Mauled !

[bobm]

We spent our Christmas at our son's house. Two weeks ago Son got a fixed Manchester Terrier from one of their friends who was moving back east and couldn't take it with them to their new apartment that does not allow pets. I made friends with this dog and he came to be petted by me quite often throughout the afternoon. Many of son's wife' s family were there too. After our grandson and granddaughter and their cousins finished unwraping their presents, and played with them and then had ham for dinner, Mmmm ( pumpkin ) pie and various other goodies , egg nog and various wines for desert. I started to tickle the kids at their request like we always do. Well I was tickling my grandson who is very ticlish and he was if full laughter rolling on the floor, when this black and tan beast attached me and bit my wrist, arm and side which all bled pretty good. After a good clean up and bandaides, we came to the conclusion that this Manchester Terrior will protect his boy and girl from all real and/ or perceived enemies .

 

[Nyboy]

I would be keeping a very close eye on this dog. How old are grandkids, do they have friends visit?

 

[Carol Dee]

What Nyboy said. He may be protective but also easily excited and then bite. Sure hope Dog has had all it vaccinations.

 

[bobm]

Grandson is 9 and granddaughter is 6. The dog is almost 2. Their neighborhood friends are at their house all the time and the dog is friendly to them and no issues so far. But again the kids play but are not rough housing either. The former owners had no issues with this dog. This dog made friends with me when we arrived and came to me for pets and ear rubs often. But when I was tickling my grandson who was laughing very loudly and rolling on the floor the dog bit me on my wrist, arm and side. Any advise NYboy ? Carol Dee, Yes, he is current on all shots.

 

[majorcatfish]

read up on the breed they are very playful and at the same time very protective of their family, you being a stranger might have thought you were hurting his boy.
just saying... glad your ok

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i would also stress caution with the dog. terriers can be ferociously loyal & will guard their humans very well if they perceive any threat regardless of if they show they liked you at the beginning.

even i know that from my Pembroke corgi, which the breed has terriers in their background. most of the time he just makes a growling sound as a warning & have only had a few times where if you took it to a point beyond where he likes it will he touch you with his teeth, never has he drawn blood. we do muzzle him at the vets as a precaution since he has gotten smart and knows the vet/staff will back off giving him Bordetella down the nose if he tries to snap at them.

my uncle has a rat terrier that is friendly with just about everyone, except those that come near the gate in the driveway when my uncle doesn't greet them first or they don't say hello with the dog's name. that is his disarming 'command' you could call it. though he still doesn't like delivery people at all. he has met the mailman in his uniform and reacts terrifyingly towards him, when the same guy is out of uniform it's like a whole different animal enjoying the affection. but i have seen the dog's reaction to strangers that are mean/rude to my uncle and the dog will go 'on point' and tense up like he's going on alert to attack.

 

[Nyboy]

While I don't think a dog being protective of home and family is a bad thing, your multi bites is sending up a red flag. Some dogs go into a rage when excited, springer spaniel are know for it. A rage is very different then a dog that will give a bite for warning . Because of this dogs size and known history, I would just keep a very close eye on dog when around kids. If this was a much larger dog I would advise different. One of my worries would be siblings fight, would the dog go after one child protecting the other? I do like the breed, they have big personality in little body.

 

[so lucky]

@bobm, were you standing over your grandson? Or bending over him? My son's Dalmatian/great Dane mix growls at me if I bend over one of the kids in a (perceived) threatening manner. I'm so glad it wasn't any worse. Bad enough, though. Imagine if it had been a large dog!

edited to correct dog breed.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree with NYboy...a dog that readily attacks and bites a human, no matter the perceived threat, is a cautionary tale and not an animal I'd have around children, no matter his size. Some irreparable damage can be done to children by small dogs, so it's nothing to sneeze at.

He should have been severely corrected for the behavior and, if training didn't curtail it, I'd put him down. No sense risking others for the life of one dog.

 

[jackb]

Ava was bitten on the face, neck and arm at Christmas party recently. The party was at her mother's uncle's house, who has recenlty relocated to this area from Florida. The dog had a "history" when these people took him from their son. The dog had bitten three people, including this person's own grandchild previously. The owners said they were going to have the dog destroyed, but as the days have passed, they have now decided to have another relative find someone to "train the dog". My son is furious to think that they let this animal loose with a few dozen strangers in the house, including five small children, knowing this dog's history. Ava was just sitting on the sofa when the dog attacked her and did nothing to provoke the animal. John is no longer speaking to these people, I don't blame him for feeling the way he does.
jackb