My dog just bit someone!

[beccad777]

We have a 3 year old female boxer. She is not normally aggressive, but today some guy from a tree service came to the door trying to get us to hire them to trim the maple out front. This happens frequently, so it's not new for people to come knock on the door. Of course, she comes running when she hears the knock, but I try to edge her out as I open the door. I only opened the door a little bit, because I knew she was right there trying to get out. Well, she pushes her way out the screen door as I am trying to hold it shut and jumps on him. When he raised his arm to protect his face/head area she bit his arm! 2 puncture marks and it drew blood! :001_huh:

 

She has never bitten anyone before. A few months ago she ran out when my ds opened the door to get the mail and knocked over the mail man, but she didn't bite him. He was more upset about it than the guy she actually bit today! The PO sent us a letter telling us to control her.

 

She has always been a friendly dog, but appropriately protective. She doesn't like other dogs when she is on a leash, but does fine in a dog park. She growled at the vet when the vet got between her and my kids, but the vet said that was a normal protective thing. She is not as tolerant of my youngest DS, but he is kind of mean to her so we have been trying to work on teaching him how to be nice to the dog and not to pull on her.

 

Overall, she is a great dog and I am so afraid of what will happen if he reports it. He was nice about it, but she DID bite him. I have never had a dog bite anyone before. What should I do? Has anyone been in this situation before? Thanks for listening and any help!

[gardening momma]

This is coming from the perspective of someone who doesn't have a dog (except from about K-6th grade), so I don't know if this will help:

 

Do you have a "beware of dog" sign at your door? If not, I'd put one up (close to the doorbell or door knocker).

 

Put some sort of hook-thingy in the wall near your door (even inside a coat closet), with a chain or leash attached to it. The other end of the leash would be used when someone comes to the door--the dog runs to the door, and you put her on the leash before opening the door. Make the chain/leash short enough to keep the dog from being able to get out the door.

[nmoira]

For starters, I would never open the door unless the dog was restrained. How much training has she had?

[beccad777]

I never thought about restraining her before I opened the door, but that is obviously a good idea. I will start doing that.

 

She hasn't had a lot of training, but she is generally well behaved and obedient (except when she is jumping on and biting people!:glare:). She listens well to my dh and I, not so much to the kids though. So, maybe a good thing would be to work on her training for staying. She sits well and lays down, but doesn't stay there for long.

[*********]

Um...

 

Ok, I don't own pets. And tbh, I don't really care for them. So, take my comments with that in mind. :tongue_smilie:

 

If I knocked on someone's door and they opened it and their dog bit me, I'd be scared and mad.

 

Now I get that the guy was on YOUR property. But I think it's fairly normal for salespeople to come knocking every once in a while, right? I certainly get them.

 

But couldn't you get in some sort of legal trouble for having a dog that bites? I don't know *anything* about those sorts of laws. But I DO know that if someone's dog bit me, I'd freak out majorly. I mean, I would call the police, because I don't know what else you're supposed to do. Anyone want to enlighten me here? I mean, how do I know that the dog isn't rabid or have some sort of other, I dunno, disease?

 

My advice is to not open the door without the dog properly restrained anymore. Honestly, my advice is to train or get rid of the dog, but I assume that's not a popular sentiment. :tongue_smilie:

 

What I'm saying is, don't let your dog bite anyone else. That's just bad. :D

[MissKNG]

Do you have an attorney? I would contact them and ask about repercussions. A dog biting someone is serious especially since blood was drawn. This guy needs his hands to work (tree service) so he may have gone to seek medical attention. He's liable to come back with his one hand all wrapped up and a lawsuit in the other.

[SonshineLearner]

Seriously? I would IMMEDIATELY sign up for a class with a reputable trainer. I would NOT sign up at a Pet store or somewhere like that. I would spend some $$$ on this, because if you don't you'll end up spending $$$ anyway, but not be able to keep the dog. To keep this dog, I would have to get it so I could "sit/stay" it.

Honestly, I think that all dogs should have serious training!!! (Especially the yippy white rats across the street :))

[Momof3littles]

Some dogs have issues with barriers, like the door. I have a dog diagnosed with fear aggression by a university veterinary behavior clinic. He does not respond well when he feels cornered. Gates, barriers, things like that are triggers for him...he feels cornered and threatened (eta: common with fear aggression from what I u nderstand). We have worked with him extensively and understand his triggers, and work around them. He was diagnosed about 9 years ago. He takes meds too-generic prozac (same as for humans) which is quite affordable. I think we pay 12 bucks for a 3 month supply at Costco.

