Resource Guarding - bad bite

[Rubberduckytwin]

Last Thursday ny dog bit a relative. Gave no warning- they had given him a bowl of food, went to add a biscuit to it and with no warning dog flew at him. He is elderly but dog left his hand with a nasty cut, probably about 3inches long, and left the tendon exposed. Hes had a course of antibiotics and 3 trips to minor injuries at hospital- they have now referred to GP to keep an eye on infections.

I am trying to get my partner to realise we cannot keep this dog. We have a newborn baby, 2 1/2 year old and 6 year old. We have had him for over a year. I dont think I can take the chance with the kids as he cannot be trusted with food- how can I get my partner on board? I'm so upset and need his support. It's making it so much harder.

How long have you had the dog? Have you ever had issues before? Does the elderly relative often feed the dog/know the dog well? I would personally always leave a dog in peace when it's eating.

We're just moving this over to the doghouse for the OP.

Had him around 15 months. He has nipped my son over food before but never broken skin- he found some sweets and when challenged bit, left bruising. So I'm conscious that his time it's got progressively more serious in terms of injury roo.

The dog was interrupted while it was eating and bit - I don't think that means he needs to be rehomed (as in, I don't believe it makes him dangerous per se) however you're perfectly within your right not to want him around small children.

Lots of dogs like to just be left to eat in peace. Mine gets shut in the kitchen or outside to eat his meals - he's never been aggressive but I wouldn't like to be pestered while I eat so I offer him the same courtesy.

Why was your relative sticking his hand in the dogs bowl? That's a real recipe for disaster unless it's a dog you know and trust.

Resource guarding is one that can be fixed, but it takes lots of hard work and considerable input from a behaviourist. During that time the dog and the children really need to be kept apart so stair gates, play pens etc.
I am uncertain from your post whether the rejoining is because you are doing everything and do not have the capacity with two young children to then be separating and doing the training work. This is not unreasonable if you are doing all the dog and children work.

Watching with interest.
Our Ddog is similar regards food. He's the most placid, gentle soul any other time.

You’ll struggle to find a rescue willing to take in a dog with a serious bite history...

Why was your relative sticking his hand in the dogs bowl

He was adding a biscuit to the food already in the bowl.
Op - I’m with you on not wanting to keep the dog. With 3 very young children - one of whom has already been bitten - it’s a risk I would not be willing to take.

I agree it's not the dog's fault. But I can also see that you don't want the risk with small kids. You can't guarantee that a child may pass "too close" to the dog for the dogs liking when he has something he wants and he thinks the child is a threat to that.

With work it can be overcome, but there's a risk in the meantime. And a bite which leaves the tendon exposed is a very uninhibited bite. If you were an adult only home I'd say keep the dog and work on the behaviour.

In your circumstances I'd be ringing round rescues, either small local ones or the dogs trust and talking to them and seeing if they would take the dog. And honestly if I couldn't rehome I'd have him put to sleep. Which is sad for the dog but your kids come first. Ive been in the position of having to have a dog pts for biting....we spent nearly 2 years working with behaviourists to no avail (not resource guarding though).

Meant to say, I couldn't find a rescue to take the dog. Which I can understand. They're full of dogs they are struggling to rehome who don't have a bite history.

He was adding a biscuit to the food already in the bowl.

Yes, I know, but why?!

Dogs should be left alone while eating and sleeping - it's like doggy 101. This dog has a history of resource guarding - he's not going to appreciate someone sticking their hand in his resource (food) even if it is to add a biscuit.

Feed the dog and then leave the dog in peace to eat its meals. Either shut him somewhere on his own or put him outside - he shouldn't have to worry about anyone interfering with his food!

When the dog bit the OP’s child it was because the dog found a dropped sweet. With a pre school child and a baby the chances of there being food on the floor is pretty high. Which would mean that the chances of a child being bitten are high too

Oh definitely which is why I said it's okay if OP wanted to rehome.

But a dog that resource guards isn't inherently dangerous - you just need to manage behaviour and expectations more than you would with a normal dog.

I would definitely re-home the dog. I have witnessed a dog attack a child 'out of the blue' with no warning. It's not worth the risk.

Your partner is being stupid and childish if he cannot see that the dog can't be trusted.

No way would I keep this dog.
A bad bite like that id put it down personally, I think it irresponsible to rehome a dog that has caused serious injury.
I'd go over partners head tbh.

