Help/advice please - our dog bit (nipped) the baby....is there only one answer?

[bloggingmamatotwo]

Aghhhhh so stressed, trying to avoid drip feeding....so adding detail... we have had our miniature short haired daschund 5 years, loving, never showed aggression, never bit, never anything...DS was born nearly 3 years ago she got a little grumpier and started eating the post, chasing people as they left the house, but all manageable and calmed down....DS1 is 9 months and yesterday, at stress o clock, teatime,end of the day, waiting to go and puck OH from the train etc completely out of character she nipped yes I know that is the same as a bite, but a bite makes the end result appear much worse than it was the him on the nose, it was a warning nip/bite rather than a bite to hurt, but it was a bite and it was my baby......so there are two small bloody cuts on his poor nose, little teeth marks......

So does this mean, I rehome her ASAP? Or is it worse than that?
Does the baby need a tetnus?

For info; the baby is fine in himself and was after the initial shock.....

Today I've kept the dog in the study and during the baby's nap time she has come out......

Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated....

[Nagoo]

I wouldn't rush the decision.

I would exercise caution but keep her for a bit, don't let them say in the room together when you aren't there etc.

You can assess her a bit better to make a less emotional snap decision. I know people on here will say you should get rid of her, but I know it is not a simple decision, and I think that if you are cautious then there is no reason you can't take your time and decide what is right for your dog and your family.

I have cats. One scratched DS once, he was about 2. I didn't rehome them, I was just more careful. Nothing happened since. I am careful not to let the DCs provoke them.

[bloggingmamatotwo]

I ment DS1 who is nearly 3 and DS2 who is 9 months and puck OH is obviously or not pick

Sorry for typos, stressed and one handed while holding DS2 to ease some of my guilt

[Somethinginthewoodshed]

We've got a 5 yr old smooth minature dachshund too. She definitely has the potential to be quite a nippy creature. We watched ds like a hawk when he was small and he soon learned not to be rough with her. He's 3.5 now and they have a wonderful relationship. I trust him not to hurt her and in return she's as affectionate and loving with him as she is with us.

We still supervise them VERY closely and when other children visit we put a soft, fabric muzzle on her. She's not ever actually bitten but it removes the stress of having to watch her every minute. She doesn't mind the muzzle on bit

[bloggingmamatotwo]

Thanks nagoo it's hard to be rationale/calm cause of the thought of if she does/did it again and god forbid it is so much worse why did I not act sooner, once I had the warning....

I'm going to take her to the vet at the weekend to check she is not in pain in her back or anywhere.....aghhhhhh p

[Samvet]

I would start with a check up at vets. Any pain/illness increases grumpiness. Dachshunds get back problems so worth checking.
Then ask them to refer you to a behaviourist. Behavioural management is the only way forward if not rehoming. See a specialist behaviourist.

[Samvet]

Cross post! Sensible, but also seek behavioural advice.

[MrsHoarder]

Your dog bit your baby son (not a kid who was pulling her tail, a baby) and you haven't gone straight to the vet to have her pts? Or at least begun the process to have her rehomed? Uncaged pets and small children are a dangerous combination, if she is willing to bite a baby then she can't stay in the same house as him imo.

[Dropdeadfred]

Sorry - I live animals but that dog would not still be in my house today

[Dropdeadfred]

Love not live

[Methe]

Seriously?

get rid of the dog fgs! Your baby has a bit mark on his face.

[bloggingmamatotwo]

I understand the above posts and she has not been in the same room as him today at all, she is in a locked room and I have had her out only when he has slept in his cot, I know rehome is the answer but no I have nt just woken up and driven her to the dogs home, I am going to check her with the vet tomorrow or sat, as I don't want to rehome a poorly/injured dog and then start asking older relatives with no children if they would like her....

This is a question, I'm not pushing for flaming, but is it also one bite and then you should put the dog down?

[bloggingmamatotwo]

Always not also

[MrsHoarder]

Fair enough that you are taking her to the vets first, but even if she is poorly, if the only sign of her getting so is biting then she isn't safe to keep in the house. But if you want to give her a checkup before speaking to relatives that's reasonable.

