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Well, hell. Now what? (Dog bit me) - 2nd Update: #353

alaskanseminole

HB Legend
Oct 20, 2002
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So, the family dog bit the crap out of me last night. He'll be 2 this June and we've already got like $5k into this Golden Doodle (he's part of the family). He's extremely well trained--leash walking, house broke, tricks, heck he can open and shut the back door.

However, he's always had a resource guarding issue and last night I did not read him well. In hindsight, I now recognize he was pissed his friend (another doodle) was eating his food. Joey (my dog) jumped up on the couch, tail stiff and showing me his teeth. I sat down with him trying to figure out what was going on. I noticed the other dog eating his food and commented on it. As I sat back on the couch, I patted my chest for him to come over and he stepped on my crotch. When I went to move his paw he mauled my dadgum hand. I had to go to the ER last night (hence the late night posting).

Now, I don't trust him. What if he were to ever bite my son or another kid? Do I hire another trainer (more $$) to see if we can break him of this? I love this darn dog.

There are a total of 7 deep punctures (the others are on my palm):

Qs5YIf0.jpeg

V8BofeL.jpg
 
That’s tough, man. With kids and despite all that training, that is a real bad thing for him to have done regardless of the other dog. What if that was someone’s face!?!

A dog can’t do that to its master. Ever. Means anyone is fair game. Has he had his balls cut off? If not, that would be step one ASAP. If he has or if you want them intact for breeding, Inwoukd give him to someone.
 
That sucks, man. I’d probably start with a trainer and make sure he’s getting plenty of exercise. Wouldn’t leave him alone in a room with a kid or fragile adult for now though. I had a friend that had a chow chow and one night it just went off on him and to get it off of his ankle he had to stomp it with his other foot. He had to get stitches and the dog had to get euthanized.
 
That’s tough, man. With kids and despite all that training, that is a real bad thing for him to have done regardless of the other dog. What if that was someone’s face!?!

A dog can’t do that to your master. Ever. Has he had his balls cut off? If not, that would be step one ASAP. If he has or if you want them intact for breeding, Inwoukd give him to someone.
Yes. He's been neutered. He's typically the most fun loving dog around. He's one of the most popular dogs in the neighborhood. Everyone loves him.
 
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That sucks, man. I’d probably start with a trainer and make sure he’s getting plenty of exercise. Wouldn’t leave him alone in a room with a kid or fragile adult for now though. I had a friend that had a chow chow and one night it just went off on him and to get it off of his ankle he had to stomp it with his other foot. He had to get stitches and the dog had to get euthanized.
He gets a minimum of two walks a day. My wife just bought voice buttons and has started teaching him to "talk".

 
That’s tough, man. With kids and despite all that training, that is a real bad thing for him to have done regardless of the other dog. What if that was someone’s face!?!

A dog can’t do that to its master. Ever. Means anyone is fair game. Has he had his balls cut off? If not, that would be step one ASAP. If he has or if you want them intact for breeding, Inwoukd give him to someone.
Yes was wondering the same. Also did OP ever train not to bite? I work with my doodle on occasion where he can bit me but I scream loudly Ouch.. And gentle. He stops and then he learns to just lightly bite over time. You can reward good behavior. Might want to talk to a specialize dog trainer for a few lessons for OP. He can never bite again.
 
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So, the family dog bit the crap out of me last night. He'll be 2 this June and we've already got like $5k into this Golden Doodle (he's part of the family). He's extremely well trained--leash walking, house broke, tricks, heck he can open and shut the back door.

However, he's always had a resource guarding issue and last night I did not read him well. In hindsight, I now recognize he was pissed his friend (another doodle) was eating his food. Joey (my dog) jumped up on the couch, tail stiff and showing me his teeth. I sat down with him trying to figure out what was going on. I noticed the other dog eating his food and commented on it. As I sat back on the couch, I patted my chest for him to come over and he stepped on my crotch. When I went to move his paw he mauled my dadgum hand. I had to go to the ER last night (hence the late night posting).

Now, I don't trust him. What if he were to ever bite my son or another kid? Do I hire another trainer (more $$) to see if we can break him of this? I love this darn dog.

There are a total of 7 deep punctures (the others are on my palm):

Qs5YIf0.jpeg

V8BofeL.jpg
Just another hand pic. Who were you gonna fight that bailed on you?
BTW, puncture wounds suck. Watch for infection.
 
