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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

My dog just bit my son. Twice :o(

170 replies

AboardtheAxiom · 11/03/2011 07:15

DS is now terrified and is begging me to take the dog back to the pound.

He hasn't broken the skin (ds had thick pjs on) but he has left a bruised lump on DS's leg. Sad

I can't believe it. DS was just stood watching TV 1st time, 2nd time was sat at the table!

I half to go out at half 8 and need to make a plan.

Dog is barking in kitchen and DS is crying (again) in living room. Sad

OP posts:
rainbowinthesky · 11/03/2011 07:18

More information needed. How long have you had the dog? Could it be in pain? How old is your ds? etc

Ragwort · 11/03/2011 07:18

Can't believe you're even asking what you should do - why would a dog be more important than your son?

Original poster
AboardtheAxiom · 11/03/2011 07:21

Ragwort - of course the dog is not more important than my son. I just don't know what I need to do now! I got him from the pound in November and signed something saying I couldn't return him.

Do I call vets, rescue, what???????

Dog is fine, not in pain. DS is 6 and autistic but he was not running around, teasing the dog or anything, he's very good with him.

I'm sad I can't keep the dog but my overriding emotion is BIG FAT GUILT for DS. Sad Sad

OP posts:
lubeybooby · 11/03/2011 07:21

Sorry but the dog has to go. Next time DS might not be so lucky.

lubeybooby · 11/03/2011 07:23

Sorry cross posted. I would call the place you got him from, just for advice on what happens next.

FourFortyFour · 11/03/2011 07:23

You seem to want to keep the dog. I know nothing about them but is it possible it needs more training? Is your child very young? Could he have provoked the dog?

My cat scratched my baby when 6 months and I was devastated but getting rid wasn't an option but a dog biting is much worse imo.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 11/03/2011 07:25

First thing I would do is book a vet's appointment to have the dog checked over and then take it from there.

SilveryMoon · 11/03/2011 07:26

Which pound? Are you in UK? Was it Battersea Dog's Home? They have an emergency call line and an option you can choose if you got dog from there. They can only re-home family animals, which they haven't done in your case, so they will take dog back and put him to rest. May be the best thing for him if he will act in that manner unprovoked.
Awful decision to make. I had to do it a while ago but saw signs before my dog started biting.
IMO, you owe it to your ds and to your dog to have him destroyed Sad
I'd call the dog's home now and get the emergency number from their answering service

rainbowinthesky · 11/03/2011 07:27

I am amazed a dog pound made you sign something liek that Shock. Too late now but that would have had me running to the hills.
You need to get him to the vets for any health issues adn then find a good behaviorist if need be. There will be a reason.

rainbowinthesky · 11/03/2011 07:28

I am gobsmacked at the post to have him pts. Noone has any idea why the dog did it yet he's condemned to death.

Ragwort · 11/03/2011 07:29

Sorry OP, mis-understood your post - hope you get this sorted. Smile

Original poster
AboardtheAxiom · 11/03/2011 07:37

I have called the pound, and left a message on the machine to call me back asap. I have had many a thread on here about the dog. He is a handful but hs started doggy training classes and is improving slowly (puling, jumping up, that kind of thing). I will miss him but I cannot justify keeping him in my home, ds is terrified now and I just can't take the risk however small.

DOg is my pal though Sad he gets me out of the house and keeps me company. I really don't want him to end up being PTS. Sad

OP posts:
WynkenBlynkenandNod · 11/03/2011 07:44

Fully understand how you feel Axiom and I would rehome in these circumstances without doubt. But first I would get the vet to give him a check over, something might be going on that has made him react like this eg. Some kind of infection and once sorted he'll be fine but suited to a home without children. Also, different rescues have different policies so you may be able to find one who will take him, assess him and take from there rather than a pound who are more likely to pts from what I understand.

Laska · 11/03/2011 07:53

There's not much info here, but I agree that your 1st port of call should be a vet check - including bloods to rule out any medical problems. Meanwhile, keep the dog separate from your child.

Returning him to the pound is likely to be a death sentence anyway as most pounds PTS after 7 days. So, after the vet check your options would be:

  1. Get a good behaviourist in to assess the dog and give you some techniques for working with him. Avoid anyone who talks about 'alphas' or 'dominance' - try the APBT for a behaviourist near you.
  2. Try to secure a place in a rescue for him - please be honest about his biting history.
  3. PTS him at your own vets or at home so at least he isn't kennelled in a pound for 7 days before being PTS among strangers and strange smells.

