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Biting Husband


Guest lyndajgil

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I read this thread last night, before I went to bed. I have thought about it long and hard, debating whether I should comment, out of experience.

 

I won't go into details, but I have been bitten, too. It required sutures. I lost trust in the dog, and this is NOT something easily regained! For some people, that trust will never be regained, at least not in that individual dog.

 

DO NOT downplay the trust issue. If your husband does not trust the dog, forcing him to interact is only going to result in disaster. His body language will change (probably already has) around Ross, which will lead to Ross being on edge. If he already feels threatened by your DH, and now DH is acting weird, what do you think the reaction is going to be?

 

You say giving the dog up is not an option. For whom? You? Will you feel like a failure if you give up the dog? Would you rather feel like a failure, or have someone severely injured by this dog?

 

I am a firm believer that environment can make or break a dog. I am not in any way saying that the OP's home environment is not conducive at all to owning a dog. But perhaps this individual should not be in this home. Perhaps a different Greyhound would be more appropriate, and Ross would do better with someone else.

 

It's also possible that Ross has some medical problems (thyroid comes to mind, but that has all been hashed out in this thread already). He may also have a true temperament problem. We don't know - we are not there. But no matter the reason, I don't believe this home is the right one for him.

 

Yes, I am being harsh. But, I don't want to see something terrible happen to the family members, other people visiting, or to the dog.

 

To soften it up a bit: DON'T feel like a failure if you have to give up Ross! Many of us have had trial-and-error with dogs in our homes. It does not mean you are a failure, it simply means that some aspects of the dog's personality did not show till he/she got more comfortable in his/her home. It happens, but it does not mean that the human is a failure.

Sarah, the human, Henley, and Armani the Borzoi boys, and Brubeck the Deerhound.
Always in our hearts, Gunnar, Naples the Greyhounds, Cooper and Manero, the Borzoi, and King-kitty, at the Rainbow Bridge.

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I'd also like to add this:

 

If you are committed to keeping Ross, I would like to suggest NOT seeing a trainer. Instead, HAVE A BEHAVIORIST COME TO YOU! Trainers want to alter behavior based on what a dog should do. Behaviorists analyze the situation, and modify the behavior of the humans and the dog.

 

For example, have you watched shows like "It's Me or the Dog"? Victoria Stillwell refers to herself as a trainer, but in my mind, she is a behaviorist, because she observes the behavior, and modifies her training techniques accordingly.

 

I do not always agree with all of her techniques, but she is a good example of what a trainer should be in a situation like this. Better yet, a behaviorist is called for in a situation like this. ESPECIALLY if that behaviorist is one who also understands primate (human) behavior, and how that differs from canine behavior. Canines almost never bite without warning. But that warning is often so subtle that we as humans do not even notice it.

 

Often, in a situation where a dog is unsure, his first cue will be to look away to break tension. Sometimes this is followed by a yawn (calming signal), also to break tension. If the dog can, he will walk away. If not, you usually get the hard stare, growl, shown teeth, or the like. Then comes the bite. There is almost never NO warning at all.

 

And that is where the suggestion of reading books like The Other End of the Leash comes in. Patricia McConnell is an applied animal behaviorist who specializes in canine behavior. She also has a fantastic grasp on primate behavior, and can relate to the reader how they differ, and what to do about it.

Edited by Sighthounds4me

Sarah, the human, Henley, and Armani the Borzoi boys, and Brubeck the Deerhound.
Always in our hearts, Gunnar, Naples the Greyhounds, Cooper and Manero, the Borzoi, and King-kitty, at the Rainbow Bridge.

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Guest eaglflyt

I'd like to strongly suggest at least 2 books regarding canine behavior and canine/human interaction. These have helped me more than I can relay. You can check your local library, or purchase them online. They are worth their weight in gold, imho.

 

The Other End of the Leash by Patricia J. McConnell, Ph.D.

