[Closed] My dog bit my son's face

Not much to say other than I'm really sorry.

The dog needs to go. I have no doubt about it.

I'm by no means an expert, and not averse to moaning about dogs, but have a wee think and chat about this, and take a few days at least, knee jerk reactions are often a cause of much regret.

Echo aa's sentiments, best of luck buddy.

we tell him off A LOT for annoying the dog and more importantly really tell him off for getting right in the dog’s face, explained what would happen and why

Seems he learnt the lesson the hard way. Get well soon.

Only you can decide on your the dog’s fate really sorry to hear this and hope your son heals soon.

Sorry to hear that.

We have family friends who had a big soft lab. The wife/mum bent over the dog when he was asleep to stroke him and out of nowhere he bit her face. Startled I guess. 4 hours in surgery and 200 stitches. The shock to the family was worse than the damage. The father/dad went mad with the dog at the time, his doting everyday companion, but I guess it was an inevitable reaction.

After long angst about if he should be put down they decided to keep him. Happy to report many more happy years as a family passed with zero incidents before the dog died at a venerable age.

I hope he heals well and you are able to make a decision you can all live with.

So sorry to hear this. I’ve got 2 spaniels & 2 (slightly older) kids. I think you might have more options than you think. Every dog, no matter how nicely mannered, always has the potential to bite when provoked. There are definitely dog behaviour people you can speak to.

Without meaning to sound harsh, the fault is with the owners not the dog. Dogs should never be left unsupervised with kids. Your dog sounds like it has a decent temperament, you need to look at your supervision and separation arrangements to see what is possible.

I genuinely wish you all the best with whatever really tough decision you end up making.

Really sorry to read this. Not much to say as I don't have/want or particularly like kids. Maybe there's someone on here that could take him if you do decide to rehome? You'd be confident of him going to a good owner then.

I'd have offered, but we're living in a motorhome currently and 1 dog is more than enough!

If you can't tell the difference between a stressed animal that is being provoked and one that is genuinely aggressive it is only in the best interests of the dog to rehome it. Try a Labradoodle Rescue organisation - they will have a list of prospective owners.

Getting rid of the dog seems harsh, especially if he was provoked. Training for him and the boy would be better for all.
Having said that, i got bit in the face when i was a similar age. I was afraid of dogs for a very long time. You'll just have to see how he gets on. And if he's ok, then its lesson learnt.

I’m by no means an expert, and not averse to moaning about dogs, but have a wee think and chat about this, and take a few days at least, knee jerk reactions are often a cause of much regret.

^^This

When my daughter was young she used to annoy our Border Terrier to the point where he'd nip her. They grew up together though and he became her best mate (and more her dog than ours).

Speaking as a dog owner for years and having had a child who grew up with them I'd say the dog doesn't need to go, the kid needs training. If you have to tell him off A LOT for annoying the dog then I'd say that's where the issue lies.

Dogs are animals, they have limits and they also give off warnings when they've had enough.

I say this having had 1 or 2 dogs with a few issues, they've not all been completely well-balanced easily managed animals.

If you had another son and your 6 yr old got in his face constantly winding him up until one day he gave the 6 yr old a smack would you get rid of him too?

Thanks guys. I'm just in a bit of a spin.

My initial response, was that it's the only responsible thing to do. Re-home.

I'm full of emotions. I don't know what to do.

I can only sympathise and empathise. We had a lovely greyhound, had her as a rescue since she was about 2yo and had put so much love and work into her. She was a calm loving creature and very much part of the family. Years later finleybgoode had arrived and was at toddling age. She just went for him one day, luckily only a little nip on the ear, but we decided we would have to re-home her. It was one of those impossible but easy decisions - she might never have gone for him again but if she did it would be no ones fault but ours. not the dog's, not the baby's - ours.

As luck would have it we took her back to the greyhound rescue centre and we were worried that, being an older dog, she may be there months but someone came that day and she just happened to be the perfect dog for them so she ended her days in a house devoted to greyhounds - own settee, woods out back to run in, a full Sunday roast each week cooked for her etc.

As to the supervision thing - yes, sure in practice you should never leave a dog with a young child but in reality the doorbell goes, the pan starts overboiling, the toast is burning etc and you take your eye off the ball. But as per the above, the first time is a pure accident, the second time you have no one to blame but yourselves so personally I think you are doing the right thing in re-homing.

On the other end of the spectrum my sister, before I was born, was badly bitten by our golden retriever and my parents took the decision to have her put to sleep...

When I was a lad we had a Beagle - she bit me on more than one occasion, it was always my fault.

Glad my parents kept her.

Any conversation you have should involve your lad, but getting rid given the scenario you've mentioned seems harsh.

