vinnyvangough

Hey all

My mate has a white boxer. He is 4 years old and NOT neutered.

She took him for his walk tonight along with a friend and her Collie.
Now this Collie is a bit of a pain always jumping all over him but it has never bothered him before.
Well she let her daughtertake him (She is 8) and the Boxer jumped up and bit (on the hand) one of her neighbors who approached.
Now i wasn't there and her and her friend had there backs turned when it happened.

Now he has NEVER done this before or even tried to bite. He has drew blood on the neighbors hand but only on the top, (Not a very hard bite) by the looks of it.

What i need to know is, what the best option now?

1, Carry on as normal
2, Keep him in and walk him on his own
3, Rehome him
4, Put him down

The neighbor is fine about the situation, but in reality you have to look at the what ifs.

He is a very soft dog and as nobody really saw what happened we cant say wether he was provoked or if he was just protecting the daughter.

I have already given her the "If your daughter is not strong enough to handle him she shouldn't have been in sole control of the dog" speech.

gary fraser

think it is more likely the dog was tryin to protect the daughter as boxers are very territorial, boxers see there selves as the protector of the family and as such probably felt threatened by the neighbour, but like you said the kid should have never been out with the dog in the first place.

vinnyvangough

See thats what i would put my money on.

The owner is in a right state at the mo and after the must stuck up of one of her friends has turned around and said "Give him too my husband, he will take him out the way and shoot him", she is beginning to think that putting him down is pretty much her only option.

My personal feelings are to keep him but take him out on his own. He is always fine with me.
Or
Re-home him.

wayne dowling

iTrader: (1)

sorry to here this i now how you feel i had a rotti and he bit the misses hand i tried rehomeing him as couldnt keep him in the house anymore with kids been there but no one would take him & i had to have him put down in the end hope it all gets sorted out for you mate

wayne

uruk hai

I would be very carefull as I have known situations where two events like this have resulted in the court issueing a destruction order when someone complains but fortunately in this case it appears as though the person bitten is being very resonable about it. I would walk the dog alone and just do what you (I mean the owner) can to prevent a repeat of what happened. Good luck.

Mrs T

I would of thought this as well, but a 8 year old is a bit to young to be having control of the dog..

vinnyvangough

He is being very good about it all.

I told her as soon as she got back to go round and make sure he was ok and offer to do anything she can to help and keep in good will.

Benni

If he's always been fine with you, walk him alone. If the dog was being held correctly I doubt it'd have bitten, as it would have been pulled or what-not.

Benni.

cameron2

Ive got a boxer (ellie), she is the 5 this year. Never bit or attacked anything. When people are around my daughter, ellie always makes sure she is by her side.
Protective over her without a doubt.

My old boxer (buster), was the same. Only bit once. He was 8 and he bit my mate when he tried to take a sausage off the bbq i was doing! Only nipped him.

My mum has a boxer (max), he is 4. Nips most of the time when you go to open a door. Think he has anxiety of being left alone. Does become quite aggresive when being put in his bed at night. He was locked up by previous owners.

I'd agree with "8 year old walking the dog may not be strong enough for the dog."

gary fraser

tell her mates husband to stick the gun up his arse and shoot himself, take the dog out on his own and if you really feel the need put a muzzle on him chances are he wont do it again as long as he is with a adult and not a kid.

Rs(555)

iTrader: (8)

i have a white female boxer
soft as muck ,but a bit unpredictable ...
mine does not like small children or if you approach her ,until she has a few minutes getting to know you she is scared ,barks
i treat her like a baby ,perhaps thats the problem ,she is too protective
just becarefull

vinnyvangough

This ones called Buster too.

This is the thing he has only ever "Nipped" me, but thats when i have been alone with him and playing, ie making him jump like 3ft in the air to grab his toy, and he has just got the ends of my fingers. (MY FAULT REALLY)

I think its just one of those awkward situations.

vaughant

iTrader: (1)

I'm a staff owner and as you know their awesome with people,especially kids but other dogs/cats/birds a real no no.8 years old and trying to walk a boxer might have been too soon for the little girl,their strong tough dogs and more than likely felt they were protecting the little girl in some way.I've not had a dog long but their clever little fuckers,mines 8 years old and knows it all,who to goto when she wants food,who to goto when she wants a walk etc etc. When I walk her she keeps right by my side,tries to pull a bit but very well behaved,I call her,she stops or comes to me,but when the missus or the boy walk her she pulls them all the way and totally ignores anything they donas she knows she gets away with it with them or she gets a smacked bum with me!!mate of mine had the same type of dog and told me that a boxer needs to know your smell first otherwise they can get aggressive,especially if you try to touch their head,perhaps that was why?don't put it down as that's a bit extreme for an isolated incident but make sure the dog knows he's done wrong,perhaps keep him in for a day or leave him out back without walking,always works with my little bella!!!

vinnyvangough

Dont think a muzzle will fit a Boxer.

