My cocker bit someone

[Confused Bob]

Hi All

I’m after some advice and feedback on a problem I have with my dog.

I have a 6 year old working cocker spaniel that I have had since he was 1. He came from a family with young children and when I had him, my youngest child was 4. During all the time I have had him he has never hurt a person. That is until just before Christmas last year.

I had left my dog with my girlfriend of 3+ years, in her house as I had to go out for the whole day. They had a very close bond and my GF has 2 young boisterous children of her own. She had a friend come to her house and she brought her 2 young children with her. Unfortunately my GF then had to pop out herself so she left my dog in the care of her friend. During this time, and no one knows why, my dog bit my GF, friends young girl of 3 on her face. The injuries sustained were horrific and she needed treatment in hospital as a result.

From what I can gather from the girl’s mom, her young girl was sat next to my dog and was stroking him from the side. Apparently he showed no warning signs before he bit her. It appears to have been 2 bites to the face and mouth area and possibly a banging of heads as he’s swung around. It wasn’t sustained, it was very quick. The only possible reason that I can see why he did it was that the girl had face paint all over her face and was wearing a fluffy scarf, that my dog didn’t think she was a child and for some reason reacted out of fear.

Like I said, he’s never bitten another person or shown any aggression to a person up to this point and this is so completely out of character for him as he loves people and kids. He’s always happy to see anyone, wagging his tail wanting fuss. He’s not shy, or fearful of people in any way.

Needless to say, the police have been involved and they have assessed that he’s not dangerous and won’t be taking any further action.

I have had him checked over by a vet and had a very long and in-depth conversation with a dog behaviourist – neither or whom could shed light on what made him do it and both stated that they didn’t believe that he is dangerous / aggressive.

Since the incident, under careful watch, he has been around my 2 children and shown nothing but the usual love and happiness that he’s known for giving. I’m finding it so hard to deal with it.

The parents of the girl, my GF and everyone I know (bar my own children) are saying that he needs to be rehomed (or put down) and that no one wants him anywhere near them. I understand this reaction but I can’t seem to do what they want. My kids and I have such a huge bond with this dog and it feels like completely the wrong decision to get rid of him and if I do it, it will be to appease everyone else and will be for everyone else’s benefit.

Please don’t think for a second that I am belittling this incident. I’m not, it’s left me disgusted and ashamed of him but I don’t for a second believe that it was done out of aggression and that is why I don’t feel I can get rid of him.

What would you do? Has this happened to you? Did you rehome and put down or decide to keep and move on? Did your dog bite again? Are you or have you been in my shoes where everyone wants your dog gone but you and you felt so alone and pressured to make the wrong choice for you?

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any advice and helpful replies.

[bizzylizzy]

How awful for you, you must be feeling dreadful, its every pet owner‘s nightmare!
However, from the way you have described it, I think to even consider rehoming or putting your dog down is totally inappropriate and while I can understand the parents‘ distress, the responsibility lies alone with the mother and perhaps to some extent a bit with your girlfriend (sorry, but she had the responsibilty for the dog in your absence but passed it on to someone else).
My children have been brought up with dogs, I had a German Shepherd when my first son was born. I knew my dog , he wouldn‘t have hurt a fly but I would nevertheless have never left him alone with them at that age and I wouldn‘t have allowed my young children such close contact to a dog I didn‘t know. Your dog was placed in the care of someone he knew but then she disappeared and left him with someone he didn‘t know (presumably) and a couple of boisterous children! Who knows what happend?? If he‘s never behaved like this before and the police, vet etc are happy he‘s not a danger, then it would be totally ridiculous to make him suffer for something that probably isn‘t his fault. The parents are seeking revenge but they should perhaps be asking themselves a few questions aswell. Sorry if this sounds harsh but I think all too often dogs are blamed for the irresponsibilty of humans, we need to look at situations from their point of view sometimes but also remember that at the end of the day, they‘re animals and where children are concerned, we need to take care!
Don‘t be hard on yourself, I see no blame on your part! All the best!

