My dog has bitten again. Advice please.

[mumnosbest]

Please don't judge, I am not an experienced dog owner and have probably made several mistakes but want to do the best for my dog and my family.

I have a 2yr old JRT/German Sheppherd X. He is very smart, loyal but a real live wire. A year ago, he got out and when he came back my mother held his color to bring him inside but he bit her hand. It was a deep bite but we put it down to him being young and wanting to be out. I did take him to the vets and had him checked over. There were no physical reasons for his aggression and the vet said he was just young and asserting himself. We have been quite wary ever since and he is strong willed, posessive and gives warning growls. He also doesn't like a lot of fussing which my children know.

Last night my DS had a friend stop over. I shut the dog in the kitchen (where he always sleeps) and took my younger children up to bed. Shortly after I heard a snarl and a scream. The boys had gone to get a drink and the friend had put his face to the open crate door to fuss the dog (my dog does know the boy). Sorry if I'm rambling but my dog bit the boy's cheek. He then lay back down as if nothing had happened. I have reported all this and no further action has been taken, however I'm left with a dog that I cannot trust or keep.

I don't know what to do next. Is it possible to rehome a dog like this? Where would I even start? I honestly feel he would make a loyal pet to someone more experienced and confident and without children. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. TIA

[GillynMilly]

Very sad post but my own thoughts would be that with re homing,even if you could,you never know when you might meet a child and things stick in an animals head. New owners might well have nothing to do with children but could easily meet one when out and about and kids are sometimes too quick to reach out and try and touch. It could all happen so quickly and easily,doesn't bear thinking out,imagine if something happened in a public place,there would be outcry. I would take responsibility for him and call it time.

[Toomuch2young]

For Gods sake. It is awful that a child has been bitten. But it is not the dogs fault! They communicate differently than we do and the op is a self confessed novice dog owner with an unsuitable dog who is a tricky mixture of breeds and young children around without a safe area for the dog away from the children. Recipe for disaster. Comments like 'a dogs life is not sacred' and 'it should be put down' make me sick. The poorly trained, poorly socialised dog was in it's personal space and had someone's face shoved into it. Not the child's fault if they weren't told but equally not the dogs fault who would of been reacting out of fear.
I know it's terrible for the child but the dog is going to pay the ultimate price for a situation that it had no chance of dealing.

[Costacoffeeplease]

It was entirely predictable that this child was bitten - you do not invade a dog's safe place, which the crate is - in this instance it was not the dog's fault at all

[NewLife4Me]

Toomuch

How many more times could it bite before you lost trust in it not biting again?
You can't just say sorry about the child
It might not have been the dogs fault but surely the health and safety of a human is more important than an animal.

[insertimaginativeusername]

I agree with toomuch...inexperience and a lack of understanding.

I grew up with dogs, and often did not notice warning signs until I'd been bit. Completely my own fault and as I got older I learnt to recognise the signs. My parents would never have put any of them to sleep because I antagonised one and no doubt I got told it was my own bloody fault!

JRT can be defensive. My own displayed fear aggression.

A more fair approach would be to approach a vet again or behaviourist and ensure visitors do not approach the dog in its personal space. As many have said, these incidents are seen as threats to many dogs.

If you really feel that you cannot keep him then contact rehoming centres that will seek child-free homes. Many do.

Is the dog neutered? In my experience this helped a lot.

[Toomuch2young]

Totally agree costa

newlifeWell I am sorry about the child so why on earth can I not say that? I can feel two things at a time. I feel empathy for the child who got bitten and for the dog whose life is on the line because it was set up to fail.
If it was my dog it wouldn't be in the situation of biting anyone let alone children! I have taken nervous aggressive rescue dogs and rehabilitated them. I have also sat and sobbed into dogs fur as they took their last breath because owners demanded them to be killed through being in unsuitable situations. Many more dogs I have had signed over to me and then worked with or put to a behaviourist to work with and not one of these dogs has ever bitten again.
Almost every dog can be worked with. As I have tried to point out the owner needs help and needs to realise it's a result of their actions that this dog has bitten.
Of course I value human safety as top priority which is why the Op needs to take big steps now. I do not believe that killing the dog is the answer.