He does need a couple 10mm drill bits up his nose to clear them out as the noise he makes breathing is so annoying lol.

Its like i say he has always been fine. I only have to raise my voice if he starts pulling or looking at someone and he comes right back to my side

symo

Think maybe the dog was protecting the girl never heard of a boxer turning nasty mine was as soft as nothing if the guy is ok about it keep an eye on the dog when its out

gary fraser

you do get muzzles for them look on the boxerdog ownersclub they sell them, the missus grandparents used to breed boxers a few years ago and they used to muzzle 1 of their bitches when she was pregnant as she was a bit highly strung, by the sound of it he is a really good dog and i think puttin him down would be the last thing on my mind if it was my dog.

vinnyvangough

Its just hard trying to get her to listen as 2 of her mates said "Oh if that was my dog i would have him put down".

But i guess its totally different when it is "your" dog.

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

I'd say use a muzzle at very least. Not everyone likes dogs and 'if' it happens again the person it bites may not be so cool about it.

I can understand why the dog owners on here are sticking up for it, but in situations like this surely it's best to err on the side of caution.

vinnyvangough

I agree with you to be honest there.

I said to her to walk later at nght ie 11pm and not let anyone in the house or him out til walks, apart from the back garden

vaughant

iTrader: (1)

I always walk the staff late on,I know I can let her off the lead then with less fear.

cameron2

Be careful you dont isolate the dog from what is used to. Walking late on is all good but if you have walked in the day when people, dogs and kids are about this will be a bit weird for it.
Once isolated from others, it will become very protective and difficult to re- introduce back to public.

snoopaloopa

iTrader: (3)

Just use a muzzle when out in public places if there worried, simples
The dog has to be socialised with people/dogs or the problem will just be magnified, so stick to its normal routine just use a muzzle.

whybee

hi mate, i´m gonna pm you once i´ve written this, but just to say whatever you do dont allow this dog to be put down, and certainly don´t let this sick f*cker near it with a gun, its him who has some problems not the dog.
this is almost certainly a case of the dog protecting the child, my 8yrs old boxer is the same with my girl and the breed is well known for being this way.
its all to often the case that when something does not go "the owners way" they decide to blame the dog and put it down (not saying thats the case with you) owners need to look at themselves a little more first.

if the collie is agrevating the boxer then walking alone could be a solution but does not need to be a perminant thing, just to "retrain" the boxer or actually maybe its the collie who needs some attention too.
as said before its important not to islolate the boxer, its will only make the situation worse.
anyway, i will pm now and take about what i´m prepared to do, not going to see an inocent dog killed for protecting a child.

whybee

ment to say, its also to remember to put these situations into the context of what dog it was, if a toy chiwawa draws blood then it prob. ment to do so, but a boxer is a powerful dog and that combined with there almost unriveled playfullness/hyperactivity can mean that something quite inocent can become a bit out of hand. they are often a bit "dozzy" and do daft things due to not thinking so well as a breed such as alsation or collie, my dog has managed on 2 seperate occations to run into a lamp post for example
you cant compare a 5kg dog and a 45kg dog, its like saying mike tyson huged you and it hurt more than when graham norton did it, so tyson was trying to hurt you, its not the case (although i know its bad choice of people, tyson prob. would want to lol)

TT300

Cant believe im reading that people put their dogs down! Imo you should never be allowed to have another dog again!!

Also a muzzle is the only option in this situation.

kimosabi

With owning a strong breed like a boxer, rottweiler or w/e, comes great responsibility. The first thing people need to do is to stop humanizing them. They are not human, they are dogs. Boxers have protective genes, so letting an 8 year old walking them alone is irresponsible since the dog can get in a protective state if the human is not alpha, or at the very least being a leader.

The other mistake done was that they had their backs turned and couldn't see the situation. You must always communicate or atleast watch your dog when socialising with other dogs and humans, and be in control. Putting the dog down over this is totally unnecessary. It was human error and the dog got a bit rough, that's all, but when there's nobody there, in the situation, to correct and lead the dog situations like this can occur.

Coldo

Will it ever be trusted again? If it bit the kid on the face, leaving permanent disfigurement, what would everyone be saying?

