The Unthinkable has happened...

[pug_mommie]

I have to say I would not rehome this dog.

The chance that she might bite another child in the face is too high. It is difficult if not impossible to totally insulate a dog from any contact with children.

Consider as well that in the event you rehome the dog, EVEN if you make full disclosure and make the new owners sign a waiver and agreement to hold you harmless in the event the dog bites again, you CAN be held liable if the dog bites and injures someone.

If it were my dog it would not have seen the sun go down the day it bit my kid.

No offense, but a former owner of an animal CANNOT be held liable if the dog - now owned by someone else - bites another person. There is no need for 'waivers' or 'hold harmless' agreements either...
That being said, the dog in this case reacted because the child took its treat away - this does NOT sound like an overly aggressive dog, just one who was not properly trained. Euthanizing the dog should be the LAST option that these people try! At least give the dog a chance at living! People who have animals rarely contemplate the effect that having a child will have on the animal. There are plenty of dog trainers and behavioralists out there who can help, if they really want to take the time to work with the dog.

 

[Gempress]

No offense, but a former owner of an animal CANNOT be held liable if the dog - now owned by someone else - bites another person.

Unfortunately, yes you can. If you knew the dog was dangerous, then rehomed him, you can be held liable.

 

[pug_mommie]

Unfortunately, yes you can. If you knew the dog was dangerous, then rehomed him, you can be held liable.

This incident hardly qualifies to make the dog dangerous, and I am speaking specifically to THIS situation. And I guess these posts are not being clear as to WHO is holding the previous owner liable - a third party who was bitten while the dog was in the control the new owner?

 

[Saje]

It's a hypothetical situation and as far as I know if a dog with a history of biting is rehomed the new owners can hold the previous owners responsible for anything that might happen. If that home has children adn the dog isn't properly trained it's likely to happen again.

 

[Doberluv]

This incident hardly qualifies to make the dog dangerous, and I am speaking specifically to THIS situation.

I respectfully disagree. Anytime a dog bites, it qualifies for being dangerous. Anytime a dog bites for whatever reason, it is much more likely to re-offend, often more severely and often for other reasons. Dogs learn what works and behavior is reinforced. I'm not saying that it is not possible to re-habilitate the dog if in the right hands... I do, however agree that this original poster who has small children is doing the right thing by not keeping the dog. I would not keep a dog whom I could not trust around children or anyone for that matter. It would be nice if there were an experienced trainer or behaviorist who was able to rehabilitate the dog, who was wanting to keep the dog for their own and who had no children. That would be the last ditch effort I could imagine, otherwise, unfortunately, the dog may have to be euthanized. Dogs are capable of maiming and killing and it's just not worth the risk.

Hey....how about Ceasar Milan? He could add the dog to his big pack. He seems to be able to handle some of these things, even though I don't agree with all of his methods. He sure does seem to help a lot of dogs.

 

[Julie]

This incident hardly qualifies to make the dog dangerous, and I am speaking specifically to THIS situation. And I guess these posts are not being clear as to WHO is holding the previous owner liable - a third party who was bitten while the dog was in the control the new owner?

Did you read all the posts? What in your mind would make the dog dangerous? Would the dog have to bite the little girl so severely that she would be hospitilized and scarred? This was a warning....heed it.

The next time might be "dangerous" in your eyes. But then it is too late.

And I am speaking of only THIS situation/incident. Not any hypothetical situations.





Don't worry about what anyone else thinks, just do what is best for your whole family. You will get support from us. Those that understand the difficulty of trusting/training a dog that has already bit your daughter, and the importance of your daughter (the ultimate). Nobody here has to live with the stress you will have to go through if the dog stays in your family. We all know you love Carey, and that does not diminish if your common sense tells you to do something that some people will just not understand.

I have thought of you alot, and I wish you the very best.
Julie.

 

[jess2416]

I hope everything is going alright I just noticed they havent posted in the last page or so....
I know this has gotta be a very hard decision and I hope I will never have to make it.

