Considering euthanising dog after bite

[Dogheartbreak]

I feel so sick with the weight of this on my mind.
5 years ago, we rescued a dog from a UK charity that brings dogs from abroad. I am an experienced dog owner and wanted to save this dog's life. I have had rescue dogs before.
This dog was/is very nervous and reactive. I have worked with a behaviourist and the vet to improve the dogs quality of life and the improvements have been vast. But he's still a nervous dog and be off lead or anything out and about. I was happy that he loved his life with me, he was well cared for and happy and I would provide a safe and control environment for him to live out his days, walking when it's quieter and using secure fields etc.
I was told when I was younger I couldn't have children. Fast forward to one year after having the dog and I was pregnant. I've since had 2 kids and every precaution and loads of training went into prepping the dog. All was fine and obviously dog and kids never alone or anything. Easier when they were babies as they'd always be in our arms or if on the playmat we would be right there and the dog wasn't interested and has never approached one of the kids. Now they are toddlers and this is becoming so much harder to manage. The dog is visibly anxious if kids are in the same room so we separate and he ends up being in another room alone for hours which is obviously awful. We teach the kids how to behave but obviously they are toddlers and unpredictable, youngest in particular just wants to get to the dog whenever he can see him.
The other day, he was running through the kitchen to go outside and my 1yo reached out from his highchair and grabbed fur on the dogs back. He turned and bit his arm. Thankfully no major damage but had teeth marks and it could have so much worse. I took baby to drs obviously. We are incredibly vigilant but I am now terrified of a gate being left open, or eventually kids being able to open the gate or whatever and something happening.
He's very scared and aggressive towards strangers and I feel that if we weren't so vigilant with gates and the muzzle that he would have bitten someone else by now and could do again.
Obviously controlling the environment to this extent with 2 toddlers around is so hard. With the kids we also have more visitors to the house etc which stress the dog. I can't have the dog on a lead in the house as my kids are always all over me so if we have visitors the dog goes in his dog house in the garden (outside office with sofa and heating etc. he seems happy in there but I don't like doing it for more than an hour).
I feel like I can't have him in the house now this has happened. The rescue offer back up but I've seen them publicly shame people on their Facebook page that have done this. I also think they'll re-home the dog without disclosing the bite history and I could never forgive myself if he bit someone else, or worse
Also the thought of him having to be put down in a strange place. Or if the biting would mean he'd end up in a kennel for the rest of his days.
Please be kind. What can do. I love him so much but can't risk my children.

I would have him put to sleep.

I would have him put to sleep.

It’s so tough.
However your dog has had 5 years of being loved and wanted. If you can’t find the right home then he needs to be pts.

I would have to PTS, biting without being provoked e.g tail pulled is too risky. It won't be long before your kids want their little friends round and you can't take the risk of another child being bitten or worse. Sometimes dogs with a sad history are too damaged to fully recover and be safe pets.

You don’t need to euthanise the dog, that’s a bit extreme measure. Can you give it for adoption? Find a child free person or family willing to adopt him? Just warn the new owners he’s not good with children. I totally understand your need to prioritise Your children safety so please don’t feel guilty about getting rid of the dog, maybe ask in Facebook groups, amongst friends and family. Maybe the dog is not happy with you either and would be better off in a different setting.

I am very sorry about your pet but your children come first. You can never, ever trust this dog again. Sadly it must be pts. A life in kennels is no life either but neither is staying in a back room all day and only being allowed out for short hours. It cannot stay in your house and it cannot be given back to the rescue place if they will not disclose the biting - imagin another child (even a visitor at a child-free house) getting bitten by this dog. PTS is the only, extremely sadbut safe answer.
Do it soon. Then relax with your lovely children.

I'd get him rehomed. Having him PTS for a reactive bite is extreme. He bit when his fur was pulled, so that is not unprovoked but I completely understand why you don't want him around your toddlers. Or would it be an option to keep him muzzled in the house when the DC are around?

I love dogs and have a rescue with quirks.

I would put to sleep.

It is extremely difficult to rehome a dog who has bitten.
He will bite again, becuase he is so reactive.
He has had a lovely few years with you, there is no way he can stay in your house at all. The kids cannot be expected to always be perfect around him, and they will get bitten again.

There is a moment when we have to accept that this dog has reached the end of the road. he has been loved. He has had a good home, and he can now go to rest with love.

I would PTS.

