# My 7 almost 8month old puppy bit my husband and had to take him to the ER



## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

HELP!!! MY dog bit my husband and we had to take my husband to the ER. We are VERY scared of him. The dog was acting weird about his food today and when my husband grab his collar and he latched on to both of his arms. He had tooth gashes in his arms and then small tooth holes.
Please anyone can help. WE want to know what the next step should be. He is in his crate now and I am very scard to even take him out to go to the bathroom.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Please help!!!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Is the dog acting calm in his crate now? Obviously he will have to go out at some point, if he is calm and not expressing any aggression, take the leash and thread the end through the handle to make a loop, then take a deep breath so you are calm yourself and slip the loop on him then walk him outside. 

In the morning I would contact a reputable trainer to either come into your home and evaluate your dog, or do a board and train to evaluate him - both may be best. 

Try to present a calm presence to the dog when you have to handle him.

I hope your husband is ok. I do understand how frightening this is.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

...use the leash in a loop so that you don't have to grab for his collar to snap it on.

Has he ever acted aggressively before?


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

Dont be scared of your dog..but you should call a trainer/behaviorist. They will be able to help you. I know others on here will have great advice for you. Im sorry that happened but your pup can be helped..I know it!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Do you have children in your home or children that visit frequently?

In all honestly, if you do, I'm don't beleive your home is the best place to rehab him.
Children are so darn unpredictable and impulsive....IMO it is a recipe for disaster.

Living with a food aggressive dog is a life changing experience. 
It can work, but it takes a total change in mindset and a willingness to never let your guard down. We have lived with a food aggressive dog now for nearly a decade. 

Keep in mind that a collar grab for dogs that have not made a positive association and have had a negative association with it - is a pretty aggressive action. If you add in a desire to protect his food with a percieved 'assault' then his reaction is exactly what your husband experienced.

Im so sorry....Ive been in your shoes.
It is scary, but if the situation is right, you can rebuild your relationship and come to have a certain level of trust with your dog.


Is your dog aggressive at other times?


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

yes creating a slip lead is the best way to handle your dog. 

is your husband home now...is he ok....


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Thank you so so much. We will try to loop the leash. He has growled at us before but it has been with food and only twice. He was acting weird with his food so i wanted to hand feed him.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

We are going to call the vet tomorrow to see if there is any blood work that needs to be done. Maybe there is an underlying condition. No, we don't have any children, but we do have kids that come around and love him. They will not be allowed to play with him anymore. He is always hungry too. I don't know if there is some about that either.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

My husband is fine. The Er didn't want to do stitches b/c i guess dog bites get infected easily. MY husband has some punctured wounds and gashes. They just cleaned it out and put some anitbiotics.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

I don't know when this happened, but it can take a long time for adrenaline to leave your body and your dogs....give all plenty of time to settle down.....
Every been in an argument and even after it is over you are still shaking, jumpy and on edge....
Take care....


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Keep those wounds super clean and any sign of increased redness...get back to the Dr. ASAP.....


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks. So, we are thinking about calling a behaviorist but don't know any around us. We live in North Eastern section of Maryland if anyone knows anyone or any group that could help us out.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

This may help you find a good trainer or behaviorist, just be sure to "interview" them well and look for one that uses positive methods, harsh corrections with a dog that is aggressive can back fire. 

I personally don't know anything about the people on the lists.

http://www.apdt.com/po/ts/default.aspx

http://www.petbehaviorist.com/

http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Get a full vet workup before you call a behaviorist. This kind of explosive aggression is often tied to another condition, like an injury, a painful internal condition, or skewed thyroid values.

You said he's been aggressive around his food twice before. Can you be more specific?


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Let's see. It was about three months ago. We weren't staying in the kitchen with him while we fed him. I was leaving to get ready for work. So, I thought to try and do the whole pet him while he was eating. We had done this the first three months we had him. That is when he growled and snarled at both of us. We then went to hand feeding him and progressing to putting the food in the bowl and holding the bowl. He seemed to be doing fine with that. I guess our down fall was when we put enrichment toys in the mix. We were feeding him that way. We would always make him sit/stay or lay/stay before he is allowed to get his food. I don't know what happened today.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

He also LOVES to eat all the time.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

PS - I was bitten almost exactly the same way, while trying to grab the collar of a Golden I was retraining. He cracked my thumbnail and there was quite a bit of blood. In his case, it was because his family had been using a shock collar on him to try to get him to stop jumping. The result was that his neck, already a sensitive area for a dog, had become a source of fear and pain. When I grabbed his collar, I accidentally triggered a perceived threat, a serious one, and he defended himself. He was in no danger, but it was his perception of danger that mattered.