One bite on a baby is time to get the dog out of the house in my book - if a swift rehoming is not possible then that means pts. If you were talking about a child who is old enough to know better and who pesters the dog, maybe a bite can be dealt with by a behaviourist and the child told to leave the dog alone, but your baby cannot defend himself at all at this age and needs you to do it for him.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

First I would rule out any medical issues and request numbers for behavior training experts but obviously the children and the dog must never be left unattended together so if there's a room u could shut the dog in when the children are about. Could u get a dog flap so when u shut dig in kitchen it can still get outside and play? :)

[NarkedPuffin]

Get her to the vets for a check up to rule out medical issues.

Get in touch with breed specific rescue. Let them know what happened. Ask them about finding her a new home.

[bloggingmamatotwo]

mrshoarder thank you for your advice and I know you are right and I am working towards the vet and then rehoming as fast as having 2 small children, living in a v.rural setting away from family, one car and a husband who is away in the week allows....whilst juggling the guilt, watching like a hawk and asking the right people and getting them to give a quick and honest answer without feeling pressured into doing so.....

[NarkedPuffin]

Here

[Dropdeadfred]

Is there not a dogs home you could take her to and tell them not to regime her anywhere with children around?

[Dropdeadfred]

Ah yes narked puffin has the answer!!

[tazzle]

from what you have posted I am making assumptions that the 9 month ds was crawling / sat on the floor in order that the dog could actually reach to bite. If your ds grabbed at the dog and caused it pain and the dog gave a warning nip then that is a far different situation that if the dog unprovoked ran over , jumped up and bit him.

It's hard to get through to such young children that they must not grab / pull / hit a dog and they dont understand it can retaliate. My DD1 used to crawl all over my first collie but that dog was was one in a million and just licked her like a puppy ( she was always supervised). However we inherited a poodle when MIL died and then had a DD3 .. when she started to crawl / walk poodle was definately nowhere near as relaxed and the day she growled at DD3 we made a decision to pts ( not rehome as she was old and had cancer).

Its a hard decsion and quite a responsibility to have young children plus dogs ..... I do not think enough people take it seriously enough and also tend to think that smaller dogs are better... in fact its usually the opposite.

bloggs

Much as though I love my dogs if one bit a child unprovoked then it would be pts or always be muzzled.... if one bit in defense and I could not remove the trigger then would probably do as you are doing and rehome.

I hope all goes well

[GinPalace]

I don't know your dog better than you so I suppose it depends what made it behave that way.

My own dog did this to my ds when he was about 10mo, but ds had grabbed his leg and dug his nails in in a rare moment of me letting him get close enough.

the dog was clearly immediately miserable for what he had done, he is not a bitey dog normally.

We worried but decided to keep close control and see how we went.

DS is now 22mo and has been taught gentle hands and the dog has never done anything like it since and tolerates a certain amount of kiddy harrassment tho we always keep an eye on them both so neither is getting too 'much' for the other. They really enjoy playing together now.

I am glad we waited, so I think it is not necessarily a straight rehome, however it depends very much on the individual situation.

[MrsZoidberg]

Quick question to all those saying PTS or Rehome immediately - do you have dogs of your own?

OP please do not do anything until you have had time to calm down and think properly - I know when it happens it is really upsetting and I would hate you to do anything and then regret it. Can you make sure that baby and dog are kept seperate when you aren't able to manage the situation closely?

What was DS2 and the dog doing at the time? Dogs can worry about what children will do as they are unpredicatable. Also, a dog can misread a child's face and perhaps see a threat that isn't there. Also the noises babies make can be quite high pitched and can hurt a dogs ears. Before I get jumped on - there is no excuse for a dog to bite a person, but I'm saying the dog could have felt threatened and explaining WHY it happened, not excusing the behaviour.

I think your best bet is to contact a behaviourist - if you can let us know where in the country you are, you might get a good recommendation.

At the end of the day, you may not be able to trust the dog again, and decide to rehome (not PTS) at this stage, but it would be better to make that a last resort if possible.

[Dropdeadfred]

I have had dogs - but don't have one at present. I loved all my pets but if any had bitten by children they would have been immediately rehomed!! My love for my dc and care for their safety out trumps affection for the dog every time!

[Dropdeadfred]

My children I mean ( or anyone else's of course)