Milo just bit a child

Totally totally out of character for him - just got back from taking mIlo round to the shops, walked into my drive & neighbours young (6 & 8yrs) grandson & daughter were standing in their drive. Milo was 'smiling' and wagging his tail pulling to get to them to say hello which he always does when seeing children. He was getting stroked nicely etc then he went around behind the boy and suddenly, out of the blue, bit his ankle. Luckily he didn't break the skin but left a very bruised mark with a purple line where he nipped. Poor little lad was in floods of tears and milo had his tail between his legs so he knew he'd done wrong.

I'm in a state of shock - he says he didn't step on him or anything, and he is a very gentle little boy so I just do not know why. It's really worrying me now 'cos of my little grandchildren. You start to think - can I trust him again. I'm gutted

Could have been over excitement sometimes happens

I'm really scared and thinking of handing him back to the Animal Aid but it wouldbreak my heart (again). It really shocked me.

Maybe introduce him to an older child and work it from there no every dogs younger child friendly . The child possibly hurt the dog when no adult was looking its pretty possible. I think it wasnt milos intention to hurt the child but somethings happened to trigger his little nip.

I have to agree with Crystal. Could you socialise him around older children?

I don't know anyone with older children - but when I'm walking him he's been approached by people and he's fine. I've always thought of him as a 'safe' dog altho saying that when on holiday he has a tendency to chase children who are running about on the beach & jump up at them so we have to put him on his lead cos of that.

Just sounds excited. If it didn't break the skin it's not really a bite, more an over-enthusiastic mouthing, maybe he was trying to pull or pick up. Bo loves to hold with his mouth, although I'm slowly teaching him not to. He's not biting and it doesn't hurt but if the person pulled back it could cause a bruise or a scratch.

Sound slike over excitement to me as well. I would not be overly concerned just make sure to supervise him around children

Sounds like inappropriate play to me if his body language was positive. Dogs don't really understand "doing wrong" so the tail between the legs was probably more due to your negative reaction that differentiating between right or wrong, or guilt.

You said that you took him to the shops - is he ever left outside on his own tied up? Just thinking that he could have possibly been wound up or had a negative experience with children while you're not around. You say he's from animal aid, do you know his background with kids?

Rachel33 wrote:Sounds like inappropriate play to me if his body language was positive. Dogs don't really understand "doing wrong" so the tail between the legs was probably more due to your negative reaction that differentiating between right or wrong, or guilt.

You said that you took him to the shops - is he ever left outside on his own tied up? Just thinking that he could have possibly been wound up or had a negative experience with children while you're not around. You say he's from animal aid, do you know his background with kids?

I didn't react in an angry way (if that you mean by negative?) cos I didn't think he'd hurt him as much as he had. I simply took Milo into my garden then went back to my neighbours. Outside the little newspaper shop he was tied up whilst I went in for some bananas and was in full view all the time. No children or dogs around & he sat the whole time like a statue bless him.

Animal Aid told me he had been placed in a single person family home with kids and cats - no problems, but apparently she eventually got bored with the cats and poor Milo and gave them back again where he went back to his foster home (elderly couple) so who knows maybe the kids weren't very to him. We notice that he's nervous when balls are being thrown towards him ie ; if I throw it underarm he's ok.ish but if you throw overarm he ducks down or runs away from them so its a bit of a mystery. Maybe they used him as target practice? Also he doesn't like having his harness or lead put on and will slink away & lie down. Very strange, but we're putting our hands through the neck piece holding a treat in our palms so he associates its with being a nice thing to have put on.

It does sound like over excited play Jenny. Milo is still young and is finding what's good and what's not. Keep a close eye on him and build the trust again, you can do it.

-Ian- wrote:It does sound like over excited play Jenny. Milo is still young and is finding what's good and what's not. Keep a close eye on him and build the trust again, you can do it.

Thanks Ian - its such a worry. I feel good that it didn't break his skin so it seems he knows his bite inhibition and I think the lad must've trod on his toe. He has very long toes & very touchy over them

Oh sorry, I misread! Perhaps the child cryIng was the reason for the body language - unless of course he's done this before in previous home and conditioning associates it with something bad. Biscuit ducks when she goes for a wee bless her, or if you walk towards her to pick up her mess with a bag she will run away tail between legs and head dropped - nothing has ever happened in our house, she came from a cr*p home, but the "guilty"' reaction can be learnt. Must be very stressful for you, especially with no clear reason for the behaviour. It does sound like he has some handling concerns brought over from the previous home, it does concern me a little that he went behind the child and in for the ankle - almost sounds like a herding behaviour?! I had a very nervous staffie girl in rescue that used to do this exact behaviour to men all of the time, but she was a very worried girl all of the time and wouldn't approach men other than to nip their ankles and then run away again, body language was all under confident before this.

The ankle thing !... My grandmother had a ratty thing (can't spell chihuahua) that went for ankles. It was was a vicious dog all be it small.

Keep an eye on the play, And discourage over excitement. Rachel makes some great points. You'll learn the body language. Keep the faith

[quote="Niffer"]

Rachel33 wrote:Also he doesn't like having his harness or lead put on and will slink away & lie down. Very strange, but we're putting our hands through the neck piece holding a treat in our palms so he associates its with being a nice thing to have put on.

My dog Pru is also really nervous about having a harness or lead put on, she slinks away or rolls onto her back. I wonder why this is? We've had her since 8 weeks and I can't think that she's had any bad experiences with me putting things on her. Really strange.

I know - it seems to me that someone has whacked him at some time with a lead or maybe caught his skin in the harness clip?? Something like that.

Its okay Rachel - I think he's a bit of a nipper when he's excited. When I come home sometimes he'll get toooo excited, too licky and sounds like he's almost going to swallow his tongue but then he's nipping at me too & actually caught my nose today when I bent down to him (silly thing to do I know)but it was nothing bad thank goodness. Maybe it was excitement that caused him to nip the boys ankle. I need to address this somehow.

When our granddaughter was about 2 she'd run to us in her excitement & bite us when she meant to kiss us & that hurt....