The dog musing/vent thread

[Ozfozz]

Who? The cousin?

In all seriousness, we did put Crystal in my dad's office multiple times but we weren't going to leave her in there the whole time. At some point my cousin needs to learn how to respect animals, anyways.

Where were your cousin's parents during this time? I would have requested that they step up and do some parenting before their kid got hurt.

 

[BostonBanker]

In all seriousness, we did put Crystal in my dad's office multiple times but we weren't going to leave her in there the whole time. At some point my cousin needs to learn how to respect animals, anyways.

I had a kind of similar situation years ago with my cousin's child and Meg. She was actually being pretty good with Meg, but Meg was clearly done and went under a table to escape. The child followed her under the table and Meg growled, then escaped out the other side of the table. At which point I put Meg in my bedroom.

It wasn't about teaching the kid how to behave around animals or making a point, it was that I acknowledged that my normally very sweet dog was telling us she was uncomfortable, and I was willing to let her out of the situation. It wasn't her job to teach the kid how to behave, it was my job to make sure my dog was safe and comfortable. If a dog bite makes it to the ER or any doctor, it gets reported regardless of if it was family or deserved. 10 day quarantine (some places let you do it in home, some require kenneling), bite record for the dog. For me, not worth it to make a point that the kid should have left Meg alone the first time.

I get being upset at the kid (and really, I'm shocked that an 11 year old couldn't follow directions better); but keep in mind, your dog who normally loves kids was so uncomfortable and upset that it drove her to air-snap at one. It might have been nicer for her to be locked away than to have to deal with that.

 

[pinkspore]

What would he be doing on purpose?

Biting me instead of the other dog/cat? When he does connect with another animal he doesn't leave holes.

Just to be clear, the first bite caused a deep puncture with nerve involvement, antibiotics, and a scar that's still there five months later. The second bite was through jeans and left a huge swollen bruise. The third bite involved grabbing and shaking, and took a gouge out of my arm that I probably should have gotten stitched.

This is a foster dog, and the rescue is getting less and less willing to place a dog that does this much damage when he bites. He also bit someone in his first adoptive home, causing an injury with nerve involvement that required stitches.

 

[CrystalGSD]

Where were your cousin's parents during this time? I would have requested that they step up and do some parenting before their kid got hurt.

Since I'm quite young, me requesting her parents to do something that involved 'parenting' would be considered disrespectful. Sadly, that's how my family works.

I get being upset at the kid (and really, I'm shocked that an 11 year old couldn't follow directions better); but keep in mind, your dog who normally loves kids was so uncomfortable and upset that it drove her to air-snap at one. It might have been nicer for her to be locked away than to have to deal with that.

That's true, I guess I was too frustrated to think that way yesterday.

 

[pinkspore]

It doesn't sound like he's doing it on purpose. I have had dogs at the shelter redirect on me on my leg going after another dog walking them outside past the other dog kennels. I never thought they did it on purpose they just get so worked up.

Uly has also redirected on my arms before without causing damage, but these are level 4 and 5 bites I'm talking about. I've had a couple of people now tell me that this is nothing to worry about and their dogs bite them all the time. Really?

 

[thehoundgirl]

Uly has also redirected on my arms before without causing damage, but these are level 4 and 5 bites I'm talking about. I've had a couple of people now tell me that this is nothing to worry about and their dogs bite them all the time. Really?

I'm sorry if I misunderstood. Yeah it kind of is something to worry about if he is causing damage needing stitches. And I know you have been having issues with him. So I understand your frustration.

 

[DJEtzel]

Uly has also redirected on my arms before without causing damage, but these are level 4 and 5 bites I'm talking about. I've had a couple of people now tell me that this is nothing to worry about and their dogs bite them all the time. Really?

Really. I've seen quite a few shelter dogs with 4 or 5 level bites from redirection due to aggression towards other animals. Some with very obvious reasons (being correcting on a prong, for instance, and pulled into a thigh) and some with none- just too high of a state of arousal.

With some of them, I would say, really, don't worry, it's fixable if you know what you're doing with a dog.

