Lovely rescue dog, but

[ThisIsntDanicaBritannica]

We’ve had him around a month, very dog reactive so we have to be careful with walks etc. But tonight he nipped my 15year old daughter on the face. He drew blood, but only just. She had been cuddling with him on the sofa, all fine, nothing me and my husband haven’t done with him, I was stood about a foot away. My daughter sat up away from him, still stroking him with one hand. He reared backwards and went for her face. His top teeth caught her nose and his bottom teeth caught her lip. It wasn’t an accident by a giddy dog in play, I would understand that. I can’t see the provocation, but then, I’m not in his doggy head. She’d already moved away from him so it doesn’t really seem like a ‘get back, I’ve had enough’ either.
I have a 3 year old grandson who visits. Dd15 is a bit shaken. So am I.

What should I do?
Should I contact his rescue? I’ve kept them up to date with him so far.
I love him so much but I no longer trust him.
Or am I making a mountain out of a molehill? I think Dh thinks I am and to be honest I totally lack perspective where any emotions are concerned!

Can’t believe the rescue centre are dithering. Also can’t believe the people at the rescue believe in pack theory! A dog should be treated like a dog (which is where a lot of this sort of thing falls down, treating the dog like a cute problem child) and dangerous dogs should be PTS.

[quote Lou98]@Grumpyosaurus Kennel Club UK have the stats and labs as number 1 for bites. Animal friends insurance have also stated that the majority of their personal injury claims for dog bites have been from labs.
[/quote]
If they're the most popular dog, that makes sense though? Just in terms of numbers?

I wouldn't rehome this dog at all. It sounds too dangerous

Right? Roughzcoat collies can be snappy as they tend to be very, very protective of favourite family members (so they might snap at the hand of a relative trying to strike a baby's head, for example), but they are never going to feature in a stat like that because they're quite a rare breed now (sadly).

It's ridiculous to say that labs are more dangerous and more likely to maul a child than a fighting breed.

stroke* a baby's head, not strike! I'd bite them, too!

I'm a dog rescue volunteer. I'd be telling the rescue that he's coming back in - no arguments. And I say that as an experienced dog owner with a houseful of rescue dogs, including some who are "reactive" dogs which have behaved badly/nipped in the past. Going for the face isn't a "nip".

The dog either needs to stay at the rescue as a permanent sponsor dog or he needs to be PTS. Some dogs are not suitable for rehoming with children and as a rescue they should be taking your concerns seriously and asking you to bring the dog back in.

Oh and there is no way on god's green earth is be rehoming a dog that has bitten a child in the face unprovoked. Even to a child-free home. Too dangerous.

Oh, I’m so sorry. How heartbreaking.
I think I would be emailing the rescue to tell them I’d be dropping him back at opening time tomorrow.

Thank you for all your advice.
You’re right, going for the centre of her face is more than a nip, warning or not. Luckily his teeth just grazed her nose - that’s an awful sentence to type up.
Of the two numbers I have for the rescue, one appears defunct and the other is just ringing and ringing. I’m so upset.
It’s a good point that my daughter was only doing what we do with him several times a day - sitting on the sofa stroking him. So probably too risky to be rehomed at all. Devastating.
I’m going to be protecting my daughter and caring for the dog, I’ve asked dh if he can stay with me tomorrow, but I don’t think he’ll be able. As soon as the rescue open tomorrow and read my messages, if they’re not straight on the phone to me, then they’re a shower of shit. I’ll try not to say that to them, that wouldn’t go down well.

I would drive over there with the dog. Don't bother calling first. And if they try and argue, then tell them that if they don't take the dog back then your next call is going to be to the police - to report the dog attack on your daughter. Followed by a call to the local council dog warden to inform them that your daughter was attacked by a dog from the rescue but the rescue is refusing to take the dog back and you are concerned it is dangerous.

The rescue sounds as dodgy as hell - and that's really concerning because if they are slack about rehoming then they are putting people at risk.

[quote Lou98]@Grumpyosaurus Kennel Club UK have the stats and labs as number 1 for bites. Animal friends insurance have also stated that the majority of their personal injury claims for dog bites have been from labs.
[/quote]
But bite stats mean nothing if we don't know how many dogs there are of that breed or type in the community.

If you have - for argument's sake - 10 bites from golden retrievers and 5 bites from, oh, dunno, rough collies, it looks as if the goldens bite more. But if you have a population of 1,000 goldens and 100 rough collies, then it's obvious that the rough collies are likelier to actually bite.

I'd be interested in a link to the Kennel Club stats for bites.

Oh, and OP, I'm so sorry you're going through this.

It's so easy to love a dog, and so horrible when it goes wrong.

Can you take the dog back to them yourself?
I wouldn’t keep him another day.