[Pearly]

Jayne’s response above is exactly my thoughts too.  It would have been so easy for a 3 year old to poke him in the eye - by mistake - and he lash out in reaction.  He may well have been giving off lots of warning signals that she and her Mother missed, though frankly to allow a 3 year old to be that close to any dog is a worry. 

You have your answer from the Police, your Vet, a behavioust and five years of ownership.  However harsh this seems, something doesnt stack up.  Dogs are not toys or playthings - the Mother will know that now but she had a responsibilty to protect her child - why then, was her daughter so close to your dog? It would be so easy for a dog that is being pestered, to seek a safe place only to have a noisy child land on him and then snap.  In those circumstances, so would I!

I hope the little girl is ok.

Don’t blame your boy.  Be vigilent and careful around children - you may want to consider other dog care options than your girlfriend.   

Jayne

[Confused Bob]

Hi All

Thanks for the responses. The reason for my original post was to try and understand this accident / incident from other dog owners perspective. I am / was hoping that maybe someone else on this forum had been in a similar situation or maybe knew of someone who had. I'm not looking to point fingers at people here and I'm certainly not trying to put the blame at anyone's door step. This was, for no other better words, an unfortunate accident. Personally, I am just trying to find a way forward and any helpful, constructive advice and assistance in relation to my dog would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

[Digger]

Hi there.
I would like to comment on this since I have been on the other side of the coin from you.

My daughter was bitten in the face by my husband's brothers ('irish' Staffordshire bull terrier) dog when she was about 7. This was totally unprovoked. My daughter was sitting on a bar stool in grandma's kitchen, having popped in with dad on the way back from picking her up from a club. The dog was in its bed under the work top and just shot out and jumped at her face. She was lucky she didn't lose her eye.
Funnily enough, our own dog at the time (a springer spaniel), from that point forward would not let the other dog near her after that, even though he was not there when it happened- he would get in between them.
We did tell the police but they didn't seem to care. I think the dog was dangerous but  that's by the by- it died a couple of years ago. So, I really know how the mum feels.
HOWEVER...
With hindsight, your girlfriend did a stupid thing. You can't blame her-I'm sure she didn't imagine that might happen.
From the dogs point of view it was 1) slightly out of its comfort zone then 2) really really out of its comfort zone...and then someone sits it next to a clown!?!?!?!! I wouldn't put it past any dog to be a bit freaked out by that.
Do we know that the friend knows how to deal with dogs? It is shocking how utterly clueless some people are with animals. I would suggest that she possibly isn't that savvy or she wouldn't have sat a young child looking very inhuman next to a dog she hardly knows..Do we know that it was an 'unprovoked' attack? Maybe the clown was sticking her finger in the dogs eye.?
If everything you say is true and also the opinions of the police and behaviourist are correct it sounds like a really nice dog was put in a weird situation and it wouldn't have taken much for an accident to happen.
Does your dog deserve to die for that??. Being rehomed at his age after being with you for so long would be just as bad. In my opinion.
When the incident happened with my brother in laws dog I just kept my daughter away from it. She didn't want to see it any more after that anyway.
My little cocker 18 month old  has just jumped up in my granddaughters face. If she had have closed her mouth at the same time that would have been a bite.
Dogs have sharp teeth and if you are around one-especially one you don't know, and especially if you have young children, you have to be careful.
I do hope the little girl is ok and it doesn't scar too much, but I also hope the mum remembers to be a little bit more careful in future. There are so many pet dogs in this country and some of them are actually dangerous but haven't ever been in an incident.

I do think they should teach kids how to behave around dogs in schools, as all children will come into contact with them at some point. I met a child in the woods the other day who was screaming hysterically, with her grandmother trying to pick her up off the floor (unsuccessfully as she was about ten), just because my dog had come bouncing round the corner 6 feet ahead of me. Miraculously she wasn't even jumping up or anything. It's crazy.
Anyway I really feel for you in this hideous situation. I hope you can reach a compromise with your girlfriend, to make a dog plan, which doesn't involve anyone getting hurt any more (dog included).
Best of luck.