Really sorry to hear this and only you can make the decision what is right. Just a comment that my mum works with a dog behaviourist and she has noticed this sort of thing has become far more common in the last year. Dogs are used to having some of their own space and suddenly children and animals are spending all their time together and it’s overwhelming for all. She has worked with some families where the dog is purposely given a bit more ‘free time’ and things have significantly improved. Might be worth speaking with someone in a similar manner whilst you consider the options.

If the dog was unprovoked, aggressive or acting out of character then I would agree that the dog needs a new home

You have not described that situation though. Instead you have described a situation where, at some point, a bite was more likely than not due to your sons behaviour not the dogs..

I'm sure I could provoke my spaniel to bite me if I pushed her enough. Would she be at fault? No.

Drac
Full Member
Only you can decide on your the dog’s fate really sorry to hear this and hope your son heals soon.

Well actually the hospital reported my friends dog to the police for doing the same. I'm informed the dog was taken away and put down, without any choice.

Getting rid of the dog seems harsh, especially if he was provoked

This.

Selling the kid could keep the dog in expensive treats for life.

I think your initial instinct to re-home is understandable, but take some time, talk to your wife, don't rush.

Like all of us, if you keep provoking a living being it will snap back at some point. That's not the dogs fault, it's the person who's provoked it. If it snapped with little or no provocation then that'd be different but that's not how it sounds.

I'd politely suggest your son may have learned, in a very brutal way, why he shouldn't provoke the dog and is therefore unlikely to do so again.

I personally wouldn't be rehoming the dog, if nothing else it may leave your son with a deep fear of dogs. Keeping the dog, letting your son learn may well be the best for both him and the dog (and you).

There's also a big difference between a 'get away' warning bite/snap and a sustained mauling.

@z1ppy - what breed of dog was it?

Wondering if some are forced because of the dangerous dogs act?

Very difficult situation but based on your original post (that your son has much form in annoying the dog) I'd think long and hard before getting rid of the dog. I'd be looking at the specific circumstances of this incident - was he indeed annoying the dog again? If so, it's much training for your son I'm afraid. He's got to understand there are hard lines he can't cross - dicking around with the dog is one of them. That sounds really harsh and easy to say for someone who isn't sat outside A&E waiting for their son to be stitched up but I do have a 3 year old and 3 dogs so have a lot of sympathy.

Sorry to hear (acknowledge the horse has bolted etc - but thinking positively moving forwards if decide to keep the stable 😉)

Dogs are not the only ones who need training. Children also need to be given rules about how to behave around your dog. Be sure any child who enters your home knows the following:

-The dog should be pet gently.
-Attention should not be forced on the dog.
-The dog's crate is off-limits.
-Don't approach the dog while it is eating or chewing a bone.
-Leave the dog alone while it is sleeping.
-Make sure an adult is around when the dog is in the room. Children* should never, ever be left unattended with a dog.

https://www.thesprucepets.com/tips-for-childproofing-a-dog-1117491

*’Children’ being a broad category regarding age/temperament/behaviour/trustworthiness

Really terrible thing to happen but your son pushed an animal and any animal might do the same.
Nobody can really be 100% sure that it would never happen with their dog so the approach is to train your son or prevent the possibility.
Luckily he's ok and as bad as things seem, he's learned something valuable.
It sounds like a wonderful dog and you shouldn't get rid of it.
We had a 15 year old labradoodle until last year. Such a gentle soul he was, but like yours, would get a bit riled if pushed, like anyone would.
All dogs need to be treated with respect and it's necessary for kids to learn that. Hopefully not this way though normally.

Thanks guys. I’m just in a bit of a spin.

My initial response, was that it’s the only responsible thing to do. Re-home.
I’m full of emotions. I don’t know what to do.

It is definitely not your fault. You can't supervise your children 24 hours a day. Animals (and children) are always slightly unpredictable.

It is obviously a bit more than a nip for him too end up in hospital. To me, the question is: is it all all foreseeable that it will happen again? Even if there is only a remote possibility I am not sure I would forgive myself (or get much sympathy from anyone else).

My thoughts are exactly the same as @dannybgoode

Life happens, you cannot ensure they're never left alone again. And if this happened a second time it would be our fault.

As for the boy, they're still checking him over. Seems the dog got his whole head in one bite. Knocking out a couple of son's teeth and a fractured bone in gum, as well as the teeth cuts to face. They're still assessing..

The dog is large, so entirely possible

On the other end of the spectrum my sister, before I was born, was badly bitten by our golden retriever and my parents took the decision to have her put to sleep…

That does seem to be at the harsher end of victim blaming...😜

As a further consideration, whilst seemingly your son provoked the dog and the bite was a response to this you need to consider your son's mental health. If it is a bad bite he may be terrified of your dog and of all dogs. My sister was a similar age when she was bitten by our dog (she was playing and fell on top of the dog) and even 40+ years later she is still very nervous around them.

