Help! I am so upset! (Long)

I was hesitant to post this but I really need advice and can't talk to anyone else.

Ironically enough after all the rehoming pet posts yesterday one of my dogs snapped at Chelsea.

We usually never let Jake near her. He actually usually avoids her. Last night though he was laying in the hallway and she reached down to pet him and fell on to him. He then turning around and snapped at her....he didn't bite her and I don't know if that was his intention but she was on the floor and he was almost on top of her

I was standing right there and grabbed her and she was fine. She cried because she was scared but he didn't hurt her. I however was hysterical. I couldn't stop shaking because I know how bad it could have been (I was bit by a dog on my face when I was 3 years old)

I don't know what to do. I've had Jake since he was a puppy long before I ever met my DH. He is 10 years old and 1/2 rottie so I don't see anyone taking him in.

I don't want to give him away. I love him but I obviously love my daughter more.

Is there a training program I can bring him too? Do you think if we just keep him away from her forever it will be ok? We have gates everywhere in our house and a huge backyard.

Does anyone have dogs that they keep away from their children always?

DH said he will do whatever I want but I just don't know what to do.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

Awwww Nicole! Im sorry. I dont have any advice, but we just had to rehome of our family cat bc of Eddies allergies. So while the reason isnt the same, I know how hard it is if you have to rehome him!

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

I am so sorry you have to deal with this..but do you really think you can keep them apart? I think that could cause a bigger prob of jealousy.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

Posted by jinglemommy

I am so sorry you have to deal with this..but do you really think you can keep them apart? I think that could cause a bigger prob of jealousy.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

This is such a tough situation. You said your DD fell on the dog. She probably startled him or maybe hurt him a bit? So he responded to that...mostly b/c he was sleeping and was probably stunned when it happened.

I know my dogs are capable of snapping at even us if we hurt them by accident or bother them while sleeping. I tell myself that's the way they are trying to epress pain or anger. I think in this case the dog wasn't just trying to harm the child, since your DD fell on the dog, and the dog didn't even bite her.

Animals definitely will do these things,m they aren't humans who can express pain or anger verbally.

I am glad your DD is ok.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

Posted by Goobster

This is such a tough situation. You said your DD fell on the dog. She probably startled him or maybe hurt him a bit? So he responded to that...mostly b/c he was sleeping and was probably stunned when it happened.

I know my dogs are capable of snapping at even us if we hurt them by accident or bother them while sleeping. I tell myself that's the way they are trying to epress pain or anger. I think in this case the dog wasn't just trying to harm the child, since your DD fell on the dog, and the dog didn't even bite her.

Animals definitely will do these things,m they aren't humans who can express pain or anger verbally.

I am glad your DD is ok.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

I think any dog would react that way....I know your thinking what could have happened, but chances are high nothing like this will happen again since you know your going to be super vigiliant now out of fear. I would just keep them apart for now . the older she gets the more she will understand too and it will get easier.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

DH and I have a lab. She's been in our home for 5 years now and we have an 18 month old. So far I have seen my dog being very very patient with him. At 18 mos he can be a little rough pulling her tail, fur, grabbing and tugging her face and paws when she is laying on the floor. I'm trying to teach him to play nice with our dog. So far our dog has not shown any aggretion(sp?) A few times I saw our dog play bite the arm of our DS when he got rough and then licked him. It's hard because you never know how animals will react.

Sounds like your dog got scared maybe from her falling on him and he just reacted. But I hear you, the growl sound and the fact that your dog was on top of her would make me start thinking....I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. What do you think your dog would have done if you weren't there to grab her real quick from the floor? Do you think your dog would have pinned her down for awhile or bit her if she tried to get up? I think if I knew my dog has aggretion from the start and reacted once to DS with it even if it wasn't a bite I would starting thinking of finding a new home for her. Sorry.

My mom also watches my son and she has three chiauhuas. 2 of them are great with DS but the other is not. She crates that dog while my son is there and there is no way to teach that chiauhua to be nice. That's pretty much all she does. If the mean chiauhua is out she is always there watching too.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

I really think it will be okay, but you have to keep a close eye on the two of them. My DS climbs all over my dog, but I only allow it to a point, because animals can only tolerate so much,they love each other, but anything can happen. If I can't bein the room with them, I seperate them.

This does not sound like your dog wanted to intentially warn or hurt your DC. The dog got startled and reacted as they would to anything that startled them.

I grew up in a big family, we always had dogs. One of them did bite a child once. But the dog was sleeping, and a neighbors child JUMPED on the dog...so she reacted. There was never another incident with this dog, and we had her for several more years until she passed away.

supervision is key, invest in a couple of baby gates, and YOU keep control of the situation, dont leave it up to the baby and the pooch...its hard, I know..but it really would be hard to rehome a 10 yr old dog, not just to find someone, but what it could mean for the dog, he may never adjust. Obviously if the dog wanted to do intentional hard, my advise would be different, but I think the situation is still workable right now, and worth the effort.

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

Thanks for your replies! I am glad that the majority think that it would be ok to keep him. I would break my heart to have to rehome him (if anyone would actually take him).

She is 15 months and for the most part we keep her away from him. Our other dog Henry is her BFF.

I think he for now is going to be spending a lot of time outside and gated off from her.

I am praying that it was just a fluke because he was startled that she fell on him

Re: Help! I am so upset! (Long)

Message edited 11/28/2011 9:02:51 PM.