I got bit in the face today :(

Yikes!

I feel really bad for you and her owners.  I really hope they are able to figure out the trigger for her behaviour.  Do you have any idea if it was aggresive, fearful or playful?

My lab gets a little growly and possesive when he is really tired and hasn't had a break to be on his own in a while (Think long-weekends).

I have no idea what provoked it...she was trotting next to me off leash and out of nowhere- I didn't have anything in either hand- she nipped my hand (sort of hard) I said "Layla no" and she jumped up and bit my face. No growling, no hackles up, no nothing. She wasn't playing either. It was so unusual. There was nobody and no other dog besides the Golden near us. And she and the Golden are very good buddies- but at the time they weren't playing...the Golden was walking a little up ahead of us.

Honestly, I'm glad it was me and not a stranger or some kid...I've known her for a year and have a good relationship with her owners.

Did you bump into her prior to that at any point?  I know my childhood Saint bit a neighbor girl in the armpit (just caught her with his canine) one day after she accidentally bumped him in the knee.  We found out the next day that he had bone cancer in that knee, so it was very painful for him.  They're doing the right thing by taking her in to the vet...I hope they find something minorly wrong health-wise so it can all be cleared up and fixed and she can get back to her usual sweet self.

I'm crossing fingers that it all comes out ok!
 

I don't think I bumped into her. I hope everything is OK too.

Not having seen it firsthand, it's hard to guess what happened, but I know that when we first rescued Sassy (also a lab), I was quite amazed at just how mouthy she was. She was constantly mouthing my hand or my ankles and it hurt. When I'd tell her "no", she' reacted almost aggressively and would come towards me sort of chattering her teeth. It didn't happen more than a couple times, but when it did, it was really frighteninng. I don't blame you for being hesitant to walk her, but hopefully the owners can figure out what's going on.

Scary!  I was also bit by a lab, totally unprovoked.  I walked dogs for the local shelter and was walking this lab.  He was really sweet, albeit a little hyper and a bit of a puller, but you gotta give shelter dogs a break.  Well, I turn around to go back to the shelter, and just as I turned, he jumped on my back and bit into my shoulder.  I thought he was trying to hump me, so I pushed him down and said "no!"  At that second, he just started lunging and biting me all over.  He got my ribs, thigh, ankles, hands, and finally grabbed my upper arm and was shaking it.  I had really deep bruises for several months and often my arm hurt for even months after that.  Luckily he did not break skin b/c I was wearing my winter clothes.  My DH had to run over and pull the dog off me.  When he brought him back to the kennel, the other volunteers mentioned they never walked him b/c he always bit their hands and played too rough.  I do not think he was being aggressive, but he was very pushy and honestly, that is pretty dangerous considering a family with kids might have adopted him.  I'm 5'6" and pretty strong, it felt like he was ripping my arm off.

 I don't blame you for not wanting to walk him.  I wouldn't either until something is figured out.  Either he is in some sort of pain, or has some sort of imbalance or something that can be fixed.  I'm glad they're taking him to the vet.  They obviously care about the dog if they've hired you to walk him.  I hope he can be helped.  Sorry you got bitten.

Did you have any toys in your hand?

Where you approching a excitable place where she could have been anticipating anyhting and gotten antsy.

This sounds more like anxious excitable nipping versus a out right attack. I used to walk my neighbors golden retriever with Rory when she was younger and as we'd approach the park where they new they'd be let off leash the golden would start to get really excited and nippy. He didnt do it with his owner, just me. One day I had his toy (those long sticks with the tennis ball at the end for throwing) in the same hand I was walking Rory, Rory could care less about balls or fetch but the golden was crazy for it. Well in the confusion of trying to take their leashes off he thought Rory was going after his toy and he attacked her....she was only 5 months and she still has a scar on her muzzle.

The vet said that Labs, Goldens, and a lot of hearding dogs nip when excited versus other breeds who may bight out of aggression or protection. I just thought this correlated with your story and hope that the dog you walk gets a second chance....I dont mean to defend him but I can almost assure you that if it was his intention to hurt you badly he would have. It seems as if since you walk him you are a huge reason for excitement, maybe he just needs some redirection and management of his anxiety.

Liesje

I thought he was trying to hump me, so I pushed him down and said "no!"  At that second, he just started lunging and biting me all over.  He got my ribs, thigh, ankles, hands, and finally grabbed my upper arm and was shaking it.  I had really deep bruises for several months and often my arm hurt for even months after that.

I remember when that happened :(. Did that dog ever get adopted?

Since Sassy seemed to have been abandoned, we couldn't help but wonder if the mouthing and other somewhat aggressive issues were the reasoning. She's such a dream now and not mouthy at all, but she had us wondering what to do for awhile there. We don't have children, but if we had, I'm not sure we could've kept her.

I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm glad you are OK and the dog is going to the vet. Keedokes comment made me remember of another dog with bone cancer that used to bit people because of the pain, even though nobody knew until it was late. Anyway, I hope it is a simpler story.

Liesje: OMG what scary moment! Thank God your DH was close to help you.

Reading all the comments I'm thinking about Thor's best friend (golden retriever), Jerry. He is a very nice and well behaved dog but for no reason (apparent) he has bit Thor three times while they were playing. What an awful thing, more when after the second I stopped their playdates, thinking that maybe Thor was too much excited and Jerry feel like he was being attacked. And then, Jerry managed to bit Thor through his muzzle! Anyway, we live now far from Jerry. But I'm sure I'll be more aware of these kind of situations.

AuroraLove

Did you have any toys in your hand?

Where you approching a excitable place where she could have been anticipating anyhting and gotten antsy.

No toys, no nothing in my hands. We were already in the park for about 10mins or so.

 holy crap, that's scary! I'm glad he didn't get your eye or break the skin!!

That is scary---same thing happened to me with my daughter's first dal, totally unprovoked.I hope you're OK and they find out what went wrong or what caused it.

I just got off the phone with the owner. They can't explain what happend. They said since they got home she's been in her crate (the door is open)...she went in there by herself and has stayed there which is unusual. They're going to the vet tomorrow morning, I guess they couldn't get in today. They were extremely apologetic, which was nice.