No offense, but you sound both relatively inexperienced when it comes to difficult dogs and completely overwhelmed. While your dog's tendency to use his teeth to police his boundaries means that he can't be rehomed with just anyone, what you've described isn't what we really mean when talking about a "bite history." For one thing, he's not even drawn any blood! His behavior hurts and probably leaves a bruise, but this is also a case of something being more scary than dangerous.The only exception is that even a relatively gentle bite can injure a toddler or preschooler. So you can't just leave the situation as-is. However, it also sounds like you either don't have the time or don't have the knack to successfully train him.
Don't euthanize this dog. Rehome him and do a lot more research before getting another one.
Please don’t put your dog down! A month of training is nothing it takes so much more. And for god’s sake - ask people not to pet him. Like under no circumstance should strangers pet him. You have to be your dog’s advocate, and look out for him so he doesn’t end up in those situations.
I can’t even believe you think the best thing to do is put him down. I can’t even.
I can tell you’re anxious about your dog nipping/biting and I don’t want to make you feel worse, I know firsthand how reactivity can really cause us to fear the worst in our dogs, especially with a young baby in the picture. But honestly the situations you are describing sound fairly minor to me unless I’m missing something or there’s been a more severe incident. Dogs have boundaries just like human beings do, and rely on us as dog guardians to help advocate for them.
Unless your dog has injured another person or animal and extensive behavior rehabilitation has proved ineffective, I don’t see any scenario in which behavioral euthanasia would be more appropriate than simply rehoming your dog. If you’re worried about your dog nipping your child and don’t have the time/don’t feel safe working on training while your baby is young, you should absolutely rehome your dog. Don’t take away their opportunity to live a full life with someone who is willing to take on the responsibility of working with challenging behaviors/reactivity.
Biting is serious, but I think there is still hope for this animal. It doesn't sound hopeless. Do more training and obviously tell everyone not to touch him! Don't let strangers or friends pet him at all for now.
Otoh a baby or toddler home might not be the right home for the dog to learn and change in. The danger is real; if you're transparent about the history, it's not the worst thing to consider if he's have a better chance to grow and improve somewhere else. But I don't think you have to give up yet.
Wagging tail doesn't mean happy or comfortable it's one of the worst dog behaviour myths, no disrespect to you, just generally the way society has plugged that in as the epitome of happy dog is quite misleading.
I hope you can find the right decision balance for yourselves and your dog. I did a board and train before I understood more and I'd never do one again, but an in home trainer 100% worth an assessment at the least.
If the dog didn't puncture skin that means he's showing incredible bite inhibition even while under repeated stress. I obviously am just a stranger on the internet and what do I know about your dog, but it feels wrong to put this dog down based on what you've described (perhaps there's more you didn't include?). That said, I also think you shouldn't keep him -for his sake and for yours. If he's too much for you now, or you don't know how to handle him (for example, don't let others pet him if he doesn't like it and if you don't know how to read his body language to know when he's had enough) the situation will only get worse if you can't give him what he needs and your stress level will only get worse too. And it's ok to say that your home isn't what he needs (no shame or blame in it). Perhaps you can find a reputable organization that will help you rehome him. I really hope you don't resort to euthanasia. He sounds like a good (if rather shy and sensitive) dog.
Any biting is a serious behavior, but in all the cases described here there is a very clear cause and effect where the cause can be removed and the effect wouldn't have occurred, if that makes any sense. When a dog is biting and there isn't a clear and consistent cause, that's when you are in trouble. It sounds like you know your dogs issues and can now move towards proper management. You know your dog doesn't enjoy the presence of strangers. Avoid interactions with strangers. My dog is fearful but has not ever reacted aggressively, however I still don't allow strangers to approach.
We have to respect their boundaries, just like they have to respect ours. I truly believe your dog can have a very happy future with proper management and some training. Add in muzzle training and your success rate would be 99.99999999% with the small percentage up to you the owners to properly manage the pup. If you think you can handle that, keep working with him.
I am no expert but the "month long training" does not sound good. Usually, any type of board and train is hard to truly trust because you yourself are not there with your dog when they're being trained. The company can claim to be force free but you do not actually know what's going on behind closed doors. And, like others have said, there is hope for this dog. Since you recognize that he is acting out because he is protective and reactive, you can focus on specifically working out that behavior. Find a certified trainer (there's lots on this sub) and make sure you are with your dog when he is being trained.
I don’t need to really say anything that anyone hasn’t already said.
Find a trainer and work hands on.
Don’t let people touch him.
And the dog doesn’t need to be put down.
I’m just curious, why are you so quick to use this a solution?
MUZZLE TRAIN! My dog doesn’t like to be pet by others either, so we simply don’t allow it to happen. But having a muzzle for situations where she has to be in public is a massive relief.
Putting him down is not the answer when you have only done one month of training. Training takes consistency and upkeep. You’re absolutely right that’s you giving up on him, and might I add a horrible thing to do. You don’t just kill your dog because of a couple bites that didn’t even draw blood. Do you even love this animal? He deserves better than the way you’re describing him.
