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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

Puppy bitten child. Advice needed please.

10 replies

Ooohyeeaah · 14/02/2018 23:57

Not a new member but can not remember my original details as not posted for a while. I am looking for advice please. My 7 year old has been bitten on the ear by our 17 wk old puppy. It's a nasty gash and had to be treated at a&e. 7 year old adores him which is requited and they play together all the time - always attended and until now they have had the most fun together. It wasn't a nasty attack - I think it was accidental. My child was running up and down the room with him, fell to the ground tickling him and then got up screaming with blood pouring from his ear. I think looking at the wound the puppy was mouthing and my child pulled away and his tooth dragged across his ear. I feel absolutely terrible about it as it will scar but I know it was not malicious. Both my children were crying after because they thought we were going to send him away which I won't. But I am really worried. I have separated the 7 year old from him most of the day. He is far gentler with my 9 year old for some reason. 7 year old really sad about it. The puppy has been sad all day with his ears and tail down. Advice going forward?I have not had a puppy for a long time. I thought things were going really well until now. Puppy is a bichon.

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 15/02/2018 00:02

You simply need to teach your children a more appropriate way of playing with the dog ie teaching it tricks , playing ball or tuggy , not rolling about on the floor . I wouldn’t get too stressed about it , just more careful moving forward , as you said accidents happen .

FluffyPineapple · 15/02/2018 00:16

Sounds like the puppy became over excited by the boisterous play. Its not the puppy's fault. Teach your ds how to interact with puppy in a more calm and controlled way.

Original poster

Ooohyeeaah · 15/02/2018 00:49

Thank you both. I know it is not the puppy's fault. They were just playing. I'm just scared to let them play again. They are both very bouncy and don't want another knock to the wound while it is healing. Puppy seems almost depressed today. Just keeps sitting looking at 7 yr old from behind the babygate or taking himself to crate.

OP posts:

BookHelpPlease · 15/02/2018 00:54

I think thats pretty standard for a 17 week pup.

You need to teach them to yelp/squeak very loudly and sharply as soon as the puppy's teeth touch them when they are playing. Then stop play and have a quiet minute. This should teach pup no mouthing games are allowed at all. Pup is unaware at this age of how much its teeth can hurt. Wondering if he is also teething?

Nesssie · 15/02/2018 10:57

Supervise the playing, with a toy for the puppy to grab onto. Perhaps teach your DS not to get too low to the floor.

Get your DS to teach the puppy some simple tricks instead of the rough play. This will strengthen the bond between them.

RussellTheLoveMuscle · 15/02/2018 11:19

Please don't teach your child to yelp /squeak if he get's bitten, it might work with some puppies but could also get others even more excited.
Better to teach them both how to calmly interact, so no running around or rolling about together.

MothershipG · 15/02/2018 11:23

Puppies behave differently with different people as they learn what each human let's them get away with. Ddog1 is much rougher with DH than anyone else as that's how he plays with her.

What you need to take from this is how your 7 year old plays with the puppy means accidents are more likely. So they need to change how they play as PPs have said. And remember it will take the puppy a while to learn the new rules so you absolutely have to make your DC stick to them and not slip into bad habits.

I swear having a puppy is as much about training the humans in the family as the puppy!

MotherofTerriers · 15/02/2018 11:24

I don't know if this will help, but exactly the same happened to me. I was trying to get DD then aged 9 ready and the puppy was being a pain, asked DS then 7 to play with the puppy. Puppy nipped his ear, he pulled away and there was an awful lot of blood. Puppy teeth are needle sharp. He was ok - not bad enough to need A&E, and the pup did not grow up to be a vicious attack dog. Pups just need to learn not to bite, which takes a little while. DS did say, when I'd mopped up the blood "do I have to carry on playing with the puppy now mummy?" which he still thinks is funny. He is now 21

BookHelpPlease · 18/02/2018 00:29

@RussellTheLoveMuscle

A yelp/ squeak is very much standard to teach puppies bite strength. It is what they do with their litter mates and how they learn naturally. IT should be a short sharp sound with all play and movement stopped.

BiteyShark · 18/02/2018 06:18

A yelp/ squeak is very much standard to teach puppies bite strength.

Depends on the puppy. A yelp made my puppy worse so removing him or me so play stopped without any sound was the more effective method.

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