DDog tried to bite. Rehome or PTS?

[TetleysSurpassesYorkshireTea]

Hi, I have a 10 month old Maltese-Westie cross.

Today, after his bath, I tried to remove some dirt from his face and he tried to bite me. He is normally very placid after a bath, and I had him wrapped in a towel having a cuddle. He had let me wash his face in the bath, but as soon as he saw my hand approach his eye, he tried to bite. He has tried to do the same thing before in similar circumstances, when being groomed.

DDog does have a history of nipping ankles and hands, and we have redirected to toys or said a firm "no". We have also gently pushed him away or distracted by getting him to sit and calm down.

I do feel DDog's behaviour is deteriorating. We have contacted the Behaviourist, based at the vet, about the nipping and have followed her advice, but DDog still tries to attack feet and hands, often in an attempt to play, and despite our best efforts.

DDog has also become very barky. Again the Behaviourist advised us how to deal with this, which I thought was going pretty well, but he has now started barking and growling at people just passing the house.

It sounds silly, as he is only a Maltese, but his nips really hurt.

I have an 8 year old daughter who cannot cope with th1r barking or nipping due to Aspergers. I am worried that the dog will try to bite her when she pushes him away from licking her fave etc.

It seems as if in the past few weeks, the behviour has deteriorated more.

Does anyone have any advice re what the best thing to do in this circumstances?

We were looling at rehoming anyway due to the barking and its adverse affects on my daughter. I have contacted Maltese Rescue and have arranged for the lady to call me back.

Do I try to rehome or PTS? Any advice would be great.

[starcrossedseahorse]

But at least the OP is now going to re-home which I would say is an excellent result for the puppy (which is all that really matters here).

[TetleysSurpassesYorkshireTea]

Thank you starcrossed I will wait for the breed rescue lady to find him the best home possible.

I am very aware that we are only a few weeks from Xmas, and DDog is a gorgeous, cute little pup. I am scared to death that if I gave him to a rescue centre that wasn't breed specific, a family may adopt him as a Xmas present which I abhor.

I got DDog for life, not imagining for a minute that I would ever be faced with the situation I am in now. It is breaking my heart to rehome him, but I squash my feelings down about it, because I know it is DD and DDog who matter most.

I am so glad that he doesn't need to be PTS. He deserves a lovely life with a family who can meet his needs. I hope the breed rescue lady finds that for him.

In the interim, I will keep up implementing the measures the Behaviourist has suggested, and have copied the report to the breed rescue lady so she has as much info as possible.

[TetleysSurpassesYorkshireTea]

@Wolfiefan - I have the papers showing generations of parentage etc for DDog. He is pedigree as far as I can know without having DNA testing done. The breed rescue lady thought he may be a cross but the vet has said she really doesnt think so.

DDog initially went to KC training classes and is very well trained in most areas. We are implementing the suggestions the Behaviourist has made.

DDog is walked for 90 mins a day over two walks. During which he runs until he is exhausted and lays on the floor panting happily. When he has had enough, that's when he comes home.

Can you please tell me how he is underexercised? And how he is untrained? Please can you tell me how training him and having help from a Behaviourist is doing nothing to prevent/avoid unwanted behaviours? I am clearly missing something else that I should be doing. Please could you elaborate so that I can implement your suggestions whilst breed rescue are finding him a new home.

I do not see how my "story" is inconsistent. If you think I am making things up, I am uncertain why you are bothering to post.

[Wolfiefan]

One lot of lessons doesn’t make a trained dog. It takes months and months of hard work.
You have a dog that clearly doesn’t like being groomed and bathed. Yet you wrap it in a towel for a “cuddle”. Your dog has said it doesn’t want this but you’re not listening.
Dog on a lead or longline or not around child would prevent the biting.

[tabulahrasa]

Rage syndrome?

What on Earth are you telling them has happened for them to be thinking that’s a possibility?...

You might think a snap while wrapped in a towel and having his face mucked about with is unprovoked and sudden - but it’s really really not... and if any professional you’re seeing thinks that’s unprovoked you need to find new ones, because they know so little about dogs that I’d be checking their qualifications and ID.

Unprovoked means no identifiable cause, not I did something and the dog didn’t like it, but I’m not ok with the dog not liking it...



Also in what way is a DNA test any hassle for the dog? I mean it’s completely irrelevant whether he’s the breed he’s supposed to be or not, but it’s not like they do a spinal fluid sample for a DNA test.

[BiteyShark]

Yes it's best to go through the breed rescue although you might also want to look at other 'good' rescues that rehome direct to new owner.

All dogs have their personalities as well as breed characteristics so just because a puppy exhibits other traits does not make him or her a cross. Right now whether he's a pedigree/cross, from a good breeder or not is not important. The important thing is finding him a suitable home whilst you manage his fears. Try not to put your dog in any situation that is scary for him until he is rehomed. Clearly scary for him is being restrained.

[tabulahrasa]

Oh and rescues do not rehome dogs as Christmas presents btw, most wont rehome anywhere near Christmas.

[adaline]

I have the papers showing generations of parentage etc for DDog.

That doesn't mean anything. I know dogs homed from puppy farms that come with generations of "pedigree". Anyone can write up a pedigree certificate on their computer and claim it's genuine.