They have no business asking for photos in the first place. What for? To assess what?
The amount of blood? The size of the injury?
He bit your daughters face. No ‘assessment’ is needed.

This dog must not be rehomed. If they keep him, it needs to be as a resident dog, not one available for homing.
They sound irresponsible themselves.

Is it a kennels type rescue (dogs trust etc) or a small local one that mainly uses foster? It’s initials aren’t H H are they?

Imo straight to the vet for at least a check over....
Can you trust the rescue won't rehome to another family with a dc?
I placed a ddog I had been 'landed' with in a rescue - aided by mn and I was grateful. Despite my verbal and written reservations about ddog living with dc they rehomed him with a 7yo boy. Who he bit in the face. Returned to the rescue and had a breakdown from being passed around I imagine. He was very sadly pts.

@BackBackBack.completely agree with you.

We have a rescue dog for 5 years now and we got her when she was 2. She has a lot of issues and we must have spent over a thousand pounds on training and behaviorists. She hasn't changed one bit and is completely neurotic. We have learned her funny ways now and work around them. She did bite my husband once when in the beginning of having her she tried to attack a dog. She was on her lead and my husband got in the way of her trying to attack the other dog. She has dragged me to the ground to get to another dog once. I ended up with bloody hands and knees. She is reactive the minute she steps out our front door at everything. She reacts to people, cats, dogs, cars. She sleeps in the house all day. I really think all rescue dogs have some issue or another. Certainly if my dog bit my daughter like yours did I couldn't keep her. I think the rescue centre knew exactly what my dog was like and said nothing. I must say our dog has put us off ever wanting a dog again. We did have another rescue before this one but his issues were trained by us and he ended up a lovely dog for the 14 years we had him.

Are you able to put safeguards in place until you're able to return your dog to the rescue centre?

It would make sense to me if you were to get up from the couch if the dog gets onto it. I wouldn't be encouraging the dog to sit beside me on the couch.
If he wants some strokes while you're both standing up and can both move away, that might be safer but don't do it for a prolonged period just now.

I found that helpful with my weirdo ddog who has improved but who is still not bombproof. The nice thing about a greyhound is they're muzzle trained. So she is able to wear the muzzle if we have guests etc. She's lovely with guest though tbh. Weirdo.

m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=374160792599484&ref=content_filter

If you're able to see this link to 'dog training advice and support' it has loads of resources and if you need further advice from a behaviourist there are times you can post and ask further questions.
I would really recommend it.

@EnidFrighten @PlanktonsComputerWife of course if there's more of a breed then there will be more bites - but staffies (or rather staffie crosses) are also an extremely popular breed in the uk yet nobody defends them saying it's because there's so many of them is why they're high on the list - yet so many people seem to with labs because they don't fit the same agenda

@BackBackBack

I would drive over there with the dog. Don't bother calling first. And if they try and argue, then tell them that if they don't take the dog back then your next call is going to be to the police - to report the dog attack on your daughter. Followed by a call to the local council dog warden to inform them that your daughter was attacked by a dog from the rescue but the rescue is refusing to take the dog back and you are concerned it is dangerous.

The rescue sounds as dodgy as hell - and that's really concerning because if they are slack about rehoming then they are putting people at risk.

I agree with this. Any decent rescue would take the dog back rather than put your family at further risk.

Was there a growl/ bark or prolonged attack with the bite? What did the dog and everyone else do once it had happened?
You say the dog was on the sofa and also that the dog had tried to steal food from a plate, have you had firm boundaries from the point of rehoming? A dog who steals food from a plate should not then be sitting on the sofa with the people, rescued dogs need firm boundaries with 'ours' and 'yours' firmly in place. If you don't feel the situation is workable you should absolutely return the dog and if the rehoming centre are less than forthcoming with your request name and shame!
To the pp who suggested sleep startle- that is quite a Greyhound specific thing in terms of it being able to be worked on, Greys startle as they will usually spend at least 15-20 months at a minimum housed in kennels with only other Greys awakening them so the transition from racing kennel to home is an unusual one and can't really be compared to other breeds.

Put the dog in the car and take it back to the rescue. End of. Take it inside and leave it there.

You have done a decent thing and taken on a rescue dog. It's dangerously unpredictable and must not stay in your house any more. Don't feel guilty. They possibly knew something of the dog's history. Just hand it back. ASAP.

www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-advice/sleep-startle-dogs
With the sleep startle idea (not that it's definitely this, of course), other types of dogs can have it.

It is definitely something greyhound owners are much more likely to experience but we might see more of it with more families adopting street dogs from mainland Europe.

Put the dog in the car,drive to the rescue centre,leave the dog at the rescue center without any discussion and report the rescue centre.their response to the incident is completely irresponsible.If you dont report them,they are likely just to give the dog to another family/person.the dog needs to be PTS.It is the kindest for everyone.