# can you rehome a dog that bites??



## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

*can you rehome a dog that bites?? UPDATE*

*UPDATE* My friend found a good behaviorist and is working with her to try to help the dog. She is also going to start obed. training. She now has learned how to walk the dog better then what she did in the past. It will take a lot of work, but she is committed to work with the dog.



I have a friend who called me very upset yesterday. Her 7 year old dog bit her 12 year old in the face and it was a bad bite. The dog has been aggressive for years, my friend has been very careful with the dog all these years and yesterday she had the dog on it's leash and as she was putting it into the dog room, her child walked by stopped to say hi to the dog and the dog went after the child. She wanted to know if I knew of a no kill shelter that would take the dog. I told her I wasn't sure if anyone would take a dog that bit, but I'd ask around. The dog is a lab/dalmation mix. They have had the dog since she was a puppy.


----------



## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

in my opinion, a dog that bites a child, especially one that they have been living w/ for 7 yrs, and bites unprovoked and severely, should not be rehomed, they should be PTS.....if they haven't had a behaviorist try working w/ the dog they might want to try that, first.....but there is no animal shelter that will take and rehome a dog w/ a bite/aggression history.....they should also talk w/ the vet and make sure there is no medical reasons behind it (painful spots?)


----------



## Nallah06 (Nov 26, 2008)

There may be some foster program or a no kill shelter that would help, but honestly its going to be tough. 

Has your friend taken this dog in for a full evaluation at the vet? Are you sure it is just aggressive rather than having something wrong with it? There are a number of things that could be wrong health-wise that could cause aggression. Is there anything that triggered the aggression? When did it start? 

Has she tried a behaviorist? I would say that your friend needs to exhaust all options before resorting to giving the dog up to someone else and/or putting it down. A good behaviorist could turn this dog around, but it takes cooperation from everyone in the family and unfortunately, $$$. 

I do hope that your friends girl is ok, and that you are able to assist her in finding this dog some help as well. Take care!


----------



## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

I would not try to rehome a dog that bit in the situation described above and has a history of aggression. I second the idea of a full vet check if that hasn't been done, but otherwise, no. I don't think it's fair to ask rescues and shelters to take on aggressive dogs when there aren't enough spots available for regular dogs with nice temperaments, and most wouldn't because of liability issues anyway. The owner may be able to find an individual willing to work with the dog, and if the situation is disclosed fully, I wouldn't have a problem with that. If it were my dog, unless it was a medical issue that could be managed and treated successfully, I would have the dog pts.


----------



## Darkmoon (Mar 12, 2007)

I have to agree with what is stated above.

I would have a full vet check done to make sure it's not something medical, followed by a behavorist, then if nothing comes from both of them, I would put the dog down.

Look at it this way, a dog that has bitten for those reasons won't be rehomed. If you take it to a shelter, it won't pass the temperment test and will be put down, even a no-kill shelter. No-kill shelters mean that one a dog is deamed adoptable it won't ever be put to sleep. If the dog isn't adoptable theres still a high chance that the dog will be put down. Personally I would rather put my dog of 7 years down with me beside it then allow it to be alone and put down with strangers.


----------



## Nallah06 (Nov 26, 2008)

_I don't think it's fair to ask rescues and shelters to take on aggressive dogs when there aren't enough spots available for regular dogs with nice temperaments, and most wouldn't because of liability issues anyway._

I have to agree with that statement as well. Although I just have a hard time giving up on any animal, knowing what they can be. I think its only fair to do all you can first, then make the decision. If you are unable to find a foster willing to take on this dog, and unable to get a behaviorist yourself, then it would probably be best to PTS. Sad, but true. Again, you have my best wishes.


----------



## BobSD (Feb 1, 2008)

Obviously you have strong feeling for this dog despite the incidence. your 12 year old must have been five when you got the dog, and all these years you were or I should be saying your friend, were successful to avoid any such incident. I would try to think this one out before the dog is PTS, because that is a path of not return. There is always a muzzle. I would also ask the youngster how he felt.


----------



## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

thanks.. I did talk to my friend about putting the dog down. Of course she really doesn't want to. She has been avoiding/in denial about this problem of the dogs aggression all these years hoping she could keep it under control.
The dog has always been to the Vet and I was told this morning the Vet also agrees with putting the dog down that it could not be placed.


----------



## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Rehoming a dog that has a history of biting/aggression, especially a long history, is asking for liability even if she discloses the biting issue and history. 

There are probably other issues with this dog that have never been addressed. If the owner is committed to keeping the dog, then a complete blood panel (especially T4 levels) is called for. From there she can spend money on a behaviorist and give behavior mdification a try. 

If she keeps the dog and does neither of the above things and does not PTS the dog, then all I can say is de-nile is not just a river in Egypt.


----------



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

kacaju said:


> I have a friend who called me very upset yesterday. Her 7 year old dog bit her 12 year old in the face and it was a bad bite. The dog has been aggressive for years, my friend has been very careful with the dog all these years and yesterday she had the dog on it's leash and as she was putting it into the dog room, her child walked by stopped to say hi to the dog and the dog went after the child. She wanted to know if I knew of a no kill shelter that would take the dog. I told her I wasn't sure if anyone would take a dog that bit, but I'd ask around. The dog is a lab/dalmation mix. They have had the dog since she was a puppy.


