I had originally questioned sharing this on a blog, but I figured in the end, no matter the decision, this little boy deserves to have his story known.
I was called in last night, on a more personal note, when a male, neutered, 7.5 yo. Mini Schnauzer bit an infant (approx ten months old - crawling age) that he lived with. Upon questioning further, it quickly showed that this dog was extremely fearful of the child since birth, seeing as the dog had 7 years of being a loved family pet, and then had it's world turned upside down by a new baby in the home.
The family's life was also turned upside down. Their beloved dog committed what is often considered the *ultimate sin*, biting a young child. In reality, the baby was being a baby, and the dog was being a dog, with loose access to each other, and it's almost always a recipe for disaster. While we explain how important it is to socialize your puppy to young children and babies even if you don't have children of your own, as you just never know what can happen, it's easy to think that you have done all that is needed until that time comes that trauma strikes.
As of this writing I have a room set up for this little dog, to see where to go from here. I don't know what the fate of this little dog will be - all I know is that we all agreed that the dog needed to be removed from the home immediately, for both the wellbeing, but also the safety, of all. The option of immediate euthenasia came up, and was discussed at length, but for the time being it was agreed that I will take him in and assess him overall to see what options he *might* or might not have for a future home. The goal is to discover if there would be an option for a child-free home, or if that risk itself is too high or if there are any other issues presenting that might alter any decisions made for him.
I will update with progress, regardless of what that progress turns out to be. I have some big choices to make in the near future, and that is whether or not this dog can live in another home, or whether euthenasia may be the kindest option. Only time will tell.
So please, please keep this sweet little guy in your thoughts, for whatever ends up being his fate.
I was called in last night, on a more personal note, when a male, neutered, 7.5 yo. Mini Schnauzer bit an infant (approx ten months old - crawling age) that he lived with. Upon questioning further, it quickly showed that this dog was extremely fearful of the child since birth, seeing as the dog had 7 years of being a loved family pet, and then had it's world turned upside down by a new baby in the home.
The family's life was also turned upside down. Their beloved dog committed what is often considered the *ultimate sin*, biting a young child. In reality, the baby was being a baby, and the dog was being a dog, with loose access to each other, and it's almost always a recipe for disaster. While we explain how important it is to socialize your puppy to young children and babies even if you don't have children of your own, as you just never know what can happen, it's easy to think that you have done all that is needed until that time comes that trauma strikes.
As of this writing I have a room set up for this little dog, to see where to go from here. I don't know what the fate of this little dog will be - all I know is that we all agreed that the dog needed to be removed from the home immediately, for both the wellbeing, but also the safety, of all. The option of immediate euthenasia came up, and was discussed at length, but for the time being it was agreed that I will take him in and assess him overall to see what options he *might* or might not have for a future home. The goal is to discover if there would be an option for a child-free home, or if that risk itself is too high or if there are any other issues presenting that might alter any decisions made for him.
I will update with progress, regardless of what that progress turns out to be. I have some big choices to make in the near future, and that is whether or not this dog can live in another home, or whether euthenasia may be the kindest option. Only time will tell.
So please, please keep this sweet little guy in your thoughts, for whatever ends up being his fate.
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