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October 2013 Moms
Weljadraak
member
WWYD if your dog bit your baby?
Weljadraak
member
Did anyone see this post on parenting?! I know we have a lot of dog owners here (myself included) so WWYD?
WWYD if your dog bit your baby? 140 votes
Rehabilitate dog
30%
42 votes
Re-home dog
37%
53 votes
Euthanize dog
9%
13 votes
Do nothing
4%
6 votes
SS
18%
26 votes
This discussion has been closed.
Re: WWYD if your dog bit your baby?
She's pretty much my dog soul mate, and I don't want to think about what I'd have to do in that situation.
How old was the child?
Did the child do anything to the dog?
How old is the dog?
Does the dog have any medical conditions?
Where was I at the time of the incident?
If the dog was fairly young and I had adequate time to spend training, I would try to rehabilitate. However, depending on the type of aggression the dog is displaying, it can take a TON of time and resources to do this. When I addressed Bally's aggression issues in the past, I more or less spent all my free time and a few thousand dollars working with her and a trainer for many many months. It really was my sole focus for about a year, it was a tremendous amount of work. As a new, working mom with twins, there's no way I'd have the time to do this right now and the training may not be successful if done inconsistently or incompletely.
So with that in mind, i'd probably try to find a more suitable home. But with my dog, she's so old, she's probably only got a year or so left, and really has only ever bonded with me and is very distrustful of new people. I don't think she could ever adapt and be happy in a new home at this point. So if something ever happened with her, I really don't know what I'd do. This is my worst nightmare scenario and I just am very vigilant to prevent anything like it from happening.
I'm going to go hug my puppies now
That said, my last dog was very aggressive and would bite anything that came into his space, especially once he lost his vision. I waited until he passed to TTC.
That's the consensus because people don't have a realistic concept of how hard it would be. Most shelters don't have the time, space, or resources to take on a dog with a bite history. Even if there are extenuating circumstances like in @RedheadBaker's examples, shelters can't afford to keep a dog around for as long as the rehab/adoption would take. And without rehab, there is just too much liability in adopting out the dog even if you can find someone who wants it. If you're thinking that you'll get a family member or friend to take the dog, I hope it's not someone you plan to visit. And honestly, how many people have family/friends who care enough about your dog to take them despite a bite history but that you don't visit at their home? It's a long shot that you could find a home for the dog.
I wish my dog loved my kid, like some others seem too. It would make life so much easier.
ETA: didn't see you asked what kind of dog she is: part chihuahua, part schnauzer. All cute
Ballys acts if aggression have always been more like ankle nips and then she runs away. I still consider it a bite if her teeth touch skin, but itis different from a dog bite where the dog was really trying to hurt or kill someone, draws blood and holds on or drags the kid or something. That kind of bite history would be very hard to rehome, especially with a larger dog. But I know people who have adopted 'nippy' dogs that were known to not be good with children and who are happy with their decision.
I adopted a formerly aggressive dog with multiple bite history. I knew the former owner, and it was coming down to euthanasia or he could live with me, so I took him. With love and affection, he's the sweetest dog and I have trusted him with my newborns. He occasionally shows his teeth, but has never bit since I took him in 7 years ago.
If he ever bit my kids, it would depend on the severity, but I would either keep him separated via gate or scold him and move on. He's an old dog, rehoming is not a good option for him.
The poodle and LO are #bffsforlyfe. LO can yank his fur and Caesar will yelp, but not even flinch.
The other two do have bites in their past; the oldest, Denver, bit my nephew, who was trying to take a ball out of Denver's mouth while under a table during a family dinner while I was in Florida (recipe for disaster for a dog with separation anxiety problems and an extensive history of abuse). My stepmom wanted Denver put down; my sister said absolutely not. That was 6 years ago and the last time he was ever even remotely aggressive.
Frankie, our middle furkid, bit DH on the hand the day after we rescued him. DH tried to move his bone an Frankie nipped him right in the palm. Frankie was abandoned and was very food aggressive in the beginning. No problems since.
I can't really say what I would do if one of our dogs bit Emerson, because it would totally depend on the situation. Nip or bite, blood or scratch, provoked or not, likelihood of recurrence, other circumstances that preceded the event. Obvs, Emerson's safety is #1 but it would be my goal to continue to have our dogs part of the family for the rest of their lives.
Imagining losing Denver, for any reason, just made me cry. I love that dog more than I have loved most people in my life.
And because I need to AW Frankie, too:
Chance the guard doggie.
My sister has a JRT and they live with us. I don't trust him around DS. He's tried nipping him before. Cranky old man.
My parents came and took him home with them the next day. I'm so thankful that we didn't have to make a heartbreaking decision.
Fast forward 2 years, he started visiting often and was so good with dd. He was so much more mature and less skittish. He still lives with us, and obviously while I wouldn't leave him alone with either if the girls, he's a wonderful companion to both if them.
Tldr: Btdt. My parents are awesome. Happily ever after.