 
Absolutely NOT, the dog is too much af a liability. The dog has a history of aggression and has severely bitten a child. The BEST thing this owner can do is be responsible and hold the dog while it crosses the bridge. This dog is a DANGER to the family, and the owners FIRST responsibility is to PROTECT her family, not the dog. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but as a rescuer I have to be brutally honest at times.


----------



## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

cshellenberger said:


> Absolutely NOT, the dog is too much af a liability. The dog has a history of aggression and has severely bitten a child. The BEST thing this owner can do is be responsible and hold the dog while it crosses the bridge. This dog is a DANGER to the family, and the owners FIRST responsibility is to PROTECT her family, not the dog. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but as a rescuer I have to be brutally honest at times.


I agree with this.

If the dog severely bit another dog, or had a treatable medical condition that precipitated the bite to the child I would consider rehoming...

..as is..I can't recommend it...


----------



## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

I have another question along this same line. What do you say to people when something like this happens?? This is the second time I have been called due to a dog biting a child and the person doesn't want to listen to me about putting the dog down? 

In this case since her child was bitten badly I am sad to say I do think they will put her down. In the other case my Sister in Law called me because their dog bit my nephew (but didn't break the skin) their dog is aggressive also. my sister in law kept the dog away from my nephew for a few weeks (kept the dog in the basement) and now the dog is back in the house. I know in time the dog will bite again, and I will go through the same thing...again!!

If I do get a call asking what to do I always suggest training, but no one listens..then i get a call that the dog bit and they still don't listen. Then they want to find a no kill shelter and when I say I don't think they will take a biting dog (which was why I posted here, I wanted to be sure) they do nothing.

I am getting so tired of this.....


----------



## chul3l3ies1126 (Aug 13, 2007)

kacaju said:


> I have another question along this same line. What do you say to people when something like this happens?? This is the second time I have been called due to a dog biting a child and the person doesn't want to listen to me about putting the dog down?
> 
> In this case since her child was bitten badly I am sad to say I do think they will put her down. In the other case my Sister in Law called me because their dog bit my nephew (but didn't break the skin) their dog is aggressive also. my sister in law kept the dog away from my nephew for a few weeks (kept the dog in the basement) and now the dog is back in the house. I know in time the dog will bite again, and I will go through the same thing...again!!
> 
> ...


About the dog who bit the 12 year old... I would follow everyone else's advice and have it PTS. Protect the family first... and aviod any problems and greif through a shelter. I can see that they are probably going to do so... so all I can say is good luck to them and I hope the best for their family.

As for you "getting so tired of this"... hun... I know EXACTLY what you mean! I go through it daily people call me for advice... or how to do things... or to go and look at their dog because they dont want to take it to the vet, (so they think I'm their damn vet). I've birthed so many litters from !IDIOTS! that have no damn idea what they are doing with the dog... and why do I do it?... Because I care about the dog and it's safety. If I cant get them to go to a damn vet, I will do my best to help keep the dogs life safe.  

I'm not much for advice... because I do not know how to put my words together well... I'm so sorry. But I wanted to tell you that I know how you feel when you start to get tired of it. You try and try with people... tell them WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE... and they dont listen. Then you have to intervene instead, because letting things just happen, can put the dog and it's family in danger.  Good luck hun and Im sorry.

Nessa


----------



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

kacaju said:


> I have another question along this same line. What do you say to people when something like this happens?? This is the second time I have been called due to a dog biting a child and the person doesn't want to listen to me about putting the dog down?
> 
> In this case since her child was bitten badly I am sad to say I do think they will put her down. In the other case my Sister in Law called me because their dog bit my nephew (but didn't break the skin) their dog is aggressive also. my sister in law kept the dog away from my nephew for a few weeks (kept the dog in the basement) and now the dog is back in the house. I know in time the dog will bite again, and I will go through the same thing...again!!
> 
> ...


 
I tell people their first responsibility is to protect their children and other humans. Whether that is doen by getting a behaviorist involved (before things get serious) or having a dog PTS. I also explain what ahppens of the dog is allowed to continue to aggress, the fact that if not treated, the aggression WILL get WORSE, not better and that if the dogs bites a visitor or someone walking down the street it could result in being sued and losing EVERYTHING as well as the dog being siezed and PTS by Animal Control. I find that most people respond to the thought of self preservation.


----------



## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

was the child seen by a dr for the bite?....if so, she may not have any say in the matter as the dr HAS TO report a dog bite, even if it's a family pet....if the dog bites a person outside the family, she may be talking a major lawsuit which could bring her family into financial hardships.....is she willing to take that chance?


----------



## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes the child was seen by the Dr. I did warn my friend that the dog needs to be held for 10 days for rabies, I would hate for them to have the dog PTS in a haste and then the poor child would have to go through rabies shots.

