Our dog bit ds in the face and drew blood

[Differentusernametoday]

please be kind, I am really shaken and need some support.

We have an 11 month old springer. We have a few issues with him, mostly anxiety related, and are waiting to see a behaviourist. I don’t trust him because he has growled at us before, and has bitten my hand and snapped at me, although to be fair both times I feel we’re partly my fault. This afternoon, he was on the sofa bed put down for guests - ds2saw him and told him to get off, apparently dog growled at him, ds tried to move him and dog bit his face and has drawn blood. Currently waiting in a&e now. Ds2 is devastated and knows he should not have tried to move him when he had already growled, and blames himself. I feel like I have reached the end of the road and I can’t live with a dog I don’t trust, but it will break ds3’s heart if we rehome him, but in some ways it will be a huge weight lifted. What would you do?

He doesn't sound like he was a particularly stable dog. The breeder probably shouldn't have placed him with an inexperienced family in the first place. You did your best OP. There's no shame in what you've done. You have to keep your kids safe.

It sounds like he wasn't very well socialized which is a widespread issue in lockdown puppies. If he has gone to a working dog owner they will be able to deal with that and help him build his confidence. Gundog owners need to at least know the basics of training and many of them have moved over to positive training.

I don't want to rub salt into the wound, OP, but if you do get another dog please take some time to educate yourself and your children before the new dog arrives. Your dog did nothing wrong. It was communicating with your DS in the only way it knew how.

When I need to move animals off sofas and they ignore their commands (which is pretty common in adolescent dogs) I lured them using treats and then we take a step back with their training. Adolescent dogs, much like teenagers, go through a phase where they test boundaries. They realise they don't have to do what you ask just because you ask. You need to be patient and go back to basics and make sure your reward is more appealing to them than what they are doing. This might means switching up treats to something tastier or using a game as a reward instead of treats.

Even so at 11 months he was a pup, and like a young toddler would need to be reminded of the rules. A toddler should never approach a growling dog face to face. All that was needed was a cushion behind the butt, and a firm off while pushing him off the sofa. Toddlers tend to lean in to a dogs face, and at the same level so if the dog growls and flashes his teeth about having to leave his spot its easy for both to come into contact with each other.

A dog that age is young and they don't come with a manual that says after 1 lesson they know how to behave for every family member. Children should always use a cushion to push dogs off a sofa not bare hands. It creates a barrier between them and the dog. And it stops little hands roughly grabbing the dog.

Its good that a solution was found though.

Dogs should never be pushed off a sofa. Use treats as lures or failing that a houseline. There should be no reason to get physical at all.

No - I was at fault and I went for a cheap laugh. I can't even claim I'd had a glass of wine to many because I hadn't.

I appreciate your being magnanimous about it.

I always talk to my dogs before approaching them, and when I say push them off I first say off . If they ignore me I put a cushion behind them, and repeat off good dog. If they grumble I say off and nudge them which most times is enough. Got my first dog at aged 7 and I am 59 now with my 4/5 dogs. And I have never been bitten.

Most dogs will do nothing but grumble. Many won't even grumble, but that grumble is their last communication before they snap. It's not worth the risk, not only the risk of snapping but the risk to the trust your dog has in you to listen to them. They don't understand that we don't understand them, iyswim? In their eyes they are telling us very clearly that they are not happy with what we are doing.

We use cheese if we run out of treats or whatever is safe that we have in the fridge. One of mine will even perform for a bit of his kibble. Or a game. I would never get hands-on with a dog, even with my most trusting, balanced dog and you could probably beat him half to death and he'd still be your best mate. He's the odd one that is fascinated by toddlers and enjoys hugs as long as you don't rush at him from behind.

Make it a better option to get off the sofa than to stay on i.e they get cheese/half an ocean stick/slice of ham and guided to their own comfy bed where they the rest of the cheese/ham/ocean stick. Happy dog, happy owner, and everyone gets what they want, how they want it.

Reactive dogs either should not be allowed up on the sofa at all or only allowed by invitation and only after they master "off" and "bed".

I think that you've made the right decision but I really don't blame you for having a cry

A grumble is more a do I have to in my house not a proper growl! I know my dogs character and their breed. My dogs know a lot of tricks. My terrier/ cross knows over 50 tricks. I started teaching her tricks because she has a noise phobia. And it helped stop her from standing waiting for the next noise. She picks up socks for me, wish my fella would do the same. She brings me my ugg boots after work.