Del – The OP implies that in the terminology he uses. The girl “startled” my dog and wife. No she didn’t, she just happened to be in the same public space and the dog bit her.

No she didn’t, she just happened to be in the same public space and the dog bit her.

Ermmm! Yes but he’s describing what happened he didn’t blame anyone.

Yes, it’s ALWAYS the dogs fault.

Of course if the mother had taught the child not to go running up to strange dogs…

End of the day the dog was on the lead, nothing was expected to happen. Child was probably running along oblivious to dog and, yes, startled it. Shit happens, no real harm was done, action is being taken. What more do you actually think needs done?

If the dog nipped then it ultimately thought it was defending the pack or was being attacked – it’s hard to judge from the description in the original post.

What may be going on is that with the death of a previous owner and a new home it may not be clear to the dog that it’s not the pack leader and that’s the thing to focus on – dogs only get territorial when the owners don’t give it confidence they are in charge / control.

It sounds like a storm in a tea cup – Irish wolfhounds are pretty placid and the original poster tells us the dog has never been a problem before.

Some simple changes like gesture eating, ignoring the dog when the OP comes home etc will show the dog it doesn’t need to be on guard / protective and avoid the distress of a dog being re-homed with the unpredictable outcome that carries (including that some re-homed pets subsequently land up being used in organised dog fights).

There’s no reason to re-home the dog unless the OP isn’t up for getting some advice from a behaviourist and then making some simple changes that would cost nothing apart from effort and would normally be the sort of thing any reasonable person would do for a “best mate”.

There are far too many “problem” dogs sent for re-homing where the only problem is a lack of effort on the part of the owners in doing the very simple things that dogs need to see in order know their place.

The OP referred to the danger of his wife being pulled over whilst pregnant

Errr – I don’t think so. I believe he was referring to the fact that the dog nipped someone and that there would be a baby in the family in due course.
If she was worried about being pulled over surely she could just not walk the dog?

It sounds like a storm in a tea cup

If it had been one of my daughters who had been bit, it would most definitely not be a storm in a teacup. I suspect most parents of young children would see it in the same way…

But was it a bite, or was it just a fright?

Doesn’t sound like any skin was broken.

I have a wolfhound, and the reason I like them is their reliability and lovely temperament.

I just wish I could offer a home to this poor dog. It doesn’t sound like a bad dog, just a bit lost with the death of its owner.

Sharkbait – read the OP’s latter contributions. Being pulled over is mentioned.

These days you need to very careful about having your dog in public, one mistake it’s either the dog’s life or a lawsuit facing you.

Think of it this way. You cannot read the dog’s mind so there is no way you can be 100% certain that the dog will not be accused of being dangerous in public.

Where I come from in the far east most of the local stray dogs (actually a kind of local breed) are slowly being wipe out by the local council dog catchers because there were considered stray. Worst still religion come into play especially those of the muslamic kind.

Seems to me that this is a pretty clear case that the apparently aggrieved party isn’t taking responsibility for her actions, the OP is taking responsibility for what happened and is trying to move forward in the best interests of the dog and his family. It seems it’s the OP that’s getting a raw deal off the majority of folk here.

I find it kind of odd the way society is moving…. 🙄

dog should be put down. end of.

I’ve a colleague who is interested in getting a wolfhound as a rescue. I think though, at 8 years old and with a life expectancy of 7 for the breed, a rehome may be difficult. (personally I wouldn’t rehome the dog I’d keep hold of her – squirrelking / robdixon on the right track ).

Some of these comments are bloody outrageous, if we’d have got rid of every dog that nipped me or my sister when i was growing up as a child we’d have had no dogs! Despite them only playing they can be pushed too far/get over excited and some occasions accidentally draw blood. Even startling the most friendly dog in the world will get a negative response.

On a side note, I’ve been bitten harder and worse by a bloody rabbit than any dog I’ve owned, right through my damn finger.

OP you have acted calmly and responsibly with whats happened, and specially whats going on. Some real anti-dog people on here.

dog should be put down. end of.

Is that a joke….if so its not funny! There are obviously a few issues here, but sounds like the problem would be solved if the dog wasn’t taken into strange environments with kids running around near it and secondly if he was muzzled.

As for having it in the house with a new born…I think not!

