After a dog snaps/growls or even bites, what do you do next?

[Kerie]

I'll try to keep the story short and simple for now b/c I am rushing around today, because I lost a lot of sleep over this last night. Last night I went to check on Oscar because he has had some ear itching plus he had been licking his behind and I wanted to see if he was still doing it or if he had gone to sleep. I wanted to figure out whether it's anal gland express time and whether he feels okay! Oscar was in his bed under his 2 blankets. The incident happened very fast but I think (not sure) that he bit my hand and then growled and then bit into the air (hopefully missing on purpose). When I say that he bit my hand, he barely got me this time (there was once a bad bite 2 years ago). I have the tiniest little mark that is not very visible. However, this was not a play bite, he was pizzed at me. If the angle had been different, he might have given me a worse bite but I hope not. Anyway, I know about training and the things I am supposed to do to prevent a situation. I guess I should not have disrupted him in his bed but I wanted to check on him. Anyway, what I feel that I have not learned is what to do next when something happens. I pulled away out of obvious instinct. He seemed to calm down and I wanted to test him to see if he was still mad. But did I really want to pet him right after he bit me? I know people who would say to smack him. I didn't do that. I didn't raise my voice or act stern because I was shocked. I just feel that I had no idea what to do once an incident had happened. My husband took him into the kitchen and he slept there for the night, but that was after much deliberation and I doubt Oscar knows why. At any rate, he slept quietly and did not mind the kitchen. This happened only hours after my husband was telling me that he really thinks that Oscar will be okay to sleep in bed with the baby when the baby is about 4 or 5 years old. I had my childhood dog in bed with me but I don't think we can allow that with Oscar.

SO--the question is--what do you do after the dog has acted out? How do you handle it?

[Lisa]

One thing is, call him to you in the future do not go into "his" space even if you want to check on him, he will have to re-settle. Second, given Oscars past, I know he has come so so so far from his past, but I don't know if he will ever be able to sleep with the baby.

Granted it's different because Pogo has never bitten or tried to, but he did growl at me when I tried to take P'nut treat back because he stole it. He got an immediate time out in his crate.

[Kerie]

One thing is, call him to you in the future do not go into "his" space even if you want to check on him, he will have to re-settle. Second, given Oscars past, I know he has come so so so far from his past, but I don't know if he will ever be able to sleep with the baby.

Granted it's different because Pogo has never bitten or tried to, but he did growl at me when I tried to take P'nut treat back because he stole it. He got an immediate time out in his crate.

I totally understand but if Oscar does not want to move, he will not move. Well, for a treat he would!!!

[lotsadox]

Then get a treat and call him out. It's what I do and works every time. :D

[Otto'sMom]

Well, when Dolly habbaed my hand, she was aiming for Wusty but I stuck my hand in a kung fu chop and flung her off the bed, which is no easy feat as she weighs a quarter of a ton. What I did was tell her to go and eff herself. "Eff you, get the eff off my bed" and then we kissed and made up in 30 seconds. No great advice, it's just what we did.

[oceangirls]

I don't know what to think here... I know I would have done exactly what you did, but I can definitely understand your concern - it doesn't fix the problem for the future because it doesn't really tell Oscar that he can't bite you (or your son, or whomever). I know not everyone agrees with the whole "alpha" battle, and I definitely don't think anyone should provoke a dog that is prone to biting... but you weren't provoking him unnecessarily - what if you had to pull him away from danger, or pick him up to move him if (doG forbid) he has back problems in the future?? It seems like there should be some way of communicating to him that biting you was WRONG. I am sorry I don't know what this would be, as I've never had a biter. Maybe someone else will have some input.

Angel growled once when I took a rawhide away when she was little and I said, "Angel, NO" very sternly, and she has not done it again.

[Kerie]

I don't know what to think here... I know I would have done exactly what you did, but I can definitely understand your concern - it doesn't fix the problem for the future because it doesn't really tell Oscar that he can't bite you (or your son, or whomever). I know not everyone agrees with the whole "alpha" battle, and I definitely don't think anyone should provoke a dog that is prone to biting... but you weren't provoking him unnecessarily - what if you had to pull him away from danger, or pick him up to move him if (doG forbid) he has back problems in the future?? It seems like there should be some way of communicating to him that biting you was WRONG. I am sorry I don't know what this would be, as I've never had a biter. Maybe someone else will have some input.

Angel growled once when I took a rawhide away when she was little and I said, "Angel, NO" very sternly, and she has not done it again.

I try to do a lot of exercises to establish that I am alpha. I think that helps with Oscar, so I guess I do agree with the alpha battle but I am not instinctively good at it. Tonight I took away a toy and put it out of reach just because I wanted to establish control over it. I had to hide the fact that I felt like an evil person. I do wonder about whether Oscar will lash out if he is hurt or sick.

I am reading a book called Childproofing Your Dog. It's interesting. We may call in a trainer again but I am not sure I want to go with the same one we had and I still think we can work with him without spending more on trainers. We liked our trainer but I think I might like a new perspective.

[lotsadox]

A new perspective could be just what you need. :wink:

[Jen]

Tasha has done the same thing to me in the same situation. Nipped, snapped, growled when I went under the covers to see what she was licking. She was under blankets in HER bed. My fault, totally. Now I pull the covers back to see, but don't put a hand in to feel.

A new trainer is a great idea, why not get another perspective??