[EasyToEatTiger]

We are animals!!!!!!!!! Just because we kill everything else. We are still animals. Sorry about that! Yes it's a really tough call, and absolutely not something to be taken lightly. To kill an animal which we have failed to train is a travesty. Of course we breed animals in order to kill them, and we allow our pet dogs to breed willy nilly regardless of temperament or ability.

Please, OP go and get some professional help. I would be livid if one of my children or one of their friends had done what this child did. I would be furious with the parents as well. Children should never go to a dog who's in bed. Ever ever ever. Nor should they approach a dog on a lead, or a dog who's tied up outside a shop. I really hope you come to a suitable arrangement.

Rant over. Having a different species to share our homes is a privilege and a pleasure. It is also a huge responsibility and a lot of work.

[Toomuch2young]

insertimaginative cross posted. Thank you am glad other people understand! Yes totally jrts and gsds are two of my fave breeds but I can totally see why this dog hasnt worked in this situation. I wish was more information for the public and people learnt more before getting dogs

[Toomuch2young]

easytoeat
Well said. Please listen to us op.

[BertrandRussell]

Sadly, it doesn't actually matter why a dog bites someone- they still need to be PTS. It's usually not the dog's fault. But you just can't guarantee he won't do it again. And even if a rescue place will take him, months or even years in a cage is infinitely worse than being PTS for an animal that has no concept of the future. They aren't sitting in a cage thinking "well, this is pretty grim, but if I stick it out, I'll have a lovely home and family sometime"
All they know is "this is awful".

[Aussiemum78]

Far out. We have beagles and they never growl at children, never nip, completely placid. Even when in their bed or being held by the collar. They walk away from annoying children, always have.

I would pts.

Better than waiting for the dog to maul a toddler. Having heard of horrific injuries like ears/lips being bitten off in kids, there's no way I would keep an aggressive German shepherd around children.

Why did you choose that breed?

[Shriek]

i do not understand this acceptance of a ddog that was clearly always going to have this as hisfirst reaction to being startled.

As much as i think a ddog should be left alone when sleeping, and has a place of retreat, this is certainly never because i am fearful that it might bite someone!

I don't think its acceptable to put DC at this risk, yes, absolutely they should learn the warning signs that a ddog clearly displays when about to properly bite, but a ddog that displays these things shouldn't be trusted with DC, as you will never be able to guarantee you are not putting your DC at risk with that kind of ddog in the house.

JRT, as a rule, which there are always exceptions to also, are not the best pets to have with DC or other pets. A JRT specialist would be able to tell you this, and GSD are one of the german breed specificially bred for protection work, this is their instinct, but any ddog to be a happy trusted member of our community needs training, but these especially to be sure their natural instincts are not active.

Please speak to any rehoming centre that specialises in these ddogs, they will tell you.

[Shriek]

Unfortunately, or perfectly reasonably, depending on your perspective, people who have no dealings with ddogs rightly expect people to manage their own ddogs safely, especially where their DC is staying.

If I had a ddog I had to lock up because of its likelihood to be aggressive toward DC I would have at the very least have told the DC/their friends to stay clear away, but then I wouldn't leave it in the kitchen at night,which is the one room that we'll all potentially pop into 'out of hours'.

You now know what you are dealing with, and difficult choices have to be made. I wouldn't want any of mine PTS, but I would worry about the life they might end up having if moved on.

[AllOfTheCoffee]

German shepards were bred for, well, shepherding, would you believe?

Not protection work, that came later due to their loyalty and intelligence.

JRTs were bred to hunt and kill vermin, not children.

Both perfectly safe breeds when raised correctly.

