My dog bit me and Im Pregnant... Should he get another chance??

Question

Me and My boyfriend got into a pretty heated argument today. His pitbull which I have also helped raise since he was a puppy.. completly turned on me and lashed on to my arm in the middle of the argument. of course my arm is swollen and bruised. I am also pregnant so now I am just worried to death to have my child around this dog.. My boyfriend on the other hand took up for his dog stating that our pitbull did his job by biting me, and never once checked to see if I was okay. My question is should i attempt to give our dog another chance, or would you guys be worried if you were pregnant and not want the dog around. ( I have to big of a heart to ever have an animal put down so that i out of the question ) If anything I would just give him away. What are some options?

My boyfriend isnt the only owner, I also have been in this dogs life since he was a puppy.. so why he just bit me scares me.. I mean we were both yelling at each other and he just protected my B/F... im just so scared now..

Please nobody get the idea that we raise this dog to be mean, this is a totaly shock to me because I show him nothing but love and affection, he is just really fond of my boyfriend... This behavior from him has really shocked me!!!

CHAZ IS THE STUPIDEST MAN ALIVE READ WHAT HE WROTE TO ME... THERE WAS NO HITTING I WOULD NEVER HIT MY MAN, I RESPECT HIM AND LOVE HIM TO MUCH TO DO THAT THERE WAS JUST YELLING... GO F*** YOURSELF A** HOLE

Answer 1

This is a difficult situation. Most people are stating that you should just get rid of the boyfriend and the dog, but that really doesn't help you out and I suppose since that's most likely not feasible.

However, it would be very concerning to me that your boyfriend did what he did. Regardless of how loyal a dog is to its owner, it should be disciplined for lashing out in attack-especially towards someone it clearly knows and has an established relationship with.

I think that I would speak to your boyfriend about it-of course when things cool down-and explain your concerns to him. Chances are he's just upset and not thinking clearly.

As for the dog, it's your call. I have an opinion about specific breeds and I am trying not to let this influence my post or your decision.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Well, the pit bull has a vicious reputation. A dog of its nature will attack when its master is threatened. However, a safe and well trained dog will only attack on command. Therefore, the dog can not be trusted. You are at risk. Your boyfriend surely must recognize the danger to you and your baby. Even setting rules such as banning the dog from your presence will not work because the dog will resent you and knows what it did. Your continued presence places you at additional risk. The dog is likely to be jealous of the baby. A boyfriend who would risk a bite to the stomach is no boyfriend at all. My opinion is you are in serious danger. Heated argument or not - he obviously can not control the dog. I know how it feels - I had to put one down (after intensive training failed) and it killed my daughters heart.......but there really wasn't a choice. Her safety is my first priority. Too bad I couldn't do the same with the mean man (also trained) who later acted like a vicious dog. I couldn't control him but the dog can easily find a new home. Lets face it. All beings have a one true and basic innate, constitutional nature - either gentle or aggressive.

Answer 3

I am no vet or animal trainer or anything, but this is what I think.... I love my dogs like they were my children, they ARE my children- jusy fuzzy ones that do not speak clearly. AND, I am also pretty pregnant and feel the same about putting fuzzies down. If one bit me, I would give her another chance, but only until (if) it happened again. Like everyone else said, you don't want the pup chomping down on baby. How far along are you? Maybe you could try some dominance training? You need to establish that YOU are the alpha and not pup. There are lots of stable, freindly pit bulls running around, not all are vicious attack monsters. So, just my opinion, hope it helps!

Answer 4

1.You should go see a doctor to make sure there is no infection.
2.The pit bull didn't bite you for no reason BUT you should make sure he has no problems. I'd recommend calling your vet to see what the heck is going on with your dog.
3.There are tips for bringing a baby home with a dog. You should take a blanket and put baby powder on it and formula etc for him to get use to the new scents. You shouldn't give him away for the first chance but if this persists he isn't ready. Like if he bites you for no apparent reason he has more then likely has an aggression problem. But PLEASE go see a doctor just to make sure there is no infection from the bite. If he has been gentle in the past then he probably was just roused by the argument. Which is apparently the cause. NEVER EVER argue in the same room with a dog. They can sense it and might not react well. Oh yes and before I forget set aside sometime for just the two of you. No baby no one. By him a few toys to keep him occupied and pet him and acknowledge his presence with some petting or kind words like "hey -insert name here-" I'd also recommend going to Pets smart and asking for training. Or ask your vet for training places in your area. But please do not report him to the authorities or anything. He doesn't deserve being killed. Find a new home for him if he proves not ready for a baby in the house. I repeat GET A NEW HOME IF HE ISN'T READY DO NOT PUT HIM DOWN!Best of luck!