 

Reaching through a fence, door, gate, etc. is a big trigger for him. If he was to be restrained on a leash, he would react more negatively than if he was to just meet another dog or human out in the open. We avoid his triggers and know how to work with him now, but it has taken time. (eta: and until you figure uot what is going on with the dog and do extensive training, I'd keep the dog away from any and all strangers. Keep the dog crated or in another room if you have to open the door for example.

 

Just tossing that out there.

 

I am not sure what the best option is in terms of the legal ramifications of the bite. Do you think the guy will sue for medical costs?

 

Some home owner's insurance companies will decline certain breeds or any dog who has ever bitten. We have been asked on paperwork before if our dog has ever "been diagnosed" with aggression. As a result we had to find a company that didn't ask that when shopping policies. Our dog has never bitten anyone, but as responsible dog owners who pursued diagnosis and treatment for our dog, it stinks to be penalized for him having a "diagnosis." Just keep that in mind if you ever switch policies or move.

 

I think a proper diagnosis of the behavior is important because if you use "dominance" techniques with a dog who really has something like fear aggression, it is not necessarily going to help. We worked with several trainers who had no clue about our dog, before getting help from the veterinary behavior clinic and then finding a trainer 40 mins away that totally understood our dog. SHe worked with him and us, and used all gentle techniques. Clicker training, etc. We also attended a class for dogs with "special needs" like him. Some of the traditional training techniques would have actually exacerbated his issues.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Momof3littles

[swellmomma]

For starters, I would never open the door unless the dog was restrained. How much training has she had?

 

This. holding the door partway shut with a dog that size in not reasonable. That dog needs to be trained to sit and stay when you answer the door. The guy may have been okay with it, but if he goes to get it checked out the dr's have to report it to animal control and you can end up losing your dog and him being put down because you failed to train and restrain him.

 

You say he is not aggressive but he has chased someone, growls, is not tolerant of the youngest etc. These are all signs of a potentially aggressive dog that needs serious training. Until the training is set in stone in the dog in all instances than keep a leash at the door and clip the dog before you open it. If you yell just a minute through the door when the bell rings as you clip it whomever will wait, and then have dog sit as you open the door. If dog gets up command sit again and praise for doing so.

 

I find in training my dog not to jump on people or bark once I have opened the door if I keep her at my side with a hand on her head stroking ever so lightly she stays put for the carasses but also sees it is a safe situation and has no desire to try and protect me in that moment.

 

Be prepared for a call or visit from animal control, and get training that dog immediately before someone gets more seriously damaged or that dog gets put down due to failure to be trained properly.

[Lawana]

Honestly, I would have the dog put down. She bit in an unprovoked attack.

 

Flame away.

[PollyOR]

On perfect days we kennel our dog before answering the door. We also kennel her when there are kids visiting (running around and being loud). I don't consider her to be an aggressive dog but she has surprised me in the past by nipping a child who was standing still/not in her space. It would only take a few seconds for her teeth to do major damage. I'm not willing to take that chance.

[beccad777]

Um...

 

I mean, how do I know that the dog isn't rabid or have some sort of other, I dunno, disease?

 

 

 

 

She is fully vaccinated. I did tell the man that.

 

I am scared that we will be liable for something and we honestly, don't have the money for that right now. I get that it is my responsibility, so I am not saying it is not. I just hope nothing comes of it, because financially that would be horrible at this time.

 

I don't want to have to put her down, but I can't have her biting people either. I don't know what made her do that, but I pray it is not an escalating thing. First, knocking over the mailman, now biting a salesman, what's next? I want her to be protective, but not to bite people who are not being threatening. :banghead:

[SonshineLearner]

On perfect days we kennel our dog before answering the door. We also kennel her when there are kids visiting (running around and being loud). ....

 

We use to keep a large kennel downstairs just so that we could do this. I would also put him in when little kids came, just to be careful. Mind you, my dog is almost 70 lbs, but little dogs can do damage, too.

 

I would NOT just hook the dog up when guests come, as leashes cause a dog to go ballistic, if they're not properly trained....

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[MissKNG]

Google " Ohio dog bite law".....your state is very strict on this and you are liable. Contact your attorney!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Leash the dog or crate her when the door is going to be opened. Take her to a trainer. Be prepared that animal control might come knocking and your dog might be taken away and put down. I hope that doesn't happen because frankly this was your fault more than the dog's because you weren't proactive about training and restraining but in our city, any dog bite that results in blood drawn will be impounded and often is put down. Also - this might be unfair but reaction if often more severe against a breed like a boxer than a chihuahua.

[gardening momma]

I want her to be protective, but not to bite people who are not being threatening. :banghead:

But apparently your idea of threatening is not the same as her idea of threatening.

[mytwomonkeys]

i would definitely get a "beware of dog" sign & also a "no soliciting" sign.

