Is a dog that attacks another dog safe to be around kids?

[Mila24]

I’ve had my dog for just afew weeks, spaniel and she keeps going for other dog outside the house. She’s fine with my other dog but she has bitten my neighbours dog and she went for a dog at the beach when it ran up to us. I have ordered a muzzle but I have a toddler so now I am worried. I don’t know what triggers her. I was told my her previous owner that she was fine with kids, but I was also told she was fine with other dogs.

I wouldn't trust her around a child, why did she bite the ndn dog.

i believe so,

I’m not sure. They were just running about together outside on the green then she went for her and it took afew minutes to separate them.

No.

Ours is, but we know her well, and I wouldn’t let any child pull at her, or leave any dog alone with a toddler, in case the toddler wouldn’t know how to behave sensibly around dogs.

She loves people, but is fear reactive with unfamiliar dogs. I have no idea why.

You're lucky the ndn didn't report it, I wouldn't think it's safe at all.

It depends on the dog, and you don't know your dog very well because you've not had her long. The dog we had growing up was very dog aggressive, but fab and very soft with children. Not exactly helpful, I know, but don't write her off unless she shows any signs of aggression towards people/kids. I'd be keeping a very close eye on body language, and I'm sure it goes without saying not to leave the dog unsupervised around children.

I should add she was growling at the vet and a man that walking out the village shop. I don’t know what to do, I was trying to do a good thing by taking this dog but I should have gone through a rescue instead of a friend of a friend. 🙈

She’s been fine with us and our dog so far though. 🤞

No.

This. If you’d have had it since a pup and knew she was solid with children despite being dog aggressive, that would be one thing. The issue is you have no history on this dog. It’s possible but unlikely that this dog has never bitten before. It’s obviously still settling in your house, but it’s gone from apparently completely friendly, to committing multiple attacks in the first few weeks you’ve had it. I’m very much ‘a pet is for life person’, whether it be a horse or a goldfish. But I’d consider it very irresponsible to keep an aggressive animal that has just entered your house that has shown itself to be dangerous, when you have a very young child in the house. They could get bitten or injured even accidentally when your dog is attacking another animal again

You must be trolling. Noone could be that irresponsible surely.

So that changes things again. She’s human aggressive including towards animal experienced people. I can see why she’s been rehomed the way she has

I'm baffled that you even need to ask

Re-home her somewhere without a small child. Go through a breed specific rescue. Don’t risk it, the longer you have her the more attached you’ll all get and the worse it will be.

irresponsible? I got my current dog from a friend. Not everyone has money to go through a fancy breeder.

Dog aggression isn't the same as human aggression (and one won't necessarily leave to the other) but it sounds like this dog is incredibly unpredictable and that's not what you need when you have a young child in the house.

Spaniels are so often seen as cutesie Disney dogs. So often they’re far from cuddly cuties, and it’s usually because they’re in the wrong environment with the wrong people. In the right place they can be happy and safe pets. Yours isn’t, and I imagine a toddler is the last person your dog should be living with.

I think she’s not been socialised very well.

Perthshire Gundog Rescue on Facebook, have huge experience of rehabilitating spaniels who otherwise face a death sentence for aggression. I don’t personally know them but I’m glad to support them.

Please do not risk the safety, or even life, of your toddler for the sake of a dog. Your toddler deserves not to become another statistic. It is your job as a parent to protect your child from danger and you are failing at the moment.

of course you would have been better to get a dog from a rescue place rather than a friend of a friend, with toddlers in the house - just give it back

it is irresponsible to get a dog from a friend of a friend, and then ask questions.

There are thousands of rescue dogs looking for homes, some are breed specific.

Absolutely not.