I'm not saying you've used a shock collar, but the kind of bite you described sounds like fear aggression, either from fear over his safety or from fear over the potential loss of an important resource (food). Both need to be treated with gentle, positive methods so the dog can learn to trust you more completely.

Please bear in mind that I'm not saying you did anything to lose his trust. Sometimes, dogs develop these fears with little or no help from their owners. Still, it's important to go back through his upbringing to try to find things you do that might unintentionally, cause him to feel threatened.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

FinnTastic said:


> Let's see. It was about three months ago. We weren't staying in the kitchen with him while we fed him. I was leaving to get ready for work. So, I thought to try and do the whole pet him while he was eating. We had done this the first three months we had him. That is when he growled and snarled at both of us. We then went to hand feeding him and progressing to putting the food in the bowl and holding the bowl. He seemed to be doing fine with that. I guess our down fall was when we put enrichment toys in the mix. We were feeding him that way. We would always make him sit/stay or lay/stay before he is allowed to get his food. I don't know what happened today.


I'm inclined to think of a health problem that exacerbated some pre-existing possessiveness. I think a vet visit will be really important here, to see if there's any area of discomfort. The kind of bite you described seems like a desperate attempt to defend himself or his resource, not brattiness at all.

Have you been hand feeding since? Or did you stop for a while? I'd hand-feed or feed in increments clearly placed in the bowl by the humans of the house for the foreseeable future.

What enrichment toys are you talking about?


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

http://www.peaceablepaws.com/ This is listed as 5 minutes from Hagerstown. This site belongs to Pat Miller who is an author and trainer. She wrote "The Power Of Positive Dog Training." 

http://www.peaceablepaws.com/pages/consulting.asp she also has an email contact on this page. If she isn't close enough she can probably give information on someone closer to you. I believe she is considered a positive trainer.


*Pat Miller
Peac**eable Paws
PO Box 3146
Hagerstown, MD 21741
(301)582-9420*

*I have not used her services myself but I have read her books.*​


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Between now and then...
Be meticulous keeping the counters clear of food or dishes with food..
Keep the garbage can behind doors
Dont leave any food or food wrappers anywhere he can reach or be tempted to reach...
No children in or around him when food is present.

If he steals food, food wrappers,food containers...dont yell...dont try to get it from him with your hands or with a object like a broom....suck it up ...give him plenty of space (crowding him will only intesify the need to protect and gobble the object faster...)
You'll just have to deal with the potential vet bills later.

Depending on his state of mind...you can try to trade...cheerfully asking him to bring the food container to you trading for some cheese for example...your not trying to get him to cheerfully stop eating and come get cheese...just trying to still see you as someone that has something to offer and not a threat for what he has.

Dont yell to startle him from doing things you dont approve of...
Dont grab at him
Dont scold, point fingers
Dont lean over him to intimidate him
Only you can know if direct eye contact is ok with him....


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## pburchins (Mar 11, 2009)

I am sorry your husband was bitten and I hope he is OK. I can imagine there is a lot of emotions going around the house this evening.

I am somewhat confused (daily occurence,  ) What do you think caused the attack ? Was he defending territory ? Was going after food ? Was your husband just sitting there and Finn attacked ? Was your husband in the process of disciplining the dog ? Did Finn growl and give a warning before attacking ?

I am not trying to defend the dog for attacking. No dog should attack a human much less a golden retriever. I remember you were having problems with Finn a few months ago. Did you start the training classes in May ? I know you two did the puppy classes in April. Perhaps the trainer your vet can recommend a behaviorist.

I hope things are calming down........Good Luck !


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Tippkayak -Tonight, he had this ball that he has to move around to get the food out. My husband gave hi the ball. He made him sit/stay and then he got the ball. Then my husband try to pet him and the dog just stood there. We knew something was up. That is when I wanted to do the hand feeding. That is when the dog went to my husband, who went to the couch, and the whole incident then happened.
FYI I took the dog out to go to the bathroom. You could tell he wasn't sure what was going on. HE looked at my husband then looked at me. When I took him out he went straight to the kitchen to get a drink. HE gulped three whole bowls of water. He is on medicine for a recent case of Kennel Cough. The Vet. said he would be more thirsty. We put him back n the crate after he went to the bathroom. HE is whining off and on, but I don't feel comfortable letting him out to be in the living room with us.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

pburchins - we did start a class two weeks ago but couldn't go last week due to the kennel cough. It was just a petsmart class b/c we couldn't really afford the guy we wanted. We are pretty sure it was a food aggression issue. He has his ball that has some food in it. We honestly can't remember if he gave a warning but he was acting weird today about his food. I think the collar grabbing just amplified the whole thing. I did e-mail the guy who we wanted to do training with tonight to see if he has any advice.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

