My dog bit my 2yr old in the face - Page 2

[Electra375]

Dog would go -- immediately in a kennel and then to the pound the next business day. Part of the famliy or not, human child comes before animals in my life.
I would not want to give a dog who bit my child away to anyone b/c they will do it again.

[Lady Madonna]

One of our dogs did this to DD when she was about 13 months old. The dog was sleeping and DD got too close and startled him and he nipped at her face. It was classic "dog correcting puppy" behavior, but DD isn't a puppy. DD was OK - she still has a small scar under her eye. But after that we knew that the dog needed a new home where he wouldn't be pestered. We worked with the breed rescue we'd adopted him through and they helped us find him a home with no children. It was the right thing to do for him and for DD. It broke our hearts, because he'd been our first baby, adopted shortly after we were married, but he was obviously getting very unhappy about a more-and-more mobile kid in the house.

I hate to tell anyone to get rid of their dog, but you might be doing the dog a favor by finding it a situation that is more positive for its needs and personality.

[Charles Baudelaire]

Originally Posted by gratefulmum

It happened while I was at work this evening. I came home immediately. Meredith is "fine" with a deep gash underneath one eye. We decided not to go to the hospital tonight, as it could be fixed up just as well in the morning.
I guess I'm feeling like an unfit mother, since there have been indications that she (the dog) might lash out. She is territorial about her food and bit my mother's dog twice at mealtime when we were living with her. I thought is was circumstantial and didn't want to blame our dog. Now I have a sweet baby sleeping in the other room with an open wound, and I may sound like I'm overreacting, but it's scary.
And what do I do with the dog? She is a part of our family and we love her, but she bit our baby. How can we be sure that it won't happen again.
Would you get rid of your family pet if this happened????

I know others would disagree with me, but my priorities are very clear.

The dog would be GONE. I would do it the respect of either having it humanely euthanized or have it adopted through the humane society if at all possible (with many, many warnings to them about the biting), but it would be gone THAT DAY.

Bottom line, at least speaking for myself, there is no question: animal or human, you harm my child and you are gone. Period.

[Destinye]

I would really try and find a home without children if possible, its just too risky. I would try and find a no-kill animal shelter that can rehome your dog in a home without kids though as the pound is likely to put them to sleep.

My SIL's dog bit my DD today and am a little upset myself, but more at DH than anything. Luckily it was not serious.

[annarosa]

I think you are right to consider getting rid of the dog - the child has to come first and hopefully you can find a loving home for the dog (without children).....

[gratefulmum]

Originally Posted by SamuraiEarthMama

if there's a warning bell in your head, listen to it.

There is, and this is what mamma instinct I'm bringing to the table when dp and I get to talk about this tommorrow.
I agree that animals have the right to defend themselves against children, and that children should learn to respect animals, but it seems to me right now that I'm not willing to teach either one of them manners towards eachother if it means sacrificing another part of my child's body.
I would love the time and space to 'see if they could work it out' but I'm not a gambling woman, I never have been.
This sounds cold, but I also feel differently towards our dog Haley, since this happened. I am not as fond of her. I am not as kind. I'm holding a grudge, and that is not fair to her either. She seems to have only been progressing more towards this behavior. Like I said, dp and I will talk this out tomorrow. But maybe she does deserve a home where she feels less threatened.

[Linda in OZ]

Originally Posted by boatbaby

Dogs are pack animals and they naturally estblish roles of dominance and interact via a pecking order. We worked very hard to teach our dog that there was a new pecking order when DS arrived and that he was below DS in the pack just like he always was with us.

Follow you heart and best to you!

In my opinion this is so important when getting a dog or bringing a new baby into the household, I have 3 dogs, 14 1/2 year old bitch a 5 y.o bitch and a 4 yo dog, for me one of the most crucial things is making sure my dogs know they are below the humans in the pecking order. It is possible to retrain your dog so that this wont happen again, but you really need to speak to a trainer or the like. In my household if anyone walks up to my dogs while they are eating my dogs walk away, they are lower in the pack so they wait until those higher up the chain eat their fill.
best of luck with whatever you decide to do, what a horrible situation for you and your dd

[Linda in OZ]

Originally Posted by boatbaby

Dogs are pack animals and they naturally estblish roles of dominance and interact via a pecking order. We worked very hard to teach our dog that there was a new pecking order when DS arrived and that he was below DS in the pack just like he always was with us.

Follow you heart and best to you!

