Got a new dog, he bit a 2 yr old?

Question

We recently got a German Shepard mix dog from a rescue. He was about 5 months old. He bit my roomates 2 yr old son on the ear and head and his ear was bleeding badly and his head had teeth marks and blood. I didnt see anything wrong that the boy did except tryed to pet and hug the dog, but nothing that should have made him react that way. I have 2 young children too. I didnt know what else to do, I took the dog back and told the people what he had done. I cant halde that happening again, I have too many children in the neighborhood and that come play at my house. I cryed when I took him back. Did I do the right thing?

Answer 1

you definitely did the right thing you should have also reported it to the local humane society in case the dog had disease

Answer 2

You absolutely did the right thing!! That dog would be a liability for your family. You would be held responsible if the dog hurt someone, and the fact that the dog already attacked a young child is more then enough reason to return the dog. The dog obviously had aggression towards young children and that's not something you were going to be able to change.
If you would like to get another dog then next time bring your children with you to the rescue so that the children can meet the dog. Teach your children and any children who come to your home how to respect a dog. Even though the child did not provoke the other dog, its still important to teach them how to treat a dog correctly.
I hope you find a great dog for your family!
Good Luck!
-Brit

Answer 3

Did the right thing for sure. Don't chance it happening again. Hope the dog was vacc. Child biten should have been taken to the Dr. as the boy should have been put on antibiotics and had a tetanus shot if needed. Wound cleaned thoroughly. Even a dog that is used to children may not be as tolerant with strange kids. Some won't tolerate a kid hanging on or getting in its space especially around the head or tail. Maybe the pup had been hurt by another kid or was used to rough play. Right Thing!

Answer 4

Yes, sadly you did the right thing... The dog will be better off being rehomed in a place without children and with someone who has experience correcting those kinds of behavioural problems.. Its not your fault, its not the dogs fault and its not the childs fault. The dog sounds like he has dominance or aggression issues with children.. it may be that whoever had him before let their children abuse and be rough with the dog when he was just a baby, or just because he was not properly socialized with children to begin with. I suggest calling them and making sure the rescue understands everything and reccomment to them that he be rehomed without children or that they get him trained by an experienced dog person who can correct the problem. The dog needs to be trained intensively now, and if you have children around who could be at risk you cant take that responsibility, you did the right thing, its too bad but for your childrens safety(and the dogs) you did the right thing.

PS more than likely the dog percieved the child hugging him around the neck as an aggressive act. When dogs dominate one another one of their tactics is to get on top of the other dog and put their legs around the neck and their face on the back of the other dogs neck in an attempt to force the dog into submission.. a dog that is not socialized with children to understand the difference between human affection and canine dominance aggression is likely to bite someone who hugs them around the neck with their face over the back of their head. In dog language thems fightin words, it is likely your dog did not know the difference and took the hugging as an act of aggression against him by the child and lashed out to protect his interests. Either way the dog needs a good trainer who knows how to correct these issues and it is best that is done in an environment without children. If you get a dog in the future it is a good idea that you get it young as possible, just weaned so that you can expose the dog to as many children as possible and the dog can learn human actions are not the same as dog body language and what may signal aggression in dog language is merely affection in human terms. Never allow your children to hug a dog around the neck unless it has been raised since puppy hood with those children.

Answer 5

This dog has some issues. When a dog is hugged around the neck you have to have a lot of trust. Some dogs do not like it or do not trust people that much to do that. Because of prior issues.I rescue Rottweilers. You definitely did the right thing. This dog needs training and go into a no child home. It is not worth the risk. We cannot take any chances with our children and it is not the dog's fault what some idoit taught them to do before they were rescued. The rescue that adopted this dog out should of already done tests to check on this. I am surprized they did not and adopted out the dog to you with children. I have Broken Heart Animal Rescue and all of my dogs are temp tested before they are adopted and when they go to homes where they will be around children and really do alot of testing. You DID the right thing. CJ

Answer 6

Well he was still a puppy and the dog could have thought the boy was just playing. All he may have needed was some training. When me and my brother were little. My brother and my cocker spaniel puppy were playing in the kitchen and he bit my brother on his ear. My brother had to get stitches but we never had a problem with the dog ever agian. But then it could have been previously abused and thought the little boy was trying to attack him. if u didnt feel comfortable with the dog around little kids anymore than u did a good job of giving him up so a family that can take care of him better can have him. So he could have bit the boy jsut caus ehe thought the boy was playing or it could go "deeper" than that. So i guess its just what u think deep down. if u thought he could have been a danger than u did a right thing by giving him up so a different family could get him. O r he could have jsut needed a second chance. if it was me i would have given him a second chance and jsut watched him with little kids and introduce little kids to him more slowly and ask the kids not to go to him unattended without an adult right there able to get in the way if needed. But that's just what i would do, it really depends on how u feel!

