New foster dog attacked my daughter!

Was it me, Glenda? 
Really, if I sound harsh I'm not trying to be harsh in a mean way at all.  I just want her to realize that before she can do anything for this dog she needs to see him for what he is.  It's not that she shouldn't love him. 
 
I didn't have anyone to tell me this stuff with Willow.  And, I went in circles for a long time with trying to rationalize everything she did so it didn't seem as bad as what it was.  The reality is she should of been more stable than she was.  And, until I accepted it was HER and not in this case, the swing, the motion of the swing, who he likes better, the bite was small, etc, etc.  things weren't going to get any better. 
 
That's all I'm trying to say because believe me I know how hard this must be.  I had many, many sleepless nights up reading on the internet about how to keep myself and especially DH safe when we first got Willow. 
 
So, please don't take my posts as insulting you or anything like that.  At least you do have experience, I had none at all.  But, sometimes when you're close to a situation your emotions cloud your judgement.  Look at this as if he wasn't your dog.  What would you tell someone else?

LOL!  I've been asked by a number of folks if THEY were stepping over the line...all but the RIGHT person has been concerned.

Glenmar, your PM message box is full.  Boy did you just miss a juicey bit of info.

Hmmmm, you do know my email addy!  And, thanks for the heads up, I emptied the inbox.  Now, juicy?  Give!!!

You say you keep them apart, but what happens if one day a friend comes over and doesn't know the dog is outside and walks out there

 
My friends are not stupid.People dont walk in the front door without knocking and usually calling first.There are 14 dogs in here! They certainly arent going to walk in and go out the back door to the yard,there isnt an outside gate anymore.If i am not home he is crated.He loves his crate and is very comfortable is there he has never so much as even pawed at the door to try to get out.
As far as him "turning on me" when i am alone,if thats a risk i am willing to take then its my choice.

I'm not a behavorist my any means, but my two cents worth is to argee with the opinion that the dog doesn't see your daughter as a leader, or respect her as a human. I was attacked by a German Shepard when I was about eleven. I was bit plenty but the thing that really saved me was that I stood my ground and spoke to the dog in a commanding voice (total bluff), and the bites were really more like test bites. Who knows, mabye the dog had bite inhibition instilled, but believe me it was definently prey drive that was making him go!

Nyiceprincess, I agree that this is a personal matter and I support any decision or action you take.  I understand the wrenching feeling.

 

  I sure hope that your daughter heals quickly and that this incident does not make her fearful of dogs. 

 
What I wanted to say has been already been said.
 

  As far as him "turning on me" when i am alone,if thats a risk i am willing to take then its my choice.

 
If this was my dog I would be saying this too
 

There are 14 dogs in here!

 
WOW - I can only handle one dog.

ORIGINAL: clauzilla

I am reading this and I can't belive that for one minute you would keep a dog like this in the same house as your children. You say you keep them apart, but what happens if one day a friend comes over and doesn't know the dog is outside and walks out there, lawsuit waiting to happen, and are you ready for your child to be killed if the dog decides one day to break out of the crate. What happens if he turns on you when you are alone. There are too many nice dogs that needs homes, dangerous dogs like this are what is giving pitt bulls a bad name. The nicest thing to do is euthanize him before there are more problems. This may sound harsh but I work at a vet hosp and we see it in dogs adopted from the pound that a few months later decide to eat the humans, something happened to make the first family give him up, maybe they are not telling the truth.
Please do not allow your child to become a statistic just because you think you can cure him, and if he bit your husband that would tell me he is a biter, meaning he does not respect humans and could bite anyone, no insurance would let you have this dog in your house knowing this,

you're reading, but you're not understanding.  i think you are being really disrespectful to a well educated, experienced member of this forum who does a lot of great work with fostering dogs.  instead of evaluating the dog's behavior, you have attacked the person.

judge not, lest ye be judged, and don't you forget it.
 
and it is NOT dogs like this that give pits a bad name.  what gives pits a bad name are irresponsible handlers who encourage human aggression.  people who recognize a behavioral problem and try to fix it are NOT the problem, and neither is the dog.  and FOR THE RECORD, this is a PIT MIX.  pits are not ever supposed to attack humans.  they are supposed to attack other dogs.  so who's to say that it's not the "mix" part of the dog that has the problem?

ORIGINAL: badrap


and it is NOT dogs like this that give pits a bad name.  what gives pits a bad name are irresponsible handlers who encourage human aggression.  people who recognize a behavioral problem and try to fix it are NOT the problem, and neither is the dog.  and FOR THE RECORD, this is a PIT MIX.  pits are not ever supposed to attack humans.  they are supposed to attack other dogs.  so who's to say that it's not the "mix" part of the dog that has the problem?