In my opinion this is so important when getting a dog or bringing a new baby into the household, I have 3 dogs, 14 1/2 year old bitch a 5 y.o bitch and a 4 yo dog, for me one of the most crucial things is making sure my dogs know they are below the humans in the pecking order. It is possible to retrain your dog so that this wont happen again, but you really need to speak to a trainer or the like. In my household if anyone walks up to my dogs while they are eating my dogs walk away, they are lower in the pack so they wait until those higher up the chain eat their fill.
best of luck with whatever you decide to do, what a horrible situation for you and your dd

[kater07]

I think you need to question WHY it happened and who is really to blame. If your DD was pestering the dog or encroaching on your dog's territory (food dishes, kennel, dog bed, etc, then your DD needs to be kept from those areas and taught to respect your dog.

If the dog attacked your DD unprovoked, then I'd have to protect my child over everything. The dog would go. Children are not mean to animals on purpose, but animals are animals, and the loving of a small child can seem like abuse to the animal. If your dog can't be trusted with your child, then your dog needs a new, child free, home.

Only you know your dog.

I am not in any way saying that the dog is more important than your child. I am simply saying that, knowing the dog is protective of her food/territory, then your daughter needs to be kept away from that area. Can you feed the dog behind a gate?

If you feel that your dog is actually a danger to your child, GET RID OF HER!

DS has been bitten by our dog twice. Neither time did she break the skin, and BOTH time within 5 minutes. DS was right next to me and truly being disrespectful of the dog - head butting her, chasing her with toys and crowding her into a corner. I told him to stop and removed him from the situation only to have it start again. Once he bit her, he learned. He's never done anything of the sort to her again, and she's never even growled.

DD can literally go in while the dog is eating, push her out of hte way and sit in her food dish, and Isis just looks all pitiful and walks away. We are working on DD's respect, but she's not quite 14 months, so her understanding is lacking.

Good luck

I am sorry your DD is hurt, and I hope that everything works out.

[lab]

Originally Posted by kater07

I think you need to question WHY it happened and who is really to blame. If your DD was pestering the dog or encroaching on your dog's territory (food dishes, kennel, dog bed, etc, then your DD needs to be kept from those areas and taught to respect your dog.

If the dog attacked your DD unprovoked, then I'd have to protect my child over everything. The dog would go. Children are not mean to animals on purpose, but animals are animals, and the loving of a small child can seem like abuse to the animal. If your dog can't be trusted with your child, then your dog needs a new, child free, home.

Only you know your dog.

This is the issue. Why did it happen. You absolutely cannot force the dog to suffer consequences that the child caused (if that is what happened). In turn, you absolutely cannot keep that dog around if the dog is at fault.

My dog bit a child a few years ago. I'm here to tell you that the 'grudge' will go away if the dog wasn't to blame. I understand the need to protect the child at all costs, and I agree with that. I also understand that dogs are animals who have a very complicated pack structure. One 'doggie' glance speaks about a paragraph in human termss. Kids don't get that.

I actually had the appointment set to have my dog put down and couldn't go through with it. Since then, in our 'pack' we completely dominate our dog in every instance.

Sorry you have to deal with this. I wish it were easier.

OH! You can't re-home a dog who bites. First, you probably won't ever get anyone to take the dog if you are honest (and you would have to be) and second, you are still legally liable for any injury the dog may cause in the future. You can't guarantee that a childless home would remain childless (new babies, grandchildren, neices and nephews). You would have to have the dog put down.

ETA: I had to edit! I read my post and realized that I was implying that the child that my dog bit was to blame. Not so!

[Milky Way]

You may get better traffic if you posted in the pets section.

I think you need to give the dog another chance. You where not there, did an adult witness this bitting? If not then you have no idea what on earth happend, maybe just maybe your dc poked the dog in the eye or as one posted said crammed crayon up the dogs nose. Unless you or you DH saw this occur say this then I think your jumping to conclusions and could be giving your dog a death sentance for something thats wasn't his/her fault. What I would do is be more careful.

It sounds like your dog may have some dommiance issues that need to be dealt with. I've just undergone dealing with a very domminant dog who would bit anyone who tried to get in her way of anything. She came from a shelter and in a matter of three months she has turned around 100%. First remove all furniture privaleges NOW!!!!!! When eating make sure you and your DC eat first then the dog. If you know your dog has some issues while eating consider feeding her in a crate where no one can bother her. NEVER leave your dog and child unsupervised it isn't fair to either one, you would not leave your child in the tub for one second alone so don't leave them with the dog for one second alone. By keeping an eye on them then you can stop any problems before they happen. Last but not least check over your dog to make sure he/ she has no tender spots or injuries that might cause her to be in pain or grumpy.