I let him out of the crate and he is now playing with his nyla bone like nothing ever happened. I left his leash on of him. He seems happy at the moment. I don't know.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Wait, he brought the ball over to your husband and then reacted? I'm confused.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Sorry, the dog had the ball in his mouth when he went to my husband, who was on the couch. The ball had food in it and my husband grabbed his collar. Now, I don't know if the dog dropped the ball or had the ball in his mouth when the incident happened. It is kind of a blur and my husband doesn't remember.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

The dog is now laying on the floor right in front of my husband, who is on the couch..... amazing.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

it's not amazing. Dogs don't hold a grudge. Your husband made him mad, he "corrected" your husband, and now as far as he's concerned, the incident is closed.
You also might want to ask your vet if aggression is a side effect of the medicine he's been on. There are several meds. that list it as a side effect.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

We called our vet this morning and they recommended a person who is a behaviorist and vet. They said the behaviorist would determine if it is more behavioral or medical. However, he doesn't have anything available until Friday. I e-mailed the lady who lives in Hagerstown that someone recommended. She hasn't e-mailed back. Now we are kind of playing the waiting game.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

I'm sorry this is happening. I just checked your photos...Finn looks too sweet to have lashed out. I hope it's an easily corrected behavior or medical condition. Good luck with the behaviorist.


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## Molly&Me (Feb 2, 2009)

I am sorry to hear about everything that is going on. My Molly is 13 months old and is a very patient and tolerant dog. There is one exception. If we ever grab her collar to discipline her she growls and we know it is a warning. I have learned that if she is bad and requires correction I don't grab her collar. Molly has no behaviour problems, outside of the usual puppy ones, but she just doesn't like to have her collar grabbed. She knows that all of us are the boss and not her so by understanding that one limitation we haven't lost our authority. 

You also mention how hungry Finn is. How much do you feed him. When Molly was that age we fed her 1 cup of food 3x per day. She still always seemed hungry, I am pretty sure that might be a normal golden thing (someone correct me if I am wrong). I wonder if it might be a good idea to start hand feeding again.

Good luck.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

A couple more thoughts...
If he's not neutered, I'd think about getting it done right away. It may help keep the behavior from getting any worse.
Also, be certain to contact the breeder and ask for advice and suggestions. I do believe good breeders want to know if something like this is happening with one of their puppies so that they can help you before it becomes a major issue (and reflects badly on their lines).


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Is he on steroids for the kennel cough? If so, that can make many dogs irritable and even aggressive. It will also make him hungry and thirsty. I would talk to your vet about getting him off from them ASAP.


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

Dogs are phenomenal empaths. (Smellers actually, they can smell fear and changes in mood.) They can sense what you are feeling. If Finn does something and you or your husband feel uneasy about it - he can sense that and that will make him uneasy. If he is uneasy he will show it and that will make you more uneasy. The more uneasy you are, the more Finn will feel uneasy. He will show more uneasiness.... and well, you get the picture. The dog only bit once and you are aware of the actions that led to it so you know what to avoid. I just want to stress how important it is for you and your husband to feel calm and safe and happy around Finn - do not harbor any fear or uneasiness, Finn will sense it and like a snowball - the problems will grow.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

like others have said, first a vet visit to make sure nothing medical is going on. perhaps the meds are affecting him. if nothing physical shows up, then a behaviorist. Like I have said before, there is always a reason for this type of behavior, but never excuse it. It needs to be dealt with in however way is the best for the dog and you, a trained professional in my opinion should be able to help you. It troubles me too that you are afraid of your pet, I don't blame you, I might be too if one of mine acted this way, you need to be proactive now in how you deal with this problem.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks everyone. Finn is out of his crate and we are treating him like we always do. He seems to be more affectionate with my husband and very curious of the bandages on his hands. I guess we will find out on Monday if it is medical or not. I will call about the medication and I am going to hand feed him from now until someone tells me otherwise.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Oh, he has been neutered since February. We've also noticed that he has been breathing heavy and panting a lot. We just assumed it has been from the heat. I will ask the vet about that too.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Make sure your Golden isn't having silent seizures.


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

You have gotten some wonderful advice and unfortunately I have nothing else to add. But I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you are going through this. GOOD for you that you are working on it.  In the end, I'm sure everything will be okay!!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Just as a note, last weekend I took a 15 month old golden girl for fostering and noticed she was sensitive to collar and leash. 

