Dog bit my kid.

[JessicaR]

If it were me we wouldnt be visiting period. They can visit at our house. No way you can trust the dog not to bite her again if you are NOT there. So no babysitting in their house.

I would not ask that they put the dog down I would just remove myself from the situation.

 

[java]

What kind of bite though?

A snap or a BITE...that matters I think.

She said bite and I said bite too. A dog bite leads to the dog being put down. Even it bites another dog it counts towards the 2 bite rule. Of course those bites have to be reported bites.

 

[Debbie7452]

I grew up with loving pets and I still got a disfiguring bite on my face as a child, older than this case, by my Aunt's dog. I was gently petting the dog when it "snapped" at my face requiring 12 stitches to close the wound. Even a snap can cause life long scars. I also get really mad when poster's assume the child was at fault. If the dog has bitten three people isn't that enough to prove this dog is a biter?

Whatever the "reason" for the bite, your child is not safe over there.

 

[nancycg56]

I would not let my kid over there but they would be welcome in my house without the dog. Should the dog bite someone else, that's their problem.

We had a dog when kid #1 was born and while the dog wasn't thrilled with DS he just ignored him When kid #2 came along he really didn't like it and he snapped ~ but did NOT bite ~ kid #1. We found him a new home within the week ~ he was happy and we didn't have kids who were bitten. As much as I LOVE dogs, I wouldn't hesitate to rehome. I would NEVER take a dog to a kill shelter but do the research and take him somewhere where the dog has a chance.

 

[HannaBelle]

Don't try to make in-laws get rid of the dog (or crate it). Simply tell them your DD will not be visiting their house as long as the dog is allowed inside while she's there. They are more than welcome to come to your place and visit (and leave the dog at home).

Find a new sitter arrangement for Friday if MIL won't come to your house.

I agree with this completely!

I don't think it matters whether it was a nip or a bite or whatever. Your daughter is upset and it sounds like it has had a lasting effect.

Do you know anyone with very young puppies? It might help her to get over her fears if she can see a very small puppy and cuddle it a bit...just slowly work on it. Older puppies tend to be a bit rambunctious and I would avoid them.

My DD13 went through a fear of dogs when our neighbor's new puppy knocked her down a couple of times when DD was 2. We dealt with their lack of a leash when the dog was out of their yard and we also dealt with her fears by exposing her to cute little puppies. She got over her fears and by the time she was 4 she was a dog lover!

 

[bellebud]

I agree 100% w/ other posters who say you shouldn't take your dd there anymore.

You don't mention your dh... I'd have him handle this if possible.

Your dh can nicely tell his parents that you guys understand and respect that it's their decision what to do w/ their dog, and that you guys hope they understand and respect that it's your decision what to do with your dd.

He should tell them they can come to your house to watch her, and if they can't/won't, definitely find another caregiver immediately.

If your dh is not around (I'm sorry if this is the case), you tell them the same thing.

I had to do similar w/ my mom and step-dad. When my dd12 was a baby, step-dad smoked in their house. After a couple of times I picked her up from there and her smelling of smoke, I told mom no more. They were more than welcome to come to my house (we only live 1 mile apart), and I decided I wouldn't ask for babysitting (I hardly ever asked anyway), and I told her we wouldn't be coming over even as a family anymore. They could come here.

I think she was upset w/ me at first (she hates to have waves w/ her husband), but I held my ground even though many other family members thought I was silly. Had to do this w/ mil too (dh did it, not me). It all worked out in the end. There were some uncomfortable moments, but I could care less. My dd's health was my #1 priority. BUT, I didn't ask them to not smoke in their own homes, we simple wouldn't be coming over.

 

[dngnb8]

Yes, Bad History. A dog that bites THREE children has a BAD HISTORY

A dog that has bit 3 children who were pulling ears, tails etc is not a bad history. It is a bad history of children behavior to the dog.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

So I need a little advice,

2 weeks ago my inlaws dog bit my DD (almost 2). She is now afraid of anything on four legs, not good because we have two cats.

Now this is not the first time the dog has bit a child in fact my daughter is the third one. I've stated that the dog needs to go and so has DH to my inlaws.

The dog is still there! They are saying they are going to crate him when DD is over . MIL is saying that she can't just leave the dog on the street but honestly no one is going to want to take in a dog that bites, so sadly the only option is to put him down.