We have a couple of pooches who like to come charging to the door to meet visitors and she visibly recoils from them even though she knows they are harmless. Keeping the dog may, depending on how bad the bite was, put a considerable mental strain on your son. It may not of course but it is something to add to the mix when considering options. Whilst I disagree with my parent's decision to put the dogs to sleep there was no way they could keep them and back then if a dog bit that's what generally happened to them.

Putting the dog ahead of your kid seems upside down to me.

Seems he learnt the lesson the hard way. Get well soon.

That. He wont do it again.
I grew up with cats. They have much less patience and that is considered normal, it takes a lot to provoke a dog, they just have a bigger bite. The boy wont do it again

Keeping the dog may, depending on how bad the bite was, put a considerable mental strain on your son.

On the other hand, confronting the issue and becoming used to the dog/dogs might save him from a lifetime of irrational dog fear if the dog is removed.

Have a chat with your son. Maybe asks what he thinks.

Not good and i feel sorry for you

Our 8 year old annoys the hell out our cockapoo. I'd rather get rid of him than the dog 😀

We have 11 year old daughter. Her response was just get rid of son. She wasn't joking

As for the boy, they’re still checking him over. Seems the dog got his whole head in one bite. Knocking out a couple of son’s teeth and a fractured bone in gum, as well as the teeth cuts to face. They’re still assessing..

The dog is large, so entirely possible

that's some warning nip..

I had my collie put down about 5 years ago after it bit a neighbors daughter. she was lucky, he grazed her rather than bit but the intent was there and the warning signs weren't. (I was there and didn't see it coming)

we considered re-homing, but a collie with a history of biting? not a chance, there were some places that might have taken him but the reality would be he would sit in a cage for the rest of his life until he was eventually put down because they couldnt rehome him. The alternative was to muzzle and cage him all the time as any trust was gone but that wasnt much quality of life. we spoke at length with the vet and eventually decided to have him put down.

hardest thing but at the end of the day, its a dog, and the safety of my son and neighbours children came first.

If you had another son and your 6 yr old got in his face constantly winding him up until one day he gave the 6 yr old a smack would you get rid of him too?

Sorry to point out, but thats kind of a dumb analogy.

Is this second hypothetical kid capable or likely of mauling the kid to death ?. Then I guess that's the answer there eh ?.

As to the dog and kid in question, your son will have mental scars that might never go away, and having the dog there might cause him to become a bit withdrawn, or even frightened, to which the dog may react to itself
It is a shame to have to rehome the dog, having known him for so long, but no offence to dog lovers, he's just a family pet, and your son is your son.

Happened once, it can happen again.

Will this warrant a visit from social services?

I'm sorry for your difficult decision.

My (sample of one) is I would also expect a call/visit from the police. I got bit on a bike ride last year, stopped and exchanged views with the owners, left it at that.

Got convinced by my family to go to A&E for tetanus and related story to the nurse, also had head cam footage, she said I should inform the police but I explained it was not serious and left it at that.

A few days later got a call from the police asking for the head cam footage, apparently the hospital informed them. Due to general confusion and crossed lines, they never got it and stopped trying.

Sorry to hear that this has happened - hope the lad heals well.
Don't jump to conclusions with rehoming etc straight away.
When I was a kid our dog (Alsatian Lab cross) bit one of my mates while we were in the garden - she'd never bit anyone before.
Anyway lots of tears, shouting and my parents not too happy.
I wasn't looking at the time, but after a few denials from my mate that the 'dog just bit him' it turns out that he'd poked her with a stick!

Suppose what I'm trying to say is that the dog had a good reason to react like it did.
you openly admit that your lad can wind the dog up - so before you decide to get rid of the dog find out exactly what happened.
It's a harsh lesson he's learnt, but also ask him how he would feel and react if someone in the playground kept poking, pushing and getting right in his face - chances are he'd lash out - exactly as the dog did.

If you don't feel that you're getting though to him maybe ask one of the teachers to have a class zoom lesson about it - may be in a way that lets face it we've all been stuck in doors for weeks and we're all feeling the lack of personal space etc - even our pets.

Our dog has been really antisocial the last week or so as I think he's just hacked off with everyone been in the house all the time.

Keeping the dog may, depending on how bad the bite was, put a considerable mental strain on your son. It may not of course but it is something to add to the mix when considering options.

It's all conjecture but provided you have a positive experience with the dog from here on in I can see that being less long term scaring (no pun intended - maybe a bad choice of word!) to your son than the dog disappearing and not restoring a positive relationship.

no dog owner here, merely the father of two small children. The dog would be gone ,no question. Best of luck whatever you decide

I would say the dog needs to go and look out for any changes in your son's attitude to/behaviour around dogs.

Surely re-homing a dangerous dog is the height of irresponsibility? What if it bites the new owner's face? And if it isn't a dangerous dog, the problem lies elsewhere and it doesn't need re-homing.

How does the son feel about the dog now?