Before I even worked on name recognition, I started touching her collar and feeding while facing away from her and have worked up to slight pressure in her collar while at her side or in front of her. She will eventually be held back by her collar for restrained recalls etc as well as restrained for other reasons, so being happy with her collar being held and touched is important to me.

This might be an area that Finn needs work on, regardless of the underlying cause of the bite.

Good luck.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

He couldn't possibly have a hot spot hiding under his collar?

Brady once snapped in the air at me when I had given him a hug. Surprised me, I knew something wasn't right. Sure enough, a big hot spot under his fur right where my hands were squeezing him.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

You need to be calling his breeder right now. Ask if any other owners from the litter have reported similar, or if your pup had any particular rearing issues while with his Mom. A good breeder will answer these questions truthfully.

This is in addition to what everyone else has said.




FinnTastic said:


> HELP!!! MY dog bit my husband and we had to take my husband to the ER. We are VERY scared of him. The dog was acting weird about his food today and when my husband grab his collar and he latched on to both of his arms. He had tooth gashes in his arms and then small tooth holes.
> Please anyone can help. WE want to know what the next step should be. He is in his crate now and I am very scard to even take him out to go to the bathroom.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

I did e-mail the breeder yesterday. I haven't heard from her yet. I'm not sure if we still have her phone number and our cell phone died the night of the incident. I tried to check for hotspots. I didn't see any near his neck or anywhere else. The medicine he is on are two antibiotics and pregnazone( i don't know how to spell that). They said the pregnazone could cause some aggression but that Finn was on a low dose of it. Heavy panting is also a side affect of pregnazone.


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

I'm confused...or just trying to catch up. Did you take Finn to the vet on Monday?


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Prednisone does even cause some humans to feel aggressive, lol. Still though, with prior incidents etc, I would be VERY serious about this so no one gets hurt again. I hope the breeder comes through.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

solinvictus said:


> http://www.peaceablepaws.com/ This is listed as 5 minutes from Hagerstown. This site belongs to Pat Miller who is an author and trainer. She wrote "The Power Of Positive Dog Training."
> 
> http://www.peaceablepaws.com/pages/consulting.asp she also has an email contact on this page. If she isn't close enough she can probably give information on someone closer to you. I believe she is considered a positive trainer.
> 
> ...


Oh! If you can get in to see Pat Miller, please do! She's excellent!


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## jenlaur (Jun 24, 2009)

I am a nurse and not an expert on dogs. But I can tell you that steroids can really make a person crazy, I saw it with my own daughter. This may be the problem here. If he is taking any by mouth I would speak with the vet about having them discontinued. DO NOT just stop them. They have to be tapered (again, this is in humans, I am assuming it is the same in animals). I would still have him seen by the behaviorist. Good luck. We had a golden for 14 1/2 years. She snapped at children twice during her lifetime, both times right in front of us. We never figured out why but we never left her alone near any children again. Hopefully this will be an isolated incident for you. Good luck to you.


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## banuls (Jul 16, 2009)

Sorry you experienced this.But my first thought was the possiblity that your sick has pain.I think its a really good idea that the dog goes for a good checkup,and tell your vet what has happened.Just to rule out illness or pain as a cause.
Hugs.Im glad your husband is ok and didnt need stiches.I hope your dog is well and you can get some professional help.
Let us know how you get on.


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## slechner (Sep 5, 2008)

I have been where you are and am not completely out of the woods yet but I can tell you this. I own Boomer, a 15 month old GR. He bit me a few months ago when I grabbed his collar when he was digging. He was food aggressive but someone on this site recommended putting his food into muffin tins and I can now pat him and talk to him, even interrupt him while he is eating. We have put Boomer in lots of training and have Bark Busters working with us still because Boomer is afraid of his collar and gentle leader eventhough he loves walking. They have helped a lot. We have seen a lot of improvement with him and most of my issues with him seem related to when he is outdoors but indoors he usually really good now so I hope you hang in there and can get some help.


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## wagondog (Aug 24, 2007)

FinnTastic
I sympathize whith you and your husband, I know how stressed out it can make a household. Be calm with the dog, the loop leash is the best way to handle him right now. Trainer/behaviorist and the good people here will help. It is difficult now but don't lose your love for the dog yet.
Good thoughts to you guys
WagonDog


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## Cadismom (Feb 25, 2009)

How is Finn doing?


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## Cadismom (Feb 25, 2009)

*How is Finn doing?*

Did you take him to the vet? What did they say?


