Please Help Our 1 yr old male English Mastiff bit our daughter

[amandahorn]

Okay so I had to create a new account bc I forgot my password. However we had an incident with our year old EM tonight and our 6 yr old daughter and we are not sure what to do now.... first this is some of the events that lead up to the incident. Our EM has always been on a chain when outside and has always been very protective of us and the kids. We just moved to a new house where he has a fenced in back yard that he is free to run in. A few weeks ago we had friends over and he knocked a friend down to the ground and when our friend went to get up our EM wouldnt allow him to, we thought it was because we had just moved in to the house and the surroundings were different and our EM hadnt had time to settle in. However tonight our daughter( she had just returned home from spending and week at her dads) n dog were in the back yard and she said she went to get the basketball that ways laying out by the fence and our EM ran after her and knocked her down and he bit her on the shoulder. SO now he is in quarantine for the next 10 days which in our city means confined to a kennel and only allowed out to go to the bathroom and either my husband or I have to be out with him. He can not run the house when he is inside . But now the question becomes what do we do with him after the ten days are up. I really dont want to put him down he really is a good dog but I am afraid he will bite again. I think what happened tonight was he thought he was playing and didnt realize how rough he was with our daughter. My husband and I are wondering if we were to neuter him if that would help with the aggression and him being so rough..... we also have discussed along with neutering him putting him in obedience training . Do you think this is something that would help???? or have you experienced anything like this before??Please give me your feed back!!!

 

[Smart_Family]

Neutering isn't likely to change his temperament or lessen any possible aggression. I would find a trainer ASAP who can come to your home.

 

[amandahorn]

I forgot to add that we had around 15 ppl here last night for a housewarming party and Diesel was a perfect dog we didnt have any problems at all with him

 

[Smokeycat]

I second finding a trainer.

 

[bullyhillmama]

i agree. find a trainer. i know there may be some folks who disagree, but i have 3 kids (almost 2, 5 and 8) and our dogs are not allowed with the kids (in the house, yard, etc) unsupervised. this doesnt so much apply with our softer tempered dogs and my 8 year old (as she is a big kid, they respect her and she isnt the type of kid who gets them riled up.. so its more her personality than her age here) but in general, if the 5 year old and the toddler are running about, i am supervising the interaction between them and the dogs at all times. just something to keep in mind for the future. i hope you can get some help!! good luck!

 

[NeSaxena]

Yeah, get a trainer. Sounds to me like your EM is getting into his "adult" protective/guarding phase, and a trainer will help you help him identify "okay" people and "not okay" people

 

[ruthcatrin]

Yup, you need a trainer. One with giant breed/guardian breed experience. Can you tell us what your old user name was so we can look at your past posts? We might be able to give some additional advice based on that, but honestly if he's biting badly enough to result in quarantine (play or not) then you really need a trainer to come assist you.

 

[Robtouw]

I see several things wrong that would cause stress in your em. First, a new place causes most dogs to be tense the first few weeks as they adjust to a new life an new activities. You have to do your best to hep him acclamate!

second - he was always chained at your other place? If suddenly he has free roam of a new yard, he may see this as a new territory and will need to slowly adjust to the change. You will have to work with him to make him understand it is a shared territory not just his.

Third- was your daughter allowed out with him alone? When you assign a new territory, keep him on leash and slowly allow him to have freedoms. Until your dog has been fully trained, indoors & out you should chaperone play and shared outdoor space with your child. Again leash train while your daughter plays, when visitors come to the new area and how they are greeted and interacted with.

It may not sound like a big deal to you but to your dog a new home, more freedom outdoors, new people and new lifestyle changes are a huge huge deal and it takes time for your dog to relax and get into the new routine. I also recommend using a trainer. Also, is your dog kept indoors or outdoors?

 

[amandahorn]

I had stepped out of the fenced in yard for maybe a few seconds and they were playing with the basketball when i got the gate unlatcheded he had allowed her to already get up and was walking her to the gate like he knew he had messed up. my old user name was mandaorton I do believe I didnt really post a lot of post tho. As far as him always being chained at the other house and now had the freedom to run, and it being a new terriotory he allowed 15 other ppl in that space just the other night (sat). I am working on getting with a trainer this morning. He broke the skin on her shoulder howver not bad enough for stitches just bandage it and keep clean but it is city regulation no matter how big or small the bite they have to be quarentined for 10 days. He is kept indoors.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Yah, but if he broke the skin it shows a lack of bite inhibition. Which he ought to have by this age. Definetly trainer. Yah, it does sound like play, but he still ought to know enough to keep from breaking the skin.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

I would agree that a trainer is what you need. It doesn't sound like he attacked her aggressively BUT it is very important for dogs to understand the rules with children. Sounds like he was over stimulated and was never trained concerning how to "play" with kids because he was chained up before. Ruger does well with children and has been taught not to give chase and to be very gentle but I still do not leave him unattended with the little ones because anything can happen and I don't want to take the chance. When you said that he did well with 15 people Saturday...Was he roaming freely in the crowd? I am not sure I understand because you initially said that he is being kenneled for 10 days and only let out to go to the bathroom. I am also kinda confused about the how he ended up quarantined? Did you report the bite to someone? or was it reported from the hospital? I am sorry for all of the questions but I am trying to get an idea of what is actually happening. I sure hope you don't decide to "put him down". I am sure with a trainer and more supervision, he will be fine. I trained Ruger to not give chase and be gentle by keeping him on a leash around the little ones so that I could immediately stop unwanted behaviors and enforce good ones and it worked wonders. Please keep us updated.

