I need your advice-is it possible to keep a dog that bites with small kids in the house?

Question

We have a wonderful dog-we got him as a puppy and he is three now. He is a shepherd mix. LOVES people. Never an accident in the house. We didn't realize when we got him that he is completely anxious and cannot relax if there is anyone outside of the fmaily in the hosue or yard. Plus, there have been two biting incidents with kids but ONLY when food was directly involved.

I knwo it sounds insane, especially since the latest bite was my older daughter, but is there a way we can keep this dog? I am thinking of obvious things like feeding him separately, crating him when company is over (especially kids), putting a dog door and heater in the garage for him when kids are over. Basically I am looking for suggestions, I don't want to play fast and loose with a biting risk, I don't want to be sued, but I made a committment to this dog, not knowing he was too much dog for us. I feel, at age 3, he will only get more mellow. My husband, so far, is not yielding on keeping him.

I am simply afraid that no one will want him. He may be a dog only his mother can love. And I can't have him put down. He isn't ferocious, he is just anxious. Please offer opinions. Thank you.

Wait, JR. While I appreciate your input, "allowing him to become this way??" What the...? How do you feel we might have done that? I am curious. Honestly.

Miss Zette, I should have mentioned-they are snaps, but he is a strong dog (and big-75 lbs) and so even though the contact lasts for a moment, he sort of punctured my daughters fingernail (3 days later you'd never know she was bitten) and the other child received a bruise for his troubles-no broken skin. And yes, he follows commands-but he is an alpha except he does bow down to my husband.

I just want to thank everyone for thier help. I can see people understand how hard this is. Without totally obsessing, I would like to add that these have been nips, NOT attacks. Yes, the fear is that he will nip in the wrong place, an eye or somesuch but I think it's important to understand that this dog does not clamp on, is not ferosious, and is a people pleaser. Okay, I'll shut up and keep reading.

Answer 1

If you think you can handle it but remember what is at stake. Your children. You are right who else would want a dog that bites. You already failed the commitment to this dog by allowing him to become this way. They don't ususally get "more mellow" they age and get agitated.

Added:

Anything an ANIMAL does in your care is because YOU allowed it. If it sh*ts in the kitchen everyday its because you let it. If it nips the neighborhood kids is because you have allowed it. If your dog pulls on lead it is because you have allowed it. If your dog gets in the trash its because you allowed it. Is there anything else?

Answer 2

That is a really tough decision to make. But you are on the right track by crating him when company comes over and telling everyone that when the dog is eating to leave him alone. Did you adopt this dog? Because they should have told you about his behavior before you agreed to take him. If not then I think that you need to really get him involved with a trainer. It may not completely take the aggressive nature away but it can tame it a bit. Once you have gone through all the steps necessary to helping this dog, if he is still showing aggressive behavior than I would seriously consider giving him away. But you would have to tell the shelter or organization about the biting so that they can assess whether or not he would be suitable for adoption. Sometimes the dogs that are aggressive with children do fine placed with families that don't have any. It just depends on the dog. The SPCA runs behavioral tests to see if the dog is ok to be adopted out and to what kind of family it would do best with. Unfortunatly, sometimes they are too aggressive and are a danger to others so they have to be put down. I know that is the last thing you would want but you really have to consider what is best for your children, family and friends. Good luck!

Answer 3

Well this is hard, I really feel for you and your dog.

The majority of dog bites occur because of fear and anxiety on the behalf of the dog actually, rather than full on agression.

Even though he sounds like he is at the lower end of the scale for danger, he's still on that scale, and unfortunately I think that keeping a dog with a history of anxiety or food related nipping is an unacceptable risk, moreso because he is a big dog with big teeth.

Rehousing him with another responsible pet owner who does NOT have children would be far better for you and the dog than possibly having him nip someone else, cause major damage, and have him forced to be put down because the parents insist.

I understand your reluctance to "give up" on him when you've made a committment to him, but I don't view rehousing him as giving up, I view it as making the best decision all round for everyone. Once he adjusts to a new owner, he'll feel far less anxious in an environment that suits him better, and if you are lucky you could find someone who will allow you to visit him (lol...access visits with your dog...hee hee).

Crating during company and keeping him isolated in the garage when kids are around aren't really feasible options...mistakes can always happen, and really I can't imagine him being happy or less anxious if he is shut away whenever there is people over.

Maybe another option you could consider is getting him evaluated and worked on by a dog whisperer. Maybe his anxiety could be treated by medication (long shot I know...but could work possibly, if you don't have reservations about medicating your dog for anxiety).

