Need to re-home my adult Weimaraner

I don't usually reply to threads but this one made me want too. I agree with the majority that you need to set boundaries with your child. This happened to me st 4/5 years old, always had dogs and at the time had the friendliest boxer in the world. Dog was sleeping on the floor next for he sofa, and I was playing, and thought it acceptable to roll onto the poor dog. Needless to say I gave the poor thing a huge fright and he snapped at me. My mum and dad witnessed the whole thing and I got royally told and and I quote "I hope that taught you a lesson" I'm telling you now, I never made that mistake again, and funnily enough the dog never snapped or even growled for the rest of his life, and in return I respect every dog and even to this day, I still never bother my own dogs whilst sleeping! Give the poor dog a break, I don't know about her but if someone hurt me whilst sleeping I'm not sure I'd be too pleased!
 
victoria1980x said:
http://www.weimaraner-rescue.org.uk/

http://www.weimaranerclubofgreatbritain.org.uk/index.php/rescue
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Well done HHO! My gut feeling is that OP was a genuine poster with a genuine concern about her dog and child. A few (a very few) replied gave her useful info on breed rescue organisations. Most just told her that she is a rubbish parent.

Thank heavens we are all so wise and knowledgeable.

I'm not surprised OP hasn't come back, and I really hope that her dog and child are OK.
 
I have not read all the replies but we had an elderly staffy girl, she was losing her sight and hearing she had bad arthritis and could no longer be taken out for a walk, she was 12yo, it was getting to the stage my 2yo, was startling her, this slowly worsened until she got very close to his face, I didn't want to remember my baby girl as the 'dog that scared my babies face/killed my child'

So we spoke to our vet, took her for long walk, and my mum and brother took her to the vets, whilst I sat on a freezing cold beach blubbering like a big baby,

I could never have rehomed her, we had her from 8 weeks old, she had always been such a playful loyal companion, but she was an old girl, and we owed it to her to give he a dignified end, not one for sad and upsetting reasons because we couldnt read the signs.

Good luck OP, I hope you can arrange something more suited to you and your companion

ETA - dog & child were always supervised, my children have been around dogs/cats from birth and incidents were not from sleeping, but general day to day activities.
 
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Realistically the chances of an older dog finding a new home, especially with a history of having snapped at a child, are very, very low. Do try the breed specific rescues and see what they say but I'd be surprised if there is a good home waiting out there to take your dog.

How do you manage the dog-toddler situation? Do you have stair gates/room dividers to keep the two apart? At 3.5yo your child should be able to understand some rules about the dog. Can you separate the two when either gets a bit too excited?
 
I wonder how old the saying is to "Let sleeping dogs lie"?

Nothing constructive to the OP to offer but others read these posts. Children think and reason differently to adults.

A mother wanted to warn her child about meddling with the dog so she opened it's mouth and showed the child it's teeth and explained what damage they could do. The next visitor who came to the house was taken by the child to the dog where she carefully lifted a lip to show the visitor what massive teeth the dog had!

Speaking personally, no dog has ever bitten me twice. If it was someone else's dog, I made sure to keep out of it's way so there was no next time. If it was my own, well, that's a different story, but I'd make sure it never bit anyone else. This thread demonstrates why I would never take on a rescue. Sorry about that.
 
If our child had done something to the dog while it was sleeping that resulted in the dog snapping the child would have been told off by us as well.

You say your toddler scratched her nipple? So either you were leaning over watching or it was a bad enough scratch to leave a mark. I would have snapped too I'm afriad.

I would have the dog PTS if you cannot keep it, poor thing deserves better than the Preloved future.
 
Dry Rot said:
Speaking personally, no dog has ever bitten me twice. If it was someone else's dog, I made sure to keep out of it's way so there was no next time. If it was my own, well, that's a different story, but I'd make sure it never bit anyone else. This thread demonstrates why I would never take on a rescue. Sorry about that.
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Why on earth would you not take on a rescue based on this thread? This dog had been owned from a puppy and had simply reacted to a child behaving completely inappropriately, it had not shown any aggression nor had it bitten the child.

