Bloody dog just bit dh on the face.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I'm in bits, I really thought things were getting better.

We've done everything, behaviourist, etc. only had the dog since May and he's been aggressive since we got him home. Initially with me and dh, now he's fine with me but still nips dh. Though its always been on the back of the leg before. Dog has always been fine with dd, always.

Dh bent down to pick a Pringles tube up off the floor and says the dog just launched himself at dh. I didn't see it happen, dh is dripping blood.

My head tells me this is the end of the road for the dog.

I wouldn't put the dog down - I'd take it back to the breeder.

scuttle whether or not my name is 'recognised' on an Internet forum is of little concern to me. The op has posted a message which shows she has a dog that is out of control, she has allowed her dog the oppourtunity to bite 5 times once on the face and once a child, and all you are concerned about is if you recognise the posters names?!

I have worked extensively with the dogs trust rehabilitating dogs, I have fostered dogs with challenging behaviours, I have worked my whole life with dogs and lived with many, but oh no, my opinion and advice is to be overlooked as you don't recongnise my name on this forum?! Brilliant logic.

Op I was only trying to help you see this from an outside point of view. Backing out of thread now. Good luck to you and your family.

Viva, I have no advice but I know how hard you are all trying for this dog. I think the fact you got this dog at 6 months and were dropped like a hot stone by the breeder speaks volumes about where fault lies. I feel for you all and your dog. I don't know what I'd do but you have come so far that surely it is worth one more phonecall to your behaviourist. I know you used someone very respected so you know you are doing everything you can.

I'm really angry with the breeder.

I'm going to email her again although I don't expect a response. Also the KC and the breed rescue/organisation so they know what she's like.

I'm sorry to pick up on this but why on earth are you getting angry at dd about this?

She's a child - it isn't her responsibility, it cannot be. That's like memaking my children look after our pets or putting them to sleep. It would end up with them being put to sleep. They are not old enough to be responsible for this.

I think it's incredibly unfair to lay this all on the head of a child when in honesty, you've given her a dog which is unsuitable,

again so sorry to say this but I just don't understand.

I'm so sorry you're going through this, it's horrible.

We had a very similar situation when I was in my teens and my mum and dad had the dog PTS. It was awful and they were both heartbroken as were my sister and I but I still believe it was the right thing to do. He had bitten twice and wasn't given another chance to hurt someone. I still think it was the right thing to do.

So sorry.

I'm not angry at dd at all.

But I have laid it on the line with her about how she does need to do more if the dogs in the room with her and growling at dh rather than ignoring what's happening. She's nearly 13, not a toddler, the dog listens to her. If she wants to make this work then she needs to help. At 13 she's old enough to help resolve this situation.

My mum finally had her dog put down following years of aggression towards other dogs. I realised she'd lost all sense of perspective when she told off a young boy for walking his dog past her gate, because her dog then jumped over the gate and bit the dog. In her desire to do right by the dog (my late father's) she had become totally blind to the rest of society.

She had become so ground down by dealing with the dog and its pulling on the lead/attacking other dogs that her first instinct when the incident happened was to be cross with the boy.

When she realised how bonkers that was the dog went.

This is NOT your 12 yo dd's fault. Nor dh's nor yours. You have not failed this dog, you have gone above and beyond.

Like with humans, the best way to predict a dog is dangerous is if they have attacked before. Next time it could be much worse.

No I think it is misguided to expect a 12yo child to be proactive in this situation when you yourself, and youe DH have both failed to manage it.

How can she be proactive? Being proactive on your part isn't working.

Sorry. It isn't up to her to sort this out. If the dog isn't responding to whatever you are trying, then it isn't going to respond to her either.

I have huge respect for Viva and if you read her other threads on this topic you will see that she has always made sensible, rational and safe decisions.

Viva is on the ground and only she and her family can see what is actually happening. Is she says her 13 is able to help then I can assure you that is the case.

Lets not beat her up for decisions we are not informed to give an opinion on.

Living with a reactive dog is hard hard work she needs support and recognition that she will make the correct decision.

Hope things are calmer this weekend Viva.

Hope you and yours are ok viva.

Whilst saying he has bitten 5 times sounds really bad the fact that tgis is the first one serious enough to draw blood makes it slightly less bad iyswim?

You know him better than anyone and only you and your family can make that decision.

Just as an extra thought is there any medical reason for him to behave in this way? Have you had him checked over by the vet? And have you discounted castration? I know it can in some cases make dogs more not lesd aggressive though but it may be worth a shot?

If he was a horse fwiw I'd be having a full medical including bloods done to rule out any issues that could contribute to unpredictable behaviour. Are both testicles present and descended? Not sure when a dog of his breed reaches sexual maturity and I think he is only just coming up to a year old.

