January 2014 Moms
rowanthefrog
member
BIL's dog bit DS1 today during Thanksgiving
rowanthefrog
member
Sigh....I've been worried this will happen. BIL and SIL have this dog. I will straight up tell you I'm not a dog person, though there are some I like, but this particular dog is the epitome of all that I don't like about dogs. Neurotic, small, yappy, constantly needs to be held or in a Thunder shirt, overprotective, freaks out all the time, etc etc.
So how would you handle this? I'm being reasonable if I ask them to keep the dog away in another room when we see them from now on, right?
BIL and SIL know he's not great around small children. He doesn't like it when kids run. If you even walk towards SIL he will start to growl and freak out and "protect" her. Thankfully he's a small dog, I think some sort of chihuahua/beagle mix.
Anyway, DS1 has always been a little nervous around dogs, mostly because he doesn't like loud noises and the barking scares him. I've taught him to always ask the owner if the dog is friendly before approaching a dog, and if the owner says its ok, to walk up slowly with his hand outstretched so the dog can sniff him before he pets the dog. He follows those instructions very well.
Today at Thanksgiving at SIL's parent's house there were a few small dogs running around. At one point, two of them started fighting and barking really loudly which scared DS1. They put one of them away and just left out SIL and BIL's dog. An hour or so later, DS1 ran across the living room, past the dog. The dog started chasing him and biting his butt. DS1 screamed and I grabbed him. They put the dog away.
He has a pretty deep bruise on his butt, didn't break the skin because of his pants and underwear, thankfully, but if that had been bare skin he would have broken the skin.
I've always been concerned about this dog around my kids, but he had never done more than bark and growl at them before. Now he's bitten one of them. And if that had been DS2 that could have been his face. BIL and SIL are pg with their first child and I genuinely wonder what they are doing to do about a dog who BITES children who run. It's not like DS1 was provoking him at all.
I don't want to make a huge deal about this with them, but I also do not want that dog around my children again. DS1 was already pretty skittish around dogs anyway and I think this is going to make that much much worse. DS2 doesn't seem to be as bothered about them, which is good, but I obviously don't want any dog biting my kids.
So how would you handle this? I'm being reasonable if I ask them to keep the dog away in another room when we see them from now on, right?
A
M/c #1 - 10/30/07 - 5w3d, DS1 - born at 36w, M/c#2 - 12/7/09 - 5w, M/c #3 - 1/13/10 - 4w6d,
M/c #4 - 3/16/10 - 5w1d, DS2 - born via VBAC at 40w3d, M/c#5 - 11/5/12 - 7w2d
BFP #8 - 5/5/13- Looks like a sticky one! DS3 - born via epi-free VBAC at 39w1d
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Re: BIL's dog bit DS1 today during Thanksgiving
A
partial molar pregnancy : bfp 6.28.10, d/c 8.17.10, 7 rounds methotrexate, cleared 7.1.11
alexander patrick : bfp 1.16.12, born 9.20.12 @ 39w1d, 7 lbs./11 oz./22 in.
scarlett irene elizabeth : bfp 5.24.13, born 2.3.14 @ 41w2d, 7 lbs./13 oz./19 in.
With an unpredictable dog, especially an overprotective one, you have to be careful around kids. If it weren't your family that dog could've been pushed to be put down for just biting a child! Asking for him to be put away around your son is totally fair.
Also, if it makes you feel any better when I was like 5 I was bit in the face by a large dog...like bad enough I was medicated for it (the dog had a sore spot and I accidentally touched it). I've never had a fear of dogs even with that experience. HTH! Glad your son is ok and I hope that doesn't make him afraid of dogs!
partial molar pregnancy : bfp 6.28.10, d/c 8.17.10, 7 rounds methotrexate, cleared 7.1.11
alexander patrick : bfp 1.16.12, born 9.20.12 @ 39w1d, 7 lbs./11 oz./22 in.
scarlett irene elizabeth : bfp 5.24.13, born 2.3.14 @ 41w2d, 7 lbs./13 oz./19 in.
And yes, this dog sounds like a problem. If a toddler walks up to the dog and starts yanking its tail or something, I can't blame the dog for biting. But if a kid running in the dog's general vicinity is provocation, this dog is too high-strung to be around kids, or large groups of people generally.
Like you said, just ask if they put him up when you come over because you don't want DS to begin to fear dogs or anything worse to happen. You have every right to dictate what happens with your DS.
It's been my experience that when a dog chases/nips/bites someone and that is not properly dealt with (the overall experience was positive for the dog--it felt like a badass, didn't get corrected, etc) it's only more likely to do it again and increase it's aggression, so it's not safe to have this dog around your kid (or other kids). It really bothers me that they didn't even apologize and don't seem to think it's a big deal. But owners not being responsible pet owners is a soapbox of mine.
I will say this, my child has been bitten twice by dogs (neither time were our dogs and both times he was being babysat by someone outside of the family). One time required him to be hospitalized for almost a week on IV antibiotics and one time almost resulted in him losing his left eye. DS still loves our two dogs. Obviously, we keep him away from other dogs but it doesn't mean your DS is relegated to a life of being afraid of animals.
It is 100% within your right to ask them to put up the dog. As a matter of fact, it should be common sense for the dog owner.
A
This would be my fear too. I'm so glad he's doing well and his skin wasn't pierced.
You absolutely have every right to not have your son interact with this dog again!
I'm a dog lover- especially small dogs actually. My pet peeve is owners who don't train their little dogs and allow then to be yappy, coddled, annoying assholes.
DS conceived NTNP; born 1/8/14
TTC 5/15
TI w/Clomid 12/16, 1/17, 2/17
OB ordered SA 2/17 and referred to RE for MFI - Low Count/Motility
DH Varicocele repair 6/17.
9/17 SA: count improved
TI w/Letrozole 9/17, 10/17
IUI#1 11/17 BFN
IUI#2 Christmas day
IVF#1 w/ICSI: 3/18 BCP, Lupron down reg, Follistim 300IU, LDHCG 10units, Lupron 5units, Ovidrel trigger on 3/18. ER 3/21
8 retrieved, 5 mature, 3 smaller no fertilization w/IVF. 3/5 fertilized w/ICSI. Day 5 Fresh transfer scheduled 3/26 or day3 on Saturday if any arrest.