[stinkdog]

Hi, I am a newbie to the forum and could really use some guidance on the experience we had this weekend with a new rescue dog. A little background, we are a family with two little children ( 2 yrs and 10 months) that recently had our family dog (Sadie) pass away from cancer 6 wks ago – she was a 15 yr old husky / shepherd mix. We were heartbroken, but decided to try and find a new friend for our family since we love dogs. Ideally we’d like to get two dogs this time – getting the second sometime after we’ve had some time to bond and get acclimated with the first.

So this weekend we went to another adoption event for a local rescue group. We met a very sweet hound that is 2 yrs old and about 45 lbs. She seemed to really love people, licking both of my kids faces and taking food gently out of my 2 yr old’s hand. There were plenty of dogs there and she didn’t seem to pay much attention to them or be phased by them. The rescue had just gotten her so they didn’t have much background on her and she wasn’t fostered, but she did seem very sweet and seemed to like us quite a bit.

So we took the plunge and took her home. She acclimated to our house nicely and we were surprised to see that she knew commands like sit, stay, etc. She also was quite submissive to me and like to have her belly rubbed. My brother also went with us to the adoption day, and had his 12 yr old husky shepherd dog Marley at our house when we got home. Marley is a sweet dog (65 lbs) that loves to play.

So here is our issue:

1. When we got home, we fed the dog and immediately saw that she was food aggressive, growling at us and the other dog, watching to make sure we didn’t take her food. She didn’t bit, but did give off growl warnings. We immediately tried to work on that, telling her no, trying to feed her by the hand and removing the bowl. It worked a little, but she still growled. I haven’t seen her do it with treats or toys yet, but it’s only been 1 day.

2. My bigger worry is what happened next. About 2 hrs of being home, we left the two dogs on the deck for a few minutes and the new dog started violently attacking the husky Marley. She tore both of her ears and drew quite a bit of blood. I ran outside to break them up and as soon as I grabbed the new dog’s collar, she was immediately submissive to me and rolled on her back. I’ll also add that she didn’t have a scratch on her, so Marley was just defending herself and not fighting back. I ended up having to separate the two dogs in different parts of the house so the new dog wouldn’t see Marley – she kept growling at her. I have no idea if she’s just not dog social or it was an alpha female thing. Marley the husky was traumatized and ended up hiding in the front foyer of our house until they left the next morning. We kept the new dog on the deck and then I crated her overnight -- she did fine with that.

So now I don’t know what to do. I know dogs from rescues sometimes come with baggage, but this dog is a big love with people and initially she seemed to get along ok with the other dog, but that obviously wasn’t the case. She’s also bonded to me very quickly following me around the house and tail wagging. Also, everyone in our family has dogs, so it’s not uncommon for us to bring them on family holiday, vacations, etc. Being that I have two little children and want to get a second dog what should I do? Should I try and work with this dog and get a trainer to see if her aggression can be reduced or removed or does that seem like a pipe-dream? Or should I return her and try another dog? The shelter said I could return her if I wanted and that they would also set me up with a trainer too if I wanted to try. Like I said she seems very gentle and sweet with people for the most part (playful, snuggler, obey’s basic commands), but she obviously has some issues. How do I know the aggression won’t turn to my kids? I don’t want to give up on her so easily and I’d hate to return her – she’s bonded to me very quickly and is very smart -- on the other hand, I don’t want a biter around my 10 month old. Am I better off training a new puppy or trying a new dog? Would love to hear some opinions on this – what would you do?

[cigwyllt]

First of all, well done for taking on a rescue dog instead of finding a pup.

As the shelter has no background info on her it isn't altogether surprising that she has some food aggressive tendencies. A dog that has had to forage or fight for its food may well be over possessive and guarding so I wouldn't let that worry you too much right now. If you continue to work on it as you are doing and protect her from too much stress at meal times - for instance keep the children away and allow her to eat in peace -then with time and patience she should start to understand that she has no need to guard her food.