I am clearly missing something else that I should be doing.

Recognise that your dog is not bombproof and you can't expect to be able to swaddle him in a towel and prod him in the face without him lashing out. Just because he's tolerated it up to now doesn't mean it's the right way to treat him. Most dogs don't like being held in positions where they can't escape.

You need to treat your dog as an animal with his own feelings and you can't expect him to just tolerate any manner of behaviour. Mine is a similar age and doesn't like being picked up or held. He loves strokes and fuss but on his terms and in positions where he can escape and move away when he wants. Start treating him like a dog and not a toy that you can just manoeuvre and do whatever you like to!

[pigsDOfly]

Well, that's a switch.

Over a few posts the puppy has gone from a animal with 'Rage syndrome' that a vet has told you probably needs to be pts to one that you're now glad doesn't have to be pts.

What's changed?

[adaline]

What's changed?

She didn't like people's thoughts on putting a 10 month old puppy to sleep so she's changed her story!

[MillicentSnitch]

A good rescue will make sure that he goes to people who understand that he's got some behavioural issues, so there's no danger of him winding up with a family who don't understand him. And there'll be no Christmas adoption - we adopted our dog in early December only because he was very sick and wouldn't have lasted in kennels. A big exception was made for us - normally pre-Christmas adoptions weren't allowed. There's no shame in your and your dog's needs being different - a chance to thrive in a better-suited home will be the best gift you can give him.

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

Adaline my thoughts exactly!!

[starcrossedseahorse]

TBH I cannot see what having a go at the OP is achieving here. She has said that this puppy will be re-homed sensibly with his needs catered for and that is what matters.

[adaline]

Because people are fed up with people rehoming (or trying to get PTS) puppies for displaying completely normal puppy behaviours.

Dogs don't like being trapped and then having things poked near their eyes - even well trained, calm adults would dislike it. This is a 10 month old puppy who was forced into a situation it didn't like - it then showed how unhappy it was and it's owner wanted to have it PTS!

I really wish more people would do their bloody research before taking on a living creature and treating it like a doll dogs are animals and should be treated with respect, not expected to tolerate everything we throw at them with no repercussions!

[starcrossedseahorse]

I quite agree and I work with a dog rescue and have seen/heard things that keep me awake at night.

However, I care only for this puppy and it seems that he has got the best outcome for him on the horizon.

[TetleysSurpassesYorkshireTea]

Adaline - I did not want him put to sleep. I was worried that I had to because he had tried to bite on this and one other occasion.

To be quite frank, if I had wanted to have pup PTS then I would have done so at the vets. But I didn't because I Don't want to!

I posted here to CHECK what I should do, and I am glad that I did so as I have received some helpful advice.

However, the snide, nasty insinuations of some posters have been awful. Hence there being so many deletions on this thread.

There have been comments made that are completely unacceptable, and utterly contrary to the kind, caring people some of you clearly think you are.

Maybe trying to be as compassionate to humans as you are to.animals would be a nice idea.

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

No one in their right mind is going to be compassionate to somebody that ever considered KILLING a healthy puppy?

All you have done is receive loads of comments, not liking them you have then fed everybody more crap. Back pedalling desperately to convince us that what you had said was reasonable and logical.

[TetleysSurpassesYorkshireTea]

Excitedforchristmas - oh FGS, you are strangers on the internet. Why would I bother lying to you all? I haven't backpedalled whatsoever, I have stated the facts as they are.

Get a grip and stop being so bloody horrible.

[Wolfiefan]

Your OP asked whether to PTS or rehome.
It’s hard to feel compassion for people who take on animals without proper research and with proper consideration for what they’re taking on.
The animal always suffers.

[adaline]

I did not want him put to sleep. I was worried that I had to because he had tried to bite on this and one other occasion.

But he's a puppy - it shouldn't have ever been a consideration! I think that's what people are trying to say, that puppies nip and bite and it's completely normal behaviour at both 10 weeks and 10 months old. Yes it's undesirable and yes, it's painful but it's absolutely not a reason to even consider having the dog put to sleep.

When you start a thread with that in the title and it turns out the pup is only 10 months old you need to understand you've put peoples backs up and upset them. Lots of posters here work with rescues and deal with the aftermath of puppies who have been bought and rehomed because people don't like/can't cope with completely normal adolescent dog behaviours. This is just one of hundreds that come up on here every year.

Yes, the dog is getting rehomed which is great but rehoming dogs will cause issues in itself. Too many people get dogs and can't cope with the reality, give them up to rescue and the dogs then have abandonment issues or anxiety over being left and the cycle continues.

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

What would you have done if people on here would of said 'yep put it down!'
Toddled off to the vets and had it killed?!

[IWasTrendingThereForAMinute]

Get him castrated next week and find him a new home or return to breeder ASAP.

[TetleysSurpassesYorkshireTea]

Frequency - yes, it is true. It is totally unacceptable to accuse someone seeking support of telling lies.

How is being vile to a person, asking questions to do their best for their dog, actually going to help my dog's welfare?

Furthermore, if you think what I have written isn't true, why bother commenting on the thread?

If you think I am a troll, take it up with MNHQ.

[Frequency]

The behaviourist and the vet need retraining. I would report them to their governing bodies, if I were you, OP.