 

i would be sure to never open the door unless the dog is locked up first. lastly, make sure your dog is always locked up if you have guests over. even if he isn't usually aggressive, take this precaution always. my daughter was bit by an older dalmation a few years ago. the owners continued to allow it around other children even after the incident & it bit again of course. it ended up having to be put down because of it. i felt bad for the dog honestly, if the owners had taking the necessary precautions it all could have been avoided from the start.

 

obedience class would be beneficial as well obviously. sorry this happened. that stinks.:grouphug:

[beccad777]

This. holding the door partway shut with a dog that size in not reasonable. That dog needs to be trained to sit and stay when you answer the door. The guy may have been okay with it, but if he goes to get it checked out the dr's have to report it to animal control and you can end up losing your dog and him being put down because you failed to train and restrain him.

 

You say he is not aggressive but he has chased someone, growls, is not tolerant of the youngest etc. These are all signs of a potentially aggressive dog that needs serious training. Until the training is set in stone in the dog in all instances than keep a leash at the door and clip the dog before you open it. If you yell just a minute through the door when the bell rings as you clip it whomever will wait, and then have dog sit as you open the door. If dog gets up command sit again and praise for doing so.

 

I find in training my dog not to jump on people or bark once I have opened the door if I keep her at my side with a hand on her head stroking ever so lightly she stays put for the carasses but also sees it is a safe situation and has no desire to try and protect me in that moment.

 

Be prepared for a call or visit from animal control, and get training that dog immediately before someone gets more seriously damaged or that dog gets put down due to failure to be trained properly.

 

 

Thank you for this advice. She is a fairly small boxer, not that that makes it better or different. She is just not huge, like my last dog. She weighs 45 pounds if I remember correctly.

 

I am very concerned about this and am not sticking my head in the sand saying she will never bite again or is not at all dangerous. I just want to make sure I do the right thing.

 

The only thing I can think of how she would view it as justified/provoked is that she only jumped on him first. Then he threw out his arm toward her and that was when she bit. Maybe she thought he was trying to hit her. It all happened so fast. I don't even remember her growling at him.

[swellmomma]

We use to keep a large kennel downstairs just so that we could do this. I would also put him in when little kids came, just to be careful. Mind you, my dog is almost 70 lbs, but little dogs can do damage, too.

 

I would NOT just hook the dog up when guests come, as leashes cause a dog to go ballistic, if they're not properly trained....

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

I think this is the key in this. This is not a new puppy this is a dog they have had a for a few years and have next to nothing to train it and are then surprised it has harmed someone. Good training means good dog imo. As for ballistic on a leash, Mine has never gone ballistic on the leash and though she is still young I assume that has to do with the leash training she already has. I am not one to think just because a dog has never bit before that it is a non aggressive dog. All dogs have the potential to bite so I assume all dogs will and treat them accordingly kwim. Training of the dog and training of the people in the home are the keys to a good dog.

[aggieamy]

Thank you for this advice. She is a fairly small boxer, not that that makes it better or different. She is just not huge, like my last dog. She weighs 45 pounds if I remember correctly.

 

I am very concerned about this and am not sticking my head in the sand saying she will never bite again or is not at all dangerous. I just want to make sure I do the right thing.

 

The only thing I can think of how she would view it as justified/provoked is that she only jumped on him first. Then he threw out his arm toward her and that was when she bit. Maybe she thought he was trying to hit her. It all happened so fast. I don't even remember her growling at him.

 

I don't think it matters if the dog view it as justified or not. If it had been my DH that came home with a dog bit on his arm I would be livid. What if it hadn't been a grown man but a kid selling girl scout cookies? I think the advice to talk to your lawyer and get the dog in training immediately is a good idea.

[swellmomma]

Thank you for this advice. She is a fairly small boxer, not that that makes it better or different. She is just not huge, like my last dog. She weighs 45 pounds if I remember correctly.

 

I am very concerned about this and am not sticking my head in the sand saying she will never bite again or is not at all dangerous. I just want to make sure I do the right thing.

 

The only thing I can think of how she would view it as justified/provoked is that she only jumped on him first. Then he threw out his arm toward her and that was when she bit. Maybe she thought he was trying to hit her. It all happened so fast. I don't even remember her growling at him.

 

I am sure that this is exactly why she bit. However it was a reasonable response for the man with a dog jumping on him. So the key will be to train to not jump. I love my pup but I even hate her jumping on me so I know that others don't like that either. Along with no jumping is the sit and stay. Mine has not mastered stay which is why I still leash her when I answer the door, but she is good at sit.

 

YOu mentioned that your dog obeys the sit command with you and your husband but not the kids right? When you go to obedience training make sure the whole family can attend. The dog needs to learn to obey the kids as well, that way if they answer the door when a friend comes over it is not a child's face being bit instead of a grown man's arm kwim.

