# Need advice - our dog bit our daughter



## MeliVaz (Aug 30, 2012)

Hi everyone, this is long, but please bear with me.

Background information: our dog Tyson is an APBT, we purchased him as a puppy 8 years ago (came w/papers, temperament, health records). He is a great dog and we consider him our first "child." He weighs about 50 lbs, neutered, and is UTD on shots. He is well trained. He has never showed aggression toward people. He will sometimes be overly-excited when meeting new dogs, but isn't dog aggressive. We adopted an EB about 5 years ago, and they are best buddies. We also have a macaw, and at one point we had 3 ferrets (they were all rescues w/cancer & have moved on to rainbow bridge). Tyson has never shown aggression toward any of the other animals in our home, and has no history of violence.

Two years ago I had a baby girl. My husband brought home a baby blanket with our daughter's scent, to let the dogs get used to her scent before bringing her home. When we brought her home, we awarded the dogs for good behavior around the baby, so they would see her as a positive addition. We tried not to drastically change our routines with the dogs. They were still walked every day and received plenty of exercise. 

Still, Tyson didn't adjust well to the new baby. We made sure to give him his own space separate from the baby so he wouldn't feel like she was intruding. The playroom was the only room gated off - the dogs have free run of the rest of the house. But if she even crawled past the doggy gate, he would growl and move away. Our EB is the more dominant of the two dogs, and Tyson's increasing aggression toward the baby would cause our EB to "correct" his behavior. We worked with a behavior specialist and his aggression seemed to disappear eventually. As our daughter got older, we worked on establishing her as a pack leader. She gives the dogs commands and then helps us feed, walk, bath them. We never leave her unattended with the dogs, and she understands "play nice" (no pulling on their tails, face, etc). We moved into a new house in January and Tyson again struggled to adjust to the change. He started to pee all over the house and the aggression toward our daughter (growling) started again. We took him to the vet and ruled out all medical possibilities. It seemed clear to us he was feeling stressed. We made sure to give him plenty of exercise and attention.

Tuesday night I was unloading clean dishes from the dishwasher. My daughter was next to me singing and twirling (like a ballerina). The dogs came in from their walk and Tyson growled and bit our daughter on the arm. She has two wounds on her elbow. They are superficial and only one bled slightly (the other resulted in a scrape/bruise). There was no food or toys present. I do well with noticing his warning signs, but this happened too quickly to stop. After he bit her, he walked away like nothing happened. If my daughter wasn't screaming, I wouldn't have even known the bite occurred. 

I need advice. My instant reaction was to tell my husband Tyson needs a new home, but once the panic died down, I'm not so sure what I think is best. We agree Tyson cannot be allowed close to our daughter. My husband wants to send him for training, again. We are working on having another baby and considering his history with change, I am worried we will go through all of this again with baby #2. In my mind, it isn't fair to keep Tyson separate from the rest of us. I think this will only increase his anxiety. Should we find him a home with an older couple who are empty-nesters and wouldn't subject him to much change? Or do we invest more time & money into training and hope he doesn't bite her again? He has been our baby for 8 years and giving him up is not a decision we take lightly. We would prefer to keep him, but are we setting ourselves, and him, up for failure?

TIA.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

You have a few things that seem to be going on, What city and state do you live in? I might know a good trainer up there. 

IT's so hard to offer suggestions online since I can't see the dog and see body language and house dynamics. I have a 2 year old and about 17 dogs. Not all my dogs are good with my baby so they are always separated. Nothing is worth the safety of my son! 

