I don't say this about all dog bites - some bites are provoked, and some are circumstantial and therefore manageable - but with a dog this size doing this type of unpredictable biting, I personally would euthanize.
Sorry.
Sorry.
At this point I too would not stand my ground when the dog growls. It is too late for that. You need to find a way to change the conversation without retreat.You absolutely have the right idea with talking to a professional. It sounds like he is inhibiting his bites, which is a relatively good sign (you haven't mentioned a hospital so I'm assuming only minor puncture wounds at worst, is that correct?), but he definitely needs someone who can observe him first-hand, with experience working with biting dogs. A vet behaviorist is an excellent option, and I hope you did get to see one. Please consider medication if they suggest it; it really can make a world of difference to an anxious dog.
I'm not comfortable giving too much advice, because as someone who cannot see this dog in person and is not a qualified behaviorist working with bite cases, I don't want to tell you anything that will get you bit or make the issue worse. This is, however, also why I am in strong disagreement with the idea not to 'back down' when the dog growls. This is absolutely a situation where I'd want the dog to trust that I WILL back down when they warn me, so they don't feel they have to escalate to more aggressive displays to get me to go away. Don't push this dog's boundaries until you are under the guidance of a qualified professional who's directly observing your dog and his behavior (which, obviously, none of us can do).
That's what you WANT. You want the dog to growl as a warning instead of going straight to the bite. Failing to back away will escalate the situation! Even in the very rare situation where a dog (a stable dog free of past abuse or anxiety problems) learns being "threatening" might get them what they want, simply not giving them what they want or managing the situation will quickly end it!When he growled you backed up. Right there you have taught him he can make you go away when he wants to. This will only escalate.
Okay. I've also seen Dr. Ian Dunbar - you know, the vet and animal behaviorist who devised a dog bite scale of severity that's still used in courts to this day - say that dogs with a bite level of three or lower (that's 1-3 punctures from a single bite, none deeper than half the length of the dog's canine at worst) often have a very good prognosis when treated by a knowledgeable professional and have a committed owner who complies with the rehabilitation program. I'll defer to his experience in this case, since dealing with aggression and bite cases has been a major part of his career and he's been specializing in behavior problems for 35+ years. He also 'retreats' from a dog if it's growling at him, fyi. And thanks the dog. He says it's a sign that he's messed up by pushing the dog too far past its comfort level.At this point I too would not stand my ground when the dog growls. It is too late for that. You need to find a way to change the conversation without retreat.
Yes to a professional. Expect to spend large money and likely still have the issue.
I have seen this same situation a few times. I have never seen it end well.
I'm very curious to know what a "CTJ moment" would actually look like.Here is the reality I have seen. Good dog, well bred, but with a strong personality. Dog ends up in a home where the owners are clueless... the dog learn how to make the people back down. At some point the dog needs a CTJ moment at a young age. Instead the dog wins or is rewarded with cookies for its behavior. The needed CTJ moment never happens. The dog become DANGEROUS.
Seems to me the breeder could NOT have been "savvy" at all if they placed the dog into a home where the owners were "clueless". That's the root of the matter right there. What that dog truly "needed" was a home, right from the onset, where the people had a firm understanding of dog behaviour and how to SUCCESSFULLY address issues WITHOUT the use of violence.Breeder (who IS savvy) gets dog back TOO LATE.
It has NOTHING to do with "love and clickers and cookies" failing the dog. Those ingredients could quite possibly, and quite likely, have SAVED the dog if they were implemented properly and knowledgeably. That, AND much greater discretion on the breeder's part when it came to placement.In ALL CASES the dog was euthanized.
This is actually a pretty bad idea. A dog with a bite history likely to be euthanized even in no-kill shelters even when it's not a bully breed, and honestly a home with the finances and willingness to work with a professional behaviorist (veterinary or otherwise qualified through a reputable third party) is probably going to have more time and resources to try to rehab the dog than any but the most specialized rescues. All you'd be accomplishing is making the dog's last days more stressful and upsetting in most cases.Hmmmmm......
I'm no expert by any stretch.....but. IMHO. The owner should give the dog to a rescue or the local Humane Society.
The dog is threatening a family with growls and bites. Soon, it may turn to others outside the family.
Some can assume the best outcome is possible. I'm not sure if the best outcome is probable.
It is more likely the the situation will become worse.
The safety and health of the family is paramount importance.
Yes. And as I said before, if the dog can't be worked with safely (which only the OP can decide with the help of a qualified professional), then it needs to be euthanized. Not passed on to make it someone else's problem. Because the grand majority of rescues, shelters, humane societies will kill this dog anyway. It has a bite history. It's a bully breed. They may face legal prosecution if they rehome the dog and it bites again.DaySleepers. You may disagree, but the reality is this dog is a RESCUE, not from a breeder.
The safety and health of the FAMILY far outweigh the needs of the dog. If that dog was in my family with known risk and history of bites, then it would given to the local Humane Society. Family safety must be FIRST.
As I stated before. Many people assume the best outcome for the dog is possible. Often the "best outcome for the dog" is not probable.
Yes, but if the family is unable to work with the dog, or behaviour modification attempts fail (assuming it's behavioural and not medical), then the humane and responsible thing to do is to euthanize the dog so it can at least go out with the people it knows and loves, not dumped alone in a strange and terrifying place to die alone.DaySleepers. You may disagree, but the reality is this dog is a RESCUE, not from a breeder.
The safety and health of the FAMILY far outweigh the needs of the dog. If that dog was in my family with known risk and history of bites, then it would given to the local Humane Society. Family safety must be FIRST.
As I stated before. Many people assume the best outcome for the dog is possible. Often the "best outcome for the dog" is not probable.