With some of them, I would say no way would I put that dog in 99% of American homes - they are very a very special organization or owner.

eta; Likewise, I've had some over-arousal/mis-target 3 and 4 bites from shelter dogs, fosters, and my own dog, and I definitely don't think those are concerning since they are not coming from a place of aggression, so I think it's important to work with someone who understands the difference.

 

[pinkspore]

How do you deal with Animal Control, quarantine, and the resulting bite record? Even if I decide it's not an issue, the rescue is highly concerned about placing a dog with three bites on public record. I haven't even gotten this one looked at yet, either.

 

[Laurelin]

Hank is the best dog. He's spent all day playing with my nieces (3 & 6) and doing tricks for them. They adore him.

 

[DJEtzel]

How do you deal with Animal Control, quarantine, and the resulting bite record? Even if I decide it's not an issue, the rescue is highly concerned about placing a dog with three bites on public record. I haven't even gotten this one looked at yet, either.

I guess the great thing about working at rescues is that you can get stuff cleaned out and antibiotics without ever going to a hospital. I don't think 95% of bites were ever reported anywhere. A few occurred at a high risk sanctuary, so it was sort of expected. Those reported required in house quarantine, and to my knowledge, that was only for rabies precautions if it was on staff members since no one was pressing charges.

 

[Dogdragoness]

This is more of a human-behavior-around-dogs rant than a dog rant, but my little cousin (11) was fixing to get her face bit off by Crystal.

Crystal loves kids, but she, like every dog in the world, does have a snapping point, and my cousin WOULD NOT understand that. She kept pulling on Crystal and messing with her when she had made it obvious that she wanted to be left alone. I told her repeatedly, "please don't pull on her, she doesn't like it," and other nice reminders until finally I got fed up and yelled, "if you don't stop you're gonna leave the house needing stitches!" She obeyed for about thirty seconds before following Crystal (who was eating dinner) and started standing over her and pushing her. Crystal then (luckily) air snapped and growled, and my cousin is so lucky she didn't get her face ripped off. She left her alone for about thirty minutes before messing with Crystal again. Luckily, they left before Crystal got too fed up again but Jeez, she needs to learn how to leave the poor dog alone.

You are much much nicer than me, if he would have done that to my dogs, they would have been kicked out of my house long before my dog air snapped (this is not me judging you for letting it go on, though just to say).

My dogs are part of our family, they live here you dont, I don't lock family members away, so I don't lock my dogs away, don't like them? You know where the gate is, don't let it hit you on the way out.

 

[Oko]

You are much much nicer than me, if he would have done that to my dogs, they would have been kicked out of my house long before my dog air snapped (this is not me judging you for letting it go on, though just to say).

My dogs are part of our family, they live here you dont, I don't lock family members away, so I don't lock my dogs away, don't like them? You know where the gate is, don't let it hit you on the way out.

That doesn't really go over well when you're hosting a family gathering and you're a kid, you don't get to do that.

 

[Beanie]

57 Christmas photos.

Down from the original 535 that I started with.

omfg.

 

[pinkspore]

I guess the great thing about working at rescues is that you can get stuff cleaned out and antibiotics without ever going to a hospital. I don't think 95% of bites were ever reported anywhere. A few occurred at a high risk sanctuary, so it was sort of expected. Those reported required in house quarantine, and to my knowledge, that was only for rabies precautions if it was on staff members since no one was pressing charges.

Yeah, I don't have any way to get antibiotics or stitches without going to urgent care, and I have a bunch of issues with various antibiotics so I tend to end up on weird things.

While he's not biting out of aggression, the result is still a dog that bites hard with no warning. I had an experienced trainer staring right at him when he did it this time and she agrees that his "approaching reaction threshhold" looks exactly like his "half asleep". I might be able to find someone willing to adopt him with the precaution " Never let him be near another animal because 99.9% if the time he will look totally fine and .1% of the time he will bite you hard for no reason", but it feels like a bit of a stretch. Do you think there is an point at which a dog's tendency to miss and bite a person makes them dangerous?