[faithnj]

I find it interesting that when dogs bite somebody elses child, usually the child is rushed to the emergency room, the owners get sued, and the dog gets put down and tested for rabies. But when one's own dog bites one's own child-- our own children are not given the same curtesy and care that a non-family member's child would get. The same with siblings. If a kid in daycare hits or bites your kid, then the violator get's reprimanded, and the parents are told to fix the problem or else. But if a sibling bites another sibling-- the victim often doesn't get the same amount of care. (And sadly to say, the same often goes for child molestation.) I always think it's unfair for kids to have to take the brunt of something because the offender was "in the family," so to speak. Why do so many think it's okay to leave your child in possible danger with a family member? But if it was the neighbor, or the neighbor's dog, then it's not okay?

Faith

[mollyeilis]

Originally Posted by Electra375

Dog would go -- immediately in a kennel and then to the pound the next business day. Part of the famliy or not, human child comes before animals in my life.
I would not want to give a dog who bit my child away to anyone b/c they will do it again.

If you wouldn't want a dog given to anyone else, why take it to a pound? If ultimately you'd just want it gone off the earth, don't put the cost off onto the pound.

Originally Posted by gratefulmum

This sounds cold, but I also feel differently towards our dog Haley, since this happened. I am not as fond of her. I am not as kind. I'm holding a grudge, and that is not fair to her either. She seems to have only been progressing more towards this behavior.

I understand you feeling differently towards your dog. And I'm really sorry that your girl got hurt. But, and I say this as the "second baby" in a family (first chronological baby was the Alaskan Malamute, then the third was another malamute, and the fourth was my brother LOL), why didn't you help the dog figure things out, if she was progressing towards it? My mom spent HOURS helping her dog learn about me, helping him figure out where I fit into the family, that I was above him and he was to treat me as the Alpha's child. And she never had a problem with him, not even when I took his beloved tennis ball and chewed on it.

Assuming you'll be letting this dog leave your house; if you ever get another dog, please oh please help it learn how to behave, OK?


And if you do agree to a tetanus shot (makes no sense to me personally), please don't let them just give the DPT (DTP?) shot. As far as I know almost no one stocks just the tetanus, and they sure did give my mom the whole shebang after a spider-bite. She didn't know, thought they were just giving tetanus alone (b/c that's what they TOLD her), until she was done being unearthly sick for over a month, and she finally went back and demanded her records.

[AugustineM]

Bottom line, at least speaking for myself, there is no question: animal or human, you harm my child and you are gone. Period.
Very, very nicely said.

I agree with Charles Baudelaire -- I would get rid of the dog immediately. Why keep an animal around that a 2yo, who may not have the cognitive ability to realize that an animal needs space, etc. etc., may unknowingly antagonize? And who's to say the bite might not be worse next time?

That opinion may seem harsh, but honestly I can't imagine taking the risk.

[mollyeilis]

faithnj, I think that maybe the people saying all those different things might be different people.

However, I'll tell you that if the dog that lives below me- who has no obedience training, is never on a leash, is a pit bull, and is completely protected and can barely be kicked out because he is a supposed Service Dog- ever bites me or my kid I'm raising hell. Because I already do NOT trust him. I almost never leave the apartment these days, b/c they let him out without a leash, and they will just open their door for him to run out. If I'm coming down the stairs just as they are doing that, I'm trapped. If I'm going UP the stairs, it would be worse b/c I'm sure he can outrun me, with no apartment door 8 steps away.

Anyway, you can't even ATTEMPT to control the behaviour of other peoples' dogs. You CAN attempt to help your OWN dog.

My neighbors feel extremely safe with their dog and their children, and their friends must feel safe as well (those friends also bring their infants over for all night parties with incredibly loud music, lots of drinking, and so many cigarettes I can barely stand to walk by their door) b/c they are always bringing their children in, carrying infant in car-seat right at the nose level of the dog (if I'm just getting home, I sit in my car and wait until the door is shut before even getting out).

But that dog has shown itself to be protective of the entire building (6 apartments, 5 with children);he will stand at the foot of the stairs in a protection stance, bellowing at anyone who walks or even drives by. He has cornered my husband in his car three times, and my husband was also raised with large dogs and isn't generally scared of big dogs.