If you recognise that he is too much dog for you, then the only responsibly and sensible decision you can make is to get him rehoused with someone who can accomodate his needs.

Answer 4

Hey Dalice....

Hmm... I can't help but wonder if it's worth it to ultimately keep him. But, rather than just give up on such a seemingly beautiful dog in all other aspects but this, I'd suggest some obedience schooling. Some place where he can integrated in with other animals and people first in someone else's territory, then his own, and break him of the nervousness and excitement.
Like you said, he's an alpha. And, he looks as your husband as "pack-leader." So, it's of the utmost importance that your husband continues the role of leader, and establishes dominance at all costs over your dog when he shows the FIRST inclination of excitement. Simply put: do not allow him to even focus his attention on the people who come over until he can show a submissive state while in their presence.
With this mentality, he'll learn that he's not running the show, and has to basically "ask" you for permission to approach people (be it children, adults, or other animals). Once he asks permission, he'll be careful about what approach he takes. And remember (although hard with children, I know) to make sure the people coming over to not show excitement for him either. Basically act like he's not there until he shows the behavior you want. THEN, acknowlege the dog's presence, and allow for some affectionate interaction between people and pet. This will help him understand that he's not the only one that needs attention, that people are dominant, and that he has to wait his turn.

This'll take a few swings at bat, but the important thing is CONSISTENCE. If you're consistant, and don't give him word in edge-wise, he'll catch on. And, you'll see a whole new doggie!!!

Good luck Dalice - I hope it works out!!!!!!

Answer 5

I work in an animal hospital as a vet tech and I have seen some wonerful dogs come in that just so happen to attack kids. Not because they dislike them, but because of little instances like being food aggressive, picking up their toys, petting them too hard, etc. It's not worth it to keep a dog that bites. I'm not telling you that you need to "prioritize your parenting" but it's really not worth putting you or your family in harms way. Dog bites are pretty serious business. In my county, if a dog bites a person and it's reported, they owners are obligated to take them in for a Rabies Observation exam twice. If the dog has more than 3 rabies observation exams they usually will start is discuss euthanasia with the owner.
If in the end you eventually want to get rid of your dog, try to find a family without young children and just make them aware of his "issues".
Something you can try to do is find a pet behaviorist and have them come to the house and see if he is workable. But he is 3 so it may not even have an effect on him.
And if he is already 3 yrs he is not going to mellow out. If anything when dogs get older they can be more tempermental.
This is a horible situation that your in but by just putting a gate up or seperating him when feeding is not going to protect him from your family.
I know that it's hard because you had him for so long and he's just like a child but biting is not an acceptable behavior or trait to have in a pet.
When I was 9 I was at a friends house and they had an akita. He was the nicest dog in the world. Such a sweetheart, but one day he was at his food bowl and all I did was walk behind him. I didn't touch him or anything, and he turned around and bit me in the face. Now 14 years later, I have scars across my mouth because he was food aggressive. I would hate for this to happen to you.
Good Luck I hope everything works out for you!

Answer 6

My brother in law trains hunting dogs (I hate the man, but this is the one thing he does that I admire.) Because they are hunting dogs, a lot of the time they're not exactly kid-friendly, and his own kids get snapped at by strange dogs pretty often (he brings them home with him and lets them roam the house.) When a dog has snapped, he pretty much gets right on top of the dog and cows it. He's never been bitten. Your husband may be able to enforce the same trick on your dog, since the dog submits to him.

Other than that, I've seen him feed dogs separately and crate dogs apart. They also make canine tranquilizers, a mild sedative might help him calm down if you get enough advance warning of company.

Answer 7

It is possible, but recognize that this is a huge liability and risk as well. All the things you mentioned are good first steps. Make sure all kids (yours and others) know that the dog is NOT to be messed with at all when he's eating (and be sure to feed him in his crate). Also, make sure kids can't walk all over the house with food to perhaps tempt the dog to take it from them.

The first thing to do is to speak to your veterinarian. First of all, the vet can check the dog over for any physical things that might contribute to his anxiety or make it worse. Secondly, your vet can probably recommend a few good trainers in your area to help figure out why the dog is behaving this way and recommend training methods to mitigate some of these issues.

If the dog is food aggressive, it may help to feed him his food one piece at a time (not when the kids are around - at least not at first). Put a few kibbles in the bowl, then let him eat it. Then put a few more in the bowl, and let him eat it. Continue this until he's had his entire ration. The point of this is for the dog to learn that it's okay to have people near him while eating. Depending on the age of your kids, you may want them to participate in this process.