[bizzylizzy]

Hi All

Thanks for the responses. The reason for my original post was to try and understand this accident / incident from other dog owners perspective. I am / was hoping that maybe someone else on this forum had been in a similar situation or maybe knew of someone who had. I'm not looking to point fingers at people here and I'm certainly not trying to put the blame at anyone's door step. This was, for no other better words, an unfortunate accident. Personally, I am just trying to find a way forward and any helpful, constructive advice and assistance in relation to my dog would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

Sorry Bob, it wasn‘t really my intention to try and assert blame which I realize isn‘t helpful, I just felt very defensive of your poor dog and the thought that there were calls for him to be put down or rehomed upset me. I hope you find some advice on here  Despite me coming over as the contrary, we‘re not judgemental on here, the welfare of our dogs is our common goal and occasionally we might try and point things out to put another perspective on things but, unlike other social media groups, there‘s never any malice intended, I hope I haven‘t caused offence.

[Mari]

When I was young our friends' cocker once bit a child in the face. Luckily the injuries were not bad, but she did puncture the skin. She was not put down because we all saw that the dog was reacting to the child grabbing her tail as she was trying to move away. Every case is obviously different. But this dog never harmed anyone again. The owners never trusted her around very young children again, just to be on the safe side. But was always good with us older children, and she never showed any aggression so I believe it was the specific situation that triggered the bite. She got scared, and reacted. Of course having a dog you cannot trust around small children is a challenge, but it is possible. It sounds like you have done everything right by letting police, vet and behaviourist assess the dog. I don't really have any advice, or enough experience to offer advice, but as a dog owner I would keep the dog. I would however not risk interactions with very small children in the future, because small children can be unpredictable and that is something not all dogs can or should have to handle well. It must be very difficult for you when others involved do not understand. But if the police and the behaviourist say the dog is not aggressive, then I feel that should be enough for you to make the choice you are comfortable with. I know the accident is serious and I really hope the little girl is not left with scars. But it does sound like it was an accident, and if so there is not much point in "punishing" the dog and your family.

[its.sme]

I was bitten as a child by my nan's dog,
Nan had taken in a beautiful Springer who was getting snappy with the owners grand children as they would tees her, Dolly was under the table and Nan told me to leave her alone as she was settling in, then I went and stick my head under the table to take a look and got bit on the nose.
My fault, I clearly didn't respect her need for time and space, I loved animals and thought they loved me, I was under the age of 5 I think, within a few months we where inseparable and although she was clearly capable of it she never bit again but no one ever gave her reason to do it again.
From what you, your vet and behaviourist have said there is no need to 're home your dog, maybe just a little bit more understanding from us humans.
Sharon.

[ips]

Hi All

I’m after some advice and feedback on a problem I have with my dog.

I have a 6 year old working cocker spaniel that I have had since he was 1. He came from a family with young children and when I had him, my youngest child was 4. During all the time I have had him he has never hurt a person. That is until just before Christmas last year.

I had left my dog with my girlfriend of 3+ years, in her house as I had to go out for the whole day. They had a very close bond and my GF has 2 young boisterous children of her own. She had a friend come to her house and she brought her 2 young children with her. Unfortunately my GF then had to pop out herself so she left my dog in the care of her friend. During this time, and no one knows why, my dog bit my GF, friends young girl of 3 on her face. The injuries sustained were horrific and she needed treatment in hospital as a result.

From what I can gather from the girl’s mom, her young girl was sat next to my dog and was stroking him from the side. Apparently he showed no warning signs before he bit her. It appears to have been 2 bites to the face and mouth area and possibly a banging of heads as he’s swung around. It wasn’t sustained, it was very quick. The only possible reason that I can see why he did it was that the girl had face paint all over her face and was wearing a fluffy scarf, that my dog didn’t think she was a child and for some reason reacted out of fear.

Like I said, he’s never bitten another person or shown any aggression to a person up to this point and this is so completely out of character for him as he loves people and kids. He’s always happy to see anyone, wagging his tail wanting fuss. He’s not shy, or fearful of people in any way.