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

I hate to be the one to say this, but there is just some things that a dog can never do. Biting the hand that feeds him, so to speak, is one of them. Have the dog put down immediately.

Your husband is the one you need to be concerned about not the blood thirsty dog that will attack some innocent little girl at the park one day and maul her to death or permenately disfigure her.

Sorry for having the state the obvious.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

seoguy said:


> I hate to be the one to say this, but there is just somethings that a dog can never do. Biting the hand that feeds him, so to speak, is one of them. Have the dog put down immediately.
> 
> Your husband is the one you need to be concerned about not the blood thirty dog that will attack some innocent little girl at the park one day and maul her to death or permenately disfigure her.
> 
> Sorry for having the state the obvious.


        :nono:


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

seoguy said:


> I hate to be the one to say this, but there is just somethings that a dog can never do. Biting the hand that feeds him, so to speak, is one of them. Have the dog put down immediately.
> 
> Your husband is the one you need to be concerned about not the blood thirty dog that will attack some innocent little girl at the park one day and maul her to death or permenately disfigure her.
> 
> Sorry for having the state the obvious.


Absolutely. Don't work with a behaviorist, don't find out if there's an underlying medical problem, don't try to find out if this is something that can be dealt with. Take the easy way out and kill the puppy.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Don't feed the trolls.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

*Sorry for having to state the obvious*


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Would love to hear an update from Finntastic. I hope they found a cause and can work with him.


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

Wow! Remind me never to have an opinion in here. Obamaitis is spreading, I guess.

All I was saying is if the dog bites the owner, it WILL maul some little kid at the park one day. I guess knowing the dog is in theapy will be conforting to the little girl that is mauled and disfigured for life.

Love your dog, love people more. Be responsibile and put down that blood thirsty cujo while that little girl still has a face.


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> *Sorry for having to state the obvious*



LOL! LOVE this!!!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

seoguy said:


> Wow! Remind me never to have an opinion in here. Obamaitis is spreading, I guess.
> 
> All I was saying is if the dog bites the owner, it WILL maul some little kid at the park one day. I guess knowing the dog is in theapy will be conforting to the little girl that is mauled and disfigured for life.
> 
> Love your dog, love people more. Be responsibile and put down that blood thirsty cujo while that little girl still has a face.


Welcome! Way to jump right in. What a positive addition you have proved to be in this thread already!


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

seoguy said:


> Wow! Remind me never to have an opinion in here. Obamaitis is spreading, I guess.
> 
> All I was saying is if the dog bites the owner, it WILL maul some little kid at the park one day. I guess knowing the dog is in theapy will be conforting to the little girl that is mauled and disfigured for life.
> 
> Love your dog, love people more. Be responsibile and put down that blood thirsty cujo while that little girl still has a face.


 

Perhaps you can share your credentials with us? Are you an animal behaviorist or a veterinarian, maybe? 
I ask as a breeder and trainer who is known to despise excuses being made for poor temperaments, and always saying that people come first, but also as one who will not make such a blanket statement as you have without knowing more and encouraging professional evaluation before such a determination is made.


Maybe animal behavior is a second job to the search engine optimization gig...


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Wow!! I'm not sure if I want to post on this anymore. I am balling my eyes out at the moment from seeing the post by seoguy. My husband is actually the one who fought to keep him after the incident as I was a little weary that we weren't dog savvy enough to help Finn. The vet/behaviorist gave us a protocol to go by when feeding him. It will take a good six month to finish the sheet he gave us. It will help Finn to remember we are the ones who give him the food and all the good treats. He also suggested another program that we are going to work on as well. This may be my last post on here b/c I don't think I can stand to read some of the posts on here. The dog wasn't the only one to blame in this incident.


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

Please don't let posts from 1 newbie drive you away. This is a great place to get advice and suggestions for dealing with your dog. Some people are just plain mean, but fortunately, that isn't the prevailing attitude of forum members. There are so many knowledgeable and supportive people on this forum. Please stick around.


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## Luci (May 26, 2009)

Jackson'sMom said:


> Please don't let posts from 1 newbie drive you away. This is a great place to get advice and suggestions for dealing with your dog. Some people are just plain mean, but fortunately, that isn't the prevailing attitude of forum members. There are so many knowledgeable and supportive people on this forum. Please stick around.



I totally agree! So glad you've opted to try to help your pup rather than give up.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I am glad you got help for him and hopefully he will improve. Please don't let one persons opinion on what you should do stop you from participating here. If they have not met your dog they cannot give you definite solutions. Everyone here (exept 1) are trying to help you. Good luck and stick around.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

Oh, yeah. I didn't catch this the first time.