[Shriek]

they are bred for security/protection work, in germany, and JRT's are NOT recommended for DC/other pets.

Speak to the rehomers! they will tell you this over and over, and I trust their expertise seeing as they have to deal with sooo many with these issues. You need to work witht he ddogs natural instincts as well as training, but not all ddogs are so biddable/manageable, you have to know wha tyou are working with.

[AllOfTheCoffee]

I am a 'rehomer' or at least I used to be before I became a LP.

Terriers in general are a high energy breed, the very definition of dogs, but they're fine with children if they are socialised with them and raised properly.

Some are even fine with cats, although all the socialisation in the world cannot get rid of the chase instinct outside of the house, you can normally teach a JRT or any terrier not to chase house cats if they are raised with them.

And German Shepards, the clue is in the name. They're german shepards not german police dogs.

[mumnosbest]

Thanks for all your messages and support. As I've said before, I do take full responsibility for what has happened and luckily the child's parents (also dog lovers) have been very understanding.

I've had a very busy week trying to rehome my dog and seem to be getting somewhere with a local shelter , who hopefully will take him untill he can be rehomed. That said I do worry about how he'll cope being locked up indefinately and hope that it is a better alternative than pts :(

Of course I will put mine and other's DCs first, which is why my poor dog has spent most of this week (half term here) crated up. He's really enjoying his freedom today now the DCs are all at school. It really isn't an easy decision to pts when you have a loyal, loving, young dog laid at your feet, relying on you and knowing that you have put him in this position.

[sparechange]

I think you are kidding yourself if you think they'll rehome a dog with a record of 2 biting incidents, including one involving a child.
You are just passing on the responsibility of PTS from you to them, washing your hands of what is almost inevitable.

I don't want to put the boot in during what is already a tough situation, but a JRT GSD X is a ludicrous dog for an inexperienced owner.

I hope this hasn't put you off potentially owning a dog again, but please, please think more carefully about getting a dog suitable for your family set up.

[Alterego1965]

God I hate visiting children for just this reason. So bloody stressful. I put my dogs behind a stair gate, ask all children to leave them alone and yet it still proves irisistible. Like a moth to a flame children who are old enough to know better go and try their luck.

Luckily mine haven't bitten but fuck me I've felt like I want to at times

Really sorry for you op

[BertrandRussell]

That said I do worry about how he'll cope being locked up indefinately and hope that it is a better alternative than pts sad"

It isn't.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

A rehoming centre might be able to rehome him on the strict understanding that he is not safe around children and must be muzzled whenever he's out. Or is that not possible? I've never had a rescue dog. I do think you have to exhaust every possibility before you have him pts though. I'm sorry you're going through this, it sounds awful.

[Greyhorses]

I also agree that any rehoming centre willing to rehome this dog is irresponsible.

Sorry but there are thousands and thousands of friendly sweet dogs in kennels waiting for homes, ones that have bitten sit there forever in my experience. I have met dogs who have been in kennels 10 years and it's heartbreaking. He won't know why he is there and it's not a nice experience even for a well adjusted dog. Dogs don't live for future and only know present. Stressed fear or nervous aggressive dogs often react with more aggression and kennels won't be a good environment for a dog like this.

If it was my dog I would take responsibility and either commit to training and managing it myself or PTS, passing on the problem is proberbly the worst thing for a dog like this.

[Fiona4545]

I think your doing the best thing op.

[ChiefInspectorBarnaby]

Do NOT put the dog to sleep. No no no. Ignore anyone with that kneejerk reaction- they know nothing about dogs and are being idiots.

[WanderingTrolley1]

I'm surprised you kept the dog for so long, OP.

How did you end up with this dog?

A German Shepherd/JRT cross was never going to be easy - did you do any research about the breeds?

Your home is unsuitable for the dog, but not sure where is. I'd hate to think that, if he were to be rehomed, that he'd end up attacking another child.