It sounds like you have a very dominant dog based on what you have said, peeing in the house and growling at your baby. I am betting (even if you don't see it) that your dog thinks he is top dog in the house even over you. I think that might be the root of the problem. Again it's hard to say without being there. The easy suggestion is to separate the dog from the baby at all times. Life is not always fair so don't feel bad for separating them. I would NOT place your dog, it's not fair to place a dog that could possibly hurt someone. It's just not responsible. You either separate your dog or put him down. 
My background for advice on this, I own a training business and specialize in behaviour. If you close I'd love to help or I can suggest someone I know maybe. For things like this I would do an in home private lesson and evaluate the situation, get back ground, and see first hand what the house dynamics are. I also offer board in train where the dogs come and stay here for training.
I would suggest having advanced off leash obedience and also work on the behaviour issue it's all connected.

My dogs who do not like my son are separated but if I need to have them in the same space they ignore him and are not allowed to associate with him. That is obtained by having strong obedience on them.


----------



## Bear813 (Aug 28, 2012)

After something like that I would talk to the vet. one last time and see what you could try. But when it comes down to it your kids are very important and if he can't understand that just like anyone you would tell them to leave. Just make sure you do what you feel in your heart is best for everyone! 👍


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## circlemkennels (Aug 29, 2010)

I would seek a trainer and a vet to check him out.. have him evaluated and see what they think.. i would never rehome a dog like that.. now i know no one wants to hear this but if you dont seek training the dog doesnt need to be rehomed.. dogs like that must be "properly dealt with".. rehoming him would be setting someone else up for trouble.. so sorry to hear about something like this.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

OH and has your dog had a temperament evaluation by a trainer? That's the first thing I would do. I think you said you ruled out medical with the vet right?


----------



## MSK (Aug 13, 2008)

Definitely wouldn't re-home this dog. Only responsible options are seek a trainer specializing in behaviorism or put the dog down. It's an ugly thing to say but, if he is 8 years old re-homing him is liable to intensify the aggression due to stress and that is just setting him up for failure. Especially if you don't get a new owner equipt to deal with his quirks.


----------



## MeliVaz (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the replies. 

Yes, we have ruled out medical with the vet. 

He was evaluated when we first started seeing the aggression when our daughter was born. The trainer did things like took his food away when he was eating, took away a toy, made sudden loud movements, took him for a walk, and handled his paws, ears, tail, etc. He passed the evaluation without a problem. He showed some anxiety when he first saw the leash (overly excited energy, ran to the door, would sit on command but wouldn't sit calmly). But he never once growled at the trainer. Since the trainer wasn't able to observe any signs of aggression, he suggested we work on establishing our daughter's dominance over the dogs - make sure they recognized her as being above them in the pack, since he has only shown aggression toward her.

After reading all of your replies, I have ruled out rehoming as an option. We don't want to jump immediately to PTS, so for now we will keep them separate and we will have him evaluated again by a behavior specialist.

performanceknls, or anyone else - do you know any trainers you would recommend in the NE area?


----------



## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

I absolutely agree. First option should be to seek professional help from a trainer. Make sure you do intensive research on your options though, because you don't want to send him somewhere "good" when you could get the help of someone "great". There are programs for dogs much like the one you see on Cesar's show that are basically dog psychology and rehab centers. I know that there is supposed to be a phenomenal place like this in upstate NY that can efficiently socialize almost any dog. Do some research, you've had your dog too long to give up on him now. Good luck.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

MeliVaz said:


> Thanks everyone for the replies.
> 
> Yes, we have ruled out medical with the vet.
> 
> ...


That's not a proper temperament test...... sounds like you need a better trainer. How close are you to NY? I can ask around. A proper temperament test is going to put the dog under lots of stress to see how the dog handles it. Most dogs would pass a basic test like you describe but it does not test true temperament.



NYBlueNose said:


> I absolutely agree. First option should be to seek professional help from a trainer. Make sure you do intensive research on your options though, because you don't want to send him somewhere "good" when you could get the help of someone "great". There are programs for dogs much like the one you see on Cesar's show that are basically dog psychology and rehab centers. I know that there is supposed to be a phenomenal place like this in upstate NY that can efficiently socialize almost any dog. Do some research, you've had your dog too long to give up on him now. Good luck.