I admire your willingness to work with this to try to keep your dog. So many people out there treat animals as disposable these days that it's sickening. However, recognize that if he does bite someone and it ends up having to be reported, you're risking injury and legal liability and your ability to maintain homeowner's insurance at all. If he does bite someone and it gets reported, he'll likely be taken from you and put down anyway. I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 8

I think its honorable that you want to figure out all of your options before just tossing your dog away. There are somethings to consider before making this decision. First you said he has bitten twice- were the bites big (dangerous) or did he just snip? Did he let go as soon as he was commanded to? How large is the dog? These questions are important because if the dog nearly snipped but didn't break the skin or cause serious damage than yes crating - or having his food dish separate form the family room- and cutting out all rawhide/bone type treats that can make some dogs very territorial is agreat idea(my rottweiler became a completely different animal around his rawhide we just stopped giving it to him and we haven't seen a problem yet). Also if the dog listened to you when you commanded him to let go or to stop than that means the dog knows that you are in control and not him and that is definitely a dog worth keeping. However if at 3 years old he doesn't listen to your commands you are clearly not in control.
After answering those questions if you feel the dog is NOT violent and does understand that you are his boss I would sincerely consider one on one behavior training. Your vet i am sure can recommend some one great for you. It may seem like yet another expense but if you can have your dog relaxed around family- especially children- so you don't feel like you are not allowed to have company- it would be worth it! Plus you get to keep your best friend.

Answer 9

Dalice, have you tried a class or a trainer? He sounds like a good dog with an anxiety problem ... not a dangerous animal.

But it is *so* hard to control for every set of circumstances, and it seems like keeping him locked away when you anticipate company is avoiding the problem, not fixing it.

My sister went through something similar with a high-energy hound dog. She took her pet to puppy college, and while he's still got a lot of spirit, he's now very well behaved around even my (equally high-energy) 3 y.o.

I attached a newsletter article that might be reassuring. Plus, a trainer could help convince your husband that your pet isn't bad, he's just misunderstood.

Good luck!

Answer 10

There are meds that calm dogs- and they are expensive. Our beagle is on Prozac because of anxiety- he howls and bays the entire time we are gone, has broken out of 3 different crates and has injured himself in the home trying to get out. Prozac worked for him. He is not a biter though...

Our vet had mentioned drugs to calm dogs and combined with obedience training, it can work. we had rescued a dobereman/shepard mix when I was a teen, and used meds to treat along with behavioral changes and obedience and she was a great dog. The meds helped to change the behavior and the obedience helped to modify her innate behaviors. So- see your vet.

I feel for you. They are a part of the family. NO, you did not allow your dog to become this way- some dogs are born like this. Some are not even known to be like this until a child is nearby- our son was nipped at by my Sis-in-laws dog after trying to feed him by hand. He had never any signs of this before- but he hadn't been around kids.

Good luck and i hope it works out for you and your lucky dog!
Lucky because most would have destroyed him by now- and you are willing to find an answer. KUDOS TO YOU!

Answer 11

I know several people that have dogs which are very protective over their food and have been known to snap if someone touches it. My husband also had a dog when he was a child that you couldn't touch while he was eating. You don't say how hard the dog bit, but I presuming it was just a snap. Most problems with dogs can be worked out.

Firstly, make sure that your dog always has a place he can go to if he feels anxious or threatened by people, and praise him if he retreats to it under these circumstances so that he learns this is the right thing to do.

Secondly, when it comes to food, make sure that you have a routine to feeding him. Put down his food, and when he stops eating take it away. Do not leave it out all day. This will teach him that 'you are his master, and he will only eat when you say so.
It is also a very good idea, that your children become the feeders, so he will learn that they are superior to him. Make him sit and wait until you say he can eat.

Also, if you are going to give him scraps from your plate, make him wait until you have completely finished your meal and are taking your plate to the kitchen before you give him any.

I don't know how well trained your dog is apart from this but making sure that you do not fuss him at all when you come home or in the room, until he is completely calmed down and you are ready to call him to you. This will also reinforce who is boss.

I have 2 huge dogs and they are quite content with having my 15 month old daughter sit and feed them their dinner from a spoon. They even bring their bones to her for her to hold while they chew them!

Another bit of advice is to have your dog castrated if you haven't already done so. Good luck.


Gosh: It seems JR knows everything.