 

I can tell you are really worried about what is going to happen next and never dreamed your dog would bite someone. Now is the time to look at things with a new perspective and get that training done etc.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

OP, you have my sympathy. I can imagine how upsetting this has been for you.

 

I would definitely take the suggestions in this thread, especially getting her training. I would do this now because if anything gets filed in court, you can show that you immediately took steps to make sure this never happens again. (eta: I know it could still happen again, but between training and not allowing her access to people at the door you are greatly reducing the chances)

Edited May 9, 2012 by LeslieAnneLevine

[Remudamom]

I can sympathize. My heeler has to be watched very carefully. She was out with dh in the car last week and twice someone leaned into the car on her side and she nipped at them. She made contact once. No blood.

 

Of course I'm on her side. What kind of idiot leans into a dog's window? When she's with me if I talk to someone while in the car I send her to the back of the van and she's fine. Anyhow, this is why she is MY dog. I know her.

 

Restrain your dog before answering the door. Get a trainer's help. But watch her closely.

[Mom-ninja.]

But apparently your idea of threatening is not the same as her idea of threatening.

 

This. A dog is also very in tune with you the owner. A dog will pick up on any amount of alertness we show. They can smell our hormones, sweat, and detect our increased pulse even if we are not aware.

 

My dog is a sweet slobbery 80lb lab. He's great with the kids and very patient. However, he goes on alert when I do. Any time someone comes to my house (mail person, bug guy, repair man, and so on) I am on alert and my dog picks up on that.

 

My dog is very well trained (took him to doggie school run by a former police dog trainer when he was a pup), but I still put him in my room when I have to open the door.

 

When these people ask me if he'll attack I always say yes if I let him. Because he might. He picks up on my physical signals and knows that the person is not in my complete comfort zone.

 

One thing I won't forget is that the trainer told us to never take your dog's instincts for granted. Even police dogs have attacked when they were not supposed to.

[sassenach]

We have a 3 year old female boxer. She is not normally aggressive, but today some guy from a tree service came to the door trying to get us to hire them to trim the maple out front. This happens frequently, so it's not new for people to come knock on the door. Of course, she comes running when she hears the knock, but I try to edge her out as I open the door. I only opened the door a little bit, because I knew she was right there trying to get out. Well, she pushes her way out the screen door as I am trying to hold it shut and jumps on him. When he raised his arm to protect his face/head area she bit his arm! 2 puncture marks and it drew blood! :001_huh:

 

She has never bitten anyone before. A few months ago she ran out when my ds opened the door to get the mail and knocked over the mail man, but she didn't bite him. He was more upset about it than the guy she actually bit today! The PO sent us a letter telling us to control her.

 

She has always been a friendly dog, but appropriately protective. She doesn't like other dogs when she is on a leash, but does fine in a dog park. She growled at the vet when the vet got between her and my kids, but the vet said that was a normal protective thing. She is not as tolerant of my youngest DS, but he is kind of mean to her so we have been trying to work on teaching him how to be nice to the dog and not to pull on her.

 

Overall, she is a great dog and I am so afraid of what will happen if he reports it. He was nice about it, but she DID bite him. I have never had a dog bite anyone before. What should I do? Has anyone been in this situation before? Thanks for listening and any help!

 

The bolded in combination with the multiple aggressive actions towards strangers (mailman + tree guy + vet) would have me finding a new home for this dog. I've owned a lot of dogs. I would never keep a dog as big and aggressive as yours. She may be a good dog, displaying appropriate protective behavior, but she is not the personality of dog I would want in my household.

[beccad777]

Thank you for all the advice! :001_smile:

 

I will definitely begin training immediately and start putting her in her cage before I open the door. I don't want anyone to be hurt again!

 

I don't have an attorney, so I am not sure who I would contact. I have never had the need for one before. Perhaps I should look in to this just so I can be prepared in case something comes of it.

[Danestress]

He was a overnight guest and my dog bit the kids' hand.

 

Every jurisdiction is different. But here is our story just so you know.

 

I called my vet and told them what happened. They reported it to animal control. The bite was not something that needed medical attention. If it had been, then the attending doctors' staff would have contacted animal control.

 

Because the bite drew blood, the dog had to be quarantined for 10 days. Because the vet had all the paperwork showing he was up to date on shots, the quarantine could take place at my home. I was told that animal control would make an unannounced visit to confirm that the dog was properly restrained. They actually never showed up. I think we were probably low priority because it was a first offense with minor injury, self reported, dog fully vaccinated, etc.

 

So be aware that you may have involvement with the animal control agency. I would have Your vet fax over your dogs records showing she is up to date on shots.