Especially if it's prednisone. That stuff can make a human cranky as hell, much less a dog.



fostermom said:


> Is he on steroids for the kennel cough? If so, that can make many dogs irritable and even aggressive. It will also make him hungry and thirsty. I would talk to your vet about getting him off from them ASAP.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> Perhaps you can share your credentials with us? Are you an animal behaviorist or a veterinarian, maybe?
> I ask as a breeder and trainer who is known to despise excuses being made for poor temperaments, and always saying that people come first, but also as one who will not make such a blanket statement as you have without knowing more and encouraging professional evaluation before such a determination is made.
> 
> 
> Maybe animal behavior is a second job to the search engine optimization gig...


Thats what I was wondering. Hmmm?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Finn*

Finn

Something that you mentioned, HE IS ALWAYS hungry.
*Could be a thyroid condition or worms. Have you had him tested for both?*


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

@ FinnTastic: I am not trying to be mean. If you are comfotable with that behavior then great! If your husband is too, since he was the one bit, then ok. My concern is the innocent person who might get hurt becauseof Finn. Just make sure you take proper precautions.

As bad as you feel now, imagine what you would feel like if Finn did that to a 3 year old.

@ Pointgold: My qualifications? My sister when she was young was mauld by a dog for simply wanting to pet it. It was a golden that did it to her. During the course of the lawsuit, I remember my parents ridiculing the pet owners for their dog therapy since apparently, they knew the dog had aggression problems. So rather than doing what would have saved my sister's face being scarred, the pet owners choose therapy because they loved their dog and couldn't imagine their little Rover hurting anyone (even though they knew he snapped at people and bit before).


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

FinnTastic said:


> Wow!! I'm not sure if I want to post on this anymore. I am balling my eyes out at the moment from seeing the post by seoguy. My husband is actually the one who fought to keep him after the incident as I was a little weary that we weren't dog savvy enough to help Finn. The vet/behaviorist gave us a protocol to go by when feeding him. It will take a good six month to finish the sheet he gave us. It will help Finn to remember we are the ones who give him the food and all the good treats. He also suggested another program that we are going to work on as well. This may be my last post on here b/c I don't think I can stand to read some of the posts on here. The dog wasn't the only one to blame in this incident.


Please don't let one poster drive you away. I think that you have done a wonderful thing for Finn and am happy that you have come back to update us. I hope your husband is feeling better and is healed up. Please stick around.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

NuttingButGoldens: He was on prednisone and I mentioned it to the vet. They said it was such a small dose that it shouldn't of made any difference. Plus, he snapped at us a couple of months prior to the "incident" over food. Sometimes I am a little skeptical about my vet but i'm not sure if there is a good vet around us who knows goldens.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

seoguy said:


> @ FinnTastic: I am not trying to be mean. If you are comfotable with that behavior then great! If your husband is too, since he was the one bit, then ok. My concern is the innocent person who might get hurt becauseof Finn. Just make sure you take proper precautions.


I'm sure FinnTastic is well aware that they have to be careful with their dog around strangers, and is making sure that no one decides to pet Finn without their permission. It's asking for trouble when you reach out to pet a strange dog without the owners' permission; I don't care if the dog is a little puppy or a full grown pitbull. I always ask.

FinnTastic, you have everyone's support here. I am positive that you can make a difference in your dog, it will just take time and effort.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

I haven't had him tested for worms or thyroid.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

I always tell children they have to ask before petting him. I also tell them they should always ask the owner before touching the dogs.


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

And we all know how well 3 year olds understand and listen to what adults have to say.

Don't say I didn't warn you. Hope you do not have to live through a preventable nightmare.

There are sooo many wonderful goldens that you can enjoy that need homes; why would anyone want to deprive themselves of the joy of a golden?

Oh well, hope things work out.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Obviously, FinnTastic IS concerned. She has been seeking advice and help.
And I am very sorry that your sister suffered a dog bite to the face - been there, done that. I've always said that as traumatic as it was for me, I can imagine the terror that a child feels when attacked by a dog.
That said, it does not qualify you to make a judgement such as you did here. Every single case is different. And in this case, the OP is NOT being irresponsible and denying that there is a problem.



seoguy said:


> @ FinnTastic: I am not trying to be mean. If you are comfotable with that behavior then great! If your husband is too, since he was the one bit, then ok. My concern is the innocent person who might get hurt becauseof Finn. Just make sure you take proper precautions.
> 
> As bad as you feel now, imagine what you would feel like if Finn did that to a 3 year old.
> 
> @ Pointgold: My qualifications? My sister when she was young was mauld by a dog for simply wanting to pet it. It was a golden that did it to her. During the course of the lawsuit, I remember my parents ridiculing the pet owners for their dog therapy since apparently, they knew the dog had aggression problems. So rather than doing what would have saved my sister's face being scarred, the pet owners choose therapy because they loved their dog and couldn't imagine their little Rover hurting anyone (even though they knew he snapped at people and bit before).