Re homing somewhere with lots of space and it would be fine.

Some real anti-dog people on here.

Maybe just parents of young kids who are all too well aware of a potential danger and future incidents.

Maybe just parents of young kids who are all too well aware of a potential danger and future incidents.

I have young kids and a dog. I’m more realistic though and see that this wasn’t a vicious mauling and that the OP has taken a hard but wise decision.

if we’d have got rid of every dog that nipped me or my sister when i was growing up as a child we’d have had no dogs!

It never ceases to amaze me on these (regular) threads, the amount of apologists for dogs biting people.
Apparently dogs bite people, so we should all just accept that, should we?

Some real anti-dog people on here.

Or maybe they’re just people who don’t regard it as reasonable to keep unpredictable animals as pets that randomly bite people for no apparent reason.

Just a thought…. 🙄

Or maybe they’re just people who don’t regard it as reasonable to keep unpredictable animals as pets that randomly bite people for no apparent reason.

You can’t say that about kids, that’s terrible.

On a side note, I’ve been bitten harder and worse by a bloody rabbit than any dog I’ve owned, right through my damn finger.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcxKIJTb3Hg&feature=kp[/video]

the amount of apologists for dogs biting people.

Theres a whole new language! “nipping” “soft mouthing” “accidentally draw blood” etc etc

Maybe just parents of young kids who are all too well aware of a potential danger and future incidents

We were all kids once, was our generation bubble wrapped like they are nowadays, i’m no condoning it in anyway what so ever but children nowadays are wimps. H&S is well over the top, banning triangle shaped flap jacks some to mind…

Apparently dogs bite people, so we should all just accept that, should we?

Its nothing to do with acceptance, I’ve always thought it was a good idea for a dog license but that’s a different story, they are animals at the end of the day, we’ve domesticated them for our own uses/enjoyment/companions yet when they act out of “character”, we kill them.

Or maybe they’re just people who don’t regard it as reasonable to keep unpredictable animals as pets that randomly bite people for no apparent reason.

All animals are unpredictable, people more so but we keep them too. Children are even more unpredictable, even your own little ones.

Killer Bunny sketch is just fantastic.

If my dog bit someone he’d have to go. Ultimately a dog should never bite a person unless it’s attacked itself. Startled and biting is not acceptable.

surfer – Member
Theres a whole new language! “nipping” “soft mouthing” “accidentally draw blood” etc etc

I think like with humans, intentions comes into it.

If I give my wolfhound a can of dogfood and tell her to eat, she’ll chomp right through the can. That’s a bite.

If I ask her to bring it here, she’ll pick it up with her teeth and give it to me. There won’t be a scratch on the can. That’s not a bite, that’s how dogs hold things.

In this case it sounds like the wolfhound was startled and grasped her. If it was a bite there would have been holes in the girl. There’s no doubt the girl got a fright because kids don’t drop their iPhones. It doesn’t sound like an attack to me.

I have got rid of a dog in the past (Ridgeback) that snapped at a kid. Didn’t touch him, but it was a warning of intention, so I gave it to a friend on a farm.

We were all kids once, was our generation bubble wrapped like they are nowadays, i’m no condoning it in anyway what so ever but children nowadays are wimps. H&S is well over the top, banning triangle shaped flap jacks some to mind…

I remember being bitten by dogs when I was a kid. Because I was doesn’t mean my kids should have to put up with the same. I like that my kids are wimps if it is a result of them not needing to be wary of dogs etc. I also remember dogshit everywhere, and smoking in cinemas blah blah blah…

Some things no longer happen for good reason.

And dog apologists, there is just no way to justify that a dog ‘nips, bites, snaps’, or whatever you want to call it, a strange child in any context whatsoever. Children are by nature trusting and are brought up to assume that a dog is friendly and can be approached without fear of being bitten.

banning triangle shaped flap jacks some to mind…

You are Richard Littlejohn and I claim my five pounds.

Children are by nature trusting and are brought up to assume that a dog is friendly and can be approached without fear of being bitten.

This is part of the problem.

Responsible parents would teach their kids to ask the owner first if it’s ok to go up to a dog and make a fuss of it in exactly the same way you’d ask a farmer if it was safe / ok to “pet” a farm animal. Dogs aren’t there for the entertainment of other people’s children and shouldn’t be seen as such.