 

I personally would not call an attorney until you actually see a lawsuit. Most likely you will not see one. You may get a letter asking you to pay medical bills. But since you will want to pay this, I am not sure an attorney is needed yet.

 

After my dog did this, I treat him as a suspect. He is not allowed to greet children. Ever. I regularly just say "no" when people want to pet him.

 

I would work with a trainer on all the issues (lunging at door, on leash, etc). But no matter how much I worked on it, I would always treat the dog as a biter and would never give her another chance to do it again. And I would not let her near your younger children.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Danestress

[SonshineLearner]

Just something I remembered after my last post. If you get a dog trainer who is recognized, like ours was/is, they may very well be able to speak up on your dog's behalf. Our trainer had worked with police... (had trained police dogs) He had a story of a dog that had bit? and when he was contacted by animal control, had said that the dog was NOT a dog that needed to be put down, that he would train the animal. If it was my dog, I would spend today searching for a trainer that could see it ASAP... Even if not to start training today... could do a screening of it....

[Guest submarines]

:grouphug: Great advice in this thread about training and not opening the door with him unrestrained, plus adding prominent signs on your door to warn people.

 

I hope the person he bit is not injured seriously and will be understanding of your situation. Do you have his contact information?

[Jennifer in MI]

I thought I read somewhere that putting up the sign actually makes you MORE liable should the dog bite again. It indicates that you knew he was dangerous and chose to keep him.

 

I really feel for you. I'm so sorry you are in this situation. My gut reaction is "get rid of the dog!!!! You have children!" But, I know it isn't always that easy.

[Momof3littles]

I thought I read somewhere that putting up the sign actually makes you MORE liable should the dog bite again. It indicates that you knew he was dangerous and chose to keep him.

 

I really feel for you. I'm so sorry you are in this situation. My gut reaction is "get rid of the dog!!!! You have children!" But, I know it isn't always that easy.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I swear I've read this before, and it was probably on my radar since I have a dog diagnosed with fear aggression (has never bitten though).

[beccad777]

:grouphug: Great advice in this thread about training and not opening the door with him unrestrained, plus adding prominent signs on your door to warn people.

 

I hope the person he bit is not injured seriously and will be understanding of your situation. Do you have his contact information?

 

 

I do have his business card. I think he is just starting up a new business because his card is an index card with handwritten info on it.

 

Danestress, I appreciate your personal story. :001_smile: I may call the vet later after I talk the situation over with DH.

[Shawndrese]

He was a overnight guest and my dog bit the kids' hand.

 

Because the bite drew blood, the dog had to be quarantined for 10 days. Because the vet had all the paperwork showing he was up to date on shots, the quarantine could take place at my home. I was told that animal control would make an unannounced visit to confirm that the dog was properly restrained. They actually never showed up. I think we were probably low priority because it was a first offense with minor injury, self reported, dog fully vaccinated, etc.

 

This is exactly what happened to my brother when his boxer bit someone. They called animal control themselves to report what happened, the dog was quarantined for 10 days, and after a court appearance my brother can no longer take the dog to dog parks (where they use to go frequently) and the dog now has to be muzzled on walks.

 

Sorry this happened to you...I know it can be stressful. :grouphug:

[Guest submarines]

I do have his business card. I think he is just starting up a new business because his card is an index card with handwritten info on it.

 

Danestress, I appreciate your personal story. :001_smile: I may call the vet later after I talk the situation over with DH.

 

Well, if it were me, I'd call him to see how he was doing. Apologise again again. And then some more. Tell him what changes you're going to make so this would never happen again. Explain your financial situation and how much you love your dog. Ask him if there was anything you could do? Maybe order him new business cards? A cake? Flyer design?

 

Most people I know wouldn't report or sue you if their injury wasn't a serious one, AND if you appeared truly apologetic, remorseful, couldn't afford big fees and was willing to be helpful in other ways.

 

If he does need to seek medical treatment, that's another story. :grouphug:

[SailorMom]

We have dogs and a cat. I've always had animals, and I can't imagine living without them. Our dogs are a great dane and a lab, currently.

With that in mind, I would never keep a dog that bit or showed any aggressive behavior. It takes all of two seconds for it to happen, and every time I've heard someone talk about their dog biting it comes out as ,"We had no idea! Never thought it would happen!".... but then they tell me about the "one time before, it was isolated, and there were circumstances,,,, blah blah blah."

If dog tries to defend you kids from the vet, and bites unprovoked - you have a tragedy waiting to happen.

What happens when one of your sons friends comes over and they start wrestling, or playing rough? The dog decides, oh no! My boy is being attacked!

Well - the friend is going to get bit. And no matter what the justification, it's not ok.

I know personally, if one of my pets did that to someone at our door, I would never trust the dog again, and would either keep him/her confined or muzzled, or put it down.