What do I do? MIL / FIL watch DD sometimes. I'm not sure I can trust that she will keep the dog in a crate the entire day. Do I find another care taker for Fridays until she gets rid of the dog? Apparently DD walked passed the dog and extended her hand out for him to smell, which she has learned from me and Moose A Moose, is the proper way to interact with a dog. She also was saying " Hi Puppy!" and then he bit.

It's awful how traumatized she is. She loves animals but now she thinks all of them will bite her. She is still saying, "puppy bite me" or if she sees one on TV she says "Puppy bite". I keep saying to her, no just that puppy not all.

I feel bad taking away time with her grandparents but I don't want that dog around my kid.

YES! Find alternate childcare now. Do not allow your dd over there unless you are there to supervise. They will let the dog out and it will go after your dd again. She is a target for this dog.

Next time it could be her face and she will be permanently scarred for life plus endure surgeries.

You would never forgive yourself.

 

[mjkacmom]

What kind of bite though?

A snap or a BITE...that matters I think.

I also think I'd want to know about the behavior of the dog before the bite. Could the dog have thought she was offering up food? How is the dog, and how long have they had it? Older dogs tend to get grouchy around children. If they get rid of the dog, they will know it will be put down. If it's not usually an aggressive dog, I'd ask they get a trainer, and not let my child be at their house without me (and make sure the dog was crated when I was there). You will have to find other babysitting arrangements, unfortunately.

 

[brockash]

What kind of bite though?

A snap or a BITE...that matters I think.

I agree. Did the bite draw blood? Were you there when she got bit? Maybe it's more that the in-laws don't watch your 2 year old carefully enough around the dog. I think any 2 year old, really needs to be watched carefully around most dogs. A 2 year old just doesn't understand the whole respect an animal and it's space, it's warning signs of it feeling trapped ect. Even older toddlers can have a hard time with that. I say either way, I think you need to find someone else to watch her on Fridays. At the very least it doesn't sound like the in-laws think it's important to watch your dd closely around the dog.

 

[lemondog]

OP, I feel for you. I was in the exact same situation one year ago this month. We were at my inlaws when their large dog (a setter mix) bounded across the room and attacked my oldest DD with NO provocation...a true bite, not a snap or reaction to being messed with. He sank his teeth into her upper arm and punctured it. I immediately wanted to take her to the hospital but was more or less guilted out of it by in DH's family, saying that if I did that the dog would automatically be euthanized (a state law where they live). For the rest of our visit (they live several states away) the dog was kept in a crate or outside in the fenced kennel. I felt a LOT of anger and resentment and felt they were siding with the dog rather than their own grandchild. My MIL is a hospital nurse trained in wound care and she had all the supplies at home so she tended to the punctures there and I took her to the pedi immediately after returning home. Luckily she was fine and the pedi actually told me there is no need to visit the ER unless the wound is the lower arm, lower legs or face, or obviously if it requires stitched (hers did not). So thank the Lord she was fine. My daughter refused to ever go to her grandparents' house again if the dog was there

HOWEVER...looking back I should have taken her to the hospital and had the dog put down. This past summer my inlaws had their best friends over for dinner. Once again the dog went bananas, bounded across the yard, knocked over the wife and tore a chunk out of her stomach. They had to call 911, the ambulance came, surgery was required...the whole 9 years. Obviously the dog was put down after that. Luckily it was their best friends and although they did not personally sue, their health insurance has sued my inlaws' homeowners insurance for payment of medical costs.

If I were you I would not let my child back over there when the dog is present, period. We are VERY LUCKY our DD was not hurt any worse than she was. And it's a miracle none of the other grandkids, including my baby nephew who was there 2x per week while my MIL cared for him, was ever injured. It is just not worth it and I will always live with the regret that I did not take more action and as a result someone else was hurt badly.

 

[Candlz]

In our county - any dog bite that is treated at the hospital gets reported to animal control. The dog is then quarantined (either at home with visits from Animal Control or the dog is brought to Animal Control) and observed for 2 weeks.

In your situation - They have the right to keep their dog. They also have a responsibility to protect the dog from itself. If the dog loves them and hates kids - then they need to keep the dog away from children.

You should not bring your daughter there. Period.

