Dog Bite Situation

[teflon6string]

Okay, what would you guys do?

My friend's BF/fiancée has a well-behaved adult bulldog who's always been calm, patient and good with everyone's kids. That is until the other day when he bit a friend's small child on the head, drawing blood from 3-4 contusions on the face and scalp. Luckily no permanent injury and no (visible) scarring expected. Medical expenses present and future are totally covered by the shocked dog owner.

To my understanding, the dog was not baited or aggravated. Decided out of the blue to chomp the kid at a social gathering. No lawsuits pending or anything. Just disbelief for everyone involved.

Owner's first inclination was to put the dog down despite years of friendship/companionship - all the stuff we love about pets. As far as I know this hasn't been done.

I don't have a stake in any of this, nor have I been asked to weigh in with an opinion. I'm just curious what the general consensus here might be if the dog was your own.

Read More

 

[IheartSig]

If my dog bit one of my children, in the face, unprovoked, I would take it on a long drive up into the mountains and only one of us would be coming back. I would be very sad, I would likely cry.

That being said, if my child is teasing an animal or otherwise provoking it, especially one that has been a good dog for years etc, Id chalk it up to a lesson learned and take the kid to the doctor. after that Id take the dog to the vet and see why he has his cranky pants on.



as a P.S. it has been my experience that when children get bit by a pet dog that otherwise behaves or have behaved well for years etc. it is because they caused it themselves. If not that, then likely there is something wrong with the dog that may even be a simple fix.

 

[Joe13]

If my dog bit one of my children, in the face, unprovoked, I would take it on a long drive up into the mountains and only one of us would be coming back. I would be very sad, I would likely cry.

That being said, if my child is teasing an animal or otherwise provoking it, especially one that has been a good dog for years etc, Id chalk it up to a lesson learned and take the kid to the doctor. after that Id take the dog to the vet and see why he has his cranky pants on.



as a P.S. it has been my experience that when children get bit by a pet dog that otherwise behaves or have behaved well for years etc. it is because they caused it themselves. If not that, then likely there is something wrong with the dog that may even be a simple fix.

+1 ^^ even to the edit.

Good dogs don't bite unprovoked.

Could have been precieved threat to the owners kids or who knows what else.

Having said that - and no offense what soever to your friend, some people "think" they are in control of their dog; In reality the dog thinks it is the Alpha of the pack - I have no idea the situation and am not judging.

This is like asking if us parents should send our kid to foster care for getting sent home for fighting or some such...

My heart goes out to everyone involved and glad it's just a moral issue and not a legal one.

 

[308]

I loved my GSD and he and I had an agreement...if he bit anyone he shouldn't, he would be put down immediately. I have no room for unprovoked attacks as described above.

In my experience, people are too emotional about their dogs and often cannot be reasoned with in spite of any and all evidence supporting the problem with their non-human lover.

 

[JRuby]

We do not have kids in our home so they are foreign to our dogs. Our dogs ate only allowed around young children if we are watching the dogs carefully. I mean very carefully. To dogs natural pecking order is part of being a dog and it is just possible the dog wanted his position to be above that of the kid.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

As a kid I was bit unprovoked two times by dogs.
A German Shep clamped down on my skinny 9 year old thigh as I was minding my own business standing next to my dad as he was getting a fishing pole out our car. My dad whipped it away with his pole, breaking it and the dog unclamped and ran. I had puncture marks even though I had thick jeans on.
Dog owner said what they all say, "He never did that before!".
I was maybe 7 standing in my yard when a mutt came from the neighbor across the street. He ran up to me and bit my hand breaking the skin.
The dog owner said what they all say.

Loose dogs jumping up on me? several times a year. Usually little puny dogs that have giggling owners who talk about how friendly they are as your getting all muddied up.

It used to burn me up, and I have got into confrontations over Dog Owners who let their big dogs run loose in playgrounds with little kids all over the place. With my little kids running around.

You might know your dog to be harmless but no one else does.

I like dogs, used to have one, was very fond of a neighbors dog some time ago, but I don't understand some dog owners and why they take chances with dogs and kids.

 

[solv3nt]

If it was unprovoked, I'd put it down post haste. If it was provoked, it seems that it would be a learning experience for the kid. Getting multiple contusions as a lesson is a harsh way to learn, but a learning experience nonetheless.