Needless to say, the police have been involved and they have assessed that he’s not dangerous and won’t be taking any further action.

I have had him checked over by a vet and had a very long and in-depth conversation with a dog behaviourist – neither or whom could shed light on what made him do it and both stated that they didn’t believe that he is dangerous / aggressive.

Since the incident, under careful watch, he has been around my 2 children and shown nothing but the usual love and happiness that he’s known for giving. I’m finding it so hard to deal with it.

The parents of the girl, my GF and everyone I know (bar my own children) are saying that he needs to be rehomed (or put down) and that no one wants him anywhere near them. I understand this reaction but I can’t seem to do what they want. My kids and I have such a huge bond with this dog and it feels like completely the wrong decision to get rid of him and if I do it, it will be to appease everyone else and will be for everyone else’s benefit.

Please don’t think for a second that I am belittling this incident. I’m not, it’s left me disgusted and ashamed of him but I don’t for a second believe that it was done out of aggression and that is why I don’t feel I can get rid of him.

What would you do? Has this happened to you? Did you rehome and put down or decide to keep and move on? Did your dog bite again? Are you or have you been in my shoes where everyone wants your dog gone but you and you felt so alone and pressured to make the wrong choice for you?

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any advice and helpful replies.

If nothing else there is a lesson to be learned for all of us, no dog is ever totally reliable and no dog should be close up to a small child. Just my opinion

[lescef]

Years ago our second cocker bit our son on the nose drawing blood for no apparent reason when he was sitting next to her. We presumed she was startled by a sudden movement but we will never know. It never happened again.
I agree with the comment about people just not being dog savvy. There is a tendency to expect them to behave like a human. Children and dogs really don't always mix well!
I would be reassured by the professionals opinion.  I would monitor the interaction between children and dog as I do with my two and my grandson, but staying calm is also very important. Dogs pick up any anxiety we carry.
I hope the little girl is ok.

[bmthmark]

What a horrible experience for all involved.

If I were you, I would never get rid of the dog. You know him and you know deep down what he is like.
I would never dream of moving him on to another family or put down. You just never know 100% what actually happened in the room.
I know it is not acceptable for any dog to bite and he is definitely in the wrong, however these things do happen.
I think all the talk of getting rid should stop as its clear that is the wrong decision. I think to keep others happy I would at least show that you are working hard to make sure nothing like this happens again.
This could be simple measures like never ever leave him on his own with someone under 18, get him use to a muzzle just in case you have nervous visitors (at least you are trying to help) also maybe do some dog training with him.
Also I would try not to act too differently (e.g nervous, angry) around your dog as he will be picking up on your behavior and others. He probably cannot even remember the event and is wondering why everyone one is acting weird.

Really sorry to hear this, but I hope everything works out for you in the future.

[Willow69]

Hi

Really sorry to hear about this horrible situation you are in. I totally agree with all that has been said by the other members previously. It's awful for the child but it does sound like it was totally out of character for your poor dog. It sounds like he was put into a very stressful situation and he may well have been giving out warning signs that the mother didn't understand.
Your GF might feel obliged to side with her friend. Your dog should have been given a 'safe' space away from boisterious children. As a mother I would never have let my young children that close to a dog I didn't know. You and your children know your dog best, don't bow to pressure of others if you believe in your dog. I really hope you find a good outcome from this situation.

[its.sme]

If you google Ladder of Aggresion you will see that the signals are very slight at the beginning.

Often our dogs are screaming at us but we are not able to hear them.

For example, yawning, blinking and nose licking can be signs of an uncomfortable dog, it depends on what is happening around them.

You might never get the answer but you clearly care and want to understand why, I believe you are the person your dog needs and moving him to another home could increase this behaiviour.

I hope it all settles soon and when it's less raw maybe then people will be more willing to understand more.

Sharon.

[Ben's mum]

First of all please don't be 'disgusted and ashamed' of your dog. He did not spend days planning to do this, and I am sure within minutes he had forgotten he had caused so much upset and distress.

