My dog strikes again

[sara76]

Ok this is long.

I'm at a loss right now.

I have 2 Pekingese. One is 10 and was given to H as a puppy and is a very good sweet dog. One is about 11, he was H's sisters dog since he was a puppy and she pawned him off on us about 6-7 years ago when her boyfriend at the time got a boxer. He's always been a little jumpy and has snapped at people he doesn't know and even people he does. He bit our handyman a few years back, drawing blood, while he was walking through our backyard unannounced. It was not cool and I was worried but it was sort of kind of ok because he may have just been protecting the yard. Handyman is also a friend and laughed it off. Lucky for us. He's nipped at my niece. She won't come over if he's not in the back yard. For the last 3 or 4 years we've been without incident and I thought he was calming down. He's met lots of new people and is great with Amelia. But tonight my friend and her 2 girls, 8 & 6, came over to play with Amelia while H and I went out. Amelia was going after him and the 8 year old went to get Amelia and he bit the 8 year old on the thigh. Broke the skin. It didn't bleed, but a bite is a bite. Now I have had him bite someone in our home. He maybe was protecting Amelia, I don't know, I wasn't here and my friend said it happened so fast. My friend put him out on the porch and said she would never ever trust him around Amelia. I've had plenty of other issues with him. His physical issue is his back legs give out like Bambi. It's kind of pathetic. He shows zero sign of pain though and our vet keeps up with it every year and he's always pain free. She thinks its neurological. He won't walk on a leash. He will pee in the backyard if its convenient but mostly he just goes where he's comfortable. In his crate is perfect. On his dog beds. He will pee and shit on the couch if he's allowed on it. We have to barricade it before we go to bed. He otherwise is a very happy dog, I guess. A little stupid and clumsy. But not in pain and content to just live a quiet calm life and pee in his crate.

H's grandmother wants him. She always has. She lives alone in a bad part of Orlando. She has another little dog but it's not a barker. She watched Dolce (our problem dog) for us last Oct when we went out of town and didn't want to give him back. It was a fight. I only wanted him back because he's our other dogs companion. He's his father actually. (H's sister did it, she's a whole other story). I didn't want to split them up after all these years. But I think it's time he goes to Orlando. In a way I'd be happy to see him go and in another way I feel sad but mostly just for our other dog. I think Dolce will be ok w grandma. She will give him all the love he doesn't get from me and she will make him feel safe, and he will bark at people who go near her apt and make her feel safe. My other dog might miss him. I would if I wasn't busy trying to keep Amelia away from his crate and food.

Tell me what you thunk the right thing to do is please.

[alzi]

ugh i don't know what to tell you. i don't think i could give up my pet, but i'm not in that situation. do you think he would bite Amelia?

[sara76]

I don't know. He's never snapped at her in front of me but he has growled at her in front of H and MIL several times. To warn her. And apparently it doesn't phase her one bit. He is just so out of the blue. He snapped at me and bit my face while he was sleeping a long time ago. Like 8 years ago, when he wasn't even ours yet and we were just watching him for a week. He seems fine when I'm right there, and i always am, but she will be on her own more soon and I just don't know, if she gets away from me for even a minute and I'm not there, what he will do.

[sara76]

On the bright side. Even though our date night was cut short, Amelia was so god damned cute with those girls!! She had sooo much fun!

[mrschelseap09]

Give him to your Grandmother.

H's dog keeps growling at Lila. I don't think he would snap at her but I don't want to give him the chance. If she touches him, he growls.... not vicious but in a stop bothering me kind of way. H will not get rid of him. Unfortunately, its going to take the dog biting his child before he will do it.
You have a great home for the dog. You will still be able to see it. Think of how terrible you will feel if you give the dog the opportunity to bite A?

[sara76]

IF he ever hurt her it would be the last thing he ever did. Not just him. Anyone. I kind of feel like by keeping him here I'm keeping him in a dangerous situation for everyone.

One problem of him going to H's grandma is she is a vet-aholic. Our vet says its neurological and since he has no pain it's better to just keep him happy than explore. She would want to do "anything" she could to fix it. I think he would needlessly end up under the knife with her. She also feeds him table food and his stomach is sensitive and it gives him runny poops every.single.time. so he could end up with stomach issues. Ugh.

[moonstone523]

Tough call.

If you keep him, he needs to always be crated when you have a babysitter and you should keep him away from A. You just never know.

On the other hand, if you'd feel good having Dulce love with your MIL, I'd give it a go.

[moonstone523]

Nov 6, 2012 21:11:42 GMT -5 sara76 said:

IF he ever hurt her it would be the last thing he ever did. Not just him. Anyone. I kind of feel like by keeping him here I'm keeping him in a dangerous situation for everyone.

One problem of him going to H's grandma is she is a vet-aholic. Our vet says its neurological and since he has no pain it's better to just keep him happy than explore. She would want to do "anything" she could to fix it. I think he would needlessly end up under the knife with her. She also feeds him table food and his stomach is sensitive and it gives him runny poops every.single.time. so he could end up with stomach issues. Ugh.

Well she'll have to deal with the poop. Then she'll take him to the vet. And maybe the vet will knock some sense into her.