 

[JRuby]

My question is why weren't the owner watching the dog closer w hen it was around little kids. In my opinion those owners are partially at fault. They were negligent. Dumb owners poor dog. No wins on this one.

 

[solv3nt]

For the CHL holder's, there's a better chance that you'll need to defend yourself from a dog than a person, and I have no problem with kicking or shooting an attacking dog.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Transients and their "pets" are bad around here.

Last year two pit bulls on a couple of loosely held loooong tattered ropes held by a zombie like bum, came rushing at me and my daughter snarling and snapping.

It was a narrow walking path and when I saw he wasn't paying attention I got his attention and asked nicely if he could hold his Dogs closer. He began slowly doing it and I thought the ropes were pulled in enough but as we passed.......
My daughter ran and I tried to posture and shout as they came at me. Luckily the bum was able to muster enough strength to barely hold them back. Good thing I don't carry because shots would have been fired!

I gave him an earful as I retrieved my daughter and got safely around him and his Dogs. On the way back to the parking lot after our walk I noticed his dogs were tied to a beat up old van in an area set up by the City complete with porta potties for the transients to camp for free. This was the Science Factory Parking Lot. A place with a lot of kids visiting all the time!

I just don't understand the mentality of people in Eugene who put up with this and even condone it.

 

[solv3nt]

I just don't understand the mentality of people in Eugene who put up with this and even condone it.

They keep voting for Pink Floyd as a state representative....

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

I'm a big procrastinator and have the intention of getting a ccl but never felt an urgent need. This dog incident got me one step closer but lazy me still hasn't got around to it!

If I would have drawn in that situation but not shot as he did eventually get his dogs under control, I've often wondered what next?
Re-holster tell the bum off and walk on? Call the cops and describe what happened?
If I walk away and later get stopped by the Cops after the bum calls them on his Obamaphone it's gonna be a big hassle.
Am I obligated to report the LAWFUL drawing of my weapon? IMO that would have been as lawful as it gets but the bum would tell a different story of course.

 

[solv3nt]

I'll kick a dog before I'll shoot it. If the dog wants more after a kick, then a bullet is well justified.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Sorry Teflon for straying off topic btw.
I would in the case you describe put down the dog even if the dog was teased a bit (not tortured/tormented) by the kid.
If you have a dog that is capable of seriously injuring a human, that dog must be expected to put up with a bit of teasing or kept away from people other than the owners.

Because as we all know as wrong as it is, kids have been known to tease pets. A minor bite from a smaller dog is a deserved lesson. A major facial wound or loss of an eye etc. should not be allowed to happen.

 

[Greenbug]

No bad dogs, just bad owners...
I am a responsible dog owner, and my dog is a trusted member of the family. She does not go off leash when and where she is not supposed to... a good owner following the laws. That being said, if my dog somehow ran off and somebody felt threatened by her loving personality enough to shoot her I would surely return the favor in kind. I am sure many other responsible dog owners share this sentiment.

 

[JRuby]

I dont want my dog to hurt anyone and I dont want to see my close friend hurt. It is my responsibility as owner to make sure this does not happen if I can possibly prevent it. If someone was to go out of thier way to hurt Jake I would have to search my soul for an answer. There maybe other dogs to me there is no other Jake.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

I'm glad I don't feel a need to have a dog at this time, my tropical fish are enough of a pita.

 

[Just Jim]

Dogs are like people, most are good and some are bad.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Dogs just shouldnt be around young kids and young kids shouldnt be around dogs.
90% of the time I see kids grabbing on or hitting the dog.. And when the dogs instincts kick in it protects itself.

They have primal insticts.. They are animals, its as simple as that.

If it was my dog, and long time companion and I had no kids.. Unless ordered by the court.. It would live but never have unattended social interaction with anyone especially kids.

If my kid was bit, and if medical expenses were covered Id be thankful it wasnt worse.
Lesson learned, NEVER trust an animal no matter how friendly. I wouldnt press charges so long as my kids medical bills were paid for or partially paid for.

People always forget that an animal is an amimal.. They are just as capable of harm as anything else.

 

[jbett98]

That dog would be muzzled and then carefully watched for any further reactions when around small children.
The best dog that I ever had was a female Doberman, and if you twirled a kid around in the air and they squealed in high voice of theirs, she would try and snap at them as they spun past her.
Otherwise, she was the perfect dog.
Something just set her off in that particular situation, so we avoided doing it around her.