Friend of the family had the same sort of situation. About a year after the first bout of aggression, the dog basically took the face off of their 3 yo son - for absolutely no apparent reason.

[SailorMom]

Well, if it were me, I'd call him to see how he was doing. Apologise again again. And then some more. Tell him what changes you're going to make so this would never happen again. Explain your financial situation and how much you love your dog. Ask him if there was anything you could do? Maybe order him new business cards? A cake? Flyer design?

 

Most people I know wouldn't report or sue you if their injury wasn't a serious one, AND if you appeared truly apologetic, remorseful, couldn't afford big fees and was willing to be helpful in other ways.

 

If he does need to seek medical treatment, that's another story. :grouphug:

 

:iagree::iagree:

[Princess Peach]

I would be most concerned about the dog's behavior with your youngest. Your DH, you, and your children need to be the boss of that dog and the dog needs to know it.

 

We had to put our dog down because he bit me twice. The second time caused major bruising. Our vet told us it can be trained out of him, but would take lots of money and even more time. We don't have a surplus of either. Ultimately, we decided what we did because we didn't want to look back and wish we'd done it when/if he bit our child.

[Denisemomof4]

Agreeing with these points:

 

NEVER allow the dog outside unrestrained. NEVER allow the dog to be unrestrained if you are answering the door or having company over. Put her in her crate if anyone comes to the door or if you are having company over.

 

My youngest does hurt our animals. I was about to get rid of our dachsund because he nipped at her a few times but then I found out she was hurting him (and others) so for this reason, and others, she is NEVER left unattended in the house. She is with me at ALL times to prevent further damage to animals and house. You can NOT leave your ds unattended ever unless the dog is in it's crate.

 

your dog DOES need training, and not the typical sit, lie down, stay type training. YOU and your dog need training to deal with the aggression issues before they become worse. this is an absolute must. And again, never let the dog outside ever again unrestrained.

[Princess Peach]

Friend of the family had the same sort of situation. About a year after the first bout of aggression, the dog basically took the face off of their 3 yo son - for absolutely no apparent reason.

 

This is what I mean. <shivers>

[StephanieZ]

You need to consult your veterinarian immediately and get a consultation with a behavorist. (NOT just a trainer.) Your vet can give you a referral.

 

Aggression will get WORSE if you don't get a handle on it, as you have already seen. If this had been a little kid, their face might have been mauled. Or, if the dog had managed to knock this guy down, as he did the postman, he might have mauled this man.

 

These situations were both unprovoked and unacceptable. These were not accidental bites or extreme fear/pain/protective situations that can elicit bites even in nonagressive dogs.

 

You have a very dangerous situation. You can be financially liable for unlimited medical/etc bills. If the fellow goes to the doctor, the doctor, in most locales, is REQUIRED to report it, and you would then be getting an unpleasant visit from the police.

 

You now KNOW your dog is dangerous. This raises your liability dramatically, as you can't say, when the next bite happens, that you didn't know your dog was dangerous. In many places, the "first bite" is a freebie (for you, might still be terminal for the dog), but subsequent bites have a very high standard of liability for you.

 

If you are not willing and able to invest the time & money in a professional behaviorist, I believe you should have the dog humanely euthanized. :(

 

Do NOT rehome this dog. It is dangerous and unfair. (Exception being if your vet and/or a behaviorist or trainer, fully informed of the history, wants to take them in. Doubtful.)

 

I adore dogs. I have four. I have never given up a dog, and have only euthanized for humane pain relief at end of life. I am not saying any of this to be cruel. I am saying all this as the wife of a vet who sees the tragic endings of these stories all too often. These things DO NOT GET BETTER without serious professional intervention.

 

There are many terminal diseases in dogs. IMHO, aggression, if unsuccessfully treated, is terminal.

 

(((hugs)))

[sassenach]

We have dogs and a cat. I've always had animals, and I can't imagine living without them. Our dogs are a great dane and a lab, currently.

With that in mind, I would never keep a dog that bit or showed any aggressive behavior. It takes all of two seconds for it to happen, and every time I've heard someone talk about their dog biting it comes out as ,"We had no idea! Never thought it would happen!".... but then they tell me about the "one time before, it was isolated, and there were circumstances,,,, blah blah blah."

If dog tries to defend you kids from the vet, and bites unprovoked - you have a tragedy waiting to happen.

What happens when one of your sons friends comes over and they start wrestling, or playing rough? The dog decides, oh no! My boy is being attacked!

Well - the friend is going to get bit. And no matter what the justification, it's not ok.

I know personally, if one of my pets did that to someone at our door, I would never trust the dog again, and would either keep him/her confined or muzzled, or put it down.

