[MattyV719]

Good evening, I’ve never done this before, posted in a chat room. I’m looking for advice with how to cope with moving Brody to a different home.
The short and skinny of it all, my 2.5 year old male boxer for the 2nd time now has nipped my 6 year old daughter twice in the face, causing er trips and stitches. And it’s only her he attacks. She would do nothing more than just rest her head on his head and he would get her. Obviously I can’t have him here, I have to keep my baby safe. But…it doesn’t make it hurt any less that he must go. He has been an amazing dog, just those two incidents. I’m have an extremely difficult time letting go of him.

 

[Lu[email protected]]

Hopefully you were able to find him a good home with no children. I’m sorry it’s come to this and no you can’t risk your little girl. Just wondering what factors led to this behavior? Sounds like he didn’t know his place in the home and considered your daughter as a subordinate dog in the house very dangerous. This could also be a question of bad breeding bad temperament as well or all of the above. My dogs from day one at my house know they are not in charge here I am, with intact males sometimes that needs to be reestablished. I hope his new owner will be good to him and as young as he is he should be able to bond with him. Boxers are amazing dogs but they are a challenge as well.

 

[MattyV719]

Hopefully you were able to find him a good home with no children. I’m sorry it’s come to this and no you can’t risk your little girl. Just wondering what factors led to this behavior? Sounds like he didn’t know his place in the home and considered your daughter as a subordinate dog in the house very dangerous. This could also be a question of bad breeding bad temperament as well or all of the above. My dogs from day one at my house know they are not in charge here I am, with intact males sometimes that needs to be reestablished. I hope his new owner will be good to him and as young as he is he should be able to bond with him. Boxers are amazing dogs but they are a challenge as well.

Both times my daughter tried to kiss him on top of the head. And something about it just rubs him the wrong way. He is my first boxer. We have a female as well. But..he is MY boy and it’s crushing to have to let him go.

 

[Lindar51]

I am sorry to hear this. I presume you have ruled out any medical issue that may have caused him to bite. I would place him with a boxer rescue or into a home without children, and be sure to advise them of his bite history with your daughter. Otherwise he will end up in a shelter or worse if he does this in a new home who is unaware. It is always distressing when one must rehome a dog, but the safety of your child is utmost important. Hopefully you find the right placement for him.

 

[MattyV719]

I am sorry to hear this. I presume you have ruled out any medical issue that may have caused him to bite. I would place him with a boxer rescue or into a home without children, and be sure to advise them of his bite history with your daughter. Otherwise he will end up in a shelter or worse if he does this in a new home who is unaware. It is always distressing when one must rehome a dog, but the safety of your child is utmost important. Hopefully you find the right placement for him.

Correct, no medical issues with him. We plan on rehoming him to a family with no children. He is an amazing dog. Just these few isolated incidents. He broke my heart.

 

[VegasJedi]

Wasn't going to reply until I read the last part. "He broke my heart." Not many dog owners can ever say that. It hurts almost as bad; maybe for some more, then when our human counterparts do. My "Boy/best dog I've ever had/1st dog/coolest dog/ smartest dog/ everybody wanted him dog" mistakenly bit me in the neck during a physical confrontation in my living room. Broke my heart that he made THAT mistake. I cried and tried but could never look at him again the same way and was forced to rehome him. Then he bit 1of 2 kids fighting in his new home and I put him to sleep. Put simply. THAT SUXS and I feel for you. I've loved every pup I've had since him. However, 25 years later I still have the physical/emotional scars and to this day I still miss having him. So keep you head up. Only time will time will this start to heal.

 

[MattyV719]

Wasn't going to reply until I read the last part. "He broke my heart." Not many dog owners can ever say that. It hurts almost as bad; maybe for some more, then when our human counterparts do. My "Boy/best dog I've ever had/1st dog/coolest dog/ smartest dog/ everybody wanted him dog" mistakenly bit me in the neck during a physical confrontation in my living room. Broke my heart that he made THAT mistake. I cried and tried but could never look at him again the same way and was forced to rehome him. Then he bit 1of 2 kids fighting in his new home and I put him to sleep. Put simply. THAT SUXS and I feel for you. I've loved every pup I've had since him. However, 25 years later I still have the physical/emotional scars and to this day I still miss having him. So keep you head up. Only time will time will this start to heal.