 

[pug_mommie]

Did you read all the posts? What in your mind would make the dog dangerous? Would the dog have to bite the little girl so severely that she would be hospitilized and scarred? This was a warning....heed it.

The next time might be "dangerous" in your eyes. But then it is too late.

And I am speaking of only THIS situation/incident. Not any hypothetical situations.





Don't worry about what anyone else thinks, just do what is best for your whole family. You will get support from us. Those that understand the difficulty of trusting/training a dog that has already bit your daughter, and the importance of your daughter (the ultimate). Nobody here has to live with the stress you will have to go through if the dog stays in your family. We all know you love Carey, and that does not diminish if your common sense tells you to do something that some people will just not understand.

I have thought of you alot, and I wish you the very best.
Julie.

The dog is obviously NOT comfortable living with small children - and there are many dogs that are not. That doesn't mean that the dog is 'dangerous', it just means that it shouldn't live in a home with small children. It certainly doesn't mean that an otherwise good animal should be euthanized. Also, I am speaking of a situation where a NEW owner is seeking to hold a prior owner liable for the dog's behavior.
I am certainly not suggesting that this mother keep her pet, but I am suggesting that the dog is not necessarily too dangerous to live. Euthanasia should be the last resort. I do not mean to offend anyone, but there are clearly other options that will be less painful for Carey, and her family.

 

[sparks19]

The dog is obviously NOT comfortable living with small children - and there are many dogs that are not. That doesn't mean that the dog is 'dangerous', it just means that it shouldn't live in a home with small children. It certainly doesn't mean that an otherwise good animal should be euthanized. Also, I am speaking of a situation where a NEW owner is seeking to hold a prior owner liable for the dog's behavior.
I am certainly not suggesting that this mother keep her pet, but I am suggesting that the dog is not necessarily too dangerous to live. Euthanasia should be the last resort. I do not mean to offend anyone, but there are clearly other options that will be less painful for Carey, and her family.

So what happens if the dog decides that its not only children that bother her but all people who might take away her treats. You know she is not going to trust her new owners right away (were she to be rehomed) They will not know her very well and she will not know them. She has already bitten once. now that she is stressed out and with people she doesn't know what is to stop her from biting to get her way then? Do you think it is ever appropriate for a dog to bite a child? Whether she was near the treat or not? How long must she keep the dog while she looks for a suitable home for her? what is she to do with the dog in that time? Hope that this doesn't happen again? I think not. This is a time sensitive issue and it sounds wonderful to say that she should look for a new home but it just isn't possible in this situation.

 

[Julie]

The dog is obviously NOT comfortable living with small children - and there are many dogs that are not. That doesn't mean that the dog is 'dangerous', it just means that it shouldn't live in a home with small children. It certainly doesn't mean that an otherwise good animal should be euthanized. Also, I am speaking of a situation where a NEW owner is seeking to hold a prior owner liable for the dog's behavior.
I am certainly not suggesting that this mother keep her pet, but I am suggesting that the dog is not necessarily too dangerous to live. Euthanasia should be the last resort. I do not mean to offend anyone, but there are clearly other options that will be less painful for Carey, and her family.

Well since we really don't know the whole story you can't really say that. Does the dog growl at the little girls parents when they try to take a bone away? Does Carey growl when adults get right up in her food bowl? Maybe the parents know not to do that, and the little girl just didn't know what could happen. And maybe you are right the only aggression is with children. But it still seems "more" than, not comfortable with children.
This dog bit a person in the face, that is dangerous.
I have also said possible rehoming in this thread, but there is a very small chance of finding someone experienced enough and willing to adopt this dog. He cannot go to any home. There are alot of "unknowing" people that might be willing to adopt, but that would just be an accident waiting to happen.

This sounds more like resource guarding (food aggression) than not feeling comfortable around children.
Regardless it is still dangerous. Maybe only when you do something he doesn't like, but still dangerous.