Friend of the family had the same sort of situation. About a year after the first bout of aggression, the dog basically took the face off of their 3 yo son - for absolutely no apparent reason.

 

Please heed this warning. Your baby is 1. You cannot possibly expect him to be responsible for keeping this dog happy.

She is not as tolerant of my youngest DS, but he is kind of mean to her so we have been trying to work on teaching him how to be nice to the dog and not to pull on her

[chepyl]

We have a dog that has had no formal training, we have some a lot of work with him at home, just no classes. He is protective of our children. He will stand between them and a stranger at the door. He will do the same to protect me. He has done it since he was a year old. We have set serious boundaries with him and he is obedient. He is very social, he is a family member. The best punishment for him is isolation. Anytime he would show an unwanted behavior he was kneeled or put in the garage or back yard.

 

We also kept him on a leash constantly. He ran around with it like a security blanket. If he needed restrained, we just picked it up.

 

We were close to getting rid of him after DS was born, his aggression went up when anyone was around. He did not bite, but he did jump in my lap between SIL and myself when I was handing her the baby. He went back to isolation punishments after that amd we were able to keep him.

 

At three years old, you need some serious obedience training. We started when our dog was air weeks old. It takes a lot of diligence. I would find a reputable class and start it now. Of will show that you are.taking action. I hope you are not made to put the dog down, but know that it can be a consequence of an untrained or poorly trained dog.

[Hockey Mom]

I can't really add much more to this thread, other than to let the OP know that I've BTDT with my Great Dane many years ago. She didn't break the skin, and she WAS provoked by the neighbor (long story, short, our dog was in our yard, he was "teasing" her with his lawn mower). She got 10 days in quarantine, and when her time was up, she lived a healthy incident-free life.

 

I don't think you should put the dog down though. We treat animals like they're disposable. It saddens me. With rescues overrun with dogs much worse than yours, if you decide you can't keep her, you're best bet is to find a good home for her. Disclose everything. Interview anyone who seems interested. Thugs are always on the lookout for aggressive dogs, and the last thing you want is for your dog to fall into the wrong hands.

 

If you do keep her, kennel and find training. It won't be easy. But it will be worth it.

[jujsky]

Been there with my dog who passed away last year. If it happens, make sure you give them the dog's vaccination records (a doctor will ask if the dog has been vaccinated) and offer to pay any medical bills/co-pays. Most people will not charge you for anything (our neighbor didn't) but her doctor did ask her over the phone to make sure the dog was vaccinated.

 

I'm sorry. It's such a stressful, scarey thing to go through. In the dog's mind she was doing the right thing -- trying to protect her people. While the man was raising his arm to protect himself, your dog could have seen that as a threatening gesture and bit. It's possible she may not have bitten if he didn't raise his arm. Of course it's also possible she still would have bitten him, but got him in the face.

 

I would advise if she's not trained, to go through training classes. Our dog who bit the neighbor was a rescue dog when we got him, and not well socialized. We tried getting him training, but no one we knew of at the time would work with an aggressive dog. Our pup has gone through several levels of training to avoid a repeat of those issues. It helps to have him sit before I open the door. I try to grab a treat or have a bag of treats by the door for when people ring unexpectedly. That helps me keep him in a sit. :grouphug: No judgement from me. This is hard, I'm a sure you feel awful -- I know I did when I went through this.

[Princess Peach]

I can't really add much more to this thread, other than to let the OP know that I've BTDT with my Great Dane many years ago. She didn't break the skin, and she WAS provoked by the neighbor (long story, short, our dog was in our yard, he was "teasing" her with his lawn mower). She got 10 days in quarantine, and when her time was up, she lived a healthy incident-free life.

 

I don't think you should put the dog down though. We treat animals like they're disposable. It saddens me. With rescues overrun with dogs much worse than yours, if you decide you can't keep her, you're best bet is to find a good home for her. Disclose everything. Interview anyone who seems interested. Thugs are always on the lookout for aggressive dogs, and the last thing you want is for your dog to fall into the wrong hands.

 

If you do keep her, kennel and find training. It won't be easy. But it will be worth it.

 

Sorry, but my kids trump my animals every single time. I did not see my dog as disposable. These issues are not always black and white. No one would take our dog. The Humane Society wouldn't touch him. I couldn't live with giving him to someone else and always wondering if he had hurt someone. Yes, it is sad. But just because someone has made the decision to put a dog down, doesn't mean they feel the animal was disposable.

[Hockey Mom]

Sorry, but my kids trump my animals every single time. I did not see my dog as disposable. These issues are not always black and white. No one would take our dog. The Humane Society wouldn't touch him. I couldn't live with giving him to someone else and always wondering if he had hurt someone. Yes, it is sad. But just because someone has made the decision to put a dog down, doesn't mean they feel the animal was disposable.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree. :)

[astrid]

I agree. This is serious. And I know you think your dog is a sweetheart, but from what you've described-- leash aggression, etc. there are issues. I feel for you-- I"ve been there, done that.

