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Matilda [no longer mine]

Today Matilda bit my 15 year old daughter, what should I do?

My daughter LOVES Matilda and does everything for her she feeds her, walks her, trains her and sometimes even pays for her vet bills. But for the last few months Matilda wont even play with her, when she calls her over she will totaly ignore her. And then today my daughter was walking in the hallway to open the closet and matildawas in her ways so she gently pushed her away with her foot and matilda growled and bit her foot and now it has Matildas teeth marks in it , with a big bruise and now she cant even walk on it, and my daughter is terrified of her and now I just dont know what to do. I suggested taking her to the pound and my daughter sadi no she might get put to sleep, so any suggstion on what to do?


Asked by Matilda [no longer mine] on Sep 20th 2007 in Aggression
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Best Answer

Riley

Please try obedience lessons with her before making any decisions on euthanasia.... Riley has been aggressive in the past and we are learning to manage it with just basic obedience. If you pmail me I can give you the name of a great obedience company... I'm just not sure if I can name it here. Obedience is ALWAYS what you should try and also taking her to the vet to make sure there is nothing medically wrong with her that is making her grumpy. GOOD LUCK!!


Riley answered on Sep 20th.

Other Answers

Answers

Blackie

There is a possibility she could be hurt or sick ?!?!?! Maybe take a visit to your vet to make sure Matilda is okay health wise. Has there been any major changes in your household lately that Matilda could be upset about? Is your daughter back in school now?
I wish I had more suggestions for you on how to keep this from happening again. I hope you find a way to work it out without taking Matilda to a shelter.
Good luck


Blackie answered on 9/20/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 2 Report this answer


Guest

Sometimes dogs bite people when they are hurting so check Matilda over maybe she has something something on her paws? Or a tick under the collar? Watch some behavior channels like " Me or the dog " or Ceasar Millan!


Guest 356093 answered on 9/20/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Guest

She may not be feeling very well. Maybe you should take her to the vet to make sure nothing is wrong with her. If not then maybe you should take her to behavioural training.


Guest 892072 answered on 9/20/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


♥ Missy ♥

Like Someone previously answered, she could be ill. I advice you take her to the vets for a full health check to make sure she isn't in any physical pain. Sudden behaviour changes like Matilda's is common in dogs that are in pain somehow. If she is in good health after the vets have seen her, then it could just be that your daughter startled her and unfortunatly Matilda reacted defensively. I suggest getting a behaviourist to see her if her behaviour progresses, hopefully it was just an unfortunate accident that won't happen again.
Good luck,
Missy's mum.


♥ Missy ♥ answered on 9/20/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Hobie

I would agree with everyone else that maybe she wasn't feeling well. Just having a bad day. Or another possibility is that maybe she was jealous. Has your daughter had any friends over where she was ignoring Matilda or anything like that? Another thing now since your daughter was already bitten Matilda is now reading her body language differently than she was before. So Matilda could be sensing a change in her bahavior and that's why she's acting out against her. Have your daughter try to not show any fear around Matilda like it never happened. Hopefully then everything can be back to normal.

Please try everything possible before giving up on Matilda and sending her to the pound. Everydog has a bad day once in a while. Just like people do.


Hobie answered on 9/21/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Moxie

If her vet check shows Matilda is in good health - I have read and seen on the Dog Whisperer that having your daughter work with her will help. If Matilda thinks that your daughter is an alpha (or leader) she will show respect for her. Having your daughter take her to obedience training would be very helpful.
Good luck! I hope things work out for you. :0)


Moxie answered on 9/21/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


DejaVu 11/12/99 to 7/25/2008

Hi mom
Please get Matilda into a vet. Have her checked over - Blood work, urine, stool. HOw old is Matilda? She could also sense a growing up of your daughter?? there are many factors here in play I see you are in WA, so are we in Snohomish.Have you contacted a behavior trainer? someone to come -listen to what has been going on and give you one on one help. from getting your Daughter & matilda doeing thigs together?? like obedience or a stuctured play? to you -your daughter and Matty trinaing all together. Special time for just Her and the family?
we have 4 5 doggie members here. Each one of us get special time eveny day w/ mom & dad We look forward to it.


DejaVu 11/12/99 to 7/25/2008 answered on 9/21/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Jack

She could be sick, yes, but she could also have some other, more subtle emotional issues. Dogs are like humans, with very complex emotional issues.