Thank you very much for replying. It helps me not to be so delusional in wanting to keep him. He got her really good this time. All the way through her cheek and knocked a tooth loose. 6’’ lower and we are looking at a completely different situation. And absolutely the safety of my daughters come first. If he did this twice, he will do it again. And absolutely…he broke my damn heart. I haven’t ate. Slept. I will miss him tremendously and keep him in my heart. Thank you for letting me vent the pain out.

 

[dawnmarieirvine]

I am so very sorry 😞 I have been right where you are except she was a 120lb Dobie named Jenna. To this day I cry for her, I get sad when I see other Dobies. Our son was 12 months old and she went at him 2x's and the last chance was a snarl. She never did bite but the threat was real. Unlike you and your boy, Jenna had aggression issues from a year old. She came after me and almost killed my Miniature Schnauzer who was 15 and blind. We tried everything from day one having her in all of the puppy classes, obedience, socialized her with everything people, stores, kids, dogs. When the first episode happened we took her to the vet and she was put on meds. We immediately found a trainer specifically for aggressive dogs and the worst cases. After all that failed and she growled at our son we found a rescue for aggressive Dobes and drove her 6 hours to get her there crying the whole way only to have to go back the following day and get her. The rescuer said she had gotten away from her in the dead dark of night and Jenn ran full throttle head first into an apple tree. She was so scared. I feel terrible still...so full of guilt. 99.99% she was an angel. We, I loved her so damn much. We tried again with her but we were all traumatized by then. I was having a session with my son as taught by the trainer. My son was just sitting playing, not even paying any attention to Jenna. I too was just sitting on the floor with the both of them. Out of no where, she turned towards him and showed all of her teeth. Right away she knew she screwed up and went and got in her crate. My husband and I decided that night that there was only one option and I know it was for the best for all of us, Jenn included. That doesn't make it hurt any less, you are right. The next day my husband took her and had her euthanized. And that too was traumatic because she needed 2 shots. I am bawling as I type this. This was in 2003. You are going to have a broken heart for some time if not forever. Have you considered asking if you can visit him from time to time with his new family? I often wonder how breeders hearts don't shred to pieces when they retire and rehome their dogs. But they do it for the love of their dog. And you are too. What is best for him is what you are doing. Even though it doesn't feel like it. Dogs are not completely happy in an unharmonious home. One thing I did think of is how your daughter kissed him on top of the head both times. A dog putting his/her head higher or above another dog is a sign of dominance. And if he doesn't fully understand that he's not second in charge behind you, he may have been asserting his dominance over her.
I apologize that this is so long. Please keep us updated and I really hope that the best situation appears for you and your boy. Just know that you are not alone...good luck.

 

[[email protected]]

I hate hearing tragic stories like this. Sometimes it is really bad temperament issues with the dogs behavior and sometimes it’s a combo of temperament and ignorance of dog behavior by the owners. i have seen people rough house with thier dogs kids being kids don’t know all the dog rules and parents oblivious to dogs warning signals that they are about to bite to get thier point across. Dogs deserve respect for thier space they are individuals with minds and different attitudes towards things people very often treat them like this is not so. I have never seen a dog bite without some kind of warning the warnings happen over a period of weeks or months but people just can’t or won’t see it. As a child dogs were always in my life my parents taught me to always be respectful to whatever pet we had and more importantly they paid attention to what was going on. I see all the time kids hanging all over dogs throwing themselves down on top of them ect. some dogs will tolerate this forever some will not. I also see people ”wrestling” with thier dogs encouraging them to rough house and bite them also a terrible idea, the human as the leader of the pack is not a chew toy or another dog to rough house with when you engage in this you become just another dog to them not thier alpha and leader which means your status becomes lower in the dogs eyes. Human mistakes and lack of proper training are always going to cost dogs thier lives unfortunately alot of children will be hurt or even killed in the process and I hate seeing it.