My dog Harry bit a 7 year old girl. She was the daughter of one of my employees. Harry came to us as a rescue and he had bitten before, but never a child. He bites out of fear but the reason dosn't really matter particually, In my mind dogs shouldn't be put in a position where they can cause harm. It was my responsibility to manage the situation and I blame myself entirely, I let Harry get into a situation where he felt he had to react with a bite.

Harry has been with us 9 years, he has not bitten for 8 years after the first year with us he became less frightened and less likely to bite. But I have always known it to be a possibility. The little girl is very dog aware, they have two dogs at home one is a jack russel who does bite! The girl was sat on the floor stroking Harry, he loves children, I was only half watching and was distracted, I did not notice another dog run up and nip Harry on the bum. The dog stood on Harrys tail then ran off. In that instant Harry lunged forward and bit the little girl. The sound was awful and I will never forget it. He caught her face and scratched the skin but bit down onto her arm, fortunately she was wearing a coat, but he must have bitten hard because even through the material there was teeth marks and a lot of bruising. If it had been bare skin it would have been a mess.

It made me feel sick, it still does thinking about what happened. The girls mum had seen the other dog bite Harry and saw how the situation was a freak accident and they knew Harrys history. But I still have a dog who bit a child, and the reality is if the right set of circumstances happened again he would do the same again. 

I guess you have to think through if you are able to manage the situation so your dog is never put in a similar position. We already had safeguards in place as we knew with Harrys history he might bite, but it can be exhausting watching them all the time. In the last 8 years I have never left harry with another person, we have a harness on him all the time when we are outside the house as it is easy to grab him if needed. He is such a happy waggy tail dog everyone wants to stroke and fuss him but I have become expert at reading his body language and I can see when he is relaxed and when he is getting stressed, the signs are there. Like others have said your dog will have shown some subtle signs, you may have noticed them, its clear others didn't.  I let Harry and the little girl down by not keeping a close enough eye on what was going on.   I will never do that again.

If i was in your shoes i wouldn't give my dog up, but I don't think you can ever say 100% a dog won't bite again.  People say 'my dog would never bite', but I don't agree its possible to say that. I think you can manage a situation, learn from it and stop a bite from happening because you are careful and doing things right, not because you have a dog that will never bite if that makes sense! Hope you manage to make it work. But please forgive your dog xx

[Archie bean]

What a dreadful situation. I’m sorry for everyone involved. I do agree with everyone else that your dog is not to blame. Wise words especially from Ben’s Mum.

I live with a dog who has bitten (me) and who has guarding aggression issues. When he was younger and I was struggling, almost everyone I knew tried to tell me that I should get rid of him (one way or another.) He is now a very reformed character compared to how he was when he was younger but I know that he will ALWAYS have it in him to snap under certain circumstances. I can read him like a book and diffuse a situations before it becomes a problem. Often when I do this friends and family (who don’t see what I see) tell me I’m over reacting and “looking for problems that aren’t there”. But I know my dog, they can think what they like - I have do do what’s best for everyone around. For these reasons I can’t leave him with anyone except my Mum. Life is very restricted but that’s the sacrifice I’ve made for my dog.

You will never really know what triggered this incident. All you can do is decide whether YOU are happy to continue to live with your dog and whether you trust him to be around your kids - and whether you trust your kids with him. You may well have to adjust how you organise his care when you can’t look after him and accept that it will take time for everyone to regain their trust of him. Things will never be the same though I’m afraid.

One thing I would say is that if you decide you can’t trust him then it is unlikely you will be able to re-home him. As I understand it, very few rescues will take a dog that has bitten anyone - especially badly enough to need hospital treatment. If you tried to rehome him yourself you would need to be honest about why you are doing it and (not meaning any disrespect here) I’m guessing you are unlikely to have the knowledge or skill of a professional rescue to match him to a new home that is right for his needs. If it happened again the new owner may come knocking on your door.

I really hope you are able to get through this and come out happily on the other side, and that those  around you will support your decision.