Another biting dog question. S/o

[snickelfritz]

The consensus on the other thread seems to be that the dog needs to go.

 

Is it:

1. Because the dog bit. Period.

2. Because the dog is also agressive with the OP's kids.

3. Because it is a dog that can inflict big damage.

4. ???

 

Does any biting dog get the same answer?

 

I'm asking because my dog bit the neighbor kid last weekend. Now, he is a Maltese and didn't break skin or leave a bruise. The neighbor kids stand up on their fence and talk over at him while he goes ballistic, but they aren't "mean." I have a message in to a trainer about training, but I'm freaking out a little about the "One Free Bite" rule. FTR... He doesn't get aggressive with my kids, but I knew that he doesn't like other kids. The groomers call him "sweet."

[TranquilMind]

The consensus on the other thread seems to be that the dog needs to go.

 

Is it:

1. Because the dog bit. Period.

2. Because the dog is also agressive with the OP's kids.

3. Because it is a dog that can inflict big damage.

4. ???

 

Does any biting dog get the same answer?

 

I'm asking because my dog bit the neighbor kid last weekend. Now, he is a Maltese and didn't break skin or leave a bruise. The neighbor kids stand up on their fence and talk over at him while he goes ballistic, but they aren't "mean." I have a message in to a trainer about training, but I'm freaking out a little about the "One Free Bite" rule. FTR... He doesn't get aggressive with my kids, but I knew that he doesn't like other kids. The groomers call him "sweet."

Any one of these is sufficient. All three (if true)is a no-brainer.

[Halcyon]

We got our dog from a rescue group last year. He nipped my son once when my son was basically lying on top of him (this was about a month after we got him) i told my son to never, ever lie on top of him or squeezze him again, but i also let the dog know in no ncertain terms that nipping was not okay. Since then, he has growled probably twice for the same scenario. Some owners discourage growling, but i see it as a good way to warn, and it serves as another opportunityy to teach my younger what not to do, and to respect the dogs space. Also, he was very new to our home when he did this, so i was willing to work with him to be sure i could train him out of t. He was only 6 months old at the time.

 

Long stor short, it really depends. Unprovoked is different than provoked.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Halcyon

[WishboneDawn]

He certainly needs some discipline but I don't think he needs to go.

 

I grew up with Maltese and they're aggressive, territorial and possessive little guys. I wouldn't tolerate any biting from one. After that bite he'd have to sit before I gave him food, treats or affection. He would not be allowed on furniture. There's a regime people use with rotties that's called something like Nothing in Life is Free (someone here will likely know it) and I wouldn't hesitate to use it with a Maltese. They're rotties in little bodies. :D

 

I have a pit/lab mix that bit a friend when she came over to see the baby and now she gets that treatment and I've seen an improvement in her.

[Caraway]

Growing up we had an Old English Sheepdog. One summer we had a college aged girl staying with us, and she backed the dog into a corner, under a table, and tried to reach into its mouth to remove a chicken bone. :001_huh:

 

Even the officers who came out to discuss quarantine agreed that this was not a problem with the DOG.

 

So no, I don't think that ANY and ALL dogs who bite need to automatically be put down.

[clarkacademy]

Any one of these is sufficient. All three (if true)is a no-brainer.

 

:iagree: If you have an animal that does not get provoked to attack it needs to not be around your kids.

[beaners]

Growing up we had an Old English Sheepdog. One summer we had a college aged girl staying with us, and she backed the dog into a corner, under a table, and tried to reach into its mouth to remove a chicken bone. :001_huh:

 

Even the officers who came out to discuss quarantine agreed that this was not a problem with the DOG.

 

So no, I don't think that ANY and ALL dogs who bite need to automatically be put down.

 

That wouldn't be a dog I would keep in my house.

 

Basically unless a bite saved my life, the life of a family member, or the dog's life it would be unacceptable.

 

We have a lot of pets that we love dearly. I have done some truly crazy things for them. I would not hesitate to put them down if they bit someone, with the exception of a scenario where they literally saved a life.

[I talk to the trees]

Honestly, in your case, I'd be more concerned about training the neighbor kids than your dog. It sounds to me like they are walking the edge between talking and taunting. I hate, hate, hate to see kids excused from taunting behaviors because, "Oh, they're not hurting the dog." They need to be taught that if they behave this way with an animal (even a cute, sweet-looking one) they *might* get bitten. Just like they *might* get punched on the nose if they taunt another child. Does it excuse the dog's - or the taunted child's- behavior? Nope. But they need to learn to be respectful, and not engage in behaviors that might elicit unwanted consequences!

