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The doghouse

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

Original poster

Our dog bit DS. What next?

454 replies

newnamefortoday · 04/08/2022 19:39

NC for this one. Our JRT bit 4yo DS on the foot at the weekend. Not terrible, but a huge bruise, puncture wound, visit to minor injuries and antibiotics. We’re not sure exactly what happened, dog was in the garden, DS climbed on the gate as he has done dozens of times before but this time the dog bit his foot as he put it through. Just heard a snarl then a scream. Dog knew exactly who it was as the gate is between garden and house, not the road. It would have been much worse had the gate not been between them. We also have a small baby. We are obviously considering dog’s future and keeping him separated for now. He snarled at my mum this week and caught my ankle snapping at me last week. He’s always been a bit of a grumpy terrier but has never bitten before so we’re considering all possibilities. He’s quite old. Lots to think about but with a small baby we can’t take any chances. What would you do next, apart from taking dog to vet to check for pain etc? Would you expect any follow up from SS or HV through the hospital?

OP posts:
GuyFawkesDay · 04/08/2022 19:41

Vet check.

Could be dog dementia or other source of pain.

Hoppinggreen · 04/08/2022 19:41

Vet check and/or rehome.
I am not usually too dramatic about these things but that sounds like a proper bite that meant business and with a baby around too I dint think your dog can live with you anymore

Tania64 · 04/08/2022 19:43

Agree you need to re home do not take risks with your children.

SarahSissions · 04/08/2022 19:47

I’d vet check. It might be that with an older dog that a busy house with a baby and youngster might be too noisy and stressful id prepare to maybe rehome- do you have any older relatives with quiet calm homes.

Beachsidesunset · 04/08/2022 19:54

PTS. A jack Russell is capable of killing a baby.

SparklingLime · 04/08/2022 19:57

It happened at the weekend, it’s now Thursday evening and you haven’t even got him a vet appointment yet?

Original poster
newnamefortoday · 04/08/2022 20:03

@SparklingLime we took him on Monday. If you read my post, you’d see I said “apart from vet check”. Perhaps I should have made that more clear.

OP posts:
Original poster
newnamefortoday · 04/08/2022 20:09

Nothing obvious from the vet check, just an older dog. We keep them separated unless we are supervising as we are conscious he is older and doesn’t like being jumped on/pulled around.

OP posts:
MassiveSalad22 · 04/08/2022 20:09

Nah, get rid.

RedRec · 04/08/2022 20:10

Absolutely get rid.

Bananarama21 · 04/08/2022 20:12

Wouldn't take the chance with a young child.

MassiveSalad22 · 04/08/2022 20:14

Thing is, loads of people can remember being 4 and especially if something was painful emotionally or physically. You dont want your kid to feel you prioritised a dog over them. Plus next time it could be a worse bite.

hellywelly3 · 04/08/2022 20:14

I’m sorry but I’d PTS. My dog is my world but when it comes to my child’s safety I won’t take any chances. You’ve mentioned growling and nipping at ankles. What are you waiting for? Another bite?

CandyLeBonBon · 04/08/2022 20:15

How old is 'older'

I'm sorry op but with the best will in the world, you've already said he's growled, snapped and snarled before he's bitten. One day you will not be able to supervise and something worse will happen.

Rehome, please, or if super old, pts.

zurala · 04/08/2022 20:16

A dog that bites a human should be PTS. I know it's hard, but you can't take the risk.

PatientlyWaiting21 · 04/08/2022 20:17

I have a dog, love him to bits, but if he ever did this he would be re Homed instantly. It would break my heart but it’s not a risk I could take.

2reefsin30knots · 04/08/2022 20:18

He's bitten your DS and you and behaved aggressively towards your mum? I think the kindest thing you could do would be PTS. He's not safe to live in your household and would likely find being re-homed very stressful.

DonttouchthatLarry · 04/08/2022 20:24

Personally I would have the dog PTS. If he's old it would be unfair to rehome him and potentially stress him out and put him in a situation where he might snap again. It doesn't sound like it was a 'justified' one off (when I was a child our dog grabbed my hand when I tried to take a bone off him - mum told me off, not the dog) as he's also shown aggression to you and your mum.

I've had an aggressive dog put down and while it was upsetting at the time I've never lost a night's sleep worrying about what became of him, was he stressed, had he bitten again, was he being mistreated etc. I know he was humanely put to sleep with me by his side - he could never be hurt again and could never hurt anyone else. If I'd rehomed him and found out something bad had happened I'd have never forgiven myself.

Ginger1982 · 04/08/2022 20:25

We had a JRT whose aggression was off the scale. He bit me and DH numerous times. He would sit on your lap and then bite you when you tried to move. I was terrified of him and as DS started to move around more, I became terrified of what he might do. We had him vet checked and worked with numerous behaviourists to no avail. We eventually had him PTS and the relief was overwhelming even though we felt terribly guilty for a long time afterwards. But I would never have forgiven myself if he had bitten DS.

Stabbitystabstab · 04/08/2022 20:25

Beachsidesunset · 04/08/2022 19:54

PTS. A jack Russell is capable of killing a baby.

Unfortunately this.

StopStartStop · 04/08/2022 20:28

Put to sleep. Don't pass the problem on to someone else. Making this decision, based on the evidence you have provided, is your decision but should be clear-cut.

Orangesare · 04/08/2022 20:28

I don’t think you can keep him unfortunately, it sounds as if he’s quite grumpy. I used to have a JRT x who was awful when she was old. Never bit anyone but couldn’t be trusted.
if it had been a nip with no mark left on the skin and the dog had been antagonised by the child first I wouldn’t have worried. That’s a warning unfortunately your dog went straight for the bite.
you might be able to find a childless older couple or a farm who want a ratter to take the dog but it’s best to ask through the vets

Original poster
newnamefortoday · 04/08/2022 20:29

Thank you all for this. If he was mine, he’d have gone already but DH had him from a puppy before we were married and DH has resisted so far. I will show him this thread.

OP posts:
mynameischloe · 04/08/2022 20:30

StopStartStop · 04/08/2022 20:28

Put to sleep. Don't pass the problem on to someone else. Making this decision, based on the evidence you have provided, is your decision but should be clear-cut.

Also agree with this.

I had to do this a few years ago when my dog became aggressive towards people. My two DC were very very young. As PP said, do not pass this problem on to someone else.

If your dog is being aggressive they are clearly very unsettled and unhappy.

When I took my dog to be PTS (which was the most heartbreaking thing I've had to do), the vet said to me "cry now for the dog, not later for the baby". That stuck with me and will forever.

GuyFawkesDay · 04/08/2022 20:31

Our childhood JRT had a brain tumour. Went from being a sappy easy going boy to unpredictable and snappy. As soon as we had the diagnosis the kindest and best thing was to PTS.

Get the dog to the vet.