Would you put up with a dog that bites?

[Sweetdisposition91]

Hi,
My dog in question is a 5 year old Rhodesian ridgeback. I've owned him since he was 9 months old, he was very nervous aggressive, aggressive to strangers, hadn't been socialised, dominant etc.
I took him training classes, made him experience all different kinds of social situations (whilst muzzled!) and gradually over time he became a confident dog who enjoys human attention. However, there has always been on going issues and I've never met another dog like him!

He has bitten me various times over the past 5 years, causing me to bleed, scar etc. Although he does growl at certain times, every time he has bitten me he gives no warning, and goes into a frenzy attack where he will grab my arm/hand 3/4 times before he calms down. I have seen some behaviourists with no such luck as there is no specific triggers, although it is predominantly when I try to stop him from doing something or over food if he shouldn't be eating it (but will let me take bones and food off him under a normal circumstance)

So basically, has anyone had any experiences of dogs that unfortunately will always have this side to them? a trainer told me this and said I just have to manage him!

And would you just put up with it?

I honestly can't ever see him changing as it's not just me he has also bitten my mum and brother. I love him so much but it's getting to a point where I am now becoming scared of him in certain situations which I know will never end well!

Please be gentle with me as I feel embarrassed to admit this and I am a responsible dog owner when it comes to walking him etc.

[PikachuSayBoo]

www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/8_6/features/Dogs-With-Hypothyroidism_15723-1.html

Interesting it says here that rodhesian ridgebacks are in the top 20 breeds of dogs affected by hypothyroidism.

[Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse]

FGS, you clearly should not keep this dog, you've done your best BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE THIS DOG PTS - do as I said earlier and contact Dogs Trust. They have a STAR unit and a SANCTUARY unit. These are for dogs that may never be ok for rehoming. The Sanctuary in particular means more limited human handling, again I stress, if the dog is healthy they will not have him PTS, they will strive to find an environment that is suitable for him, this does not mean rehoming. It is not the same as long term being 'in a rehoming centre' which you seem to think will be cruel. You may be right but that is not what is on offer at Dogs Trust. They totally get that some dogs, especially those who are unsocialised as young pups, will never be suitable for rehoming and they act accordingly. Please consider contacting them. They do not judge.

[tabulahrasa]

I have a dog with issues that are never likely to be resolved (I never give up hope of improvement but he's never going to be actually ok).

But....

He's not endangering anyone who lives in my house and I can manage him in other situations so that everyone is safe and he never gets a chance to actually bite.

I totally get that he's your dog and you love him - however hard that is to do sometimes, lol.

But you do need to give serious thought to how you're dealing with him - there's no way he should be off lead and unmuzzled, strange children should not be getting to approach him and while you might be willing to endure being injured - it's not right that other people are being injured as well.

If you're going to keep going with him, you absolutely have to manage him better, how are you going to feel if he seriously injures someone? Because that is a very real possibility, it just takes once to cause a huge amount of damage and with an unpredictable dog you can't bank on the times when he's usually ok for him to always be like that, you have to be overcatious.

[FluffyPineapple]

I wouldn't give the time of day to a dog who bites the hand that feeds it. That is probably the main reason why I prefer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder even if netmums shout me out! I have had lots of different breed dogs, from puppies. They have been socialized from a very young age and I have had no problem with any of them. You have no idea what you are getting if you rehome from a kennel - FACT. I cannot risk it with young children at home. Each to their own

[GinIsIn]

fluffy except if you bother to RTFT, this WAS a dog from a breeder, owned from a puppy...

[Blackfellpony]

Fluffy. My dog has been with me since a puppy, trained, well socialised and yet is still fear aggressive and always has been.
My rescue dog is the sweetest dog that walked the earth.

It's individuals and genetics not just training alone.

Also PTS isn't the worst thing that can happen to a dog. No way would I put my terrified of strangers and devoted to me aggressive dog in a kennel to sit and rot away for the next 10 years. It's the OPs problem and imo shouldn't be passed on.