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

Wait, what?



seoguy said:


> I hate to be the one to say this, but there is just some things that a dog can never do. Biting the hand that feeds him, so to speak, is one of them. Have the dog put down immediately.
> 
> Your husband is the one you need to be concerned about not the blood thirsty dog that will attack some innocent little girl at the park one day and maul her to death or permenately disfigure her.
> 
> Sorry for having the state the obvious.


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

By the way how is the things that the behaviorist working out? Is Finn getting any better??


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Well, actually, my nice listens pretty well when it come to the dog. If she doesn't, either she is removed or the dog is removed. She's not quite two. He is on his leash and someone is always with him and someone is with her when she is around. Which isn't often at all.


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

@PointGold, and all for that matter: I admit that I am biased and for the record my feeling is this: Any dog that bites ANYONE, for ANY reason whatsover, should be put down. I believe that is the humane choice.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

I have deleted my own response. It ain't worth it...



seoguy said:


> Wow! Remind me never to have an opinion in here. Obamaitis is spreading, I guess.
> 
> All I was saying is if the dog bites the owner, it WILL maul some little kid at the park one day. I guess knowing the dog is in theapy will be conforting to the little girl that is mauled and disfigured for life.
> 
> Love your dog, love people more. Be responsibile and put down that blood thirsty cujo while that little girl still has a face.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

FinnTastic said:


> NuttingButGoldens: He was on prednisone and I mentioned it to the vet. They said it was such a small dose that it shouldn't of made any difference. Plus, he snapped at us a couple of months prior to the "incident" over food. Sometimes I am a little skeptical about my vet but i'm not sure if there is a good vet around us who knows goldens.


If a dog has a pushy demeanor, pred can exacerbate the issue even in small doses. Especially if you are dealing with a dog who has food aggression. Pred can make them incredibly hungry, add that to existing food aggression and you can get exactly what happened to your poor husband.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

seoguy said:


> @PointGold, and all for that matter: I admit that I am biased and for the record my feeling is this: Any dog that bites ANYONE, for ANY reason whatsover, should be put down. I believe that is the humane choice.


Your bias blinds you. Before making a blanket statement such as you did, you should consider first qualifying it with your claim of being biased, and why. Otherwise it comes across as pure ignorance and cruelty.


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

We have been dong the protocol the behaviorist gave us for a little over two weeks. Finn seems fine with it and hasn't had any problems. The fist part of the protocol is to gradually decrease your distance from him while he is eating. We are standing about three feet from him while he eats right now. Eventually, we should be able to stand right beside him. After that is accomplished without any incidents, there is more to it but I don't remember it off the top of my head. It is something that will take a long time to finish.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

Finn,

Please try to pretend that post from him never happened, because it never SHOULD have happened. NO ONE is qualified to issue that sort of statement/recommendation on ANY BBS anywhere at any time.





FinnTastic said:


> Wow!! I'm not sure if I want to post on this anymore. I am balling my eyes out at the moment from seeing the post by seoguy. My husband is actually the one who fought to keep him after the incident as I was a little weary that we weren't dog savvy enough to help Finn. The vet/behaviorist gave us a protocol to go by when feeding him. It will take a good six month to finish the sheet he gave us. It will help Finn to remember we are the ones who give him the food and all the good treats. He also suggested another program that we are going to work on as well. This may be my last post on here b/c I don't think I can stand to read some of the posts on here. The dog wasn't the only one to blame in this incident.


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

FinnTastic said:


> We have been dong the protocol the behaviorist gave us for a little over two weeks. Finn seems fine with it and hasn't had any problems. The fist part of the protocol is to gradually decrease your distance from him while he is eating. We are standing about three feet from him while he eats right now. Eventually, we should be able to stand right beside him. After that is accomplished without any incidents, there is more to it but I don't remember it off the top of my head. It is something that will take a long time to finish.


It sounds like a good start to me. If you take your time and stay very consistant you should be fine. Stick with it. I for one am routing for you!


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Prednisone can for sure cause the problem. My siberian husky was on 10 mg every other day for 3 weeks, he had the worst case of "roid rage" imaginable, he is normally a very sweet, laid back dog. I had to fight my Vet to take him off, he also did not think it was enough to cause a problem, but it did. Thankfully he did not bite anyone, but he was cranky and miserable to be around.