 

[juliefurry]

I would definetely say if the dog (Carey) is biting to get rid of the dog. I ran across the same problem with our old pitbull mix. He bit me and I felt sorry and didn't want to give up on him and took him back in. Unfortunetely the second time he bit that was it I could not trust a dog like that around kids. Gapeach, I think you should talk to your vet and also a trainer about these issues just to make you at ease that you did do everything that you could possibly do to keep Carey. Also talk to local animal shelters and explain the situation some will try to work with the dog or atleast adopt the dog out to a suitable home. Although if you feel euthanizea is the best option than it probably is. It is hard to come to that decision but ultimately would you rather your dog go to the shelter and then be put down or would you rather take the dog in yourself so you can be with Carey before Carey goes? I would have wanted to be with my pit mix when he was PTS but unfortunetely I couldn't be with him and he was PTS at the shelter with noone around him that was familiar to him and I felt so bad.

 

[gapeach]

Carey will be put to sleep at 9:30 am tomorrow morning. It was the hardest decison we have ever had to make. I called a personal friend of mine that helps run the Humane Society here, she also believes we are doing the right thing. Unfortunately where we live there are very limited options. The chance of her finding a home suitable for her, no children, no other pets is nonexistant and that it would take an unknown amount of time, the foster dogs they have in families have been living with them for years. And we just can't wait that long. I was also told that her breed look (since noone knows what she truly is) is the hardest to place, even without her aggression. My friend also told me that the closest trainer who is reputable to deal with aggression is in Macon, they have contacted him on dogs they have had before and he will not come to our town (she didn't give me reasons why)

We got Carey six years ago when we began trying to have children and found it difficult. She has been our first dog and baby together. This is breaking our hearts but I have tried all our resources (be them very limited) to no avail. We have to think of our children first. I love this dog beyond belief but I do believe she may try this again and I just can't take my children's lives at risk that way. I have been trying to look at it as positively as possible, we adopted her six years ago, if we wouldn't have taken her, she would have gone to the pound and most likely been put down then. We gave her six years to live as part of our family, taking her places, playing with her, loving her as much as we do. She has had a wonderful life with us. I'm so unbelievably sorry it has to end this way, however I feel she could have been alot worse off. I gave her a bath, blow dried and brushed her today, because she has always loved to get it done. Tomorrow my mom will pick Maggie up and take her home with her so we can spend some time with just Carey. Throwing her kong for her and running around outside. I will try to explain to her that although what she did was wrong, she has been the most loving, protective dog and we will always love her and never think she was a "bad" dog. When we go to the vet, my husband and I will both be by her side while she goes to sleep. And we will cry together for her.

 

[Rubylove]

I'm so sorry for your loss *hugs*

 

[corsomom]

I am so sorry. She had a wonderful life with you.

 

[jess2416]

aww I am sooo sorry you have to go through this ((((HUGS)))) but at least carey got to spend her time with a family that truly cared for her. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts as you go through this difficult time.

 

[BigDog2191]

I'm so SORRY!

 

[Doberluv]

Gapeach,

I am so very sorry for what you're having to do. But I think it's the only choice you have. Regardless of why the dog bit, he did and he would be a huge risk. You're doing the right thing and the only thing you can do. You gave him 6 great years and that's more than a lot of dogs get. In time, your pain will ease up.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[Zoom]

Gapeach, words cannot express how badly I feel for you, your husband and Carey right now. You are on the right path though, take comfort in the fact that you gave her the best 6 years a dog could wish for. I'm tearing up right now just reading all this and send you as many hugs as will fit through the bandwidth.

 

[Carolyn]

Sorry to take so long in replying, as I have been reading this post from top to right here where I am now.

I am not going to give any comments or thoughts, but am just going to say, you have my best healing vibes coming your way. I feel for what you and your family are going through. A totally heart wrenching decision was made, by you and your husband as intelligent, caring adults.

Your children come first, and Carey has, by the sounds of it had a wonderful life with you all.

I will spare thoughts for you, and I wish you all the very best

Keep your heads held high, be strong. You are great human and doggy parents


Good thoughts

Carolyn

 

[casablanca1]

What a terrible situation. Unfortunately, sometimes you have few options. Finding a new home for a dog who's bitten a child is very hard.