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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP, I am not a dog expert.  But I am a mom to a 10yo boy who still has a scar on his cheek from a dog bite that he got when he was 2.

The dog who bit my child was friendly, well-known to us (belonged to extended family, we'd known the dog for years), no history of aggression to people.  But he was not well socialized to other dogs and had a tendency to react to stranger dogs, barking and lunging.  He'd never actually attacked another dog; his owners were good at keeping him away from any opportunities.

The dog was also starting to lose his eyesight.  And so when he was standing on the sidewalk, on a leash at his owner's side while we chatted, and heard a dog barking across the street, he reacted quickly and violently by lashing out at the first living thing near him.  Which happened to be my toddler, who of course was the perfect height to be face-to-face with the him.  It took 12 stitches at the ER to sew his cheek back up.

We are incredibly lucky that it wasn't worse, that he didn't hit an eye or anything unrepairable.  I'm very thankful that he only bit once, and then turned tail and tried to run - it was not a prolonged attack.  I'm thankful that DC was young enough that he doesn't really remember it.  He knows the story because he's asked us about the scar, but he (mercifully) has no memory of the blood-soaked, screaming car ride to the ER or being held down for the doctor to give a local anesthesia so they could stitch him up.

You know this dog has the potential to do the same, or worse.  Please do not ever let this dog be around children.  Don't put yourself or another parent through what DH and I went through 8 years ago.  I don't know if the answer is medication, euthanasia, or rehoming - like I said, I'm not a dog expert - but I know you have to keep him away from children.[/quote]

OP here.. thank you for sharing your perspective, and I’m very sorry about what happened to your son!! Strangely, both my husband and I were bit by our own dogs as children (though mine was a corgi who bit my nose and didn’t do damage, but my husband has a huge scar on his cheek from being attacked by a German shepherd who pinned him to the ground). It’s very scary stuff and rest assured that we won’t be ignorant and bring others’ kids (nor likely our own) around our dog now that she’s bitten me. Thanks again for sharing your story xo[/quote]

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