Please take the time and effort and follow through with the commitment you made when adopting this dog. As others have advised, take Mathilda to the vet, first, for a thorough checkup. Then, find a good, responsible trainer or behavioralist in your area. Your local shelter MIGHT even have free classes. Sometimes, it is amazing how you can be not even aware of a seemingly trivial warning sign that the dog is giving that can help you cope with this sort of thing.

The truth is that it is VERY rare for good, positive training techniques to fail on a dog, IF you follow through. This is a situation you need a professional for.

Good luck!!!!


Jack answered on 9/21/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Oreo

I agree with the others, if she normally isn't like this and all of a sudden she's biting, then definitely something is different. Since this has been for a few months, maybe there was something that happened that stunned her that she's skittish? Since your daughter is 15, maybe a friend came over and wasn't used to a short dog and accidently walked into her.

With this whole "ignorance" may be she's not hearing her well? Bassets can have ear problems and it could impair her, maybe the the point that she doesn't want to be messed with.

How did she gently push her away? When we first got Oreo he didn't wanted to be touched in certain areas, or maybe that area in particular she pushed her with is the root of the problem...check to see if it's sensitive.

Tell your daughter to be a shining example and not show her fear. Be calm, but it's ok to keep distance - until you get to the root of the problem.


Oreo answered on 9/21/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


♥ Messina ♥

Check with a vet first, and if there is a clean bill of health, consult a behaviorist and a trainer. They will give you a professional opinion on why the dog may have acted this way. Dog's don't just bite for "no reason"...perhaps this problem can be easily solved with the right people guiding you along.

To automatically resort to putting the dog to death without checking all options first is selfish and inhumane. A dog isn't just something you purchase and keep when everything is fine and dandy, and throw it away as soon as there are complications. Your dog wouldn't give up on you so easily, so why would you do that to your dog without making sure you've covered all basis first?


♥ Messina ♥ answered on 9/21/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Georgie

I agree - start with a vet check because you never know.

Is it just your daughter she's aggressive with? If so, have your daughter take over all her care. I know you state that she does this already but make sure no one else helps at all. I would also work on some Nilf (nothing in life is free). Have your daughter make matilda sit or lay down before she gets fed or treats or outside. That way she learns that she has to please your daughter before she can get anything she wants. Pick up and put away all toys, only to be doled out by your daughter when matilda is good. All good things must come from your daughter. Make it so matilda totally has to rely on her for her care. This will help with matilda to start to learn that your daughter is the boss, not her, and she has to respect her as well.

On a side note, with a bite history, it is very likley that matilda would be euthanized if you brought her to a shelter.

Good luck


Georgie answered on 9/22/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Russell woo-woo *Hearing dog*

Hi, I agree with others get her a vet check up. Then try to find an Animal behaviorist. They will help you out and they are more qualified in dealing with aggressive dogs.

~Russell & Joy


Russell woo-woo *Hearing dog* answered on 9/22/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Sandy CGC

Okay, it sounds like there was a sudden shift in the dog's behavior so look for a key incident. Do a full physical exam with the vet to rule out pain. Then watch her behavior. Is she acting odd towards everyone? Was there a large shift in the routine? You must remember that dogs don't have voice to communicate, they use growls and inhibited bites - it's natural. Teach her a "move please" or "excuse me" command. When she's laying in front of something toss a cookie away from your body, paired with the phrase of your choice. She will move to eat the food. Don't use physical force. If you've been using physical force for training, stop (collar pops, e-collar, prong, chain). Consult a behaviorist ASAP. www.iaabc.org Don't dump her at the pound, they will euthanize her b/c she now has a bite history. Don't give up on her, she never gave up on you.


Sandy CGC answered on 9/22/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Kobi

please take her to the vet!!!!
my aunts dog once was acting funny
and got a bit agressive,
that dog( Bethoven)
was a sweet heart and was theyre little baby.
and he growled at her and she got afraid and then he started shaking and acting weird they took him to the vet and turned out he had drincked or steped on I dont remember but got in contact with RAT PEE!!!!
they had to put him to sleep cuz it was to late:(.
please take her to the vet she could be sick!


Kobi answered on 9/22/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


BayLee Jean

I agree with having her checked to make sure nothing is wrong. Being with all the kitty family that you have she may be getting a little bit jeolous . If your daughter may have surprised her when she came in the hall or when she used her foot to move her and to me is a no no that she didn't expect her to do that either. You have to talk to them and tell them to move or get down or sit. I would never use part of my body to move a pup as she might have thought that she was kicking her. She probably was guarding herself from your daughter. She should have just said "Matilda Move"Definitly don't use the foot.


BayLee Jean answered on 9/28/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


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