[neonrainbow]

What is the good of offloading an aggressive dog who is known to bite seriously and in a frenzy onto the dogs trust? Just because they have a crazy policy of never putting any dog down - i didn't realise that extends to dangerous dogs. What sort of quality of life will a dog have in a unit with minimal handling? I don't understand the premise of keeping a dangerous dog alive just because then it's alive somewhere. Far better to put it down, the dog won't know what's happening.

[Sweetdisposition91]

I bought him from his previous owner who didn't have the time for him I had to meet him a few times before I took him home but they didn't tell me that he had shown signs of aggression. He is kc registered and an excellent example of the breed from good blood lines, I think it's more that he just has issues. I would love to get his brain scanned but just couldn't afford it, however I will definitely get his thyroid checked out and also try another behaviourist I've found before I think about pts. He said he will be honest and tell me if his behaviour is something that can be changed with training or if he's best pts. I want to try everything before considering pts as I cannot stress enough how much I love him and it would break my heart and I would feel terribly guilty that i have failed or given up on him without trying everything possible. Until now I was prepared to just put up with it for potentially another 5+ years after all so I'm not in any rush!
Also he would not be able to cope in a kennel environment even when he has to be kept at the vets after surgery he is an absolute wreck even whilst under sedation it would not be fair on him also I am too selfish I suppose to do that, I would only ever re home if something specifically met him knew him was knowledgeable of the breed and for some mad reason wanted him and knew how to handle him for the rest of his life.
Thank you all for your comments and I don't want it to come across like I'm ignoring advice I just want to see if there's anything else I can do before considering pts.

[honeyroar]

I think that you're coming across as a lovely person who is really trying everything for your dog. If it does come to having to put him down (and it sounds like it really) you should never feel guilty. You have tried everything you can think of, from feeds to vets to behaviourists. I hope your new behaviourist is good, some just call themselves it after a college course and haven't a lot of experience. I can understand why you're upset, I would be too, but unless something massively changes you can't go on like this. And I wouldn't be sending him to a rescue pen and leaving him there forever. To me that's not a kind end for a dog that's known a family home.

And as for only buying pedigrees from breeders, both my rescue labs have wonderful pedigrees from good breeders... And how many examples are there on this page of people that got a puppy and then couldn't cope with it. Buying a puppy doesn't guarantee you anything, and that's another FACT! And a good rescue spends time training and assessing before it rehomes.

[Resideria]

You are very kind, but the only sensible thing is have him PTS. He won't suffer and he won't know. Give him his favourite treats and ask the vet to come out to your home.

[TrionicLettuce]

If you do want to try another behaviourist then make sure you find one through a reputable organisation like the APBC or the CAPBT.

Anyone can just set themselves up as a behaviourist and with issues like your dog has you really need someone who knows what they're doing and isn't going to make the situation worse.

[neonrainbow]

This is not a dog that's nipped someone because they failed to read the signs. It's a dangerous dog who has shown he's basically capable of savaging someone. I hope he doesn't attack again while you're investigating his very serious issues.

[Imnotaslimjim]

I had my dog PTS last year and he sounds very, very similar to your dog.

He was lovely most of the time but could suddenly become aggressive without warning. He bit a behaviourist when we first got him (he was a rescue and did come with some issues)

I never left him with the children, when they were home he went in the garden. I knew he was unpredictable and it was up to me to manage that.

Unfortunately, my DD let him out one evening just as we got home. He bit her friend, thankfully just a nip, one small puncture wound. It could have been a lot worse, he was a very big dog. Dog was PTS the next morning. I couldn't trust him after that and rehoming would have been very unfair.

[Branleuse]

Sometimes PTS is the kindest thing. People who have an animal PTS dont just do it because their animal is never nice. You are being irresponsible and minimising his behaviour. Of course hes nice when hes not attacking you without warning. Thats the point. Hes volatile and unpredicatable

[FluffyPineapple]

fluffy except if you bother to RTFT, this WAS a dog from a breeder, owned from a puppy..