As for the incident with your brother's dog - although your dog wasn't injured in the fight it isn't fair to say that she was definitely the one to start it. Body language between dogs is very subtle - your brother's dog could have ignored a signal that she was giving or could have challenged her with his body language giving rise to the fight. Obviously she may have attacked him for no reason but there was no one there to witness it so it is impossible to tell.

If you are really in love with this dog I would definitely accept the rescue's offer of a trainer to help you assess her aggression and over come it. If you are not confident that that can be done then the fairest thing for all of you is to give her up sooner rather than later.

[stinkdog]

Hi cigwyllt, I appreciate your quick response to my issue. And you're right, I suppose it is possible that the husky started it somehow --- the husky is normally such a submissive and sweet dog, but nobody really saw what the triggered the new dog to bite. Unfortunately, we don't have any other dogs around to see if the issue is dogs in general or if it's a workable training issue -- I guess a dog class would be the solution. I'm also looking online to find some books on the issue.

Other members of my extended family feel that I'm taking on too much of a risk by keeping her as an "unknown" around my little kids, but I can't help but feel like I'm letting her down somehow for not trying to at least see if she is trainable. She's just so sweet at times -- I think if I had older children my answer would be more of a no-brainer to try and keep her.

I tried searching this forum to see if there were any similar stories that had success. Would love to hear some stories if they are out there.

[lange]

That is too bad. I feel for you since your heart is in the right place!

I 100% side with your family. I would never keep a dog with guarding/food aggression if I had young children. In my opinion, you could try to work around it or work through it but ultimately you are ALWAYS running a risk especially since this dog has not grown to accept your own kids from puppyhood. A dog like that needs to be placed in the right home for the sake of all children, which I would always prioritize.

Any other issues are only secondary but the fact that this new dog did actual DAMAGE to the husky, shows that it has no bite inhibition!! Together these are two, HUGE red flags that this dog is not the right fit for your home.

[stinkdog]

Hi Lange,

A lot of what you say makes total sense - little kids in the mix makes things a real game changer. My head knows she's probably not the right fit, but my heart breaks for her because I know she's had a tough little life so far and she can be so sweet. If I didn't have kids, I'd work on her. We had spent a few good hours with her at the adoption center before taking her home, but it just goes to show you just never know what they will really be like until you are in your own environment.

I spoke to the shelter and they are going to take her back and try to work on socializing her more with other dogs. I really hope they do work with her before putting her back out there for adoption again - she really does have so much potential and a lot of love to give to the right family with the right fit. I told them that she may be a better fit for a "one dog" household with a couple without kids or with much older kids that understand dog behavior and space.

I think our next approach will be to either find a dog that has been fostered with dogs AND kids so we know the history or a puppy. At least I learned something.......

[lange]

Reading all of your posts I can see it was a hard decision especially with the strong connection you made with her from the get go. I really do feel you've saved everyone from serious problems & heartache down the line, including the dog. I'm with you, the real issue is your little ones being far to vulnerable for these specific issues. I'm sure you would do wonderfully helping a troubled dog. You sound very caring & committed. I'm also sure you'll find a great dog down the line.. And even if it's not so great, I have a feeling you'll mold it into the perfect dog for you!

[cigwyllt]

That must have been such a hard decision and not one that you have taken easily.

I do hope you find the right dog for your family very soon. Whatever dog ends up in your home is going to be a very lucky puppy (or adult).

[stinkdog]

Hi, and thank you both for the kinds words and your advice. Yes, it was incredibly hard to do. In fact, when we returned her to the kennel I opened up the hatch of our mini-van, she took a couple of sniffs and just stopped wagging her tail or taking any treats. She knew - and of course that just made me feel worse. But essentially, I know it was the best decision for the sake of the kids. At least now I have a better feel for what we're looking for and personality type in a pooch. And we're definitely going to keep looking for another rescue dog - I am a big believer in that. Just too many out there that need homes. We're planning on going to another adoption day this weekend, so keep your fingers crossed for us. :-)