My dad has a gorgeous dog - who hates everyone but him and his wife. I will not bring my kids there and neither will my brother. I wouldn't ask him to get rid of the dog though - as he LOVES it and they both walk for several miles a day (keeping my almost 70 year old dad in better shape than me!) and the dog keeps my step mom safe while my dad is out (they live in the middle of nowhere)

To quote Hargid - people can be pretty stupid about their pets.

 

[ols386]

You can't make them get rid of their dog, that has to be their decision. But you can tell them that your daughter will no longer come to their house if the dog is there, and that they are free to visit at your house as long as the dog doesn't come with them.

Just be prepared that if they choose not to get rid of the dog, then they WILL be coming to your house, and from what I've gathered from some of your past posts about your in-laws, you aren't exactly crazy about them.

I am very sorry that your dd was bitten. Poor thing.

 

[minkydog]

If it were me we wouldnt be visiting period. They can visit at our house. No way you can trust the dog not to bite her again if you are NOT there. So no babysitting in their house.

I would not ask that they put the dog down I would just remove myself from the situation.

Totally agree. You can't control what goes on at their house but you can control whether or not your child goes there. Personally, my child would not darken their doorstep again as long as that dog was there.

I'm treating a student at school right now for a dog bite to the face. She has had an ER visit for the initial cleaning and stitches and several doctor visits & changes of antibiotics in the effort to get this wound healed up. So now this cute little 7yo girl has a large wound 1" below her eye. It was only by the grace of GOD that her eye wasn't injured!

I'm sorry, but I don't want to mess with dogs that bite, for whatever reason. I was attacked by two German Shepards when I was young. Totally my fault, btw. I walked through their backyard. They knocked me down and were tearing at my clothes when my father heard what was happening and rescued me. I hate to even think what those big dogs could have done to me. Like I said, totally my fault but after the attack I was very afraid of dogs, all dogs except my own. And it lasted for many, many years.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Thanks for all the responses. I would be heartbroken if the dog bit my niece, who will be one soon. The part that makes my blood boil is that the dog was given to my inlaws by my BIL after the dog bit him!

I understand that they love the dog but what I don't understand how it has gotten this far and why I have to be the bad guy now. Why no one stood up and said something.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

What kind of bite though?

A snap or a BITE...that matters I think.

She had two puncture holes. I took her to the Dr. and they said they were fine. She was not pulling his tail or even touching him. DH was supervising her, poorly obviously. But he did watch it happened and she was just walking by him with her hand out and saying hi puppy and he bit her. Thank Goodness it was only her hand.

 

[tlbwriter]

Thanks for all the responses. I would be heartbroken if the dog bit my niece, who will be one soon. The part that makes my blood boil is that the dog was given to my inlaws by my BIL after the dog bit him!

I understand that they love the dog but what I don't understand how it has gotten this far and why I have to be the bad guy now. Why no one stood up and said something.

Okay, this makes me think the family has no sense about dogs, and are very unlikely to give the dog up. So I'd tell them you know how much they love the dog and therefore you wouldn't consider asking them to rehome it or crate it, but they need to accept that your daughter isn't going to be visiting there while they still own that dog.

 

[nmmom95]

I also would not let my child go there as long as they have the dog. I would just invite them to my house so that they still have time with their grandchild, but I would not put my child in danger with a dog that bites. It sounds like you were very lucky this time. Since the dog is a known biter, the next time could be worse.

 

[mdsoccermom]

So, at what point are you going to stop relying on your in-laws for free childcare and stop taking your daughter there? Ever since your daughter was born, you've been complaining about them, yet you still leave her with them. You know this dog has bitten before, but you left her with them.

Have you learned your lesson yet?

 

[Scurvy]

Did you know that the dog had a history of aggression before you let them watch your child? Had they already agreed to keep the dog away from her before this happened? If so, there's no way I would trust them to keep the dog away from your daughter in the future. Personally, I wouldn't allow my child to be around a dog that I knew had a history of biting so there's no way I'd send my child to that house while the dog was there. I think you should explain to your inlaws that you are not comfortable with your child being in the house with the dog again, and ask them to come to your house to watch your child instead. If they want to be with your child then they will probably do it. If they aren't willing to do that, you will have to find a different babysitter. Maybe you should start asking people for recommendations for reliable childcare now just in case you aren't able to make things work out with your inlaws.