Help: dog snapped at DS' face

[Anonymous]

I've posted here a few times recently about my new dog, a rescue, who we adopted in January. Things have been going pretty well but tonight I am so upset because G (the dog) snapped at my 7 yo DS' face. He's physically ok but was crying and very shaken up. They were laying on the floor right in front of me but I didn't see exactly what went down because I was talking to my DD. But my DS said that G was licking his face, and when he pushed her head away to stop her, she lunged to bite his face. I am so distraught. We are very much bonded to this dog now and i can't imagine not having her but my trust in her is shot. I love her but my kids come first, obviously. My DS was asking to get rid of her after this happened but by the end of the night they were sitting together and cuddling on the couch (with me right there of course). but I'm not always going to be right there. My kids are 7 and 10 and G is supposedly 2 years old (though I think she's younger) and it's just not the norm for me to always have my kids in my line of sight. I think I know what we have to do but am looking for reassurance that maybe giving her back to the rescue isn't a given and we can work through this. She does have a habit of biting during play which we are working to train her out of. I'm so confused right now, any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Dog would be gone in my house. A dog bit my sister's face when she was nearly 3....all of the skin was gone from her cheek and she nearly died from the blood loss. That dog needs to get put down.

[Anonymous]

1. What kind of dog?
2. Are you willing to hire a trainer?

[Anonymous]

Easy choice. Dog must go.

My DS then age 4 was bitten in the face by a neighbor's unleashed dog on OUR property. Horrific for all.

Worst was that the same dog has snapped at a neighbor child just days before and that mom dismissed the situation as a one off.

[Anonymous]

How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. What kind of dog?
2. Are you willing to hire a trainer?

1. We're not sure. The rescue said she was a lab/shepherd mix but everyone who sees her thinks she's a Doberman/Rottweiler mix. She has Rottweiler markings, but she's petite. And she has Doberman coloring but she sheds like crazy so I think there actually is some lab:shepherd in her. We hired a trainer through bark busters and are using her training methods to deal with the voting during play, counter surfing, leash walking, etc. I also just registered for group obedience classes at petco on Friday so that we can do more formal training on commands, focus, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

No, no, no, wrong wrong wrong. Your child's safety comes first. The dog must go, today. I am a dog lover for sure, and have had them most of my life, but this is the end of the dog in your house, OP - it has to be. Dogs who snap are dogs who bite, period. Call your vet and s/he will confirm this. When I was a kid, we were duly warned by our vet about a German shepherd we got as a puppy from a well-known breeder. The dog bared his teeth and snarled at the vet on every visit, from puppyhood on, and did the same to our family. The vet said he was a high-strung fear biter who was totally unsuited for family life and we should take him back to the breeder. My dad blew it off. Before the dog was 2 he bit my hand when I tried to put a leash on him to walk him, and I got three severe puncture wounds form his teeth that show to this day. Email the rescue coordinator NOW, please, for the safety of your child. You'll never forgive yourself when, not if, the dog bites someone. The dog can have a more suitable home with someone who doesn't have kids. Please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

I'm not at all psycho. Her dog didn't bite the kid, the dog snapped at him. It was the dog's way of giving a warning, which is why I asked HOW he pushed the dog away. You helicopter moms are psycho. See how that feels? Don't call names. Once, when my son was around 1, he wanted to pet the dog. They were both on my bed. He kept crawling after her and she kept moving away from him. Finally, she snapped at him. He cried. He was not traumatized. We changed the way we allowed them to interact, and she never snapped or bit anyone again in her more than dozen years past that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

I'm not at all psycho. Her dog didn't bite the kid, the dog snapped at him. It was the dog's way of giving a warning, which is why I asked HOW he pushed the dog away. You helicopter moms are psycho. See how that feels? Don't call names. Once, when my son was around 1, he wanted to pet the dog. They were both on my bed. He kept crawling after her and she kept moving away from him. Finally, she snapped at him. He cried. He was not traumatized. We changed the way we allowed them to interact, and she never snapped or bit anyone again in her more than dozen years past that.