Cesar's and idiot...... :stick:


----------



## MeliVaz (Aug 30, 2012)

performanceknls said:


> That's not a proper temperament test...... sounds like you need a better trainer. How close are you to NY? I can ask around. A proper temperament test is going to put the dog under lots of stress to see how the dog handles it. Most dogs would pass a basic test like you describe but it does not test true temperament.
> 
> Cesar's and idiot...... :stick:


I thought the test was "tame" but I'm not an expert. I guess trainers around here are used to "vicious pitbulls" so he was expecting a dog that was going to bite his arm off if he reached for his bowl.

I am a few hours from NY state. I'm willing to drive to get proper training for us/him.

LOL @ Cesar's an idiot comment. But, but...he is so likeable on TV!! lol


----------



## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

MeliVaz said:


> I thought the test was "tame" but I'm not an expert. I guess trainers around here are used to "vicious pitbulls" so he was expecting a dog that was going to bite his arm off if he reached for his bowl.
> 
> I am a few hours from NY state. I'm willing to drive to get proper training for us/him.
> 
> LOL @ Cesar's an idiot comment. But, but...he is so likeable on TV!! lol


Yeah I didn't really understand the Cesar comment either, not just because nobody mentioned his efficacy as a trainer, but because his abilities are proven and known worldwide, lol.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

If you think Cesar is a great trainer then you know nothing of dog training. He lies to the public and is very deceitful of his training techniques. Kicking a dog is not training, letting dogs get attacked is not training, he does nothing groundbreaking for his other training either. Many of his techniques are used everyday by trainers around the country and are not His own methods. If you want to argue that he's your idol fine, go find the cesar thread we already have and have at it. Also if you think hes great just because he's on TV I bet you believe everything you see on tv. Shows ignorance instead of educating yourself....


Back to the OP are you close to Buffalo? I'm not familiar with your part of the country but if so I know a wonderful trainer up there that has Pits and is great. Also on Sept 26th I will be in Buffalo myself for working pit bull nationals and would be happy to do a private lesson.


----------



## MeliVaz (Aug 30, 2012)

It's about a 6-7hr drive from here. I'll talk to my husband, maybe we can drive up there for a few days.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

It would be a good excuse to go to nationals! lol
http://www.gopitbull.com/general-discussion/45288-working-pit-bull-terrier-nationals.html


----------



## tXpItGrl (Aug 30, 2012)

Hi Tia, I'm a vet tech have you tried behavioral medications?


----------



## NYBlueNose (Apr 22, 2012)

performanceknls said:


> If you think Cesar is a great trainer then you know nothing of dog training. He lies to the public and is very deceitful of his training techniques. Kicking a dog is not training, letting dogs get attacked is not training, he does nothing groundbreaking for his other training either. Many of his techniques are used everyday by trainers around the country and are not His own methods. If you want to argue that he's your idol fine, go find the cesar thread we already have and have at it. Also if you think hes great just because he's on TV I bet you believe everything you see on tv. Shows ignorance instead of educating yourself....
> 
> Back to the OP are you close to Buffalo? I'm not familiar with your part of the country but if so I know a wonderful trainer up there that has Pits and is great. Also on Sept 26th I will be in Buffalo myself for working pit bull nationals and would be happy to do a private lesson.


If you're looking for a place to disrespect people, this isn't the right forum. I'm not arguing about Cesar Milan because I really couldn't care less. I don't even watch the damn show and he certainly isn't my idol. I referenced it because most dog lovers have seen it or currently watch it, so it's an easy example of what a dog psychology center looks like. So unless you are going to administer one of your temperament assessments to yourself, you should probably calm down and keep your ridiculous comments to yourself.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

tXpItGrl said:


> Hi Tia, I'm a vet tech have you tried behavioral medications?


MEdications can have adverse effects can cause things like hallucinations which could cause a violent outburst. Or you get a Zombie dog. In either case I wouldn't recommend it.