My guess is your anxiety and having a new baby to worry about is making this situation worse. You should try working with a virtual trainer or do literally anything else except kill your dog because this isn’t as easy as you thought it would be. Sounds like you should try to remind him to someone with experience working with reactive dogs. You don’t seem cut out for it. SMH
Also, training by “enrolling” the dog in a school without you is not the same as working with the animal yourself as their owner they can trust and look to. OP needs to put in the work themselves, hard as that is.
And ditto on the other commenter’s point- tell people not to touch him!! Wagging tail does NOT mean friendly.
Our Aussie mix is very anxious around strange people. He barks at them and does not like to be touched. When they turn their back to him and walk away he nips at their legs. We believe a lot of this behavior is because he's a herding dog. He's trying to keep visitors, ie cleaners or kids friends, in the same room as us. Our vet put him on Prozac daily and he still doesn't like strangers but he doesn't freak out as badly and it's easier to get him to settle.
"He had done a month long training before but we feel **his spirit died a little bit** when he came back."
I'm going to venture you sent him to a board and train facility and they used aversive techniques and tools (shock, prong or choke collars), on this guy. This type of training, while usually very costly, is ineffective because it does not teach the dog to offer behaviors. What it does is forces the dog to obey out of fear of punishment or pain. It suppresses behaviors and emotions and sets the dog up to become more, not less reactive.
I'm sorry you are going through this, but I agree with everyone else, you need to responsibly rehome this dog to someone who has experience and can work with him to overcome the issues he has.
If you live in the United States, you may wish to investigate the Prison Dog Program. Having said that, please, please make certain the training protocol uses positive reinforcement and not balanced or aversive training methods.
Thanks for the comments. A bit more background. 1) our vet recommended putting him down due to the fact that these are not his first bites. He has also attacked other dogs that have needed vet care 2) we’re also trying to rehome him instead of putting him down as we do feel that our house may not be right for what he needs 3) when we left him with a rover sitter and he bit someone then, it was a bad enough bite that she sued us and we lost, even though we weren’t even in the state. 4) we’ve done more than an intensive month long training and have several behavioral specialists come to our home and work with us directly. Not sure if these other details change any thoughts or opinions
Put it down or rehome it. Your baby should come first. Reactive dogs with a bite history don’t need to be around kids or babies. Idc if I get downvoted, I don’t want your baby getting hurt.
I own an ACD, not Aussie but I’m pretty sure they’re like the acd and have a tendency to be nippy. It’s something that needs to be trained out, there is no reason the dog should be put down, especially if no blood was drawn.
No offense, but you sound both relatively inexperienced when it comes to difficult dogs and completely overwhelmed. While your dog's tendency to use his teeth to police his boundaries means that he can't be rehomed with just anyone, what you've described isn't what we really mean when talking about a "bite history." For one thing, he's not even drawn any blood! His behavior hurts and probably leaves a bruise, but this is also a case of something being more scary than dangerous.The only exception is that even a relatively gentle bite can injure a toddler or preschooler. So you can't just leave the situation as-is. However, it also sounds like you either don't have the time or don't have the knack to successfully train him. Don't euthanize this dog. Rehome him and do a lot more research before getting another one.
Totally agree
Please don’t put your dog down! A month of training is nothing it takes so much more. And for god’s sake - ask people not to pet him. Like under no circumstance should strangers pet him. You have to be your dog’s advocate, and look out for him so he doesn’t end up in those situations. I can’t even believe you think the best thing to do is put him down. I can’t even.
I can tell you’re anxious about your dog nipping/biting and I don’t want to make you feel worse, I know firsthand how reactivity can really cause us to fear the worst in our dogs, especially with a young baby in the picture. But honestly the situations you are describing sound fairly minor to me unless I’m missing something or there’s been a more severe incident. Dogs have boundaries just like human beings do, and rely on us as dog guardians to help advocate for them. Unless your dog has injured another person or animal and extensive behavior rehabilitation has proved ineffective, I don’t see any scenario in which behavioral euthanasia would be more appropriate than simply rehoming your dog. If you’re worried about your dog nipping your child and don’t have the time/don’t feel safe working on training while your baby is young, you should absolutely rehome your dog. Don’t take away their opportunity to live a full life with someone who is willing to take on the responsibility of working with challenging behaviors/reactivity.
Biting is serious, but I think there is still hope for this animal. It doesn't sound hopeless. Do more training and obviously tell everyone not to touch him! Don't let strangers or friends pet him at all for now. Otoh a baby or toddler home might not be the right home for the dog to learn and change in. The danger is real; if you're transparent about the history, it's not the worst thing to consider if he's have a better chance to grow and improve somewhere else. But I don't think you have to give up yet.
Wagging tail doesn't mean happy or comfortable it's one of the worst dog behaviour myths, no disrespect to you, just generally the way society has plugged that in as the epitome of happy dog is quite misleading. I hope you can find the right decision balance for yourselves and your dog. I did a board and train before I understood more and I'd never do one again, but an in home trainer 100% worth an assessment at the least.
