Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

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

Original poster

Puppy just bit 4yo dd's face.

81 replies

KrisCringleWinterWonderland · 25/12/2017 19:10

She has a small gash above her eyebrow. My older DD was getting the dog riled up and hyper, and I was upstairs not realising the situation. Puppy then ran into the kitchen and 4yo DD was interacting with her but puppy jumped up with mouth open, I assume?

There was no aggression but this isn't acceptable. We have been training at home but this is beyond me. I am going to contact a trainer in the new year.

I have a rule of keeping the little ones separate from the dog if I'm not around, but what use is that if people don't follow it.

I'm really upset.

OP posts:
mustbemad17 · 25/12/2017 19:12

How old is your older DD? This isn't the dog's fault in any way; if someone is hyping the dog up & then the poor soul has not had chance to calm before someone else then starts interacting, it will be very confused!!

Sirzy · 25/12/2017 19:13

It sounds like neither child should be unsupervised with the puppy as the elder one obviously can’t be trusted.

Frustrationqueen · 25/12/2017 19:15

Dont leave them unattended and make sure you stress the importance of not getting the pup over excited.
My son got bit a few times through ignoring me, some of those times i could have prevented but happened too fast.

The biter is now 2 and wouldnt dream of it (still wouldnt fully trust though) I was terrified at the time thinking he would be a biter forever.
When i got pup number 2, my ds decided to listen better.

Its not aggression, just over excitement

Original poster
KrisCringleWinterWonderland · 25/12/2017 19:15

The girls are 7 & 4. I agree with you. I'm just mad at myself, I guess, for not keeping on top of things. She's a good dog but I'm always on my guard with her and the DC and it is wearing.

OP posts:
TwitterQueen1 · 25/12/2017 19:15

What isn't acceptable is you leaving your children alone with a puppy and letting your older child wind it up.

Yes, you should absolutely contact a trainer - all puppies need to be trained and their owners need to know how to enforce that training too.

This will happen again if you don't take more care. I'm sorry you DD got hurt.

Ginorchoc · 25/12/2017 19:17

Sounds like your children need training.

Foodylicious · 25/12/2017 19:18

Guessing your 4 yr old had tetanus immunisation with her pre school booster?

I would be v upset too.
Sounds like you need to re set ground rules with older dd re ways to interact with dog, and don't ever have either dog or younger dd out of your sight maybe?

Frustrationqueen · 25/12/2017 19:18

ginorchoc - that is what i needed to do. The dog was doing great but ds would wind up and all training went out the window with over excitement.
Took a while but succeeded

mustbemad17 · 25/12/2017 19:19

I wouldn't get a trainer in. Personally i'd take yourself & your DC to a training group. Offers so much more than just 'training' & it would help reinforce in your DC that there are boundaries

BiteyShark · 25/12/2017 19:20

Puppies get over excited and mouth (bitey) when excited and over tired. I think your rule has to be 'all' children seperated from pup unless you are actively supervising and they know and stick to that rule.

Foodylicious · 25/12/2017 19:20

Aww, 7 is too young to be trusted not to get over excited I Think?
Not that you shouldn't try to tech her etc, but I wouldn't trust it working.

Hope you can all have some snuggles and enjoy your evening x

Original poster
KrisCringleWinterWonderland · 25/12/2017 19:21

I do try! We've had her for a good few months but she's been getting harder to handle since she was spayed. Not sure if that plays a part. I've also read about dogs having a "teenage" phase? Either way her behaviour has changed since she was spayed last month.

But I'm sure it's all my fault anyway!

OP posts:
missyB1 · 25/12/2017 19:22

Ok kids make mistakes, so do puppies and now and again so do parents, so no judgement from me.

Stress to both your kids how this could have been avoided and how unfair it was on the dog.

The trainer will also be able to help the girls to understand how to behave around their puppy.

Don’t beat yourself up, it’s a lesson learnt for all involved.

BiteyShark · 25/12/2017 19:23

How old and what breed? Yes they do go from puppies to a pain in the arse teenager and then into a lovely adult dog (stares at my now lovely adult dog who I had from 8 weeks old)

monkeywithacowface · 25/12/2017 19:23

To be fair even the best trained dog is capable of snapping and biting if wound up and handled roughly by children. You need to teach your children to respect the dog and not allow unsupervised interactions.

YNK · 25/12/2017 19:24

You aren't on your guard enough which is why this happened.
It's not the dogs fault at all - your older daughter should have never been allowed to do this to the poor creature.
I hope you keep your children under control around animals in future and teach them about the consequences of what older girl has done.
So sorry the youngster got hurt but sadly it was predictable given the dog was allowed to be stressed by the older girl.

mustbemad17 · 25/12/2017 19:28

I'd suggest a baby gate in say the kitchen. Everytime you have to go upstairs for example, the dog either goes with you or goes in the kitchen. If the baby gate is closed, your DC do not go near. It is very much about training your DC as much as the dog

monkeywithacowface · 25/12/2017 19:29

I do have sympathy though puppies can be right wankers!

flashlight17 · 25/12/2017 19:30

Wouldn’t keep the dog as your dc can’t behave properly around it.
You shouldn’t leave children and animals unsupervised.
If it happens again and your child gets injuried it is entirely your fault for keeping the animal.

mustbemad17 · 25/12/2017 19:33

Bit extreme to get rid of a puppy on one incident. Let's add to the hundreds of puppies chucked out after christmas rather than deal with the problem

flashlight17 · 25/12/2017 19:36

Ok it may seem ‘extreme’ but most people wouldn’t keep dogs that bite children’s faces.

Frustrationqueen · 25/12/2017 19:39

I kept the dog flashlight because i understood a puppy bites and a kid needs help to learn how to behave. It took extra work but was worth it.

BiteyShark · 25/12/2017 19:40

My puppy was extremely mouthy especially when excited and tired. I have holes in my jeans from his bitey teeth. This is why children should be seperated as it's bloody hard managing them as an adult until they have their bite inhibition under control so there is no chance of a young child managing an over excited puppy who can only interact with their paws and mouth.

mustbemad17 · 25/12/2017 19:42

Flashlight all puppies go through the mouthing stage. Please don't ever get a puppy if you would get rid at the first issue. Especially when the issue is not the dog but the DC.

monkeywithacowface · 25/12/2017 19:45

A puppy with the zoomies is all teeth and claws. It's not aggression it's play but it can bloody hurt and I have the tetanus shot to prove it! I wouldn't want my teenager alone trying to manage a mad 5 minutes with my pup let a lone a four year old.