 

[amandahorn]

When you said that he did well with 15 people Saturday...Was he roaming freely in the crowd? I am not sure I understand because you initially said that he is being kenneled for 10 days and only let out to go to the bathroom. I am also kinda confused about the how he ended up quarantined? Did you report the bite to someone? or was it reported from the hospital?

Ruggers, yes he was roaming freely in the crowd on saturday. The incident with our daughter happened last night. Our city mandates that all dogs who have bit anyone are to be quarantined to a kennel only to be allowed out to go to the bathroom for a 10 day period.

Update: The animal control officer called me this morning and Diesel is now being quarantined at our local animal shelter instead of at our home He will be released to us the morning of the 25th after we pay $70 dollars to get him out of doggy jail as I call it.

I called this morning and spoke with a trainer who is willing to come into our home once a week and work w us and Diesel. She said that she thinks the he maybe trying to be the leader of the pack and there maybe some bonding issues between our daughter and him. She is going to charge us $180 dollars total and there is no limit on the amount of weeks she spends with us and Diesel. She said that she would not leave us until we are completely comfortable with handling him again and he is doing what he needs to do. Our first meeting is set for the 26th. I will post a link to her website please give me your feed back
K9 Klass - Welcome to K9 KLASS
Thanks for all of the responses

 

[Smart_Family]

Keep us posted!

 

[amandahorn]

Update: I went to the local animal shelter to see Diesel during visiting hours..... Kinda feels like one of my kids have comitted a crime and is now serving jail time

Before going to see him I called the trainer and explained to her what was going on and that he was being quarentined at the shelter. I asked her what I should do during the time he was in doggy jail. She avised me to take a shirt that had my scent on it out there to him and to visit as often as I could and for as long as I could over the next 10 days.

When I went out earlier he seemed to be in good spirits, he wasnt barking or showing any signs of aggression. The shelter workers said that before the opened they doggy door on the kennel so he could go outside and come inside freely he was a little upset and was barking when they would approch the kennel. However once he figured out that he could go in and out he was a lot happier. I gave him several commands that he is use to such as sit, stay, lay and he followed each command as soon as it was given. I was able to get my fingers thru the cage and let him sniff and lick my hand. Our visit went well, but boy was it very hard to leave him. I felt like a terrible owner for leaving him, but I understand we have to do what needs to be done so we can bring him home. Any advice on what I should do with him during our visits to take some of the stress off of him and to show him it will be okay and that Im not just going to leave him there forever????? Your thoughts please! ( keep in mind that I can not go into the kennel while I am visiting I can just sit outside and speak to him and let him sniff and lick my hands and fingers)

 

[DMikeM]

I may be wrong but with your shirt maybe a shirt from your daughter as well. Keep the family scents in his kennel with him. The trainer is really the best advice along with no unsupervised child to dog interaction.

 

[Amanda F.]

I am surprised that they changed his quarantine location from home to the shelter. We allow home quarantine here, on any bite that breaks skin. The ONLY time we take dogs to the shelter for quarantine is if it is a serious bodily injury, bite to the face or bite that requires stitches. Or if the owner is not capable of following the quarantine guidelines. Sucks that he has to be there. I am happy to hear that you are allowed to visit though. That is not permitted at our place. It used to be but we had some real wackos come and try some crazy stuff so that is no longer allowed. I would sit with him for as long as I could. Take him his favorite toy or a bone to help keep him occupied and help the time pass. How is your daughter doing? Do you think she will be afraid of him after this incident?

 

[amandahorn]

I thought about taking a shirt of her's as well, great minds think alike! My daughter is fine, when i put him the the van to take him to the shelter she was petting him the entire way to the shelter. She just came up to me and said she wanted to go bust diesel out of doggy jail. I dont think she will be scared of him after this incident at all.

 

[Amanda F.]

Aww, sounds like something my daughter would say!

 

[mountainfila]

I had stepped out of the fenced in yard for maybe a few seconds and they were playing with the basketball when i got the gate unlatcheded he had allowed her to already get up and was walking her to the gate like he knew he had messed up. my old user name was mandaorton I do believe I didnt really post a lot of post tho. As far as him always being chained at the other house and now had the freedom to run, and it being a new terriotory he allowed 15 other ppl in that space just the other night (sat). I am working on getting with a trainer this morning. He broke the skin on her shoulder howver not bad enough for stitches just bandage it and keep clean but it is city regulation no matter how big or small the bite they have to be quarentined for 10 days. He is kept indoors.

A 6 year old little girl plus a basket ball and 100+lb mastiff = jumped on , i dont think he bit her at all, him biting your girls shoulder would have done more damage then a scratch, i think she had the ball and he jumped at her to get it not her. Thats just what i feel from what you write. Did you SEE him bite her or that is what your daughter told you? Not saying that he didnt bite her it just seems a little strange to me, if her back was to him and he jumped on her shoulders it would probably feel like a bite to her even though it was his claws. Can you post a pic of her bite if you wouldnt mind, im curious to see what it looks like.

 

[DMikeM]

Good catch mountainfila. Reminds me of when my Dobie scratched my Ex's little boy's face and neck. We thought it was a bite at first but then the doctor said they were scratches and a bite would have caused far greater damage.