Hello, I am new here and I am desperate for any advice, good or bad.
Background:
My family and I are the owners of a 6yo male V, neutered. He is very much dad's dog and responds well to me and even my 12yo daughter, not so much my wife. When we got Max we had 1 child (she was 6 at the time). Since that time we have had 2 other children and he has had no problem adjusting to their presence and sleeps with my 5yo boy on a nightly basis. Max goes everywhere with us as we camp quite frequently. We have a nice yard for him to roam, a 8x12 kennel when we are out of the house for a short period of time. I have worked very briefly on hunting training. We don't get out as much as he or I would like, but when we do he's fine. Once he blows off some energy instinct takes over and he does well.
Situation(s):
May 2008 - I was out of town on a 2week business trip. Max was in our yard and we have plenty of neighbor kids that run through and around the yard all hours of the day. My son was out with his friends without supervision. I don't know how it happened but my neighbors son ended up with a bite on his rear end and it did break the skin. My wife took max to the vet that afternoon to make sure he was up on his shots. Max did need a booster and he then bit the vet in the process of receiving the shot. It was a pretty vicious bite and traumatized my wife.
July 2009 - While camping a group full of neighbors came by our campsite to socialize. Max was on his leash, but had gotten tangled up around a picnic table in all the excitement of company coming to visit. A friend of the family (complete stranger to Max) attempted to free max and reached at Max's neck to undo the leash and untangle him without me around. Max did bite this individual and it did require stitches on one finger to seal the wound.
August 2009 - Just this past weekend while out camping with friends at their cabin Max had another incident. While visiting this site (we've stayed here 3 times in the past 2 years, not a completely unfamiliar place) Max is generally un leashed as are all the dogs in the area. The neighbor dogs (Mini Shelties I think) would come into "Max's" territory without incident. The first time the owner came over and asked if Max was "friendly". I stated that he is with dogs that he knows, but since he didn't know these dogs I thought he should probably get them out of our hosts yard. However, it eventually happened where I was out of reach when the dogs came back the 3rd time. We were down on the beach enjoying the lake with our 3 kids and our friends 2 children, Max by my side or in the water fetching a stick. Max did not appreciate this and responded violently. One of the shelties had to have stitches to close the wound on his rump.
Questions/Help:
I do not know where to go from here. I feel as though I may have failed Max as an owner. He is a very good dog and loves his family and his family loves him. However, his biting has become a liability and I am growing more and more cautious of bringing him places with us. These incidents cause my wife and I a great deal of stress and we need to watch Max very closely while out.
Has anyone else faced a similar situation?
Is euthanasia the only option?
Is Max a candidate for adoption to an owner who could better handle these situations?
Background:
My family and I are the owners of a 6yo male V, neutered. He is very much dad's dog and responds well to me and even my 12yo daughter, not so much my wife. When we got Max we had 1 child (she was 6 at the time). Since that time we have had 2 other children and he has had no problem adjusting to their presence and sleeps with my 5yo boy on a nightly basis. Max goes everywhere with us as we camp quite frequently. We have a nice yard for him to roam, a 8x12 kennel when we are out of the house for a short period of time. I have worked very briefly on hunting training. We don't get out as much as he or I would like, but when we do he's fine. Once he blows off some energy instinct takes over and he does well.
Situation(s):
May 2008 - I was out of town on a 2week business trip. Max was in our yard and we have plenty of neighbor kids that run through and around the yard all hours of the day. My son was out with his friends without supervision. I don't know how it happened but my neighbors son ended up with a bite on his rear end and it did break the skin. My wife took max to the vet that afternoon to make sure he was up on his shots. Max did need a booster and he then bit the vet in the process of receiving the shot. It was a pretty vicious bite and traumatized my wife.
July 2009 - While camping a group full of neighbors came by our campsite to socialize. Max was on his leash, but had gotten tangled up around a picnic table in all the excitement of company coming to visit. A friend of the family (complete stranger to Max) attempted to free max and reached at Max's neck to undo the leash and untangle him without me around. Max did bite this individual and it did require stitches on one finger to seal the wound.
August 2009 - Just this past weekend while out camping with friends at their cabin Max had another incident. While visiting this site (we've stayed here 3 times in the past 2 years, not a completely unfamiliar place) Max is generally un leashed as are all the dogs in the area. The neighbor dogs (Mini Shelties I think) would come into "Max's" territory without incident. The first time the owner came over and asked if Max was "friendly". I stated that he is with dogs that he knows, but since he didn't know these dogs I thought he should probably get them out of our hosts yard. However, it eventually happened where I was out of reach when the dogs came back the 3rd time. We were down on the beach enjoying the lake with our 3 kids and our friends 2 children, Max by my side or in the water fetching a stick. Max did not appreciate this and responded violently. One of the shelties had to have stitches to close the wound on his rump.
Questions/Help:
I do not know where to go from here. I feel as though I may have failed Max as an owner. He is a very good dog and loves his family and his family loves him. However, his biting has become a liability and I am growing more and more cautious of bringing him places with us. These incidents cause my wife and I a great deal of stress and we need to watch Max very closely while out.
Has anyone else faced a similar situation?
Is euthanasia the only option?
Is Max a candidate for adoption to an owner who could better handle these situations?
) and see what our next step will be.