I am so happy you are working on it...


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks everyone.


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## Bob-N-Tash (Feb 24, 2008)

The side effect that I always experience from prednisone is an increased appetite. An increase? It makes me ravenous. So, I'm thinking that with the prednisone he may have felt the need to be even more protective of his food.


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## Tanyac (Jun 18, 2008)

Oh my goodness, I've just finished reading this thread, and am so sorry this has happened to your husband, I hope he's alright. I'm glad you are trying to work this out! 

Even if there seems to be a medical reason, please make sure you find an excellent behaviourist to help you work with your dog, as you have had cause to worry about his reactions before. Trust me, this can be fixed, but not without professional and knowledgeable help.

I'm not someone either who makes excuses for dogs who bite, whatever the breed, I had an extremely nasty bite myself as a 6 year old child, I could have lost my hand, and have the scars to prove it.

Good luck, I hope you can work this one out.


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## rtmike (Jul 8, 2009)

seoguy said:


> @PointGold, and all for that matter: I admit that I am biased and for the record my feeling is this: Any dog that bites ANYONE, for ANY reason whatsover, should be put down. I believe that is the humane choice.


I'm *ass*uming you have some kind of scientific research to back that up or is it strictly your opinion?


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

Hey rtmike


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## seoguy (Aug 11, 2009)

rtmike said:


> I'm *ass*uming you have some kind of scientific research to back that up or is it strictly your opinion?


It's a w*hole* lot easier to figure out when you realize bias implies personal.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I haven't read through all of the posts, but even a cortisone shot has made me incredibly hungry almost to the point of pain. I cannot describe it. I thought with the first shot it was all in my head that I was hungry. A month later I had two more shots and bam! It's not a comfortable feeling. The hunger I feel is worse than the hunger I felt when I went almost two days without solid food for a test.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Not true. My daughter rescued a mix last August. He had come to her just after having minor surgery on one leg and was leery of anyone getting near his hind end. Otherwise, he was a cuddle bug. When my daughter came for a visit, she brought the dog along. My 9 year old niece was told not to touch his back end, that he'd had surgery there and was sensitive to anyone getting near it, and NOT to go near with him unless being supervised by an adult. Well, long story short, she did get bitten and received 5 stitches. I have never felt so sick in my life. We're all crying and thinking that we now had to put him to sleep. We did fill out a 'bite report' with my State, but the dog was from Massachusetts so he got a reprieve. It's now 8 months later and he is a new dog. We just spent a week with him. He's the sweetest little dog, loves being pet anywhere on his body, and show no signs of the earlier apprehension or bite behavior. 

So, not every biter should be put down. Each case is different and deserves a chance.





seoguy said:


> @PointGold, and all for that matter: I admit that I am biased and for the record my feeling is this: Any dog that bites ANYONE, for ANY reason whatsover, should be put down. I believe that is the humane choice.


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## Zoeys mom (Apr 26, 2008)

Dont give up on him!


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

seoguy said:


> It's a w*hole* lot easier to figure out when you realize bias implies personal.


 
Both this and the post that it was in reply to are ignorant. Seriously. Seoguy, your personal bias has been noted. And as with any personal opinion, I respect your right to it. I completely disagree with the conclusion that you have reached because of it, as well as the manner in which you expressed it. 
I was badly bitten in the face by a dog, about to undergo a medical procedure, that was not fully anesthetized. Should that dog have been destroyed? Absolutely not. He was a sweet dog, an American and Canadian Champion, and went on to produce many champion offspring with exemplary temperaments. Using your criteria, he should have been.
What a waste that would have been.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Laura, you said yourself not to feed the trolls! Just because he offered some explanation for his behavior doesn't mean he's not trolling this thread. Don't take the bait.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Hey, Brian - he's been banned. He'd also made a couple of "legit" posts in other threads, so whether he was actually a "troll" or not is questionable. Which is why I decided to post.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> Hey, Brian - he's been banned. He'd also made a couple of "legit" posts in other threads, so whether he was actually a "troll" or not is questionable. Which is why I decided to post.


Fair enough. It seemed to me like he went and made a couple of legit posts after we called him a troll so he could troll for longer, and I hated to see people getting sucked back in to his nonsense.


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## rtmike (Jul 8, 2009)

Pointgold said:


> Both this and the post that it was in reply to are ignorant.



Really? I thought I was asking a legitimate question.

I'm *ass*uming is just that. I'm the ass for assuming, nothing more. 

I guess it's a predetermined judgement in how's it's read?


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