I would also try and rehome first. Plenty of elderly folk without kids about. This is someone that's just been through losing their beloved dog and its a horrible pill to swallow

This wasn’t biting without being provoked, the toddler pulled a handful of the dogs fur. I am usually firmly on the side of PTS after a bite, but not in this case where your toddler likely hurt the dog and it reacted. Can you try and rehome to a home with no kids and be honest about the circumstances?

I think the only choice is pts. It's sad but your kids and future victims if he was rehomed come first.

Doing anything other than PTS is just wishing the problem will go away, when it won’t. A dog this reactive is unlikely to find its way to a loving, safe permanent home. You’re right to PTS. You’re thinking of your dog’s wellbeing and I applaud that.

If you take this dog to a rescue, most will not rehome. They will pts, it is incredibly difficult to rehome a dog who has bitten.
All these mythical child free or older couple or single people who wnat a reactive biting dog just don't exist sadly

This was already a difficult dog, despite an experienced owner putting work in.

There are worse ways to go.

I’d have him put to sleep. You’ve given him the best years of his life but it is a very reasonable and responsible decision to now say goodbye. You are acting as a responsible owner by not letting him be passed on.

Exactly this. No senior should risk a reactive dog.

Speak to a local reputable charity and see what they suggest, but you can now pay for dogs to be PTS at home if you wanted it done in a famililar environment.

Toddlers and dogs are difficult but if he is this reactive, what will happen when they are older and more mobile, able to open doors etc, what happens when they want friends over?

He was the dog for you before children and now things have changed. You aren't the right home for him and you can rehome to an uncertain future or PTS for peace of mind.

Rehoming a dog that has been loved for five years by one family is not a walk in the park for the dog. A lot struggle and don’t cope in the new home.

That being said, putting a dog to sleep when it was provoked by a child pulling at it is cruel and a bit OTT (I say this as someone who had a dog PTS for biting). I’d likely snap at someone who pulled on my hair - just unlike a dog I’d bat them away with my hands not my teeth.

Is there family or friends who your dog knows who can take it in? If not, then PTS is probably best - nervous dogs are not well adjusted and struggle to settle in new homes. It either needs to go to someone it knows or PTS.

I’m so sorry OP

He has bitten and is scared and aggressive toward strangers. Rehoming is goping to be a nightmare and you do not want a situation where this poor dog is passed from pillar to post.

We had to put down an agressive dog last year. She had been beaten badly as a puppy, including being thrown across a room, and the vet thought it was possible she had some kind of brain trauma, she raged so badly even after we had helped her fear. She was getting better but still had terrible fights with our other dogs and we couldn't trust her at all around other people, so no one could visit. We all have scars from bites she gave us but the final straw was when she bit me in the face, leaving me scarred. I was simply stroking her at the time.

I realise this is more extreme than your dog but you don't realise until they are gone how much time you spent walking on eggshells. She was sweet and funny and loving too, but we spent a lot of time trying to keep her calm, control her environment and not trigger her. We didn't realise until she had gone.

We cried putting her down and we still miss her, believe it or not. But we couldn't pass a problem like that on and we felt it was best that she ended her life in a home that loved her than being passed from home to home. I would also never have forgiven myself if she had bitten someone else, especially a child.

There are much worse fates for a dog than being PTS.

My rescue dog bit me and the vet said we should PTS, he is much more likely to bite again now, he has learned that biting gets him the desired affect (someone jumping back from him and retreating)

Bless you. You have done everything you can for this dog. I think the kindest thing would be PTS while he is still with your family. I imagine that any kind of rehoming would be extremely stressful for him and would be unlikely to have a good outcome.

I’m sorry you are feeling so torn, that’s completely understandable, but deep down you know you have to put your dog to sleep.

As an aside, have you not heard anything from external agencies? It was my understanding that if a doctor came across a child that had been bitten by a family pet they were obligated to report it for safeguarding reasons?

Was this "rescue" P2F? I'd check your contract as often they include clauses that state you must return the dog to them and you cannot get the dog pts without their approval. As to the legality of this I have no idea but there are some pretty unscrupulous "rescues" around that use bully boy tactics to protect their reputation and income.

These overseas rescues who place street dogs in homes are a fucking scourge and leave inexperienced people with fear aggressive dogs for months and months until they find a new sucker to pay full fees for them. They're a different breed and need very very careful behavioural training and handling.

Ultimately the dog is not happy and your children are not safe. You need to do what you need to do for the safety of your children
first.

Put the dog up for adoption. And teach your kids not to pull at animals fur else it will happen again