Your child has to be your first priority, but it sounds like you would be keen to work with the dog. This is admirable, but I think you need to be very realistic about what you can commit to whilst keeping both your child and the dog safe.

Original poster
AboardtheAxiom · 11/03/2011 07:56

It wasn't battersea was carr house rescue. I thought when I got him that it was a rescue place, turned out it was the pound.

Have left a message at pound, have emailed dog trainer, and have vets number to call when I've dropped ds off a school. Am hoping trainer will have some ideas regarding rescue. Sad

OP posts:
Vallhala · 11/03/2011 08:00

FFS Please don't return him to the pound - they WILL KILL HIM.

If you are unwilling to work with him then he needs a no-kill rescue place and rehabilitation. I can help find that, please get back to me/pm me, whichever. It won't be easy but I'll do my utmost to help if you'll let me.

If you will do so please can you tell me his breed/size, age and the circumstances so I can start the ball rolling.

Please don't let him die.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 11/03/2011 08:01

Well done Axiom. By doing what you are doing you are giving him the best chance. It must be very hard and sorry you are all going through this. Hope DS is OK.

Original poster
AboardtheAxiom · 11/03/2011 08:06

Valhalla I will pm you my mobile number, I don't want to have him PTS any more than you do but I can't keep him now he's done this to DS. Sad

I wouldn't return him where i got him from but was hoping they'd have some advice {probably overly optimistic on that one}.

OP posts:
Vallhala · 11/03/2011 08:07

AboardtheAxiom, I know who you are now, the penny's dropped.

This is NOT an iressolvable problem. I accept that it may be for YOU though I probably know how distraught you are at the moment because you care about your dog, but from what I recall of the background it's not impossible for the dog to be rehabilitated.

Vallhala · 11/03/2011 08:11

X posted, will call you when I receive your pm, you've done the school run and I have a cuppa in front of me. Don't worry, we'll sort it.

Main thing is that DS is not hurt, albeit shaken.

midori1999 · 11/03/2011 10:22

I don't know the history, but you haven't exactly been clear about what has happened and I suspect there would need to be a huge amount of history given in order to work out what happened.

Are you saying the dog just walked up to your son whilst he was minding his own business, ignoring the dog and bit him, casuing damage? (eg. bleeding)

However, it's a bit pointless asking really as you've clearly decided to rehome the dog. Please take Val up on her offer to help find a rescue place and please don't get another dog. Sad

Ephiny · 11/03/2011 10:42

It's impossible to say for sure without knowing the dog and seeing exactly what happened, but if there was no broken skin etc, it sounds more like 'mouthing' than actual biting. Lots of dogs do this unless they're taught not to, and it's nothing to do with aggression (though I know it can hurt all the same!). My dog bruised my hand and arm a few times doing this when we first got him. It didn't for one second occur to me that I shouldn't keep him or that he should be killed.

Obviously you're very upset at the moment about your DS, but please take the time to consider things, and don't panic or overreact. Hopefully Val can help find him a safe home if you really don't feel able to keep him anymore.

coccyx · 11/03/2011 14:19

Good luck with a difficult decision.

Original poster
AboardtheAxiom · 11/03/2011 16:08

Wow midori if you are going to be so judgemental at the very least read my op!

He does do the mouthing, he does that to me in a playful puppy way and I redirect him to a toy. This was different. And yes, DS was standing minding his own business not moving, not looking at the dog, not calling him, not talking to him.

As I said in my OP he did not break the skin but he has left a bruised bump and my autistic 6 year old is now terrified of the dog. If it had happened once he may have brushed it off but ds had just calmed down and was sat at the table and the dog did the same thing again!!

I am very upset, I've felt sick and guilty all day, for DS and for the dog.

Valhalla has been great and knows my backstory with my doggy, I'm really hoping we can find a suitable place for him somewhere, and in the short term dog is on his lead whilst DS is in the house.

I love my dog so much. He follows me around and we snuggle up together. His ears are made of the softest fluff I have ever known and although he's hard work I have become very attatched to him. However, my DS comes first and he needs to feel safe in his own home. The world is a scary place for him and he already suffers from a lot of anxiety, DS comes first.

Sad
OP posts:
WorzselMummage · 11/03/2011 16:16

It would be irresponsible to rehome a dog which is aggressive, any dog which can bite a child unprovoked should be PTS.

I am amazed you'd even have the dog in the house considering your son is now terrified of it.