Most dogs give a warning before actually biting, and usually if they are pushed enough to bite, they 'lash out' so to speak, but what you describe sounds almost like a sustained attack, although with only one actual bite.

If he were mine, i would have him straight to the vet to have him checked out.
The ONLY possible way i would EVER consider rehoming a dog like this, was if a breed specific rescue believes they could find a responsible home where the dog would never come into contact with children- and they were fully aware of everything they were taking on. Having said that, it is very unlikely that would ever be able to be guarunteed so I would have the dog PTS.

In the meantime i would keep dog and child 100% separate and muzzle the dog when out walking and keep on a lead.

edit: please dont send him to the rspca, with his history they will pts anyway. At least if you have him pts you can do it peacefully in familiar surroundings.

I agree with those who would have the dog PTS I'm afraid. I completely draw the line at a dog biting a child unprovoked, and what is to say a nip and lunge won't be a full-on attack next time?

Few rescues will take on a dog that has bitten a child when there are plenty of good natured dogs that have never bitten waiting for homes.

You would then have to ask yourself if managing the situation would be possible. In reality, keeping your dog separated from your child in your home for the next potentially 10 years would difficult. Worrying about the location of your dog and child, if the doors are shut, if the dog is in/out/loose in the house 24/7...not practical for most and stress inducing to say the least. Kind of takes the 'fun' out of pet ownership and would be unfair on both you, your son and family.

PTS may be the kindest option IMO.

Have to agree with Rune, the sooner you take the decision the better, its nto far on you to prolong it, or the dog to be kept outside wondering why he is excluded.

We cant tell you what to do, you must make up your own mind, but if he where mine, we woudl be at the vets now, for all our sakes!!!


This happened to a friend of mine a few yrs ago, she rehome a dog, had him for a good while than one day he growled at her son, (7 at the time) she put it down to one of those things, twice more it happened , than one day he went for her son, and if her hubby had not been around he would have done a lot of harm... she (friend ) rang the breeder , who would not take him back,, so she took the decision to have him PTS, was heartbreaking all round, but the right thing to do!!

So hes had 3 homes in the past 12months? Sorry I thought your friend had him from the RSPCA. And you have had him for about 6 weeks? The poor guy musn't know whether hes coming or going. Sorry Chris couldn't help. PLease try the others!

Obviously his background is unknown so perhaps the fact he's had 3 homes now may be giving something away - , someone has not been entirely honest as to his reason for rehoming by the sound of it.

I have to agree with most on here PTS if he gets checked out okay by Vet as I would never be able to trust the dog around children. Your son has been lucky this time and it would be to difficult imo to keep them apart

don't the RSPCA have a duty to take this dog back if he was rehomed through them?, is this not there policy??

The RSPCA didn't home him to me, my friend and her partner took him from the RSPCA and then 6 months later split up and my freind had to move out and find somewhere else to live, it wasn't suitable for a big dog so her mum said she would take him, her mum has has him for the last 6 months and her mum is elderly and has health problems, she can't walk Oscar and her husband had to.
Oscar has had no training to walk to heal and pulls like a train and is very aggressive to other dogs so he was really hard work to walk.
It had started to cause bad arguments beween them, and I knew they were struggling so when I heard they had contacted the RSPCA to take him back, thats when I stepped in, I though we could save him from going back there and that we could provide a good home for him.

They will pts if they have him and it will be awful for him that way. Far kinder (if a lot harder) to leave him in a place he at least knows a bit with someone he knows.

Its an appalling situation to be in but there really isn't a choice.

rune

You did what you thought was right----it isn't your fault he bit.

rune