NYBlueNose said:


> If you're looking for a place to disrespect people, this isn't the right forum. I'm not arguing about Cesar Milan because I really couldn't care less. I don't even watch the damn show and he certainly isn't my idol. I referenced it because most dog lovers have seen it or currently watch it, so it's an easy example of what a dog psychology center looks like. So unless you are going to administer one of your temperament assessments to yourself, you should probably calm down and keep your ridiculous comments to yourself.


You must be a new comer here.....

I'm completely calm, I was just pointing out the flaw in your comment about "because his abilities are proven and known worldwide,"
His "abilities" are nothing I'd stand behind and again really nothing more than other trainers have been doing for years.

And yes I'd love to do an assessment on this dog if I get the chance, I will be in that part of the country soon. I'm not saying I'm the only trainer who can help, but I'd love to if I can.


----------



## Brucie (Jun 30, 2012)

I am very sorry this happened to you. I hope you find the right decision pertaining to Tyson's home.

It seems to me that the trigger was relocating into your new home. I read somewhere when you relocate with your animals what you are supposed to do is to take the dog for a vigorous run/exercise session, then when he is tired you introduce him slowly to the new home.

I personally believe Tyson doesn't have an issue with your daughter...he is stressed which is reflected by his urination all over the new house. I would say don't give up on him just yet, and bring in a good trainer to have him re introduce Tyson to the new house again because that is the true source of stress he is feeling.

But if you worry for you daughter's safety and well being, or feel that Tyson truly has a jealousy issue with your daughter I would get rid of him ASAP.


----------



## KMdogs (Apr 22, 2011)

I don't have time to respond to everything, not home. However on the topic of Cesar, much of what the show attempts to show is very old methods produced in a new light. The problem is, it shows very little and what it does isn't useful. It also shows people very, very common sense based material that is so generalized a baby could see its either wrong or pointless. I consider myself quite knowledgable in he area of training and behavior however to dismiss Lisa - performance, well you might want to look at who your arguing with before you continue. Not only does she train her own animals and run as a business, but she's also involved in movie production with some of her animals and other areas very few have involved themselves in. You don't have to agree with her assessments however if you believe she's just insulting, well that's funny.


----------



## ScratchingGameDog (Sep 27, 2010)

If my dog were to bite my kid, and cause a injury like that unprevoked. he or she would be put down.


----------



## RealRasta (Jul 16, 2012)

It seems you have received plenty of good advice and some straight forward opinions on the matter.. The good thing is your daughter is not seriously hurt an your being pro active in what steps to take next. Not much I can offer that everyone else has not already said so I decided to pat you on the back for your efforts so far instead.

Now before any one bashes me on what I am about to say next.. I am just making a funny that does slightly pertain to the ops op.

CHAIN MAIL FOR TODDLERS










Not me in the image or anyone I know.. lol


----------



## catchrcall (Jul 8, 2012)

If the dog bit your daughter and it's still alive, you are putting an animal before the safety of your child and you need to seriously take another look at where your priorities lie. Deep down you know better than to let that dog live. If it does happen again, can you live the rest of your life looking at a scar on your kid and thinking " I knew better"? I know I couldn't.


----------



## dixieland (Aug 14, 2009)

ScratchingGameDog said:


> If my dog were to bite my kid, and cause a injury like that unprevoked. he or she would be put down.





catchrcall said:


> If the dog bit your daughter and it's still alive, you are putting an animal before the safety of your child and you need to seriously take another look at where your priorities lie. Deep down you know better than to let that dog live. If it does happen again, can you live the rest of your life looking at a scar on your kid and thinking " I knew better"? I know I couldn't.