She bought the dog at 9 months old. Much too late for effective socialisation at puppy stage

[tabulahrasa]

In fairness though Fluffy, I'm introduced by one of my dogs' vets as - here's an example of how an owner can do everything right and end up with a dog with a behavioural issue.

Puppy with a fantastic pedigree, properly socialised from 8 weeks, training classes, classes with a behaviourist, a behavioural specialist vet...

But, stuff happened that I had no control over and here we are, I have a dog that is dog aggressive and aggressive with strangers.

[mycatwantstokillme1]

you are ignoring advice, how many posters have to tell you your dog is a danger - you might want to put up with being bitten with no fucking warning, but others don't. You say in one post he's not a danger because he's muzzled, then you say he last bit you when he was in the park early one morning wating leftover food, so clearly he wasn' muzzled. Just because it was early that doesn't mean other people wouldn't have been in the park who could have been bitten by him.

I hope you're the only person he bites again for the rest of his life, and nobody else because of your selfishness. And I hope someone reports your dog to the RSPCA or council, only because it seems like that's the only way to keep everyone else around you safe.

[FluffyPineapple]

Yes I agree there will be times when a dog can end up with behavioural issues through no fault of the owner. In OP post she states that she bought the dog at 9 months old as the owners had got fed up with it. That alone screams alarm bells. Poor dog probably had never seen beyond the kitchen and garden. Was probably never played with or handled. Most definitely hasn't been rewarded for good behaviour during training.

I think OP had the very best intention of rehoming and loving the dog. Unfortunately he was already showing signs of aggression as soon as OP got him home. Now she is stuck with a dog she can't trust and has a very difficult decision to make 😖

[tabulahrasa]

Yes, but the issue is with private rehoming rather than because he's a rescue.

He's not in fact a rescue dog and a rescue would have assessed him and worked with him and rehomed him only to someone set up properly to deal with his issues.

[FluffyPineapple]

Rescues do not always assess someone's suitability to manage difficult behaviour. The issue is that if someone buys, is given, or rescues a dog from a kennel they will not know the dogs history. Too many people think it's a great idea to get a puppy. Then realise puppies are hard work. They become fed up with it once its past the cute puppy stage, no longer bother with it and then either sell it on or take it to a rescue centre.

Dog ends up with behavioural problems and if the new owner dies not understand dog behaviour and how to correct it then they are stuck with a dog they cannot let off lead, sometimes have to be muzzled, cannot be around children, other family members or strangers because they cannot be trusted not to bite.

The fact that OP's dog gives no warning signal before he bites is extremely worrying.

[CatchingBabies]

I can't believe you let him off lead when you know he bites! All it takes is a child to suddenly run up and you've potentially got a death on your hands! He's clearly a very dangerous dog, you either accept that and keep people safe from him at all times or PTS which is what I would be doing in your situation.

[honeyroar]

Fluffy any rescue worth their salt does assess, certainly the ones I've used have. Much more than any breeder, who is ultimately in it for the money. Both my labs were over 1 when we got them, yet have settled perfectly. And we did know the full history for one of them. The other we took knowing he'd had four homes in his first year. The rescue gave him us because they knew we'd persevered previously. The dog was initially a bit bonkers, but turned out superbly. Most do. You have an overly negative view of rescues. There are millions of well adjusted rescue dogs. Most just need a little patience, training and most of all exercise.

[Mummyamy123]

Imagine if you were taken ill and paramedics had to enter your house. If your dog attacked them how would you feel?
Imagine a relative was bitten? Or your dog escaped and hurt (even killed) a child, is this s risk worth taking??

[Unicornsandrainbows3]

No I wouldn't. Sadly some rescues are just too damaged to rehabilitate. It sounds like you've done everything you possibly can to help this pup but unfortunately it hasn't worked. I'm so sorry.

[Ilovehedgehogs]

Honeyroar I agree with you so much on this, it's the truth.