Yes was wondering the same. Also did OP ever train not to bite? I work with my doodle on occasion where he can bit me but I scream loudly Ouch.. He stops and then he learns to just lightly bite over time. You can reward good behavior. Might want to talk to a specialize dog trainer for a few lessons for OP. He can never bite again.
We wrestle a lot and I let him bite my hands. Like my last dog, though, he never clamps down, it's always playful (you can feel him pullback/withold--if that makes sense).

I guess if we're going to keep him, I'll have to completely retrain him to not allow that.
 
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Yes. He's been neutered. He's typically the most fun loving dog around. He's one of the most popular dogs in the neighborhood. Everyone loves him.
Is there a way you could keep other dogs from being able to get to his food? Does he have food available all the time, if so maybe only give it to him a certain time of day.

Is he protective of toys as well or just food?
 
Tough situation. Now that you know you can’t very well pass it off to someone else.

We had a dog that was unpredictable and aggressive - it would kill any animal that would come into our yard. Cats, raccoons, possums, whatever. One day it got out and bit the meter reader. We put it down.

When I was a kid my friend’s dog bit a member of the family. The dad took the dog out back and immediately shot it.
 
Kill him. Now.
J/K. Did you scold him in your meanest voice?
He sees you as a pussy and it’s his house.
You ain’t the boss, hoss.
What a weird take. It's actually quite the opposite. He knows I'm the alpha and I had to beat him with the closest pillow I had (didn't want to punch him with my fist), then stood over him yelling no and he cowered into the corner. When I got home, he approached me with his tail wagging low between his legs and hips squatted and submitted at my feet. When I sat on the stairs, he climbed up and started licking my face like it never happened.
 
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Just my son in the house now. He's 10.

Man, tough one. I think your options are a behaviorist which will be $$$$ or put him up to something like a rescue that will rehome him with a quiet home, no kids, no other dogs, etc.

It will be tough to ever trust him again though even with the retraining. If it was just me and another adult in the house, I’d probably deal with it - just get better at reading the signs and try to keep the dog away from his triggers. With a kid that young though, that’s tough.

Good luck, man. This is very difficult.
 
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As I say this my daughter (no pic) just picked up our schnoodle to give him a bath. She had to do it covering his face because he growls and snaps. 🙄
 
Man, tough one. I think your options are a behaviorist which will be $$$$ or put him up to something like a rescue that will rehome him with a quiet home, no kids, no other dogs, etc.

It will be tough to ever trust him again though even with the retraining. If it was just me and another adult in the house, I’d probably deal with it - just get better at reading the signs and try to keep the dog away from his triggers. With a kid that young though, that’s tough.

Good luck, man. This is very difficult.
I have the EXACT same feelings. It's all about my son and his friends. Now that I know and if it were to ever happen again, not sure I could live with that.
 
What a weird take. It's actually quite the opposite. He knows I'm the alpha and I had to beat him with the closest pillow I had (didn't want to punch him with my fist), then stood over him yelling no and he cowered into the corner. When I got home, he approached me with his tail wagging low between his legs and hips squatted and submitted at my feet. When I sat on the stairs, he climbed up and started licking my face like it never happened.
That’s his Golden (better) half apologizing for the poodle half.
 
There are a lot of dogs in the world for you to get that won't have you worrying will bite your kid, your kid's friends, some random kid if it gets out, etc.
 
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You're not likely to find a new home for a biting dog. That he went after you makes it worse. You can't leave him around your son...at all. Your choices really are retraining him - behavior modification is a long haul and pricey - or have him put down. Looking right now at my lab/doodle draped across my no-pic wife's legs and glad I don't face that decision.
 
Sounds like it. I think I wanted him to be just like my Jack...for 12 years me and that little Shih Tzu wrestled like that. This is s different type of dog. Likely on me.
Probably nothing to do with it. He is - like you already know - a resource guarder. He sees his food being taken and his stress goes boom. Biting is a natural dog response to that - his play behavior wouldn't enter into that. The mistake was having Joey's food out with the other dog there.
 
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This happened to my BIL and they decided to have the dog put down. At the times his kids would have all been really young and the dog was bigger than OPs. It was a really good dog until it snapped unexpectedly. It was pretty sad to be honest.

I would start with a good trainer and really quiz them on their process and if they have seen this sort of situation before. Food aggression is a tricky one.
 
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