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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]PLEASE think really hard before giving up on the dog. Dogs aren't disposable, they are family, and you have a responsibility to work with them and teach them just as you would any family member.

This was one incident, and no one got hurt. The dog is still new to your family and it's going to take time for your children and the dog to learn about each other. Your son probably pushed the dogs face away in an upsetting manner to the dog, and the dog let him know.

I understand that you are frightened for your children, but please don't overreact to one incident. Can you hire a dog trainer or attend obedience classes? Your whole family should be involved in training the dog basic obedience commands - this builds the language that you can communicate with him in. Additionally, pay attention to the dog, and if you notice things that annoy him, make sure your kids don't do them. Some dogs will put up with a behavior for a while before they snap, so look for any sign that the dog is uncomfortable (tail down, ears back, eyes looking away) and teach your kids these signs, too. A quick google search of dog body language will find you plenty of resources on what to look out for. Your children are old enough and your dog is young enough that once you master a few commands and develop a communication style with him, things will go much smoother.

Also, make sure the dog has a safe place to retreat to if he's getting overstimulated. Crate training is a wonderful tool for creating a calm, safe place for the dog. You can also crate the dog while you are doing especially consuming activities and won't be able to monitor him with your children.

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Giving the dog back to the rescue at this point is not a bad thing.  I have had many rescue animals and we had to do the same thing a year ago because the dog bit our child's face unprovoked (DH was sitting right there when it happened and our child was 10 yrs old at the time).  It has been painful and gilt ridden but I know that animals are not disposable but it was not like I gave the dog back because I didn't feel like walking it etc.  I spent thousands on a trainer and we had been assured that the dog would do well in a house with children before we adopted her.  This turned out not to be the case.  It was just better to let her go back to her foster home and be adopted into a home that did not have kids.  [/quote]

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