I wonder how many professional behaviourists would definitively advise on the basis of an internet post?

I totally agree with the bits in bold here. What we need to remember is

A) None of us were there so don't truly know what happened

B) It's very likely that the OP was very stressed and upset by the incident possibly leading to the view of events being skewed/blown out of proportion a little.

I can't count the amount of times I've seen two dogs really go at each other and thought to myself "OMG they're going to kill each other" only to find when they're separated there's not a scratch on either of them (and yes I know there's not a child involved but it's a uesful analogy!).

I can't help but think that if the dog really did have to be dragged off because it was wanting to seriously hurt the child, then it would've done the serious damage prior to being dragged off? If the dog was on top of the OPs Son and the child only recieved a nip then I have to say this dog actually sounds very tolerant and has hellish bite inhibition. It's highly likely the dog got a fright/was in pain etc and reacted the only way it knows how - shouting (considering it's unstable background and skin condition).

Now I'm not saying the OP is lying, but I think we do have to bare in mind that the adrenalin will have been pumping and in these situations things always appear worse. It's also very easy to become emotive when a dog hurts a child, all I ask is that people try and offer constructive advice instead of pulling each other to bits - it won't help the OP at all.

My advice would be to get the dog to the vets for a health check and then please contact the rescues you've been given the details of. It doesn't sound to me like this dog is worthy of being PTS - if it had really wanted to hurt your child he would have.

My thought exactly and the OPer said her self


'if he had been really biting him I would have never been able to stop him'

I have to say, I to would not trust a dog that bit a 3yr old in the face, sorry I just could not.
given what you have said, nothing horrid happend to the dog for it to attack. Even if something had happend and the dog had the ability to get away but chose to attack.
A dog that bites a child shouldnt be homed on again. JMHO

Reading all of the op's post.. I read it as she doesn't want to get the dog pts.

But the op is an inexperienced Dobe owner with a 3 year old child in the house.. Unless she can guarantee that she can keep the child seperate to the dog untill she can find someone willing to take on this dog, then I feel she is taking a huge risk.

I dont think the dog meant to full out attack, If this Dobe meant to attack then the child would not have just been nipped.

The op admits in her first post that she turned to look at the laptop, so we dont know if the dog did infact try to warn the child off or not.. If your back is turned, you cant see the dogs lip curling, or perhaps didn't hear a very low grumble coming from the dog in the first place.

I also think with the fact the dobe has a patchy coat, licks his flank etc that he could quite easily have a thyroid problem, if he does then that would possibly account for his change in behaviour.
But, even if the dog is tested and is found to have a thyroid problem, I dont feel that the op is confident enough to be able to deal with a full grown male dobe, who she feels she cant control.

The dog either needs to go to a breed specific rescue who are told everything about the biting incident, and who can take the time to assess the dog properly. Or rehomed to an experienced person who has previous knowledge of Dobermann's, has owned the breed for a long time, or has previous experience with large guarding breeds ( and has no small children!)..
Or be P.T.S ....

It's a very sad situation either way, but the op has to put her childs safety first and foremost!

I have just quickly scanned the posts on here, so sorry If I have missed something important.

We all love dogs, I would think, otherwise we would not be here but to me it is simple. Kids come first, every time!!

The dog needs to be properly evaluated by a professional, medically and behaviorally. We do not know the previous history, but I would never in a million years allow that dog to be near young children at the moment.

I see some of you are saying that the level of injury did not merit an "attack" Sorry but any dog that lunges, bites, barks and growls, bruises and punctures a child's face is in attack mode, especially if he has to be pulled off!! Whether it was from fear or pain or putting the child in it's place, the dog is not to be trusted with kids. From the description, this was no quick snap, the dog meant it!

I know that dogs can be turned around, and become fantastic pets, but family life is stressful enough, without continually being worried about where is the dog, where is the child all the time, and unfortunately it will be the child who suffers if things go wrong.

Yes, dogs sometimes make silly mistakes and decisions, just like us, but the repercussions for a young child are enormous.

I am sorry that I cannot really add anything positive here, or a way forward, do what you can for the dog, get professional advice, contact the breed rescue but do not risk the child being hurt again.

"Whilst I was dragging him off, it worried me that he was trying to get back and carry on and I could just tell that if he had been really biting him I would have never been able to stop him"

Just let me go on a bit as I'm trying to picture your situation and please don't think I'm making light of a serious situation becasue I'm not.

I'm asuming your child was on the floor dog on top of him snarling growling trying to finish him off? or in your words getting back to him to carry on!!

Or your child was on the floor crying because the dog had swung its head round caught your child on the face injuring him and the dog wanted to see what all the fuss was about hence you having to pull him off?

You see I can't quite understand why you have had the dog there for 6wks (I think you said) then its bitten I would think it would have been aggressive with children from day 1

I myself have had swollen / cut lip black eye bloody nose and I still carry a scar from a head butt I have had a few bleeding incidents over the years and they have all happened during play with me not being quick enough to dodge there head.

Bilclarie

I'm sorry, but as a mother and a Dobermann owner the dog would have to be pts. Don't get me wrong, I love and adore my dogs but the safety of my own children has to always come first, it's simply not possible to keep a dog locked away from a toddler all of the time (which is what some of you are suggesting the OP does)

I feel this dog could be an accident waiting to happen, tests take time to carry out and diagnose - how long do people seriously suggest this poor person hang onto the dog before the next incident happens?

I'm sorry, just saying this how I see it, as a mother with a Dobermann and a Toddler.

I think most of us who were saying not to pts were saying try to rehome via one of the Dobermann rehoming centres with a full statement of the facts. The dog isn't in the right home and with the best will in the world she doesn't have the experience or the confidence to deal with the problem.

I agree, in light of the circumstances I don't think any rescue would take him, most would only have to hear, attack, nip/bite, lunge/child - the rest would be history his fate would be sealed.

Whilst I agree it's probable in the right home the dog could be rehabilatated the OP is stuck in the unfortunate position of worrying this could happen again in the next few days, weeks/months or whatever it takes to find that ''right'' home with a three year old running around. I know those little fingers and hands get everywhere so there could be no guarantee's that both the dog and the child were kept apart at all times, it's not do-able a child of that age simply don't understand the dangers of being told ''don't'' or ''no'' and whilst the dog I feel isn't fully to blame here it isn't fair the 'OP' has the burden of the worry of the what ''ifs'' should they not have the dog pts until a place in rescue come available, which could take weeks/months.

We sit here moaning all the time that our precious dogs are seen in a bad light everytime a dog is seen in the news having attacked or killed a child, scenario here on this thread I feel it's unfair anyone should expect that the OP makes this child another statistic.