I just have to thank all of you for your advice. I spoke to my Sister in Law this evening and told her what happened, since I had the same talk with her a few months ago. She then tells me that their dog just went after her the other day. The door bell rang and as she answered it she put her hand out to back the dog off of the door and it went after her. I never would have known that unless I spoke to her today about this other dog.
She claims it is my brother that is not wanting to get rid of the dog. Hopefully they will do something in light of this other friends child being bitten before it happens to my nephew as well.

It is just frustrating....thanks for letting me vent.

PS, there is no way I can take in my brothers dog as we have 2 of our own, plus 2 cats which this dog hates and a rabbit that lives in the house that she would kill. Plus my own 3 kids. I do beleive she would kill the rabbit or cats if she got the chance, she killed a squirrel when she was here a few years ago!! I cannot risk our homes safety with their dog.


----------



## wizer (Dec 23, 2008)

If the biter was one of the last dogs left on earth and people were fighting for any available dog it would be one thing.

But...

There are 10s of thousands of dogs put down each year because there's no homes for them and the shelters are overflowing. Especially now with the economy tanking and people being unable to afford to keep their dogs. 

A questionable dog with bad temperment is best off taken "out of the equation" so to speak, to make room for all those other dogs who don't have a mean bone in their body and can be a wonderful pet without risking another human injury.


----------



## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

I think what this comes down to is responsibility. 

This dog is her responsibility and the owner needs to be the one to deal with it, whether it is through a hiring behaviorist, or whether the dog is put down. Giving the dog to the shelter isn't the right thing to do here, IMO. It isn't fair to the shelter and it isn't fair to the dog. If the dog needs to be put down, then the person who has cared for the dog since the dog was a puppy, needs to be the one to make the decision and be the one by the dogs side when it happens. 

If heaven forbid, one of my dogs had to be put down because of hurting someone, there is nothing on earth that would stop me from being by their side when its done. To do otherwise, would be cruel in my opinion. No dog deserves to be surrounded by strangers and terrified in its last moments...just my opinion.


----------



## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

Agreed with Mdawn in full.


----------



## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

cshellenberger said:


> Absolutely NOT, the dog is too much af a liability. The dog has a history of aggression and has severely bitten a child. The BEST thing this owner can do is be responsible and hold the dog while it crosses the bridge. This dog is a DANGER to the family, and the owners FIRST responsibility is to PROTECT her family, not the dog. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but as a rescuer I have to be brutally honest at times.


Exactly! It is the most humane thing for the dog as well. This dog has lived like this for years. It is not fair to pass this on to another family. There is no need to risk anyone else's safety either. I personally think it is kinder to the dog to hold him while he goes peacefully to sleep then to send him into a family or rescue that he will be stressed in. No kill shelters are not a good option for a dog like this. Even if they did take the dog, they surely can't place him. I know I wouldn't want to live forever in a stressful place like an animal shelter.


----------



## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

tirluc said:


> in my opinion, a dog that bites a child, especially one that they have been living w/ for 7 yrs, and bites unprovoked and severely, should not be rehomed, they should be PTS.....if they haven't had a behaviorist try working w/ the dog they might want to try that, first.....but there is no animal shelter that will take and rehome a dog w/ a bite/aggression history.....they should also talk w/ the vet and make sure there is no medical reasons behind it (painful spots?)


Ditto to this post. My humble opinion is that if it comes between the dog and the child's safety, the kid would definitely come first; that and the other people who come into my home. A bitey dog is a very real liability!!!


----------



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

kacaju said:


> Yes the child was seen by the Dr. I did warn my friend that the dog needs to be held for 10 days for rabies, I would hate for them to have the dog PTS in a haste and then the poor child would have to go through rabies shots.
> 
> I just have to thank all of you for your advice. I spoke to my Sister in Law this evening and told her what happened, since I had the same talk with her a few months ago. She then tells me that their dog just went after her the other day. The door bell rang and as she answered it she put her hand out to back the dog off of the door and it went after her. I never would have known that unless I spoke to her today about this other dog.
> She claims it is my brother that is not wanting to get rid of the dog. Hopefully they will do something in light of this other friends child being bitten before it happens to my nephew as well.
> ...


Actually, the dog CAN be euthinized and the remains sent to a state lab to detect rabies, they DON'T have to wait ten days to have the dog PTS. If they take it to the shelter for Euth, the shelter will handle everything.


----------



## Breezer158 (Mar 21, 2009)

I agree with the other posts. This dog sounds a lot like my dog, Happy. 
I don't have any children. Happy is 10 now. I told her the other day that nobody else would have kept her and nobody at the SPCA would want to adopt her so she's pretty well stuck with me till she dies of old age. 

Maybe it'd be possible to work with the dog and train him. I read a story where a man had a dog that bit his wife pretty bad in the thigh and it was a pit bull. She insisted that the dog be put down and two dog trainers said there was no way to work with the dog, but the 3rd dog trainer trained him using the Sound Leash, and treats. www.gentledogs.net
There is a story there: "I Used to Bite" which is very interesting and inspiring of how he trained this pit bull that bit and the story had a happy ending. The woman he bit, ended up falling in love with the dog, working with the trainer and the dog and they kept the dog and he became a remarkable dog.

I heard of people who had dogs that bit somebody and, in each case, the dog paid with its life.


----------