As for Bedlam's comment - not wise and knowledgeable, I just use common sense!
 
Agree with others major over reaction on OP's part the child caused the issue there not the dog, or you could say the parent caused the issue by not keeping an eye on said child.

If that was the only thing the dogs has done wrong in 9 years I would take it, sounds like a cracking pet and I love Weimaraners, handsome energetic fun dogs. Having had setters, Springers, collies and CKC's all in the house with my mother being a nanny and us being small they all in their times saw small kids even babies and we never had an incident and Im now 30.

Please OP reconsider the dog did nothing wrong.
 
I'm on the side of keeping the dog also...trying to rehome an elderly dog, an action which could cause her a lot of distress after a lifetime in the same home, in the mouth of the New Year, when the UK already awash with unwanted or discarded dogs, is a bit of an ask.
If you really find you cannot trust her I would PTS.
 
You all saw my post, I was very much of the opinion it wasn't the dogs fault, and still am. But I have messaged the OP, and subsequently spoken to her on the phone and it is a more complicated and distressing situation than it would appear. So - any CONSTRUCTIVE ideas anyone please, not more condemnation- she asked for ideas as to how to rehome, not for your thoughts on what a bad owner she is. Let's help her get it sorted if we can?
 
Fair do's, JillA.

Can the dog be rehomed with another dog? Can we have a rough idea of the dog's current location? People can then put their thinking caps on and see what suggestions we can come up with.

Eta. I am not familiar with weimaraners so any guidance to novices like me would be welcome.
 
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I haven't commented before as my thoughts were the same as most others. However, I would suggest contacting the breed rescues as linked above, and see if they consider she has a chance of finding the right home. If, as I fear, they are unable to help then I would pts. Although not ancient 9 is quite old to be rehoming a dog of a breed which I understand to be quite sensitive.
 
MurphysMinder said:
I haven't commented before as my thoughts were the same as most others. However, I would suggest contacting the breed rescues as linked above, and see if they consider she has a chance of finding the right home. If, as I fear, they are unable to help then I would pts. Although not ancient 9 is quite old to be rehoming a dog of a breed which I understand to be quite sensitive.
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Totally agree with this
 
Lévrier;12225043 said:
Why on earth would you not take on a rescue based on this thread? This dog had been owned from a puppy and had simply reacted to a child behaving completely inappropriately, it had not shown any aggression nor had it bitten the child.

As for Bedlam's comment - not wise and knowledgeable, I just use common sense!
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I no longer take on rescues because people are selective in what they tell you.

As has been admitted here, the dog will be difficult to re-home, so there is temptation to omit details to "save the dog's life". Do people lie? You betcha! They are even more inclined to miss out essential details when under pressure.

We all have to die sometime. It is just a question of when. It is not the passing but the manner of the passing. Maybe the dog simply snapped instinctively and it was not at fault. Would I take that risk with a child's face? No, I wouldn't.
 
Dry Rot said:
IWe all have to die sometime. It is just a question of when. It is not the passing but the manner of the passing. Maybe the dog simply snapped instinctively and it was not at fault. Would I take that risk with a child's face? No, I wouldn't.
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So would you never have a dog in a home with a young child around then? That is a genuine question, because taking the situation as described in the OP I believe that the dog here reacted in a way that any other dog would do in such a situation.

As I always say about rescue dogs - it is MY responsibility to ensure that they are not allowed to get into situations where such incidents might occur.
 
Lévrier;12225431 said:
So would you never have a dog in a home with a young child around then? That is a genuine question, because taking the situation as described in the OP I believe that the dog here reacted in a way that any other dog would do in such a situation.

As I always say about rescue dogs - it is MY responsibility to ensure that they are not allowed to get into situations where such incidents might occur.
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I, too, believe that was a natural reaction for a sleeping dog.

No, I would not totally trust any dog to be left alone with a young child as I know too much about training.

Animals can be trained to do things that are totally out of character. It is also possible for them to react in ways that are totally out of character if they misinterpret a signal or receive the wrong prompt (as is probable in this case) from instinct.
 