I know retained testicles can cause issues.

Anyway best of luck with him and the behaviour expert next week.

Yes he's been seen by the vet who said he was ok. Both vets and the behaviourist said not to get him castrated as they felt it would make him worse. He's got both his testicals.

Idirdog, I've absolutely no wish to 'beat up' anyone and I also have great respect for Viva.

However from the outside this doesn't look terribly safe. If I was the parent of the child who was bitten I would be very wary of the situation, but then, as you say I am not involved and I don't want to make things more difficult than they already are.

I do hope the right decision is made in the end.

How is your DH bite? Unfortunately I have seen far to many dog bites in my time and they can become infected very quickly

These threads get busy so they end up in active, so more people see them.
Personally, I'm not a massive dog lover but I like them ok, maybe like your DH. I think he has been extraordinary tolerant allowing you to keep a dog that hates him in his home. If anyone attempted to persuade me to live alongside a dog who was constantly aggressive to me I would tell them where to go. If I got bitten in the face - well the idea that you can keep this dog is absurd. Surely you see that? He's aggressive towards people and he bit your husband in the face
This dog is a disaster waiting to happen and you simply cannot expect your DH to live with it any longer.

I am stunned that a vet has recommended not to castrate - I have two dogs, one castrated, the other isn't - the one with the balls is very dog aggressive, absolute angel with people though and small enough for me to hoik out of the way.

Your DD is old enough, i think to be involved in whatever decision you make. It does sound like this dog is going to have continued problems, is there any way you can get him into breed rescue?

Funnily enough after your first thread i bumped into someone who had a podengo - bloody beautiful dog it was. I spoke to the woman and she said that the dog was a bloody nightmare until it was about 2 years old and she wasn't happy for me to stroke it either as she said it was dubious of new people and this is very breed specific, she was very knowledgable and did say that these dogs need experienced handlers who are willing to learn with the dog as they are quite a different kettle of fish to many breeds. I have to say, the dog was stunning but she pretty much put me off :)

I would be sad to hear that you have this dog put to sleep however i do appreciate that you might need to do this and wouldn't judge you for it, better to PTS than pass on to the wrong home. with the breeder for you and the dogs sake. I actually hope that this breed of dog doesn't take off in this country as i can see it would have a dubious future.

We had an aggressive rottweiller from a rescue when DD1 was about 14, that dog was hard work and fucking scary - but i had years of dog experience and had worked as a vet nurse. We also had the support of battersea dogs home where we got him from. He bit me several times and did bite DD1 as well, athough that bite was becuse he was poorly. He DID come good in the end and had a happy couple of years with us before he sadly developed bone cancer. The thing is when you have a problem dog, the whole family need to be togeher on it as everyone has to manage in the same way - i learnt so much from my boy, i miss him still now. Am just saying that with the right support and love and care, if the issue isn't due to something physical then it can be put right - when we first got our dog we couldn't even be in the same room when he was eating as he would launch himself at us, teeth bared, the bites were all from him getting over exhuberant though rather than aggression (apart from the day he bit my head when i got in the car!) , it took TIME and we were at the point where i could do anything and he would have let me eat out of his food bowl, i didn't do anything in particular, it just took him time.

Can I just say that I only know one podengo ,in real life ,and he is lovely ,about 18 months old and owned by a young family . He is well behaved off lead and good with people and other dogs . Lets not get carried away and knock the whole breed ! The OP is just unfortunate that she appears to have been stitched up by this breeder at a time when she was quite vulnerable ( IIRC this family had just lost their previous dog suddenly during a routine operation ) .

A muzzle out of the house? He needs one all the time.

Just want to offer some support Viva, whatever you decide. Have you considered the possibility of a rescue that won't try to rehome him? DT have a colony at their Evesham centre of dogs that cannot be rehomed for various reasons (some dogs that came from the same home as our DDog joined it) and I'm sure their must be others - would this be a viable alternative to PTS?

I take my hat off to you, we have a nervous dog but she has only ever snapped at other dogs she doesn't appear to have fear aggression towards people (touches everything wooden in sight) and it is hard - not sure if I could cope with fear aggression.

We had a Terrier X that bit when I was a child/teenager. She would growl then snap if we tried to get her to do something she didn't want to do (like get in the bath). She drew blood on my Dad once (hand/arm) but never broke the skin otherwise. We kept her until she had to be pts aged 12.5 blind and old after 4yrs of diabetes and daily insulin. However she was totally friendly to strangers/other dogs/everyone outside the immediate family so I am confident we weren't putting anyone at risk.

You/DH know where to draw the line for your family, but have a think about whether you can eliminate the risk to the general public/visitors etc.

It's not fair to make the decision your husband's responsibility. Why is is not a mutual decision that you will make together?