:goodpost:

Ask yourself this question.Even after all these behavior evaluations and training happen,would you still trust your dog around your daughter or new baby?No you wouldn't.You would be keeping an eye on it all the time.You would be nervous and watching it out of the corner of your eyes from here on out.Is that any way to live?No it isn't.
There is no way in hell that any dog that bit my child would not be pts.Especially my own dog who is going to be around my children the majority of the time.
These dogs are not supposed to act aggressive towards people.
IMHO I think the only thing to do is pts.Don't risk it happening again.


----------



## SHARON MOYA (Feb 8, 2007)

dixieland said:


> :goodpost:
> 
> Ask yourself this question.Even after all these behavior evaluations and training happen,would you still trust your dog around your daughter or new baby?No you wouldn't.You would be keeping an eye on it all the time.You would be nervous and watching it out of the corner of your eyes from here on out.Is that any way to live?No it isn't.
> There is no way in hell that any dog that bit my child would not be pts.Especially my own dog who is going to be around my children the majority of the time.
> ...


I am so glad I am not the only one who feels this way. Usually when I say things like this in other places I get attacked....


----------



## Rainie (Sep 21, 2012)

Good info by Pat Miller

If your dog bites

If your dog bites, you have at least four options. You can:

1. Manage his behavior to prevent him from ever having the opportunity to bite again. While difficult, this is possible. It means greatly restricting his movements so he has no access to humans, other than adult family members. If company comes over, the dog is crated in a closed room. If the grandkids visit, he is crated or sent to a kennel that is equipped to safely handle a biting dog. Even if he adores the grandkids, the fact that he has bitten puts them at unacceptable risk. Unless you are 100 percent confident that you know what his stressors are and can prevent them from occurring during the kids’ visit, you cannot take the chance.

Of course, selecting this option means a reduced quality of life – no more walks in the park, on or off leash; no more rides in the car; and no more spending hours on his own in the fresh air and sunshine in the fenced backyard.

2. Manage his behavior to prevent him from biting while you implement a comprehensive behavior modification program.This requires a serious commitment. If your dog’s behavior is relatively new and mild, you may be able to accomplish this on your own. (See “Modify aggressive behavior,” in text below.)

Most owners, however, need the (sometimes costly) help of an experienced, positive behavior counselor or behaviorist to help them succeed. The behavior professional will help identify your dog’s stressors, and set up a program to use desensitization and counter-conditioning to convince him that the things he now perceives as “bad” (stressors) are really “good.” If he changes his perception, they will no longer cause him stress, and they won’t push him over his bite threshold.

This doesn’t happen overnight. The longer your dog has practiced his aggression responses, the longer it takes to modify them. The more committed you are to working with him, the more opportunities he will have to reprogram his responses and the faster it will happen. Meanwhile, he must be crated or kenneled while visitors or grandkids are at the house, and not taken for walks, car rides, nor left to his own devices in the backyard.

3. Rehome him with a new owner who is willing and able to do one of the first two. This is a long shot. Depending on the circumstances of the bite and the dog’s general nature, some dogs who have bitten may be accepted into training programs for government drug or bomb-sniffing dogs, or as police K9 units. Your average adoption home, however, is no better equipped than you to make the commitment necessary to safely keep a biting dog. Most rescue groups will not accept dogs who have a history of biting, and shelters that do accept them will often euthanize, rather than take the risk (and the liability) of placing them in a new home.

If you rehome him yourself, you risk having the dog fall into the hands of someone who will punish him severely for biting, or otherwise not treat him well. You may even continue to bear some liability, moral if not also legal, should the dog do serious damage to someone at his new home.

There are millions of dogs looking for homes who haven’t bitten anyone. You love your dog and are trying to rehome him. What are your chances of finding someone to adopt him who is willing to take the risk of bringing home a biting dog?


Your dog might seem to love being around 
your children – and still be at risk of biting one 
of them. It depends on what her specific stressors are. You need to know what her stressors are, and manage her environment carefully.
4. Have the dog euthanized. This is never a happy outcome. Still, you need to think long and hard about this dog’s quality of life. If you can only manage his behavior, will he be happy, or miserable, being shut out of the activities he loves? Can you guarantee that the home you find for him will treat him well? What if he bites again?

