Does anyone have a dog with a bite history? An as yet unrealized threat to bite?

[Stinky The Clown]

Our Border Collie has the record. She's bitten once and nearly bitten twice. Her one bite, which was reported to the County, occurred when she was at a groomer. He was short an operator and was doing dogs himself. As he was doing dogs he was answering the phone, doing books, buying ads in the Daily Fish Wrap, and who knows what else. When he had our girl on the table, he hadn't yet muzzled her or leashed her. She was just standing there (which kind of pisses me off - not safe). He forgot all this, was standing behind her, and, inches from her right ear, started his blow dryer. Her reaction was swift and decisive. His hand was saved because the blow dryer handle prevented her from chomping all the way. He called the vet and the county to report the incident. Of course her shots were up to date. He was VERY apologetic. Of course, he charged us for the grooming. I totally blame him, but now she has the record.

Once, when we were at a flea market, I had her on her usual very short leash. A woman came along and, without asking, said "Oh what a cute dog!" and went down to get face to face. The dog went to bite her face but I had the leash well in hand and was able to pull her back. he lady told me I had a mean dog. I should have told her husband he had a dumbfuck wife. But I couldn't. Cuz she was alone.

This same dog has been in with crowds of kids and just loves them all. The worst she ever did was pee. But still I always walk her on a short leash. I will also stand far enough away from people when we stop to talk.

Our Shih-Tzu has the next record. She bit Sparkly - pretty badly, actually - on the band of her calf when Sparkly stepped between her and the Border Collie, who were having some kind of doggie drama. The Shih-Tzu was a biting machine, going totally on instinct at that split second she bit. Normally, she's as sweet as can be.

The beak, scary one, the GSD, has never even snapped or bared teeth. Ever. Not even close. She is, as I have said so many times, the gentlest soul to ever walk the earth.

Anyway . . . . . do any of you have dogs who have actually bitten or you think could bite?

What do you do about it, if anything?

[nadine_mn]

1. Had few instances

We had an Australian shepherd when I was a kid that was a rescue and poorly trained. We didn't know better - kept her tied up outside by the garage... she was very unsocialized and once a family member came up to her, despite her warning (barking crazily) and an 8 yr old me yelling at him to leave her alone, and she bit his leg when he finally advanced on her (he was drunk). Her second bite - she was sleeping and someone came in the back door of the garage, scared the crap out of her and she nipped. We had to put her down... it was our fault for not training her better.

Currently we have a GSD who has been in 3 other homes before ours (his original, the rescue/foster, my mom's and then us when my mom decided she couldn't handle him) and he has not been socialized well with other dogs. When we took him in we had 3 large dogs and a cat... our eldest 2 dogs have since passed away but my "baby" was a little jealous when the GSD moved in and there were some tussles before he passed away.

Anyway, our GSD has had two dog-on-dog bites - one he escaped and went after my mom's neighbor's dog and the second time was at the groomer. The groomer wasn't paying attention and didn't make sure my husband had his leash and just opened the door to let him out and he lunged and mouthed another dog.

These aren't real aggressive bites because a GSD has quite the bite force and both dogs he "bit" just barely had the flesh broken. It's more of an assertive mouthing because he doesn't know the strength of himself. I am not in denial about my dog's anti-social behavior - he just goes full force greeting when he sees another dog. I have seen aggression and real dog fights, and he is not at that level...he just needs to tone it down. Our cat has taught him how to play with him, and our family dogs can get along with him, its just his initial approach is a little forceful.

We muzzle him in public though just to be safe and the muzzle works for 2 ways besides the obvious- I am less tense about him biting which means I am not transferring negative energy and it puts others on notice that hey... this dog has a muzzle maybe I should back off.

Herding dogs are always prone to nipping IMO because that is their job and how they communicate, you have to be more vigilant I think. I have had german shepherds, an australian shepherd, and a collie in addition to lab mixes and the herders were always more mouthy.

I hate stupid people whose mistakes can really hurt a dog (speaking from experience and wishing we had raised our Australian shepherd better, but in my defense I was only 7-8 yrs old).

[livetohike]

2. Murphy (our ACD) bit me on the face in Feb. resulting in 8 stitches

You and the group helped me out so much during that trauma. He has not bitten me or anyone else since. We live out in the woods and he has little contact with people and zero contact with other dogs (besides our Catahoula Leopard Cindy). Cindy doesn't have a mean, nasty bone in her body despite her breed's reputation for aggressiveness. He has never bitten her.

Murphy is 9.5 years old and had never bitten anyone prior to the incident in Feb. I still can't figure out why he bit me. When we lived in a neighborhood for his first 4 years of life, he had contact with people and other dogs and while he wasn't the friendliest of creatures (he always barked at others), he never bit or even growled at anyone.

I am of no help in giving advice, since I am still perplexed with my own situation. I've had dogs my whole life(I'm 60 years old now) and never had one like this.

[yellerpup]

3. My mommy pit bull 'nipped' my forearm

when I was paying more attention to one of her (big, 9 week old pups) puppies than I was to her. Just a nip from those jaws bruised me to the bone. She was scolded but not reported because it was only me and it would have been her word against mine anyway. Can't say she was ashamed, though, because she never signaled contrition.