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AIBU?

To get rid of puppy?

236 replies

chubbychipmonk · 23/01/2013 13:12

Posting this on behalf on friend who doesn't know what to do.

She has a 4 yr old DD & 8 year old DS, is also in a relationship with DP who has 8 year old DD who stays at the house regularly.

She bought a Dalmatian puppy at Xmas who up until now has been playful & boisterous. She has been taking him to puppy classes & he seems to be training well. Last night however she was in the kitchen, heard a scream & found the dog had jumped up on DD & bitten her behind the ear whilst trying to retrieve a toy. Resulted in a hospital visit, tetanus jag & stitches.

Her DP (as well as his ex) now understandably don't want the dog round their daughter. My opinion is also that she should get rid of the dog as its too big a risk. However she has spoken to otherswho advise that the dog is merely being playful & she should persevere. Basically she just wants to see what the common consensus is, it's already causing arguments between her & DP. My opinion is she's being unreasonable to keep the puppy but what do others think?

OP posts:
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LIZS · 23/01/2013 13:16

Was the puppy being teased or overexcited perhaps ? Unfortunate incident but it could probably be trained and the children better supervised.

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nicelyneurotic · 23/01/2013 13:19

She should re-home the dog now while he's still a puppy.
How would she feel if next time the dog 'playfully' bites her Dd's ear off, or worse? It's a risk.
Will be more difficult to rehome him when he's older.

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TantrumsAndBalloons · 23/01/2013 13:19

You cannot leave dogs and children unsupervised, especially a new puppy that you have only had a few weeks. Do people honestly not get this?

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coffeeinbed · 23/01/2013 13:19

It's a puppy FFS not a piranha!
.It has to be supervised at this stage though, why did she leave a child with it.
She should just get a grip.
YABU

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3monkeys3 · 23/01/2013 13:19

I am no expert but I believe puppies do 'play' bite, so it may well not have been aggressive. I would advise your friend to seek advice from her vet, rather than make a snap decision.

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SuzysZoo · 23/01/2013 13:19

Sorry to hear that your friend has this problem. I doubt you will get any sort of consensus of advice on here about what she should do. Half of us will say she should get rid of the puppy. Half will say its just a puppy and she should persevere/train etc. A handful will express disgust at yet another person who buys a dog at Christmas and basicially changes their mind. FWIW I think Dalmations are generally acknowledged to be quite headstrong (untrainable) and probably need someone who is very familiar with dogs. I'm afraid I don't like dogs at all, so I'd say get rid, but that won't make me popular I know!

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TantrumsAndBalloons · 23/01/2013 13:20

And just for the record, he will be difficult to rehome now. Look how many dogs are in rescue ATM

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squeakytoy · 23/01/2013 13:20

She should be supervising a young puppy who is not fully trainedwhen there are children. That is simple common sense, and if she doesnt realise that, then she shouldnt have a dog in the first place.

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EuroShagmore · 23/01/2013 13:21

Puppies are bitey and need to be supervised around children (even my lovely Andrex retriever puppy went through a bitey stage - I remember her hanging off my kneecap once....). If she cannot look after it properly, she should rehome it now.

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willyoulistentome · 23/01/2013 13:21

get rid.

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HungryHippo89 · 23/01/2013 13:22

DP & I got a puppy about a year ago. He also has a DC who is around the same age as the children in question. We don't ever leave the dog unsupervised with DC. Your friend couldn't possibly know exactly what happened leading upto the dog biting the DD - I would advise her to not get rid of the puppy but make sure the children and the dog aren't left without adult supervision. I have a baby gate between my living room and kitchen and when DC is in the living room and I'm going in the kitchen i take the dog with me and shut the gate, also the same with upstairs. I have another gate at the bottom of my stairs. And we have made sure DC knows to not tease the dog and also to keep her face/hands away from the dogs mouth. It has worked well for us and (touchwood) haven't had any problems.

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HazleNutt · 23/01/2013 13:23

It was trying to retrieve a toy the DD was holding? It's just a playful puppy who was excited and hurt the DD by accident, not because it is agressive. it wasn't an attack. Unlikely to be risky just because of that - they just need to train the dog not to jump and of course should not leave the kids and dog unsupervised.

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TwllBach · 23/01/2013 13:23

I don't think this is going to end well...

FWIW, it's a puppy, Christmas wasn't that long ago, they shouldn't have been left alone together. I wouldn't rehome.

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CleverClod · 23/01/2013 13:24

How old is the dog?

Is it a few weeks (ie: just been separated from its mother) and still really playful, or a good few months older (and personality already starting to set) and starting to get big?

Dalmations are prone to being deaf and therefore not able to be as trainable and could need specialist training.

A dog is NOT just for Christmas Angry more thought should have been given!

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Moominsarescary · 23/01/2013 13:24

I agree with tantrums the puppy should not have been left alone with the dc's. It's a baby, it hasn't learnt that biting is wrong it was probably being playful. Also if she hasn't had the puppy long the children won't have learnt yet not to mess around with it.

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HungryHippo89 · 23/01/2013 13:25

FWIW i also remember my dog going through a "bitey" stage ... But it was just that .. A stage. But she is a Shih Tzu and is tiny!!

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soverylucky · 23/01/2013 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

poorbuthappy · 23/01/2013 13:25

In the nicest possible way they do not have a clue so should rehome for everyone's sake including the pup.

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StateofConfusion · 23/01/2013 13:25

Our labroador pup bit me when I was 9, I had her toy, it wasn't done viciously she was being a puppy, we had her 16yrs and she never hurt anyone again.

I hate dog owners like this

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TheDeadlyDonkey · 23/01/2013 13:26

At 4yo, the dd is far too young to be playing unsupervised with a puppy.
The dog bit her trying to get to a toy, so it doesn't sound like an aggression problem.
IMO, this should be written down to experience, stair gates/crates put into place to allow dog and dc to be separated unless supervised, and the children taught appropriate behaviour around dogs.

That sounds like I'm being harsh, but it's not meant to come across that way!
I really can't stress enough though that dogs and children should not be unsupervised when together.

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soverylucky · 23/01/2013 13:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Branleuse · 23/01/2013 13:27

why the fuck do people BUY a cute puppy with no experience or clue and then just get rid like theyre disposable. FFs

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TantrumsAndBalloons · 23/01/2013 13:28

Anyone who is considering getting a puppy for a present when they know fuck all about dogs should be made to read this, or any of the other million threads about this very subject before bringing a puppy into a their home. Its ridiculous.

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HDee · 23/01/2013 13:28

Sounds like an accident to me. Puppies are very bouncy and have sharp teeth. If the girl was waving a toy around and playing with the dog, you can't really blame the dog, can you?

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HotPanda · 23/01/2013 13:28

I have a Dalmatian and when he was a puppy his teeth were razor sharp. I have a scar on my hand from when I was playing with him and a toy and he misjudged what was toy and what was hand. Dally are HARD work. They are boisterous, wilful and determined. They are also affectionate, well behaved and generally lovely. But this takes work.

If the puppy was bought at Xmas, I assume it is now 4ish month old? Then please get it rehomed. It sounds as though she cannot cope with the dog and the children, so this is the best situation for all concerned.

She should be supervising a young puppy who is not fully trained when there are children. That is simple common sense, and if she doesn't realise that, then she shouldn't have a dog in the first place.

This absolutely.

Call Dalmatian Welfare Rehoming and enquiries: 07905 495084, they will organise foster care and a good home for the pup where it can get the attention it needs.

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