Sounds a bit like the girl has had a bit of a harsh lesson in manners…

Really? By being bitten by a dog. Nice line of justice there. Wow.

It doesn’t sound like an attack to me.

I suspect it would have to be very violent indeed to constitute an “attack” to you, Judging by the rest of your post.

Responsible parents would teach their kids to ask the owner first if it’s ok to go up to a dog and make a fuss of it in exactly the same way you’d ask a farmer if it was safe / ok to “pet” a farm animal.

You dont tend to get many of them walking down the street do you? Anyway you have succeeded in blaming the child so job done.

Responsible parents would teach their kids to ask the owner first if it’s ok to go up to a dog and make a fuss of it in exactly the same way you’d ask a farmer if it was safe / ok to “pet” a farm animal. Dogs aren’t there for the entertainment of other people’s children and shouldn’t be seen as such.

Responsible dog owners, who seemingly know there is a chance their dog could bite someone, should keep them muzzled and on a lead at all times.

Works both ways.

are brought up to assume that a dog is friendly and can be approached without fear of being bitten.

Mine never have and even though they love dogs always ask if it’s Ok to stroke or approach a dog. Funny exactly like I was by my parents.

And mine too, but most kids, mine included, will just assume a dog is friendly.

So it’s ok to have a dangerous animal,because parents are responsible for assessing the risk of a dog they have never seen before?

surfer – Member
I suspect it would have to be very violent indeed to constitute an “attack” to you, Judging by the rest of your post…

I wasn’t there. Might help if the OP could tell us if it actually was a bite. Dogs use the mouths to grasp things, as I said intentions are important.

And I would have no tolerance for a dog which even made a threat to a human.

epicyclo you are making excuses for an aggressive dog.

So it’s ok to have a dangerous animal,because parents are responsible for assessing the risk of a dog they have never seen before?

No but as a father I also have a duty to warn my kids of dangers. One is to be careful around strange dogs.

And when you’ve warned them,and they are bitten,then whose fault is it?

Maybe there isn’t always someone to blame when all reasonable precautions have been taken. Some people are too eager to blame others.

With drac on this. Drummed into my kids heads you keep a respectful distance away from dogs you do not know, much the same as you would teach your kids about strangers…as my parents taught me. May not stop them being bitten in situations say where a kid runs round a blind corner into one…but does mitigate it a whole lot better than letting kids either think there are no dangers or by letting them learn for themselves with unfortunate results.

Mine never have and even though they love dogs always ask if it’s Ok to stroke or approach a dog. Funny exactly like I was by my parents.

No but as a father I also have a duty to warn my kids of dangers. One is to be careful around strange dogs.

this^^

I don’t think it’s an actual bite because a bite will have proper punctured wounds. Very different.

I grew up with street full of strays and also fierce “guard” dogs (more like dogs let loose in the compound or street).

As a kid we learned whether a dog is friendly or not by calling out to the dog, then see if it comes running around wagging its tail with ears down, or tongue out “greeting” us (posture – its body is relax and not tense). We don’t immediately pat the dog but let them see our palm or hand before patting them on their heads.

A non-friendly dog will start barking either standing their ground or side way prepare to run (if there is only one) but if they are a few of them, once you get one barking, the rest will team up and probably start moving toward you (tense body and very alert). They will show their K9 teeth with ears standing up (alert) and tail straight up. In this case, we either move slowly or not make eye contact but keeping alert of where they are. You will get a few behind you sniffing your legs. The really bad ones will bite at the moment you turn around. My boy racer mate got bitten many times but no big deal as he would go to the hospital for jabs and the owner(s) got told off.

After that we would go back to put the aggressive dogs in their place by beating the crap out of them, not injuring them or to kill them btw, so they would not try to bully us again but others would hate us until they die. That’s how we got chased by dogs everyday. A way of life. No big deal. However, if you get an aggressive mastiff like dogs (my friend’s dog that can be rather temperamental, a bit psycho …) then you better be prepared for a fight and for us we carry metal pipe(s) with us … the dogs know that and would not dare come close to us. 😆

We had encountered Rottweiler size dog (think it’s mixed) as well as a pack of say 10 or more aggressive ones. For big dogs it would be Mexican standoff … 😆 Never run or turn your back on them.