[mrschelseap09]

Nov 6, 2012 21:21:32 GMT -5 moonstone523 said:

Well she'll have to deal with the poop. Then she'll take him to the vet. And maybe the vet will knock some sense into her.

Yes.

I have been having problems with all 3 of our dogs since Lila is getting older. The older she gets, the worse they get. I came home to one sleeping on the kitchen table today.

[amellis2]

Nov 6, 2012 21:21:32 GMT -5 moonstone523 said:

Nov 6, 2012 21:11:42 GMT -5 sara76 said:

IF he ever hurt her it would be the last thing he ever did. Not just him. Anyone. I kind of feel like by keeping him here I'm keeping him in a dangerous situation for everyone.

One problem of him going to H's grandma is she is a vet-aholic. Our vet says its neurological and since he has no pain it's better to just keep him happy than explore. She would want to do "anything" she could to fix it. I think he would needlessly end up under the knife with her. She also feeds him table food and his stomach is sensitive and it gives him runny poops every.single.time. so he could end up with stomach issues. Ugh.

Well she'll have to deal with the poop. Then she'll take him to the vet. And maybe the vet will knock some sense into her.

This. I think he should go to grandma.
1) you don't know how he'll treat Amelia
2) Grandma wants and sounds like she needs him
3) Your other dog, I think will be fine alone.
4) Grandma will learn real quick to take him to the vet or stop giving him table food.

[melis74]

Ugh. My dogs are part of the family, that would be a torturous decision. You want to do what's best for A, but the what if's are rampant. At least if he went to MIL you would be able to see him, I guess. I do not envy you and your decision.

[alzi]

Nov 7, 2012 10:08:39 GMT -5 melis74 said:

Ugh. My dogs are part of the family, that would be a torturous decision. You want to do what's best for A, but the what if's are rampant. At least if he went to MIL you would be able to see him, I guess. I do not envy you and your decision.

so much this.

[sara76]

He's bit 2 people at my house. I don't want my daughter to be the third. Or someone who is going to sue us. And then he gets destroyed. Fefe lives a very quiet life. I think he would be better off there.

[sara76]

Poor little Kaylee. When I got home I told her that I promise the next time she comes over he won't be here and her eyes welled up and she breathed deep and said "thank you". But there is no one locally who will take him because my niece is terrified too. So he will be banished to the back yard when anyone comes over because he cries if I close the crate.

[sara76]

I was feeling nauseous over the election coverage and I thought it would be better today but now I'm nauseous because I let a little girl get bit because I wasn't responsible enough with my dog. Ugh. Bad day. Oh and destroyed first time leaving my monkey with non family.

[mrschelseap09]

I think you are making the right choice.

[alzi]

Nov 7, 2012 10:36:30 GMT -5 sara76 said:

I was feeling nauseous over the election coverage and I thought it would be better today but now I'm nauseous because I let a little girl get bit because I wasn't responsible enough with my dog. Ugh. Bad day. Oh and destroyed first time leaving my monkey with non family.

you were NOT irresponsible with your dog. You did not know he would do that. You will change the situation for the future. That is being responsible. Don't blame yourself. Poor little crotchety old man dulce:(

[jen812]

Nov 6, 2012 20:44:29 GMT -5 alzi said:

ugh i don't know what to tell you. i don't think i could give up my pet, but i'm not in that situation. do you think he would bite Amelia?

Same here. I always feel that rehoming a pet is a last resort. Was he frightened for some reason? Maybe he felt like he was being ganged up on by two kids running after him? Was he playing & got carried away? It's hard to say because you weren't there.

If you decide to keep him, I would keep him seperated from all company. I'd also baby gate him in the kitchen or something if you can't watch him 100% with A.

It sounds like him living with your grandma wouldnt be bad either. You could visit. You know he's being well cared for & loved.

[sara76]

Nov 7, 2012 12:13:02 GMT -5 jen812 said:

Nov 6, 2012 20:44:29 GMT -5 alzi said:

ugh i don't know what to tell you. i don't think i could give up my pet, but i'm not in that situation. do you think he would bite Amelia?

Same here. I always feel that rehoming a pet is a last resort. Was he frightened for some reason? Maybe he felt like he was being ganged up on by two kids running after him? Was he playing & got carried away? It's hard to say because you weren't there.

If you decide to keep him, I would keep him seperated from all company. I'd also baby gate him in the kitchen or something if you can't watch him 100% with A.

It sounds like him living with your grandma wouldnt be bad either. You could visit. You know he's being well cared for & loved.

I'm not sure how exactly it went down. Friend said K went to stop Amelia from going after him and he quickly bit K and kept looking like he was being vicious so they kicked him out the patio door and left him out there as he cried to come back in the rest of the time. They weren't playing, Dolce doesn't play. He used to kind of play but he's too old now. He just sleeps and drinks water and follows me around like a shadow. When he's at grandmas when we go on vacation he follows her.

I think what we will do is keep him until we go on our trip in Feb. Grandma will take him while we're gone, because she's the only one who will, and it will be a trial. If she doesn't want to give him back like last time then I won't fight her again. Unless he bites Amelia or someone else in the meantime. Then he's really in trouble. Jesus.

I will just have to keep him in the backyard when we have people over, and find a place to board him for Amelia's birthday party. I guess he will need his kennel cough vaccine in order to be boarded. Starting a new thread re boarding.