If you can manage and modify, and still maintain your own quality of life as well as his, by all means, that is the best choice. But if not, remember that aggression is caused by stress, and stress is not an enjoyable state of being. If the dog is so stressed that you can’t succeed in managing and modifying his behavior and he is a high risk for biting someone else, he can’t be living a very enjoyable life. Nor can you! As difficult as the decision may be, it is sometimes the right and responsible one for the protection of all of your loved ones, including the dog.

What you should never do is close your eyes and hope and pray that he doesn’t bite again. You are responsible for protecting your family as well as other members of your community. Denial will only result in more bites.

Most biters can be improved

The good news is that relatively few dogs are beyond help. If you make a commitment to helping your dog feel more comfortable with the world, there’s a good chance you will succeed. You will understand why he has bitten in the past, and be able to avoid his stressors while you work to convince him that what are now stressors for him are actually good things.

Like my own encounter with my Scottie’s capable canines, you will realize that the bite wasn’t personal, but simply the end result of a chain of events that were beyond your dog’s control. What a proud day for you both, when you can take him out in public with confidence, knowing that he is as safe as any dog can be in the face of the unknown elements of the real world.


Sent from my iPad using PG Free


----------



## megz (Jul 25, 2008)

I am not a dog trainer, nor a dog "psychologist", so I cannot give you advise from either mentality, i can only share my opinion...

It sounds like you didn't trust this dog with children from the get go, you went through a lot of effort to seperate him from your child from day one. 
The effort you put into making sure he was a different part of your life from your childs was not in his favor. 
can you keep him in your home, sure, why not. just continue keeping him seperated, good luck as your child gets older and learns that gates can be opened, and dogs let out, and adults only have so many sets of eyes.

could you try to place him in a new home? have at it, just be sure not to mention that he has already bitten a child, and from what i understand, unprovoked.

I do not envy your place right now, and all the typings of people who do not know you, your dog, or your situation, of course do not make it any easier. 

From an owner who had to make one of the hardest decisions... Please, take a step back, and try to look at your situation from an outsiders view, it is sometimes clearer than your own.


----------



## zohawn (Jun 8, 2011)

long walk, short talk


----------



## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Rainie said:


> 3. Rehome him with a new owner who is willing and able to do one of the first two. This is a long shot. Depending on the circumstances of the bite and the dog's general nature, some dogs who have bitten may be accepted into training programs for government drug or bomb-sniffing dogs, or as police K9 units. Your average adoption home, however, is no better equipped than you to make the commitment necessary to safely keep a biting dog. Most rescue groups will not accept dogs who have a history of biting, and shelters that do accept them will often euthanize, rather than take the risk (and the liability) of placing them in a new home.
> 
> If you rehome him yourself, you risk having the dog fall into the hands of someone who will punish him severely for biting, or otherwise not treat him well. You may even continue to bear some liability, moral if not also legal, should the dog do serious damage to someone at his new home.
> 
> ...


Rehoming IS NEVER an option for an aggressive animal!

Put the dog down if you can't handle it.


----------



## PerfectPit (Aug 2, 2010)

Mine is a little off topic but it will become apparent in the end. I owned 2 dogs a 10y/o Mastiff and a 2y/o APBT. My great nieces/nephews are always in our home when I am off work; ages ranging from 8mths to 11y/o (6 kids). My Mastiff grew up with the kids and they loved him as much as they loved my APBT. He showed signs of DA after several mths of having my APBT. We were very diligent in C&R after the first altercation. 