For the Love of a Dog by Patricia J. McConnell, Ph.D.

 

I'm glad you have your dog in training now. I hope you're with a *positive training technique* trainer. I would strongly suggest an animal behaviorist consult if there is one in your area.I hope your husband is attending classes/sessions, too. This will help in building trust and bonding with your hound. I also hope your adoption group has been contacted and they are helping out with this situation.

 

Good Luck and please enjoy the reading. We can never learn too much! :)

Edited by eaglflyt
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Please seek professional help, ASAP. When you went to the ER, they documented that you have a dog that bites. He has now been labelled as a "Bite Dog" and if he bites anyone else, he can be confiscated and then put to sleep. It sounds like you want to work with Ross, but that he may not be the best dog for you and your family. If you can't get professional help, please contact your adoption group about rehoming him.

Missing Hiro, Tank, and Tractor

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Guest lyndajgil

I read this thread last night, before I went to bed. I have thought about it long and hard, debating whether I should comment, out of experience.

 

I won't go into details, but I have been bitten, too. It required sutures. I lost trust in the dog, and this is NOT something easily regained! For some people, that trust will never be regained, at least not in that individual dog.

 

DO NOT downplay the trust issue. If your husband does not trust the dog, forcing him to interact is only going to result in disaster. His body language will change (probably already has) around Ross, which will lead to Ross being on edge. If he already feels threatened by your DH, and now DH is acting weird, what do you think the reaction is going to be?

 

You say giving the dog up is not an option. For whom? You? Will you feel like a failure if you give up the dog? Would you rather feel like a failure, or have someone severely injured by this dog?

 

I am a firm believer that environment can make or break a dog. I am not in any way saying that the OP's home environment is not conducive at all to owning a dog. But perhaps this individual should not be in this home. Perhaps a different Greyhound would be more appropriate, and Ross would do better with someone else.

 

It's also possible that Ross has some medical problems (thyroid comes to mind, but that has all been hashed out in this thread already). He may also have a true temperament problem. We don't know - we are not there. But no matter the reason, I don't believe this home is the right one for him.

 

Yes, I am being harsh. But, I don't want to see something terrible happen to the family members, other people visiting, or to the dog.

 

To soften it up a bit: DON'T feel like a failure if you have to give up Ross! Many of us have had trial-and-error with dogs in our homes. It does not mean you are a failure, it simply means that some aspects of the dog's personality did not show till he/she got more comfortable in his/her home. It happens, but it does not mean that the human is a failure.

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Guest lyndajgil

We have taken Ross to his first obedience class and I am happy to report that he has been much better at home. We have taught him commands for respectful attention on us...and he has become an excellent listener. It has been 3 weeks since our first class. He has also been much better on our walks. Walking past other dogs has totally not been an issue, he pays attention to me when a dog passes by.

And yes my husband went to class with us and his attitude toward Ross has been much better. He is showing his love for him once again. Our trainer is excellent. I am so happy we went and we will return in another week or two.

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Guest bigbrindlebunny

I'm so glad you came back to update. I give you and your family kudos star.gif for continuing to work on the issues, but I would have understood if it went the other way. Please let us know how it goes.

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Guest Drumhellergrey

Help for the dog and help for the owners as well. I'm glad to hear that your husband has changed his mind. Greyhounds can show so much love to the people that they can respect. I'm sure this will be the case once your pack is in a happy stable routine. Greyt stuff, and keep up the great work. :)

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Guest RWM

I would tend to agree with KennelMom in that something does not sound right about the way this story was presented. I feel that if someone kicks a dog for the reasons stated (and I'm not certain the dog was kicked, but I'm not certain the dog was not kicked, either), I don't think that any amount of training or behavioral conditioning is going to change things. Some folks just shouldn't have dogs ... greyhounds in particular ... because of their sensitive nature. I think too much focus has been placed on the dog and not enough on the humans.

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