 

But that's just me...

[Farrar]

I think situations need to be treated individually... I'd hate to say one incident means such a drastic thing in every case, but in context of all those things, yeah, bye-bye, dog.

[Kathryn]

Any one of these is sufficient. All three (if true)is a no-brainer.

 

:iagree: It's a multitude of factors on that thread. You forgot the history of aggression (knocking over the mailman and getting a notice from the postal service about it) in addition to the current bite and the aggression with the baby. And the fact that the dog is already three years old. It's not a puppy. We have a four-month old puppy. She's nippy. I worry, but it's not aggressive biting and we make sure that it is NEVER tolerated, nor is any display of dominance over either child.

[SailorMom]

Growing up we had an Old English Sheepdog. One summer we had a college aged girl staying with us, and she backed the dog into a corner, under a table, and tried to reach into its mouth to remove a chicken bone. :001_huh:

 

Even the officers who came out to discuss quarantine agreed that this was not a problem with the DOG.

 

So no, I don't think that ANY and ALL dogs who bite need to automatically be put down.

 

Uh - nope - that's food aggression, and should be trained out of a house dog completely. We can take ANYTHING away from my dogs, in any way we need to, and they know who is in charge. The above listed occurrence would absolutely exclude the dog from our home.

[phathui5]

I would not have the dog around children if it bit.

[Lolly]

First, the groomers call ALL dogs sweet to the owners.

 

Dogs who bite..well, I'm a bit prejudiced because I had one. It is so hard. It is also almost impossible for a family with young kids to take the proper precautions to keep the dog completely safe. I have seen an aggressive dog who was truly well kept. It was tremendous work for the owner. I know that with my kids it would have been impossible. Size does not matter. My experience says that the not breaking the skin won't always be the case. It will likely escalate. My view: it is not worth the chance. It is a dog. Yes, JUST a dog. No matter how much you love it, it is not family. Not even if it sleeps with you in your bed. In my house it does not equal a human. Ever. There are so many non aggressive dogs out there, it isn't fair to keep one who is a danger. The end. End of our story: dog was put down. Turns out he had a tumor that was making him that way. I wish we had done it earlier, back before he went after little ds's face. (no scars, thank goodness) We now have the sweetest, most laid back dog you could ever imagine.

[katilac]

Honestly, in your case, I'd be more concerned about training the neighbor kids than your dog. It sounds to me like they are walking the edge between talking and taunting. I hate, hate, hate to see kids excused from taunting behaviors because, "Oh, they're not hurting the dog." They need to be taught that if they behave this way with an animal (even a cute, sweet-looking one) they *might* get bitten. Just like they *might* get punched on the nose if they taunt another child. Does it excuse the dog's - or the taunted child's- behavior? Nope. But they need to learn to be respectful, and not engage in behaviors that might elicit unwanted consequences!

 

But that's just me...

 

The dog is hers to train; the neighbor kids are not. From a liability standpoint, she'd better be a whole lot more concerned about training the dog.

 

I certainly think kids should be taught animal safety (and good manners, lol), but a dog must be taught not to bite in reaction to common human behaviors. It's not cool to "excuse" the dog from biting because it was annoyed by noise or startled by a sudden movement, for example. Kids in particular are going to be noisy, active, and unpredictable.

 

Many pleasant and smart people have never owned a dog and aren't familiar with lots of behaviors that I have seen dog-owners deem as 'obvious' triggers for biting or aggression. It is not their responsibility to know and avoid biting triggers; it is the owner's responsibility to ensure that the dog doesn't bite.

 

OP, you don't give the circumstances of the bite, but I'm not sure the details matter. A dog that is known to not like 'other' children should never have the opportunity to bite them. At a minimum, that means the dog should not be free in the house or backyard if other children are over, and should be leashed whenever leaving the house or fenced yard. The suburbs, they are full of annoying, delicious children . . .

[Pretty in Pink]

Uh - nope - that's food aggression, and should be trained out of a house dog completely. We can take ANYTHING away from my dogs, in any way we need to, and they know who is in charge. The above listed occurrence would absolutely exclude the dog from our home.

 

Absolutely. Our dog will drop whatever is in her mouth -- food included -- when commanded to do so. She will back away from her food bowl if any of us approaches. I have reached into her mouth many times and never worried that she would bite me. I know that she is an animal and the possibility is never fully eliminated but she is a gentle dog and knows who the boss is around here. She is not the alpha in this home. I would not keep a dog with an alpha personality around small children. Period.