How to decide to rehome dog

Hello~ I need some advice. I have two mini schnauzers, 5.5 years old. I got them from a breeder at 9 weeks old, they are littermates. Monty has been my alpha dog, he is the more confident one of the two. Bear is my issue. He has had some nervous aggression issues (while on a leash, towards some dogs, and some kids). He has not had any aggression issues with ANY adult/older kids, he is a love bug, and a sweet sweet dog. I have hired a trainer, and have been working weekly with a trainer for a few months prior to the birth of my daughter, and then we started again 4 months ago. In the past few months, Bear has bit the nose of my trainers' dog during training, growled/snapped at a 6 year old (kid was poking at bear throughout the evening), and this past weekend, he bit my 17 month old neice in the face, and broke the skin (he was on my husbands lap, she touched the recliner arm then he bit her- no issues when she was staying with us for the prior 1.5 weeks, no growling, etc).

How to decide what the right course of action is? need some help. Mom, MIL, sis are very concerned about bear biting my daughter, OR another kid. do we muzzle him around other people? keep him in a kennel? re-home him?

We are still working with the trainer (she has sucessfully rehabilitated numerous Katrina-rescue Pitts). I am also going to speak with her about my concerns.

Any advice/questions to ask would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

Hello and welcome........this is a horrible situation, and one that you are working so hard to address, but I can understand your worries and concerns.

I am not very good on the training side of things, but am sure that someone will be along soon with some good advice; however, I would say that at the moment it would be best to keep Bear well away from children, perhaps by using a stair gate to deny access to the room where they are, and monitor him closely with other adults.

I really hope that you can find a way to sort Bear's problem out, because I would hate to hear that you have had to rehome him. Fingers are well and truly crossed here.

It would be a no brainer for me if any dog of mine bit a BABY.

It would already be muzzled and kept right away from all visitors until a course of action had been decided on.

I'm with your female relatives very concerned the dog might bite someone else (worst of all another small child). If muzzled or kept right away from them that cannot happen can it?

There are no "Alpha" domestic dogs, dominant dogs do not show aggression & they do not "control"the other dogs they live with by phyiscal correction, the mistake was buying siblings from a litter, it takes a lot of individual training of each dog, solo walking, socializing etc to ensure that both dogs develop into sociable animals.It doesn't sound like you have done this.

TBH I would be concerned at you rehoming a fear aggressive dog yourself, what sort of home would you chose ? Do you feel qualified to select a knowledgeable home for for fear aggressive dog ? Not many rescue will take a dog anywhere in the world that will take a dog that has bitten.

Does this trainer use force based training by any chance ?

Hi Jodee~

My other dog, Monty is definatley a more calm dog, Bear is more calm with Monty around.... which is why I consider Monty my 'alpha'. I see now that I didn't properly socalize them when they were puppies... which is why I want to work with the trainer to help them be better dogs. I am also very concerned with re-homing Bear at this point, because his behavior has not been adequately addressed. If I did re-home him, the new owner would be aware of his issues with other dogs/kids. I have an option at this point, a good friend of my mom (single, older lady) who lost her mini schnauzer a few months ago.
My trainer dosen't use force training (that I have seen).

BSunshyne

Sorry can't offer any advice Difficult situation and respect to you for trying to do what's best for all concerned.Alot of people would have simply given up on this dog but you're trying everything you can to sort it...I wish you well

I'm afraid I would not be rehoming a dog that could harm a child and I wouldn't be keeping it if I had a child in my home myself. I know that isn't an easy answer but children must be number one concern.

What have you tried with Bear? What and how much exercise does he get? What food does he eat?


Nobody can tell you what to do, they don't know Bear you do, personally I wouldn't have a dog like this round children, even small dogs can do a lot of damage and kill a child. Rehoming him will be a problem, if you were lucky enough to find a home for him it would have to be with adults only who didn't have contact with children. Keeping him in a kennel when he has been used to being in the home with the family would be cruel.

Not all dogs can be rehabilitated because it isn't just a behaviour problem, some dogs also have health problems which cause the behaviour, have you had a full vet check including bloods?

Even a dog that is good with children I wouldn't trust completely, there is always the odd occasion were they might snap and bite.

Monty isn't an"Alpha"dog they do not exist & I doubt he would be dominant over his brother either.

They need to be separated & Bear trained/socialized/walked separately & if a stooge dog is used in training Bear must be muzzled. A stooge dog is a dog that does not react to other dogs aggression in anyway-hence the other dog must be muzzled so that the stooge dog is not at risk(you state that Bear has bitten the trainer's dog-this should not be allowed & no trainer worth their salt would allow their own dog to be at risk of harm)

Given you are about to give birth, I really don't know where you are going to find the time or the inclination to be honest to put the work into this dog ,he is going to need 100% commitment ( by that I mean time) to help him turn around.

Only you can decide if you have that time, there is lots of hard work ahead ,even then will you ever trust him again, if the answer is no to either, then the best thing is to let him go to this new home, as long as they understand the problem and are capable of putting the work needed into him.

It's your decision, be honest with yourself, if you are seriously thinking of putting some of the restrictions you mention into place, then in my opinion, the best thing for this dog is to be rehomed.