Answer 7

There's many things you could have done. You did the best, though. The dog in his current state was a danger to your family, and something had to be done. I think the dog could be placed in a home with no children and somebody who can train him and control him well. It sounded to me like a reaction to something the child did, like hugging him. Some dogs are afraid and just don't take to that.

More than likely, they will have to put him down. I'm sorry if this scares you, but you can probably contact the shelter/rescue and find out what will happen to him. With a dog that young, I think behavior like that can be controlled. He was just a puppy who didn't know how to react in those situations, I think.

I'm sorry that happened to you :(

Answer 8

Yes you did the right thing.

Some dogs aren't good with children.

Hopefully the people you got him from can find a family that doesn't have children.

I have a dog who doesn't like to be hugged or laid on my little kids and he growls, but he is REALLY old and his joints really get sore.

So we just make sure that the kids that come over play with our younger dog and leave him alone.

But really, it's the right thing. It's not worth a child getting bit again in order for you to disipline the dog & for it to realize that it was wrong.

Your tried to rescue it, it's the thought that counts. But your children are more important. Someday you will find a dog more kid-friendly.

Best wishes & Good Luck!

Answer 9

You made the right decision. It could have been worse, he could have died. There may have been something from the dogs past that was unknown to everyone that triggered his biting. We rescued a 2 month old spaniel/pitt/lab mix and even though he's lived the good life for over 4 years, he still will bark at anyone in a uniform or wearing work boots - this includes family in the home. He was found with 4 other litter mates (none of them made it) filthy, hungry and cold, it was Dec. 7 and my birthday. My husband grabbed the first male he could and took him. They were on a truck shop lot for heavy equipment. Lots of strays come there an beg for food from the workers. Our female dog at home will kill any female dog no matter the age, she's excessively territorial. She's a wolf hybrid. She is however fine with all male dogs. As the pup grew he would growl and back away from my husband, his dad, and my son when they had work boots on. We tried working with him on this and he has gotten a bit better, but not 100% about 85% better. I found out that when he was on the lot the workers fearful the pups would be run over would yell, throw things, or kick at them hoping to shoo them away. Well mine ended up being the only surviver. We called animal control to have them get the pups but by the time they showed up it was too late.

A German Shephard is not a good choice for a dog with small children unless the dog had been around them that young before. All interaction must be supervised and as you found out, never let a child hug or hang on a dog no matter the size. Before rescuing the above mix we turned in a chow/retriever mix female and all was fine for 10 months, when she turned for no reason to us and visously attacked my wolf hybrid. This was the only female dog she had ever gotten along with and she choose her, herself. We called the shelter and had them pick her up while my husband had our wolf hybrid at the vets. I stayed to see her gone. We rescued a Pomeranian/Papillon mix dumped by our house. He was 8 months at the time and we were careful in how we handled the puppy. Even a small dog bite will cause damage. It's been over a month now, he's been fixed, gotten all his shots, and is doing great. We test him to see what he'll do in situtations, but he has done great. I'm almost betting they never tested the dog for how he interacted with small children using dolls to mimic a toddler hugging or hanging on him. If they had, this problem may have been found out and he woud never have been up for adoption. Wait until the youngest child is at least 5-6 before getting another dog again, but first read up on all he breeds to see what the natural temperments are. Once you select one, test it using a toddler size doll on the temper yourself, put a treat on the floor and let the dog go to it placing the doll to it's face and see the reaction. There should be none, no hair raising, teeth showing, snarling, etc. With all mine (wolf hybrid and both rescues) I can put my hand to their food and they back away with no negative actions, this is a good response.

Good luck in the future.

Answer 10

Yes I believe you did the right thing. He sounds like a very aggressive dog. I know it must be heartbreaking but a dog like that should never be around children. I hear of too many children being mauled and killed by dogs. You were Being very responsible and and honest in telling the rescue people what the dog had done.

Answer 11

Sounds like he's just a puppy and he's playing. Puppies have needle sharp teeth and if you werent ready to discipline the puppy to teach him he can't play hard with the kids, then yes you did the right thing.
Kids need to learn how to approach animals, not all animals like being grabbed or hugged and sometimes they take this for playing.
I think you did the right thing by taking the puppy back, it sounds like you werent ready for him with all the young kids. But the puppy isn't at fault here.....He's just a baby still. German shepards need alot of training and attention.
I would reccommend getting a nice older dog, like a lab, somethign that the kids can play with with no worries.