I did comment in agreement with most other posters, its a shame we were not in full knowledge of the facts which is what you now are JillA, I stand by my original comment about pts for all the reasons I gave.
 
Sadly, as others have said, if she can't trust the dog then she must do the right thing. Get the vet out and have her PTS at home where she feels safe and comfortable. I personally, have little respect for people who try to pass on old dogs. Take some responsibility and pay to have it done at home, I'm sure the dog is worth the £100 or so it costs for her to have a dignified end.
 
Ultimately it sounds like the dog is going to be the one who pays the penalty because of human error (yet again). Sorry, but unless this dog is going out of it's way to attack this child (or indeed anyone), - in which case, seeing as this would appear to be new behaviour then I would suggest something is very wrong with the dog and passing it on is NOT the way forward. Otherwise, on the face of it, it just appears the OP is not controlling the child and/or dog at all.

JillA - it seems you know more to the story than the rest of us. However, if it the dog is worse than has been stated by the OP then surely they should not be looking rehome this dog?
 
"MUMSNET" anyone? This is becoming ever more hilarious.

I've a bright idea; Clicker training linked to rewards, not the dog, the child. :cool:

I can see me ending up as a forum guru, much more of this!! :D:D

Alec.
 
I would say OP that if there were more facts to be considered that we the general members do not know of, then it is unfair for us to respond correctly. With the facts you have been given, it seems that the incident was an accident and the dog was not at fault. Quote: Sadly a few days ago, the dog was fast asleep in her bed and my daughter scratched her stomach and caught one of her teats, the dog woke from her sleep with a yelp and caught my daughters cheek. Did the dog bite the child or just caught a blow . If it was more than that we need to know if we are to help
 
Dry Rot said:
I, too, believe that was a natural reaction for a sleeping dog.

No, I would not totally trust any dog to be left alone with a young child as I know too much about training.

Animals can be trained to do things that are totally out of character. It is also possible for them to react in ways that are totally out of character if they misinterpret a signal or receive the wrong prompt (as is probable in this case) from instinct.
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Ah I see - thank you for the explanation, I agree totally
 
I know how you feel OP, I had a GS , however baby was 6 weeks old, dog growled at baby when in car carrier, went for her and would have had her if I hadn't kicked dog out of way, she went to vets an hour later, on vets advice she said she was too old to rehome at age 12. A behaviorist would need 3 months to work with her, in that time baby could be killed... dog was PTS there and then. In your case the child was at fault but I would still PTS , as a sensitive breed she probably is too old to rehome. No way will I have a dog that went for a child, even if the child was at fault. What would happen if the child tripped and fell on the dog, she could have half her face off. A child is more precious than a dog (and that statement won't go down well here lol)
 
Zigzag, a dog going for a child is not the same as a dog catching a child when startled. I too would not risk any dog that targeted a child in a home with one & IMO you did the right thing in your case.
In the OP's case the circumstances we have been told are very different and it sounds like the dog caught the child by accident.

IME, & I have been doing breed rescue for many years, once people make up their minds they will get rid of the dog -& I use get rid advisedly, often being less than truthful about their reasons and refusing to pts because they do know it is their fault. (& it costs money)
 
zigzag said:
A child is more precious than a dog
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Of course it is, infinitely so, but if we shoot the pony when it dumps our child and shoot the dog when it nips/bites/whatever because the child has hurt it then we are wrong. Animals are a system of nerves and a brain, just like us, only not usually so complicated. It appears there is more to this story than the OP said originally so I saythe only option is PTS. I doubt what we haven't been told is positive towards the dog or the OP would have said it originally.

A self defence bite is totally different to an attack and any dog that showed signs of attacking would be PTS in the same hour in this house.
 
Alec Swan said:
"MUMSNET" anyone? This is becoming ever more hilarious.

I've a bright idea; Clicker training linked to rewards, not the dog, the child. :cool:

I can see me ending up as a forum guru, much more of this!! :D:D

Alec.
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Yes hillariously enough operant conditioning works on toddlers too, just that most people use things like stickers because they don't want to associate sweets with rewards.
 
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