gone. my partners stepdad has taken the dog and had a word with my partner so partner has accepted its done and no more dogs.
hia stepdad is gonna see what can be done with training etc because he’s had dogs before.
then he’ll see how it goes from there wirh whether the dog can live safely with him, or a final trip to the vets

That’s good to hear @Vicks1

Well done OP, thank goodness. I take it there will be no more dogs brought into the house for you to look after?

Thanks for the update! I am so glad the dog has gone to someone who knows dogs. I really hope the dog can be trained, instead of having to be PTS, the poor thing. He needs a chance.

That IS good news OP! Thanks for letting us know.

Best ending you could have hoped for. Thanks for letting us know

Excellent news. A relief to us all.

If your partner got him from a friend whose dog had puppies, then you know what the mother dog’s breed is and would presumably also know the breed of dog she mated with??

Anyway, glad it’s sorted now.

You must be so relieved OP. Men are often more likely to listen to other men than they are to women so hopefully the no more dogs will be taken on board.

ah I am so glad for you and your kids the dog is out of your home and hopefully the stepdad will make the right decision regarding the dog.

But either way at least the dog is now with someone more experienced and better equipped.

And I’m assuming he doesn’t have young kids living with him, so less risk all round!

What splendid news! Well done for sticking to your guns.

By "the right decision" I suppose you mean having him PTS. No, the dog deserves a chance! It's not surprising that he has bad manners if he's never been properly trained by people who know dogs.

That's the best news I've had today OP, three cheers for the stepdad!

Glad the thread helped you do the right thing for your children....