Things were great, fast forward 2 yrs and my Mastiff broke loose from his barrier. A serious dog fight ensued. While my husband and I tried to break up the fight, I slipped and my Mastiff bit my wrist and continued to do so but the position we were in if I released where my arm was I would of fallen and he would of gotten my face. I know he wasn't attacking me he was trying to get at my APBT. Break stick only worked for my pit. As I was being treated for multiple puncture wounds and a broken wrist, my husband called and said he cleaned them up and my Mastiff needed to see a vet asap. I took him in and the vet said I can sew him up, get you a trainer/behaviorist for his issues but it will not correct his mind in the long run. She pointed to my arm and said did he do that? I told her I claim it was a stray. She said ok, I won't question that statement but I know you have children in your house are you willing to have that stray dog do that to one of the kids? My heart dropped, deep down I could not allow that. I never looked at it that way. I put him down right then and there. I never called home, I just did it. I cried and apologized to him while holding him during the process. I came home empty handed and my husband asked where he was I told him what I did. I was called every name in the book then some with him ending his statement. We never gave up on any of our dogs for any reason or cost and you put him down? I said yes. 

That weekend the 8mth old and 2y/o came over. The two y/o had a mark on his face bruising and scab. I thought he had fallen because he is learning to walk. The dad said no, the kids were at my other nieces mother in laws house and her dog bit him in the face. It was the 2nd time he bit one of the kids in a week but they didn't want to cause a family feud so they were gonna just let it go. I said I won't, I just put my flipping dog down because of this fear and they loved the kids but couldn't get along with each other. I called AC and reported the mother in law and the dog was removed. He now has a bite scar on his face, hopefully it will fade in time. It has been almost 1 month and my heart is still empty but I also know I would never put my babies at risk for a dog no matter how much I loved him. My husband still isn't speaking to me and that is okay, I know what I did was right. 

Now my question to you is, are you willing to take the risk especially if you plan to have another child knowing this precious dog you have has anxiety and has proven in stressful moments he has and could harm your child worse then a scrape? I wish you only the best in any decision you choose to make.


----------



## catchrcall (Jul 8, 2012)

American_Pit13 said:


> Rehoming IS NEVER an option for an aggressive animal!
> 
> Put the dog down if you can't handle it.


I agree. All you do by rehoming it is pass along the problem to someone else.


----------



## Goemon (Jun 27, 2012)

PerfectPit said:


> Mine is a little off topic but it will become apparent in the end. I owned 2 dogs a 10y/o Mastiff and a 2y/o APBT. My great nieces/nephews are always in our home when I am off work; ages ranging from 8mths to 11y/o (6 kids). My Mastiff grew up with the kids and they loved him as much as they loved my APBT. He showed signs of DA after several mths of having my APBT. We were very diligent in C&R after the first altercation.
> 
> Things were great, fast forward 2 yrs and my Mastiff broke loose from his barrier. A serious dog fight ensued. While my husband and I tried to break up the fight, I slipped and my Mastiff bit my wrist and continued to do so but the position we were in if I released where my arm was I would of fallen and he would of gotten my face. I know he wasn't attacking me he was trying to get at my APBT. Break stick only worked for my pit. As I was being treated for multiple puncture wounds and a broken wrist, my husband called and said he cleaned them up and my Mastiff needed to see a vet asap. I took him in and the vet said I can sew him up, get you a trainer/behaviorist for his issues but it will not correct his mind in the long run. She pointed to my arm and said did he do that? I told her I claim it was a stray. She said ok, I won't question that statement but I know you have children in your house are you willing to have that stray dog do that to one of the kids? My heart dropped, deep down I could not allow that. I never looked at it that way. I put him down right then and there. I never called home, I just did it. I cried and apologized to him while holding him during the process. I came home empty handed and my husband asked where he was I told him what I did. I was called every name in the book then some with him ending his statement. We never gave up on any of our dogs for any reason or cost and you put him down? I said yes.
> 
> ...


As hard as that choice may have been, you made the correct choice.
There needs to be more people like you out there, that can make a wise decision in the long run.


----------