 

However, the tree guy need to seek medical attention. Dog bites are nasty things, and they cause deep, crushing puncture wounds that need care-- and antibiotics. Medical personnel are trained to recognize dog bites and in most states, I'm assuming Ohio is one of them, are madated to report them to the animal control officer in your municipality.

 

I know lots of folks love boxers, but I've known more that were like this than not, and I've known a lot of boxers. In fact, just last fall we were at a big dog show, waiting ringside because our breed was heading into the ring after the boxer classes finished. A boxer who was a seasoned show dog, well-accustomed to judges, the stress/activity of a dog show, etc. suddenly reached up and ripped a judge's face literall OFF as he was examining him. The judge, an elderly man who had been a judge for DECADES and is an boxer expert, was taken from the ring by ambulance and hospitalized. It was a gruesome scene for all who witnessed it.

 

My point is that I would operate on the presumption that this sort of behavior will most likely escalate, and you need a plan in place to address it.

 

So sorry-- I know how hard it is, believe me. :grouphug:

 

astrid

[nmoira]

Well, if it were me, I'd call him to see how he was doing. Apologise again again. And then some more. Tell him what changes you're going to make so this would never happen again. Explain your financial situation and how much you love your dog. Ask him if there was anything you could do?

My youngest was bit two summers ago. The dog was anxious, not aggressive, and it was most likely overwhelmed by a combination of traffic noise, sidewalk traffic and a stranger (my daughter). The owner didn't pick up on the dog's anxiety and when asked told my daughter it was OK to pet the dog. The dog bit her almost immediately. Fortunately, the woman's husband was an ER doctor who happened to be inside a nearby shop, so DD received immediate treatment and follow-up. He checked in periodically until the wounds were healed over, and offered to pay for any consultation with our own doctor if we desired (we didn't... our doc wouldn't have done anything differently). They mailed me the dog's vaccination records, enrolled it in private training and behavioral counseling, and made sure every family member was part of the training and taught to better "read" their dog. Because of their obvious concern and prompt action, I opted not to report.

 

ETA: Her wounds were not puncture wounds. If they had been, I might very well have reported the incident.

Edited May 9, 2012 by nmoira

[astrid]

I can't really add much more to this thread, other than to let the OP know that I've BTDT with my Great Dane many years ago. She didn't break the skin, and she WAS provoked by the neighbor (long story, short, our dog was in our yard, he was "teasing" her with his lawn mower). She got 10 days in quarantine, and when her time was up, she lived a healthy incident-free life.

 

I don't think you should put the dog down though. We treat animals like they're disposable. It saddens me. With rescues overrun with dogs much worse than yours, if you decide you can't keep her, you're best bet is to find a good home for her. Disclose everything. Interview anyone who seems interested. Thugs are always on the lookout for aggressive dogs, and the last thing you want is for your dog to fall into the wrong hands.

 

If you do keep her, kennel and find training. It won't be easy. But it will be worth it.

 

I would advise that if you decide to rehome, call Boxer Rescue and disclose the bite. They may take her, they may not. Liability being what it is, there is a good chance they have a policy about known biters. But if you rehome her yourself, even if you disclose everything, that won't be worth a hill of beans if the dog goes on to bite someone else and the new owners find themselves on the hook. It can (and probably will) come back on you, even though you think you disclosed everything.

 

astrid

[Momof3littles]

Since we are talking euthanize or not, my personal preference would be to find a very good veterinary hospital with a behavior clinic if at all possible. Do you have a university veterinary hospital anywhere within a reasonable drive? THey were so helpful to us. My dog was seen by an entire team of behavioral vets. 2 vets, 3 vet students (2 of them were close to graduation), and 2 veterinary assistants. I would feel like that would be a good investment. When we realized our dog was having issues, I thought we would give it our best shot right away. For us, that was taking him to the experts and getting their input. It was very helpful, as was working with a trainer that used very good behavioral techniques and understood my dog/

 

Getting that type of consultation will tell you more about what happened, what can be done, etc. At that point you may decide that the extent of training and supervision necessary are too much. And I think it would be easier at that point to feel you had exhausted reasonable options before euthanizing, kwim? And if they have helpful input for you, you can decide if you are willing to pursue the right type of training, perhaps medication, etc. necessary.

 

I would try to get a consult like that before moving directly to euthanizing. I realize not everyone has a vet school nearby, but it really was a good experience for us. I preferred to just go right to the best informed source we could find, and pick their brain before deciding how to proceed with our dog.