 

[Dogdragoness]

That doesn't really go over well when you're hosting a family gathering and you're a kid, you don't get to do that.

I am sorry but I disagree, if my guests are not respecting my pets then they aren't respecting me, therefore are not welcomed in my house.

I have family with bratty kids like this kid ... and they aren't welcomed here. You don't come to someone's house and disrespect their pet, you just don't do it.

 

[DJEtzel]

I am sorry but I disagree, if my guests are not respecting my pets then they aren't respecting me, therefore are not welcomed in my house.

I have family with bratty kids like this kid ... and they aren't welcomed here. You don't come to someone's house and disrespect their pet, you just don't do it.

It's not the OPs house or her guests.

My God are you dense.

 

[Grab]

I am sorry but I disagree, if my guests are not respecting my pets then they aren't respecting me, therefore are not welcomed in my house.

I have family with bratty kids like this kid ... and they aren't welcomed here. You don't come to someone's house and disrespect their pet, you just don't do it.

Well, the OP is underage, so I am gathering that she does not get to state when guests have to leave. While I, as a parent, would not allow my own child to harass someone's dog (though I am thankful that, as a kid born into a house of dogs, he's really not at all interested in anyone else's dogs..he barely pays mind to ours) and I would certainly hope a child could listen to instructions by 11 yrs of age, that's just not the case with everyone. Being shut in a room with a stuffed Kong, etc is way less stressful for a dog than being put in a situation out of everyone's control.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Yeah, I don't have any way to get antibiotics or stitches without going to urgent care, and I have a bunch of issues with various antibiotics so I tend to end up on weird things.

While he's not biting out of aggression, the result is still a dog that bites hard with no warning. I had an experienced trainer staring right at him when he did it this time and she agrees that his "approaching reaction threshhold" looks exactly like his "half asleep". I might be able to find someone willing to adopt him with the precaution " Never let him be near another animal because 99.9% if the time he will look totally fine and .1% of the time he will bite you hard for no reason", but it feels like a bit of a stretch. Do you think there is an point at which a dog's tendency to miss and bite a person makes them dangerous?

Wow, such a hard decision, poor Ulysses I am sorry you are going through this, and I do hope that it will work out for him.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Well, the OP is underage, so I am gathering that she does not get to state when guests have to leave. While I, as a parent, would not allow my own child to harass someone's dog (though I am thankful that, as a kid born into a house of dogs, he's really not at all interested in anyone else's dogs..he barely pays mind to ours) and I would certainly hope a child could listen to instructions by 11 yrs of age, that's just not the case with everyone. Being shut in a room with a stuffed Kong, etc is way less stressful for a dog than being put in a situation out of everyone's control.

Oh, my mistake, I wasn't aware that CrystalGSD was under age, therefore I retract my statement.

 

[faustus]

Yeah, I don't have any way to get antibiotics or stitches without going to urgent care, and I have a bunch of issues with various antibiotics so I tend to end up on weird things.

While he's not biting out of aggression, the result is still a dog that bites hard with no warning. I had an experienced trainer staring right at him when he did it this time and she agrees that his "approaching reaction threshhold" looks exactly like his "half asleep". I might be able to find someone willing to adopt him with the precaution " Never let him be near another animal because 99.9% if the time he will look totally fine and .1% of the time he will bite you hard for no reason", but it feels like a bit of a stretch. Do you think there is an point at which a dog's tendency to miss and bite a person makes them dangerous?

I don't know Uly personally, or all the details on his bite incidents, so it's hard for me to make a call, but I do know that a dog with that extensive of a bite history would be euthanized at the shelters that I worked for in the past. We wouldn't be able to justify putting a dog out into the community that would bite that deep and that hard with absolutely no warning. It's just not safe I don't envy being in your position. One of my favorite dogs at the last shelter I worked at got returned for going after the husband in the family and we ultimately made the decision to euthanize. It was not an easy choice by any means but it was the right one. I still tear up thinking about her from time to time.