WWYD? Dog nipped at Baby

[scrappyhappymama]

It makes me a little sad to read all of the "dog would be gone immediately" responses. Why is it we expect more out of our animals than we would out of our humans or ourselves?

 

I am generally a nice person I think, but if someone were attacking me or one of my children, you better watch out- mama bear will come out! If someone assaulted you physically or sexually, would you be a nice little human and accept it passively, with no defense? Why then should a dog accept a finger in the bunghole or someone pulling their ears or tail while they eat a treat without reacting? I'm not advocating not training our dogs- far from it- but I think it's a shame that we expect utter docility from a living creature, despite whatever taunts they may be subjected to. I don't think hornblower or any other parent on this board would recommend keeping an aggressive biter in a home with children, but a dog who air-nips in warning, or yes even would bite to defend themselves is another thing entirely. And might even provide some teachable moments to our children!

 

Our 15 year old dog just passed a few weeks ago, and we have four children 8 and under, so I've had lots of experience dealing with an aging, almost blind and practically deaf dog and babies/toddlers. Yes, it's a lot of work to keep an unpredictable and unknowing baby away from a dog who is used to having the run of the house. But it is part of the trade off of enjoying the companionship of pets, no? Our Sasha didn't always like being baby gated in the next room, but we did it anyway, for her own good and for the baby. She was a "very good dog" and never bit anyone in her life (well, no one human that is), but we could tell that jerky baby movements and loud, sudden noises made her nervous. So, she was always supervised with babies or separated. Period. And we waited until our little ones were three or so, and could be trusted more, before allowing them to give her treats.

 

The stories of little ones being bitten/mauled or even killed by a family pet do touch my heart. My niece was recently bitten by a family pet, but she was provoking the dog. A good friend of mine is permanently scarred by a dog attack she suffered as a child. We probably all know a story like these. But, we've all heard tragic stories of children being injured and dying in cars too, right? But I'd guess 95% of us continue to put our children in cars, despite the risk of tragedy. Why? Because the benefits we enjoy of being able to take our children to various activities and acquire the necessities of life outweigh the small risk of a tragic accident.

 

With both pet ownership and car travel, injuries occur for one of two reasons: preventable issues or tragic accidents. It's the difference between an unrestrained child flying through a windshield and a tractor-trailer crossing a median and hitting us head-on, killing all occupants One injury we may have been able to prevent, while the other is a tragedy. So, we take reasonable precautions when traveling with children- using proper safety restraints, not texting/talking while driving, etc. If a parent is unwilling to take proper precaution with their chilren, they should NOT be driving with them. And we ACCEPT the inherent risk of tragedy each time we choose to drive with them. If we are not willing to accept this reality, we should not be driving with children.

 

I think the same can be said of parenting and pet ownership. We properly supervise our pets and children, and keep them separated when necessary and prevent most opportunities for injury. If we are not willing to take these preventative measures, whether or not the child/dog likes them (I've had several children who hated their car seats, but it was never optional), then we shouldn't own a dog while parenting a young child. And, IMO, owning a pet mean accepting the possibility that at any time a tragedy could occur, and a previously calm and unprovoked dog could attack a child. If we're not willing to accept this risk; willing to accept the joy of owning a dog despite this small risk, then we shouldn't own a dog then either.

[KellyGirl]

I personally would not keep a dog that couldn't be a full part of our family. If I had to worry non-stop about keeping a dog and a child separate, it is not Family.

 

We had a choc lab for 6 1/2yrs, had two children she adored then twins she had no respect for. It just escalated from stepping on them, growling, and nipping the air to trampling them, barking at them, and nipping them. All the bribing with treats, petting, playing with her didn't change her mind about them. We kept her and tried to foster relationships for 20mo after having the twins. She now lives with a family with older girls and a pond.

 

Thanks for your input...that is kind of my concern. If we can't all be together, someone is going to be pretty unhappy (most likely the dog). And I appreciate hearing a been there done that story - it's helpful. Our dog is mostly happy to see the baby, where it sounds like your dog never had any interest in the babies. So, I'm hopeful that our issue is fixable.

[phathui5]

I would get rip of the dog asap. She's showing that she's willing to be agressive with the baby. How bad does it have to be for you to rehome her?

[KellyGirl]

I would get rip of the dog asap. She's showing that she's willing to be agressive with the baby. How bad does it have to be for you to rehome her?

 

We're giving her one more chance, since it really seems that her issue was the bone, and we have re-worked that. Why...do you want a Beagle?:p

[phathui5]

No thanks. I've already done my share of giving away the dog who couldn't play nicely.

[KidsHappen]

It is my understanding that a dog who nips at the air or even a small nip at the skin is showing excellent bite inhibition. Obviously, the dog could have seriously bit her but he did not. It was a gentle warning that what she was doing was not acceptable. I do think that you need to work with him regarding the fact that nothing is his and that anything he receives is by your good graces alone. In that situation, I would have taken the bone away from the dog to teach him that his behavior was not acceptable. I do think that you need to work on socialization and bonding between baby and dog and of course supervise closely when they interact. This is coming from a non dog person who doesn't really have a lot of experience with dogs. I do have experience with cats though and I would never ger rid of a cat for a scrath or nipping. It would take a serious infraction to lead me to getting rid of a dog as well.