To bite someone, especially severely enough to expose the tendon is utterly unacceptable and the relative should not be blamed in any way of form.
All dogs should be trained to accept hands near boeks, toys etc.

@fuckandflowers
Put the dog down? Seriously?
If the dog had been trained and relative wasnt an idiot then this wouldn’t have happened!
As usual the ignorant blame the dog. Stop expecting dogs to tolerate anything and then blame them when it’s clearly been let down by useless owners.
The OP states there’s been concerns re:food yet they’ve not rectified it= human let dog down

Absolutely 100% put it down!

The dog bit someone without warning severely enough to expose the tendon

That is really, really serious.

You can't can't keep a dog like that with children, especially as it has already bit a child previously.

But how can you possibly, morally, pass a dog like that onto someone else either?

It is utterly irresponsible and an insult to the thousands of non aggressive, friendly dogs put to sleep every year from lack of homes.

The relative should not be blamed at all.
Dogs should not be biting people with no warning with intent to cause serious injury.
Stop thinking about the poor wee fluffy fur baby failed by its owners and see it for what it is - an unpredictable, dangerous animal more than willing to cause serious injury.

Do you not think that the OP bears any responsibility? They were aware of a guarding issue but done nothing, so yes they failed the dog.
Don’t bother with your condescending shite, I’ve worked with rescue dogs for years and see this endlessly; owners not training them shock horror something happens.

I think it is unhelpful to constantly blame the owners.

As the owner of a dog with behavioural issues I am often blamed, most owners of dogs with behavioural problems have actually tried really hard to fix it.

Most of us have spent huge amounts of money, seen trainers, read books, watched training videos and it is really unpleasant to then be told by people it is all your fault, you are ineffective, useless etc.

A lot of a dogs temperament is genetic and should not be blamed on the owner and sometimes dogs don't respond to the training given to them despite what some would have you believe. Different methods work for different dogs and for some dogs they will never be fixed and that isn't always down to the owner.

The OP has made two posts, neither of whichever mention what has, or hasn't been done.

For all you know the OP may well have already been trying hard to fix this.
You are making unhelpful assumptions.

The dog gives no warning, that alone makes it dangerous to live with and utterly unsuited to a home with children.

It wouldn't be so bad if it had been a massively inhibited bite but the dog has actually caused serious injury.
Of course it cannot stay.

I find it extremely worrying that dogs that A) give no warning and B) bite severely enough to cause serious injury are apparently welcomed as suitable candidates for rescue!

The dog gives no warning, The warning is, the dog has a known resource guarding issue. Therefore the relative should never have gone near whilst he was eating. Resource guarding is common, and can be fixed, however it is going to be difficult with young children dropping food etc.

There is no need to put the dog down, however I understand that rehoming may be the best option in this case.
Ask you DP to research how to manage a dog with resource guarding and he will see that it will be very difficult with young children, and will get worse if not sorted.

OP, have you had the dog from a puppy, can you contact the breeder? How old and what breed is he, perhaps I can suggest some rescues.

I wouldn't keep the dog either. The resource guarding seems to be escalating and is wholly incompatible with small children. He needs to go asap. Be honest with rescues about his history and if they will not take him then PTS is the only answer I am afraid and the responsible thing to do.

“Resource guarding is common, and can be fixed, however it is going to be difficult with young children dropping food etc. “

It’s not the resource guarding, it’s the severity of the bite.

There’s no bite inhibition there at all, that level of bite could quite easily kill a child.

It’s very unlikely you’ll find a rescue willing to take the dog on, and it’ll even be hard to find a professional willing to work with it.

The dog gives no warning

The warning is that he resource guards and has snapped at people before - therefore you don't even attempt to put your hand in or near his food! The relative should have been told to feed the dog then step away and remove himself.

Resource guarding can be resolved but it means the owners need to be constantly vigilant and not allow people to put their hands and faces near the dog while it has a high value item. Of course that's difficult with children so by all means rehome if that's not possible.

The severity of the bite is hard to judge, 2 dogs could attack with the same intent and depending on breed, placement of bite etc the bite could turn out completed different. Plus elderly people have thinner skin, and there was no clothing protection.

I've had deeper bites that looked more severe in play from my GSD, than bites from a terrier that was being aggressive.

It all depends on the breed as to a rescue space - cockerpoos/cocker spaniels are notorious for resource guarding but plenty of places will take them on, unfortunately if it is a bull breed it is going to be a lot harder to find a space.