With all due respect, if (God forbid) a mistake were to be made and this dog were to harm someone, do you *really* think any of what you said will matter to the media, or average people who know nothing of dogs?  Situations like this scare the hell out of me as a pit owner, because if something were to happen (and it may just take one minor slip up) there would be a ripple effect that takes its toll on pit bulls everywhere.  it is not right, it is not fair, but it is the extra cross you have to bare when you have such an embattled breed.

ORIGINAL: sillysally
With all due respect, if (God forbid) a mistake were to be made and this dog were to harm someone, do you *really* think any of what you said will matter to the media, or average people who know nothing of dogs?  Situations like this scare the hell out of me as a pit owner, because if something were to happen (and it may just take one minor slip up) there would be a ripple effect that takes its toll on pit bulls everywhere.  it is not right, it is not fair, but it is the extra cross you have to bare when you have such an embattled breed.

 
you are right, without a doubt, that the "pit" in the mix will be in trouble for sure, and the rest of us along with it.
 
i don't want to hijack the thread because i think it's far too important.
 
the point of my post was to defend the OP's ability to make a judgement on what's right for her family, and to state my feeling that i don't think she should be attacked for making her decisions, and i got sidetracked defending the "pit" in the "mix", which i admit i am known to be easily distracted by doing.  i still happen to think that the OP is doing the best she can to keep this dog from becoming the dog that gives pits the bad name.  i don't think that dog is there yet, and i don't think that SHE thinks the dog is there yet, either.
 
the post i took issue with suggested that the dog was already there.  i just don't happen to agree.
 
i think the fact that it's a pit mix is a little more inflammatory.  if it was an unidentifiable mix or a golden retriever, i wonder if the charge to euthanize would be so fast....  just curious!! just curious!

I'll PM you--I don't want to hijack the thread.....

if thats a risk i am willing to take then its my choice.

ABSOLUTELY! 

I know that some trainers will do an amount of consult from e-mails.  My own trainer has done this in the past- sends a pretty extensive questionaire that is designed to elicit what she needs to know - obviously a big limitation, and you need a trainer w/just the right experiences. I might try finding someone to work with you in that way - get video tape of him just being his happy self, interacting with you in his regular routines. All this to show his relaxed nature.  Then video tape as you try to expose him to things. You may or may not see things. A pro may or may not see things. 
 
ETA - because I feel responsible to the lurkers here, I'm only saying this pertinent to this situation as described. 

   Getting back to the original issue,And because an opinion was asked for,I still believe that separating the dog and the kids is the best short term answer .
   I do not believe in testing the dog to see what sets him off.However,for myself,I would put myself in the swing and see if it bothered the dog.This is me though,and I might not recommend it for anyone that is not able to fend off the dog,should it attack.I am the guy who made a mistake recently with my own dogs,and had to break up a fight between 3 of my dogs,receiving a gash in my leg for my troubles.And yes,I would do it again,only maybe not placing my leg in harms way...lol

I would,as I have done with my own problematic dog,Let my kid,under supervision,provide all food,water,toys and any other thing that this dog wants and needs.I would also get the kid to walk the dog under supervision.The dog and kid will need to establish some kind of bond and trust with eachother.It will be more up to the kid as whether this will work,because  the dog shouldn't have much choice in the matter.I would start slow and build up to different and deeper levels of trust..

I had the most good natured Golden Retreivers and yet still never left them alone with the kids.I believe fully that I could have left them alone together,but worried more about the actions of the kids than thedogs.My kids love the dogs,but have erred in the past with judgement.I would rather them not err in judgement concerning my dogs.

I also do not believe in giving up on a dog until all avenues have failed.You seem to be doing all the right things..If it still dosn't work out for you,then do try to find a kid free home that will be willing to work with him,or build a sanctuary..Either way,the dog gets to live .

Personal opinion only, but I'm thinking that the OP wanted thots and ideas and instead she's been nailed to the cross so to speak for caring about this animal and wanting to find a way to salvage him.  That's a shame.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Personal opinion only, but I'm thinking that the OP wanted thots and ideas and instead she's been nailed to the cross so to speak for caring about this animal and wanting to find a way to salvage him.  That's a shame.

I hardly think anyone's "nailing her to the cross."  Out of four pages there was only one post that was a bit off.  This is hardcore serious stuff--I doubt that the topic is going to be 4 pages of  "Awww, how sad111!!!!"  SHe has gotten a number of thoughts and ideas.