My point is...the people trust their dog with their family. Since he's protective of them, he probably knows his place in his OWN family, and probably won't bite THEM. But he does NOT know his place in the world, and isn't being SHOWN his place, and I think he's VERY likely to bite us. He's not safe to be outside off leash and this is taking ridiculous amounts of documentation to show he's a risk and can't be here, service dog or not (service dogs require no training, no obedience, and no documentation, just a doctor's note saying there's a condition that the human needs a service dog for).


It's different your dog vs their dog because, well, it is different dealing with your vs their dog. I don't mean that to sound trite, but it *is* different.

Now, if suddenly YOUR dog becomes "their" dog to some other family, then there's trouble again, and your dog will be treated as "their" dog, no matter how great your dog is in your own family.

[newmommy]

Get rid of the dog. to your dd.

[mythreesuns]

If it was an unprovoked incident, I would get rid of the dog.

[faithnj]

Originally Posted by mollyeilis

It's different your dog vs their dog because, well, it is different dealing with your vs their dog. I don't mean that to sound trite, but it *is* different.

Is that so??? I wonder if the two year old who's face is bitten would say "their" dog is different than "our" dog-- while he's getting the tetnus shots and the stiches and perhaps even suffering the nightmares after the "family" dog has bitten him or her? I mean, I could be wrong-- but it seems so easy for those adults who haven't been biten to say about the dog "ohhhh, but he's family." Somehow I just doubt that the child who takes the bite really cares to distinguish between the family pet and somebody else's pet, after he's been biten in the face.

And I know you think it's different, but I read of so many people who let their older children beat up on their younger children in the family home-- and leave the kids to work it out. Meanwhile, if that younger child was in daycare, he'd have been protected. You might see it differently, but I don't. Because in the end, to me, it says that many children are less defended in their homes and against their family members-- than they are outside of the home or against those outside of the family unit-- regardless of what the assult is. Pain is pain to a child-- whether it comes from the family dog or your family members, or from somebody else's dog and somebody else's kid. I think kids deserve equal protection against assault--from family members and pets, or not.

Faith

[esk8partist]

Originally Posted by kater07

I think you need to question WHY it happened and who is really to blame. If your DD was pestering the dog or encroaching on your dog's territory (food dishes, kennel, dog bed, etc, then your DD needs to be kept from those areas and taught to respect your dog.

hmm maybe she should keep the dog and give dd away...

but seriously. i'm every bit an animal lover as everyone else but, goodness gracious, are we really gonna send the dog to therapy over this? its a dog, it did what dog's do and the little baby did what baby's do. when you have family pets and kids there's always a risk that something like this will happen and it's important to take preventative measures, and, yes, educating the children to and how to respect life is a crucial, and so is being a responsible pet owner and trainh pets to respect humans; but personally, if i had to go through all the trouble to keep dog and baby apart, because i knew [/B]that a pet is unsafe around baby AND the pet already had injured baby--i would give the dog away. sounds like an accident waiting to happen, sounds like a lot of extra work. but that's just me.

actually, this is what we did--gave away our young alpha-female husky mix to a childless friend because she exhibited territorial behavior around us before dd was born and i didn't want to chance it. it was sad, but she's adjusting just fine, and even getting more attention there than she was getting here.

we actually kept the other dog that's been part of the family for over 14 years. and he lives mostly outside now, he used to be mostly inside before dd was born. we go outside to visit with him often, sometimes he hangs out inside with us. when my dd (11 months) pets or plays with him, i sit right beside her to protect her AND him...just in case she starts hitting, grabbing, poking in places that dog might not appreciate...

take preventative measures to protect your child... and keep in mind that, when she gets older and grows compassionate towards fuzzy beings, you can all go out as a family and choose a pet whose temperment matches your new needs...

[janerose]

Another vote for find another home for the dog. Frankly, I doubt it realistic to expect a 2 yr old to consistently remember to act "perfect" around your dogs. Like many others have said, people before animals.

We have 8 cats & 2 dogs. We are currently looking for homes for both our dogs for a variety of reasons, but a biggie is that we can't totally trust them around DD. Our black lab snapped at her the other day when she was hugging him (a very nice, gentle hug in the spot he *likes* to be hugged even -- no chasing or teasing involved) and our Rhodesian Ridgeback has a history of going after our cats. She's very good with the baby so far but...well...you CAN'T TAKE A SCAR BACK you know???

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Holly