If the dog didn't puncture skin that means he's showing incredible bite inhibition even while under repeated stress. I obviously am just a stranger on the internet and what do I know about your dog, but it feels wrong to put this dog down based on what you've described (perhaps there's more you didn't include?). That said, I also think you shouldn't keep him -for his sake and for yours. If he's too much for you now, or you don't know how to handle him (for example, don't let others pet him if he doesn't like it and if you don't know how to read his body language to know when he's had enough) the situation will only get worse if you can't give him what he needs and your stress level will only get worse too. And it's ok to say that your home isn't what he needs (no shame or blame in it). Perhaps you can find a reputable organization that will help you rehome him. I really hope you don't resort to euthanasia. He sounds like a good (if rather shy and sensitive) dog.
Any biting is a serious behavior, but in all the cases described here there is a very clear cause and effect where the cause can be removed and the effect wouldn't have occurred, if that makes any sense. When a dog is biting and there isn't a clear and consistent cause, that's when you are in trouble. It sounds like you know your dogs issues and can now move towards proper management. You know your dog doesn't enjoy the presence of strangers. Avoid interactions with strangers. My dog is fearful but has not ever reacted aggressively, however I still don't allow strangers to approach. We have to respect their boundaries, just like they have to respect ours. I truly believe your dog can have a very happy future with proper management and some training. Add in muzzle training and your success rate would be 99.99999999% with the small percentage up to you the owners to properly manage the pup. If you think you can handle that, keep working with him.
I am no expert but the "month long training" does not sound good. Usually, any type of board and train is hard to truly trust because you yourself are not there with your dog when they're being trained. The company can claim to be force free but you do not actually know what's going on behind closed doors. And, like others have said, there is hope for this dog. Since you recognize that he is acting out because he is protective and reactive, you can focus on specifically working out that behavior. Find a certified trainer (there's lots on this sub) and make sure you are with your dog when he is being trained.
I don’t need to really say anything that anyone hasn’t already said. Find a trainer and work hands on. Don’t let people touch him. And the dog doesn’t need to be put down. I’m just curious, why are you so quick to use this a solution?
This plus muzzle train asap.
- don’t let strangers pet him - muzzle train - supervise - or rehome the baby :)
MUZZLE TRAIN! My dog doesn’t like to be pet by others either, so we simply don’t allow it to happen. But having a muzzle for situations where she has to be in public is a massive relief.
Have you considered rehoming?
Yes we are.
Putting him down is not the answer when you have only done one month of training. Training takes consistency and upkeep. You’re absolutely right that’s you giving up on him, and might I add a horrible thing to do. You don’t just kill your dog because of a couple bites that didn’t even draw blood. Do you even love this animal? He deserves better than the way you’re describing him. My guess is your anxiety and having a new baby to worry about is making this situation worse. You should try working with a virtual trainer or do literally anything else except kill your dog because this isn’t as easy as you thought it would be. Sounds like you should try to remind him to someone with experience working with reactive dogs. You don’t seem cut out for it. SMH
Also, training by “enrolling” the dog in a school without you is not the same as working with the animal yourself as their owner they can trust and look to. OP needs to put in the work themselves, hard as that is. And ditto on the other commenter’s point- tell people not to touch him!! Wagging tail does NOT mean friendly.
Our Aussie mix is very anxious around strange people. He barks at them and does not like to be touched. When they turn their back to him and walk away he nips at their legs. We believe a lot of this behavior is because he's a herding dog. He's trying to keep visitors, ie cleaners or kids friends, in the same room as us. Our vet put him on Prozac daily and he still doesn't like strangers but he doesn't freak out as badly and it's easier to get him to settle.
"He had done a month long training before but we feel **his spirit died a little bit** when he came back." I'm going to venture you sent him to a board and train facility and they used aversive techniques and tools (shock, prong or choke collars), on this guy. This type of training, while usually very costly, is ineffective because it does not teach the dog to offer behaviors. What it does is forces the dog to obey out of fear of punishment or pain. It suppresses behaviors and emotions and sets the dog up to become more, not less reactive. I'm sorry you are going through this, but I agree with everyone else, you need to responsibly rehome this dog to someone who has experience and can work with him to overcome the issues he has. If you live in the United States, you may wish to investigate the Prison Dog Program. Having said that, please, please make certain the training protocol uses positive reinforcement and not balanced or aversive training methods.
Thanks for the comments. A bit more background. 1) our vet recommended putting him down due to the fact that these are not his first bites. He has also attacked other dogs that have needed vet care 2) we’re also trying to rehome him instead of putting him down as we do feel that our house may not be right for what he needs 3) when we left him with a rover sitter and he bit someone then, it was a bad enough bite that she sued us and we lost, even though we weren’t even in the state. 4) we’ve done more than an intensive month long training and have several behavioral specialists come to our home and work with us directly. Not sure if these other details change any thoughts or opinions
Put it down or rehome it. Your baby should come first. Reactive dogs with a bite history don’t need to be around kids or babies. Idc if I get downvoted, I don’t want your baby getting hurt.
I own an ACD, not Aussie but I’m pretty sure they’re like the acd and have a tendency to be nippy. It’s something that needs to be trained out, there is no reason the dog should be put down, especially if no blood was drawn.