I'm a dog lover and I think you're crazy too. A good family dog moves away from a child who plays too roughly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

I'm not at all psycho. Her dog didn't bite the kid, the dog snapped at him. It was the dog's way of giving a warning, which is why I asked HOW he pushed the dog away. You helicopter moms are psycho. See how that feels? Don't call names. Once, when my son was around 1, he wanted to pet the dog. They were both on my bed. He kept crawling after her and she kept moving away from him. Finally, she snapped at him. He cried. He was not traumatized. We changed the way we allowed them to interact, and she never snapped or bit anyone again in her more than dozen years past that.

Are you one of those dog french kissers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

I'm not at all psycho. Her dog didn't bite the kid, the dog snapped at him. It was the dog's way of giving a warning, which is why I asked HOW he pushed the dog away. You helicopter moms are psycho. See how that feels? Don't call names. Once, when my son was around 1, he wanted to pet the dog. They were both on my bed. He kept crawling after her and she kept moving away from him. Finally, she snapped at him. He cried. He was not traumatized. We changed the way we allowed them to interact, and she never snapped or bit anyone again in her more than dozen years past that.

It's not helicoptering to not want to see your child's face get mauled. I saw it happen to a child when I was a child and it haunts me.

[Anonymous]

I had a really interesting talk with a plastic surgeon while getting a conical incision of a suspicious mole a few years ago. He was a reconstructive surgeon by specialty, and he had a lot to say about dogs and young children - none of it good. That is one of the bread and butter tragedies for a recon surgeon. (Along with, apparently, bungee cords on garbage cans that damage people eyes. PSA - no bungee cords!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

I'm not at all psycho. Her dog didn't bite the kid, the dog snapped at him. It was the dog's way of giving a warning, which is why I asked HOW he pushed the dog away. You helicopter moms are psycho. See how that feels? Don't call names. Once, when my son was around 1, he wanted to pet the dog. They were both on my bed. He kept crawling after her and she kept moving away from him. Finally, she snapped at him. He cried. He was not traumatized. We changed the way we allowed them to interact, and she never snapped or bit anyone again in her more than dozen years past that.

+1. Unless she witnessed what happened and/or the dog bit him, this isn't a huge offense. My kids have accidentally poked the dog in her eye or gotten her fur caught & pulled it and she's snapped, whereas otherwise she's a teddy bear. It's her way to warn, you can hardly put her down for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did your son push her away? Maybe by the face, and his finger tip went in her eye? Or maybe the dog is just head-shy and his going to push her face away spooked her.

I tend to assume human error. I would not get rid of the dog based on this. I would retrain all family members in how to command the dog, how to touch/play/pet the dog, and would firm up the training of the dog.

This is why you pet people are psycho. You'd rather your child be traumatized and eventually mauled than give up a pet you just got.

I'm not at all psycho. Her dog didn't bite the kid, the dog snapped at him. It was the dog's way of giving a warning, which is why I asked HOW he pushed the dog away. You helicopter moms are psycho. See how that feels? Don't call names. Once, when my son was around 1, he wanted to pet the dog. They were both on my bed. He kept crawling after her and she kept moving away from him. Finally, she snapped at him. He cried. He was not traumatized. We changed the way we allowed them to interact, and she never snapped or bit anyone again in her more than dozen years past that.

+1. Unless she witnessed what happened and/or the dog bit him, this isn't a huge offense. My kids have accidentally poked the dog in her eye or gotten her fur caught & pulled it and she's snapped, whereas otherwise she's a teddy bear. It's her way to warn, you can hardly put her down for that.

Returning her to the rescue league does not equal "putting her down." They haven't even had the dog long, so they don't have a great feel for her temperament. Though it sounds like they're getting one now!