Put it down imo.

baba

Id say its the owners fault and not the dogs but thats just my opinion.
Ive never know one single well cared for so called dangerous dog bite unless provoked into it.Remember these type of dogs require alot of exercise to keep them happy and healthy there not a small dog in which a 15min walk does.
Can the dog be trusted?If your mate punched sumbody in the face would you trust him?

baba

Very well put.
The dog was protecting the kid id say from what it thought a threat the situation shouldnt have occured.
If somebody was going to hit you or your mate/family your telling me youd let them hit first rather than hit them first?I know what id do and what 99% of dogs would do.

vinnyvangough

Many thanks for all ypur advise and help.

I think i have managed to convince her to keep him but walk him a little later out the way of other people and animals, but maybe still with the Collie.
And def to get him neutered.

I fully understand the fact that IF it was a kid's face it would be a whole different story and the question of "Should she have him put down" would not exsist.
But the fact is it wasn't and the neighbor has been brilliant about it.

The trust issue is fine but it wont happen again as he will only be walked by someone HE trusts and is strong enough to hold him back.

Only time will tell on his behaviour

Benni

When I was a kid a family friend had a boxer and it used to eat everything in site. She made me a birthday cake once and I just remember her telling me that she left it on the worktop and the dog ate the lot while she nipped out.

Off topic I know...

Benni.

vinnyvangough

LOL

This Boxer nicked my steak right out the pan one day when i was over. I ripped it out his mouth and made him watch next doors dogs eat it lol

Benni

LOL. Fat bastards they are... I remember being over at their house once when they'd just bought some new Timberland or Rockport shoes or something, and the Dog had made a meal out of them. It all ended in tears.

Benni.

billybigspuds

make you buy the neighbour a box of chockys or bottle plonk with a note saying thankyou for being so understanding you are going to make sure it wont happen again

richie29gt

this is it as the person who was nipped is ok with it just explain to them that they where in a protection zone as such and should of thought about warning of there presence to the girl at the time as to let the girl get control of dog then there wasnt going to be any wrong doing but all being fair not much can be said now but most dogs that grow up with kidds do think that they are to be protected no matter who the person is coing towards them ive had german sheps all my life ive grown up with them and any1 that came near me or my sister when we where kids where warned off with a loud bark untill the dog was told they be friends so its just a natueral instict for a dog to do but under no circstanes dont get the dog put down no no no treat them as humans i say

conor.rst

iTrader: (3)

Dog owners really bug mee somtimes. as far as im concerned you shold never let anyone toch your dog and if you do insist on letting people toch them you must always hold them firly buy the collor so that there is no chance of them even bitting somone.

No matter how well anyone thinks they have there dog trainned at the end of the day its still gunna do what ever the hell it wants to do.

keep the dog and dont let anyone toch it.

richie29gt

ok that might not be a good idea as boxers are sociaable dogs like being around other dogs as its in there natuer to play so pls dont isolate her could make her worse imo
just carry on as normal yes the dog has done wrong but dont let it get to a point of not being happy in the long run

rubinsbin

carry on as normal--------------

ive an akita-not happy around other dogs even though hes been sorted!!lol
made no difference at all-might live longer though-so they say.
dogs bite-thats why they have teeth-
was it maradonna the football player not long ago got bit in the face by his pet of long standing (years)-
dogs are wild animals first then pet second -NEVER FORGET IT,
if they have a problem like tooth ache you wont know till it gets pissed of and responds!!---------
i had a rottie that died a few years ago .it was wound up by someone walking past the gate(big house with 4 car drive and high gates) went to calm him down with a few words and a stroke-he turned and grabbed me!!!!!! he was in a one focused mind he didnt even know it was me!! no damage done(if it would have been a child though!!)but he got a kick+punch to calm him down,some dominant dogs are always trying to be the alpha especialy big ones-i never ever touch any dog no matter what the handler says----------

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

You serious!! If you have any fear whatsoever about letting your dog off the lead you shouldn't do it ever.

So many dog owners don't realise that not everone feels the same way about their dogs as they do. The number of twats who let their dogs race up to my kids and shout "it won't hurt you" amaze me. Then they can't understand why I shove the dog away from my crying 2 year old.

KregRS

What the fuck are you on? I have never 'insisted' that someone touch my dog, if they want to, it's their decision. The way I see it, a dog will only bite if provoked, much the same as if you piss me off enough, I'd lash out. My dog, a collie X German shepherd, has bitten me once, my gf as well, but it wasn't done maliciously, and he was muzzled for short while afterwards. You're obviously not a dog person, bit of a twat with an attitude like that.