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 take him out for the best day ever - a lovely walk in his favourite place, steak for tea and lots of cuddles, and have him put to sleep surrounded by his family.

Don't re-home him - even without the bite, his behaviour is extremely worrying and it would be highly irresponsible to pass him on to someone else.

You sound like you have done a good job and tried your hardest. Its not just the kids though.... you feel like he might have bitten before (strangers) if you had not always been so vigilant with him.

I would imagine you could rehome him to another person like you were before kids however it would likely be a real struggle to find this person and it would cause you a lot of ongoing worry. I would understand if you opted to have him put to sleep.

PTS for me unless someone you know and trust completely would be willing to re-home. Your kids have to come first.

Hmm very difficult OP. This was a snap, not a bite though. My very friendly and gentle dog would possibly turn and snap if someone suddenly pulled her tail or fur. I think most dogs would do that tbh.
I think the bigger issue is that you can no longer give your dog the quiet home he needs, because having children has made everything more hectic and unpredictable. So something needs to change, either rehoming or euthanasia, or you need to accept that your dog will have a longer but less than ideal life, being left alone more etc.

I don't think this is a case of just adopting him and letting them know he's not good around children.
This dog obviously has some major issues and would require a very specific home, which I imagine wouldn't be easy to find.
I personally would have him PTS, you've given him a lovely home and i actually think pts might be kinder than the stress re-homing for a dog like this.

From your further updates, PTS is the only option for this dog and is in his own best interests. Don't feel guilty as you did so much and prolonged his life for as long as you had him.

Don’t know much about it / them but have you looked at Dogs 4 Rescue ? They are a sanctuary for grumpy and / or odd sods rather than a rehoming centre.

Better PTS then end up in a kennel for years.
I couldn’t do either tbh, I’d muzzle in the house.

I am very sorry that you have been put in this position by this irresponsible, so-called "rescue", street dog importer.

Also the thought of him having to be put down in a strange place.

Depending on your area, you may be able to book a mobile vet to come to you so that DDog's last few minutes are in his own home. It's what I'm planning for DCat when his time comes.

@VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia I meant if he were to be PTS by someone else after rehoming.
If we do it here then yes the vet will come to the house.

I'm an experienced dog and rescue dog owner. I don't feel it is necessary for the dog to be put to sleep and I would really urge you not to take advise from those who are telling you to. I do, however, think it is unsuitable for your dog to stay in your family home, in this environment, with young children. Well done for recognising that it must be very hard. I would seek advice from a local charity/RSPCA/vet who can advise you on the next steps. It sounds like the best option would be a local rescue. Speak to a couple about what life would look like for your dog if they were to be unsuccessful in rehoming, or if they would assess the dog for aggression and pts if the safest option- go with the one your most comfortable with. Agree with what others have said about it being in the rescues contract that you cannot put them to sleep. I also think you're right to be cautious about going back to the charity, for the reasons you and others have stated. I'm sorry you're going through this, it is a huge responsibility as a parent and pet owner and you're doing the right thing to remove the pet from the household.

If you do decide to PTS, there is no need for it to be done in a strange place. I have had many dogs pts (usually at the end of a long life) and I always have the vet come to my house to do it. Yes it's hard and upsetting but I would feel much worse if I betrayed them by leaving them to die in a strange place with a stranger.

This.

The bite wasnt unprovoked, it was reactive to hair pulling from above.
By all means rehome the dog, but killing it for responding to having its hair pulled is desperately unfair.
Contact the rescue and ask for help to rehome.

I would try find a sanctuary or charity for ‘hard to rehome’ dogs. There’s lots of them.

I do.😉

Not the dogs fault as its fur was pulled and it reacted. . But these things happen. I wouldn't have a dog in the same house as a small child. Perhaps you could try to rehome the dog. I wish they would stop these dog adoption schemes from overseas.

I would argue that a life in a muzzle is almost a fate worse than death. What life is that for a dog? Never being able to play with a ball or eat a chew or bite at an itch?

It's cruel.

@Lazydomestic thanks for that.
Does anyone else have any experience of dogs 4 rescue? The website certainly paints a lovely life (no kennels) living naturally in packs as many of these street dogs used to.

I’m not sure MN is the best place to raise this issue. No one can give proper advice without knowing more about you and the dog. We have had many dogs over the years including three SBT that were dog reactive, though angels with humans, also A Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen that bit all of us at some point in his 17 years. My view is that PTS should be a very last resort if there is any other alternative that would offer the dog a decent, happy life. There are rescues that do take dogs with problems, Rescue Remedies is one. I think you should talk to dog rescues, your own vet and your behaviourist to get the widest range of views from people who actually know the dog, then make your decision. I think this would give you greatest peace of mind too.

I absolutely wouldn’t pts. This was a provoked situation and you have other options

I don't know that one but there are some good ones.

Oh op this is hard.
I don't think I'd call this a bite though. It was a warning. If the dog meant to bite/hurt the baby he would have done. He has bite restraint so that's good. And the baby had pulled his fur so not unprovoked.

To be honest I'd start with a behaviourist and seeing if there are things to do make it less stressful for the dog in your house/around the children.

If you are adamant you don't want him then PTS is probs the only option.

I agree with this. There are also a lot of anti-dog people on MN who will be saying PTS because they hate dogs. Any dog-related post brings out the dog haters, however innocuous the post. (This isn't aimed at everyone posting PTS but I do think it's sensible to be cautious of people's responses on any anonymous forum).

Personally, I don't think it sounds like a PTS situation and that other avenues can be explored, but it's up to the OP. MN is good for hive mind ideas, but get professional advice from a vet or an animal protection charity.

Exactly, if this was unprovoked aggression and a full bite I would say different.

OP has obviously lost faith in the dog and is finding it hard to handle with kids so I think it needs rehoming, but I wouldn’t personally be considering PTS in this situation.