 

[MattyV719]

I am so very sorry 😞 I have been right where you are except she was a 120lb Dobie named Jenna. To this day I cry for her, I get sad when I see other Dobies. Our son was 12 months old and she went at him 2x's and the last chance was a snarl. She never did bite but the threat was real. Unlike you and your boy, Jenna had aggression issues from a year old. She came after me and almost killed my Miniature Schnauzer who was 15 and blind. We tried everything from day one having her in all of the puppy classes, obedience, socialized her with everything people, stores, kids, dogs. When the first episode happened we took her to the vet and she was put on meds. We immediately found a trainer specifically for aggressive dogs and the worst cases. After all that failed and she growled at our son we found a rescue for aggressive Dobes and drove her 6 hours to get her there crying the whole way only to have to go back the following day and get her. The rescuer said she had gotten away from her in the dead dark of night and Jenn ran full throttle head first into an apple tree. She was so scared. I feel terrible still...so full of guilt. 99.99% she was an angel. We, I loved her so damn much. We tried again with her but we were all traumatized by then. I was having a session with my son as taught by the trainer. My son was just sitting playing, not even paying any attention to Jenna. I too was just sitting on the floor with the both of them. Out of no where, she turned towards him and showed all of her teeth. Right away she knew she screwed up and went and got in her crate. My husband and I decided that night that there was only one option and I know it was for the best for all of us, Jenn included. That doesn't make it hurt any less, you are right. The next day my husband took her and had her euthanized. And that too was traumatic because she needed 2 shots. I am bawling as I type this. This was in 2003. You are going to have a broken heart for some time if not forever. Have you considered asking if you can visit him from time to time with his new family? I often wonder how breeders hearts don't shred to pieces when they retire and rehome their dogs. But they do it for the love of their dog. And you are too. What is best for him is what you are doing. Even though it doesn't feel like it. Dogs are not completely happy in an unharmonious home. One thing I did think of is how your daughter kissed him on top of the head both times. A dog putting his/her head higher or above another dog is a sign of dominance. And if he doesn't fully understand that he's not second in charge behind you, he may have been asserting his dominance over her.
I apologize that this is so long. Please keep us updated and I really hope that the best situation appears for you and your boy. Just know that you are not alone...good luck.

Good morning. Just to update, Brody is being rehomed this weekend. A older couple with NO children or young ones. Huge yard. Two other dogs. The wife is home most of the day, working. It’s bittersweet. Im losing my best friend. But he will be well taken care of. Less chaos. Quiet, calm environment. Thanks for your well wishes.

 

[chip18]

Well I know it suck's but it sounds like you did the right and responsible thing. As long as a known "biter," can be rehomed safely (with full disclosure) it's all good. And typically if a "Dog," will bite an adult? It can be assumed that don't much care for toddlers ... so a no kids, warning "should go without saying?"

Sadly you already know your dog doesn't like toddler's? Which for some dogs' is not unusual? But usually they/those tend to not like people either? Such was the case with my WL GSD, who did not "much care for anyone who did not live with him." And "Toddler's were a hard "NO!"

But it all worked out fine for us, he was a great dog and never bit anyone under my care. But ... I don't have kids. So keeping others, safe was only a "Part Time Job." When we came home ... I was off duty. But with "Kid's," as I see it, you'd have to be on guard ... well all the time (regardless of rehab? )

At any, rate sorry about the circumstances but it seems like you did good by him.

 

[[email protected]]

Good morning. Just to update, Brody is being rehomed this weekend. A older couple with NO children or young ones. Huge yard. Two other dogs. The wife is home most of the day, working. It’s bittersweet. Im losing my best friend. But he will be well taken care of. Less chaos. Quiet, calm environment. Thanks for your well wishes.

I just hope there will be no dog conflict now, he sounds like a dominate dog. At least you explained to the new owners what his situation is. Hopefully you can visit him sometimes it’s a very difficult situation

 

[chip18]

Oh most definitely a "Dominant Dog!" One dog would have better. But hopefully one of the other two dog's is not a GSD? GSD's uh to my surprise are "High Rank Dog's," Boxer's/Molosser Dogs are not.

Two Dogs are a Pair ... three dog's are a "Pack," things can change! Hopefully they don't have a GSD?