Our dog bit someone... don't know what to do.

[Anonymous]

I'm so sorry. I can tell you are very sincerely trying to find the right, long term solution for your family and your dog.

I have to be honest though: I personally would not chance it with a child at home. (Esp because with one child, come visits from other children, and so on.)

DH and I agreed that the second our dog showed signs of aggression, specifically biting - we would find the dog a new home. I'm sorry. But especially in your recent situation you're lucky no one was hurt and/or sued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm getting a muzzle today and contacting a behaviorist first thing tomorrow am. If this doesn't imrpove or there's no way of making him feel secure enough to not this, we'll have to rehouse him.

Good move, OP. You will know more after you work with a behaviorist. We've done that and it helped a lot! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Purchase The Dog Whisperer books and start watching the show on Nat'l Geographic. Contact a personal trainer who is qualified in dealing with aggressive dogs. Your dog thinks it's the leader of your family, probably because you've allowed him to think so. A muzzle is a good short-term option, but the dog needs lots of exercise and discipline--and consistency. Don't put the public or your family at risk until you have things under control.

[Anonymous]

Your dog is not "loyal," your dog is aggressive. Good luck to you and don't give up hope. If you have ever watched the dog whisperer, you know that an experienced dog trainer can work wonders. Just stay realistic and do what is best for your family and everyone that comes in contact with your dog, not just what is best for the dog. It sounds like you are taking the right steps.

[Anonymous]

I don't think very many of the posters answering this inquiry are dog people. The suggestion to put this dog down or that this dog might attack the 3 yo in the house are completely off base. This dog is suffering from anxiety and does not need to be put down. This dog would never attack the 3 yo in the house, that child is part of his pack. You do clearly need a behavioralist but I would suggest that you have a long way to go working with that behavioralist before you "rehouse" the dog. He's been part of your family for 5 years and deserves a real strong effort from his family. I have a dog with anxiety issues too and some of the behaviors you mention, although my dog is small so it isn't probaby as big a problem, so I sympathize with you greatly. Get a muzzel, a crate (for when you have people at the condo), and a behavioralist and do your best to keep your pet with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think very many of the posters answering this inquiry are dog people. The suggestion to put this dog down or that this dog might attack the 3 yo in the house are completely off base. This dog is suffering from anxiety and does not need to be put down. This dog would never attack the 3 yo in the house, that child is part of his pack. You do clearly need a behavioralist but I would suggest that you have a long way to go working with that behavioralist before you "rehouse" the dog. He's been part of your family for 5 years and deserves a real strong effort from his family. I have a dog with anxiety issues too and some of the behaviors you mention, although my dog is small so it isn't probaby as big a problem, so I sympathize with you greatly. Get a muzzel, a crate (for when you have people at the condo), and a behavioralist and do your best to keep your pet with you.

THANKS SO MUCH. Thanks everyone actually, this has been a tremendous source of help and support. We're really trying to do what's best in this unfortunate situation and I think you re 100% right. I posted also in a Dog Behavior forum and got some very similar responses... It is SO obvious now that he is fear-agressive and suffers from stress/anxiety, but I could not see that clearly until now. I didn't really understand this behavior was a result of fear. I thought we could help him socialize by exposing him to different situations and now I realize he is just not ready for restaurants or parks as other dogs might be, and that he does not feel secure in those situations and might never be. We have a long road ahead of us but we definitely will put all our effort into working though this, hopefully we'll get him to a point where he is OK around strangers, even if this means low stress situations, people not petting him ,etc. He is part of our family and deserves it. We've taken care of the muzzle/crate and will get together with a behaviorist this week. Thanks again, I'm glad to know there's hope for him and other people can sympathize. I've been so anxious about this since the incident...

[Anonymous]

OP - I am a big dog lover, we have 2 labs. But biting is a serious matter. You get one free bite. It is your responsibility to make sure it cannot happen again. That means your dog must be kept away from people or, if that doesnt work for you, it should be put down.

[Anonymous]

All I can say is, if this dog bit me or my kid in public, and I found out he had bitten before, I'd be pretty pissed.

[Anonymous]

PP I totally agree with you.

[Anonymous]

Yes, yes, yes. To the 3 previous posters. (although I think a new home rather than being put down is a better alternative.)

OP- My heart breaks for you and your dog. I imagine this seems impossible. But these are the warning signs. You now see characteristics in your dog that will likely not be changed 1) quickly and 2) in a small apt in DC.

[Anonymous]

We gave our 2 year old dog back to her breeder after she bit my 6 year old on the hand when she touched its paw (the dog was sleeping), and deeply growled at a TODDLER walking up to her on the beach. The dog was about 160 lbs of unpredicatable muscle. I know you don't have the back-to-breeder option, but I would think seriously about whether you can ever trust your dog with small children, yours and others. Stakes are too high.

The statement that dogs never attack family members because they are part of the dog's "pack" is ludicrous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We gave our 2 year old dog back to her breeder after she bit my 6 year old on the hand when she touched its paw (the dog was sleeping), and deeply growled at a TODDLER walking up to her on the beach. The dog was about 160 lbs of unpredicatable muscle. I know you don't have the back-to-breeder option, but I would think seriously about whether you can ever trust your dog with small children, yours and others. Stakes are too high.

The statement that dogs never attack family members because they are part of the dog's "pack" is ludicrous.

No kidding! Most of my adult friends who were bitten as children (and I know several) were bitten by family pets, not strange dogs.

Thank you, OP, for taking this seriously and taking preventative measures by seeking professional help.

BTW, I'm a dog lover and have two German Shepherds who are treated as pack members but not as leaders.

[Anonymous]

I applaud the OP for seeking help before resorting to giving the dog away or putting the dog down (which is ridiculous given the dog was put in a stressful situation versus a dog just randonmly biting). And it sounds like the OP is being responsible and not exposing other people to the dog.

But I would caution to at least be careful with the dog and your child. Yes, some dog would NEVER harm someone in their pack. Personally, I can put my hand in my dogs mouth and pull out a chicken bone (when she finds one on our walks) and she would never consider biting me. So I can understand the comfort level of interaction of the dog with family.

But I have heard instances where a dog biting a random stranger does turn into the dog biting a family member. It's usually a mental/physical problem that has grown overtime.