Answer 5

Honestly, I'd be worried if I was in that situation. Remember babies are innocent and children can upset a dog easily. The dog may even get jealous of the baby. I'd be careful in that situation because you don't want your child being bitten by a pit bull. If that's what it did to you, think of what it could to a baby.....I would suggest giving it away. But just remember that they same thing could happen to the person you gave it to, so you need to do what's best for you, your baby and the people around you. This dog could lash out at someone that just comes to your house, then you'd get a law suit. Be careful, and I know putting down animals sounds cruel, but you need to consider your options. Good luck.

Answer 6

I would give it away to someone without kids. I would not have a pitbull in the house with a baby. What if the baby is crying and he tries to bite the baby. What if the dog thinks that you are hurting the baby he might attack and not get off. The dog could be jealous of the baby and hurt the baby to. I wouldn't risk the life of my baby after the pitbull already attacked you.

Answer 7

Personally I am leaning towards keep the dog, get rid of the boyfriend.

However, I would be weary leaving your dog around the baby. I have a dog that had to be muzzled for 3 years and leashed but once we finally found the training system that worked for him he turned into a great dog. (Though he will snap if extremely distressed -- for example if you are using a propane torch in the house. But he bites at you not actually you.)

Consider training, but honestly, with a boyfriend like that I just don't know (I mean without his support). Can you rehome him? (heck I'd tell you to mail him up here but pit bulls are illegal here *sigh*)

Answer 8

I'm in the same situation..or was. I have 2 dogs and the male is very unpredicatable...we trained him wrong due to some bad advice from a dog trainer. Well now you can't disipline him unless he is wearing a leash, can't go near his food while he is eating etc. So now that our daughter is mobile (she is 21 months), we don't allow him near her...if she is running around he is behind a gate or outside. This is the safest thing to prevent any incidents. I couldn't put him to sleep, not cause of the mistake we made in raising him when he was a pup.

Answer 9

The dog needs to go. I am a dog lover and former vet tech. I have also experienced just this - we adopted a 4-month-old dog who would bite me to show dominance when I was pregnant. We invested a lot of money in this dog, but he went back to the pound.

If an animal shows aggression, he is prone to do it again, unexpectedly, and to anyone. With a baby on the way, you should rid your home of this danger. I'm sure there is someone out there who can handle such a dog, one who does not have children.

Oh, and get rid of the man. Why wasn't his first response to see if you were okay? Besides, if you try and rehome the dog, the man will be mad. Don't stand for it. Your safety comes first.

Answer 10

I think it's horrible that your partner didnt even think about your wellbeing first! But you really need to consider these points:

* Has he bitten you in the past?

* Do you feel safe leaving this animal around your child?

* And do u think he will bite again?

Even tho these are only points to make, if you feel uncompfortable about any of these then you should think about getting rid of him (i wouldnt put him down either) by giving him away OR if your partner flat out refuses restrict the dog to a certain part of your yard by fencing it off that way only you and your partner have access to him.

Your partner said this dog was only doing its job by biting you. As the owner, no its not the dogs job to bite! Regretfully dogs need to be disciplined just like children and not treated as the ultimate friend. You let them get away with it, and they will do it all over again.

I would also be sincerely worried if it was myself at the moment seeing im 34wks pregnant. Go to the doctor IMMEDIATELY and seek medical advice. Being bitten from an animal can cause tetanus infection or bacterial. If you dont get these things checked your baby could be in danger of getting sick as well as yourself.

As for your partner....he needs a boot up the butt!