# OMG My malt bit my daughter



## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

Okay I am way to shocked here. Vanilla is 19 months and has never ever layed a tooth on my 2 girls 5 and a 8 year old.
They were in the family room and I was in the basement doing laundry. They picked her up and put her on the couch. They had the camera on video mode and I saw the whole thing on camera. (They were trying to video tape her) Every time they touched her cheek she would snap but NOT bite. Then my younger daughter did the same thing caress her cheek and then snap. Then when my older daughter caressed the side of her face again she bit her finger and I saw tooth marks on her finger with NO blood. Was she just protecting herself? Were the kids just bothering her? Or am I in trouble with this behaviour?


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

This is why we try to stress over and over again that young children should never be left unsupervised with Maltese and other toy breed dogs.

From Vanilla's point of view, first she was picked up and put on the couch which made it impossible for her to run away, then repeatedly had her cheek touched. It sounds like the first snaps were a warning, but when the teasing continued, she bit your daughter.

This is very serious behavior. I would suggest consulting with an animal behaviorist asap. The whole family needs to be involved as this behavior cannot be allowed to happen ever again. Next time it could be your daughter's face.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

YES THE KIDS WERE BOTHERING HER !!! She warned them many times by snaping and not biting. That's why kids should never be left with dogs unsupervised. This is why some breeders and rescue groups don't want to give dogs to families with small children. My grand kids know that if their dog or my dog starts growling or showing teeth it's time to leave them alone.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I'm glad your daughters are both okay and that no one was seriously injured.

I agree with Marj in that Vanilla probably perceived the entire thing as teasing and was trying to tell them to quit. She probably didn't like them putting their hands near her face repeatedly.

Even though Vanilla didn't draw blood, I would take it very seriously as it could be the start of a larger issue. Consulting with an animal behaviorist would probably be best, but you may also be able to pick up a few books on agression/reactive behaviors/etc.

JMM can probably give you excellent guidance here, and you may even want to share the video with her or on SM for more help so people can see exactly what happened.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Is your dog in pain somewhere on her face or perhaps a bad tooth?


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Unfortunately this is why many dogs (maltese) end up in animal controls or worse. AMA will not adopt to a family with children younger then 8. I agree with the ladies stating that a small dog like a Maltese should not be handled by children without supervision of an adult. 
I have grandchildren and they have learned from a young age not to touch or play with my Maltese. When I am in the room and they are sitting down, I permit the dogs on their laps for petting only. 
Please make sure your children understand that their teasing brought this on and that further contact other then in your presence is not allowed.
JMO


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

Thanks for the quick responses. After viewing the video once again she snapped at them twice . the third time she bit her finger. I think that having her on the couch where she does not know how to jump off to get away made her feel more uncomfortable. She has never done this but again if she were on the ground she would of just ran off and her being on the couch is a different story.


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)

Nikki's Mom said:


> Is your dog in pain somewhere on her face or perhaps a bad tooth?


I was wondering that too.


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## Dora's Mom (Nov 7, 2009)

poochie2 said:


> Thanks for the quick responses. After viewing the video once again she snapped at them twice . the third time she bit her finger. I think that having her on the couch where she does not know how to jump off to get away made her feel more uncomfortable. She has never done this but again if she were on the ground she would of just ran off and her being on the couch is a different story.



 If she can't jump off the couch she must have certainly felt trapped. I bet your daughter will have learned her lesson not to bother the puppy. 

I'm sorry it happened but I'm glad there was no serious harm done this time and maybe this incident will help you prevent any more harm from coming to Vanilla or your daughters. Good luck!


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Given that this dog has lived with these two girls for a relatively long time without incident I think we should not jump to conclusions just yet. If in the past your daughters have been able to touch her face without getting snapped at my first thought would be that she may have some pain ... maybe an infection in her mouth or a bad tooth? A trip to the vet may be in order.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

LJSquishy said:


> I'm glad your daughters are both okay and that no one was seriously injured.
> 
> I agree with Marj in that Vanilla probably perceived the entire thing as teasing and was trying to tell them to quit. She probably didn't like them putting their hands near her face repeatedly.
> 
> ...


Why is it that the animal always gets the blame ? This is the only way he can defend himself especially if he is trapped on a couch. It seems to me that more often the humans need a behaviorists training than the dog.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

When she snapped she was warning them. She can not say, I'm nervous or scared. This is her only way to communicate that. Clearly, she tried several times to communicate this as clearly as she could. In the end she had to escalate that because they did not understand her communication. I also find it encouraging that the bite while likely painful was not full force. It was also a warning. She did not break skin which if she "meant" it, she certainly could have. She was sending all the signals she knew how to send. And yes, she likely felt trapped and unable to respond by running away. 

Perhaps something in her mouth is bothering her, but whatever the reason, she was very uncomfortable and tried to respond in the only communication mechanism she has. 

I hope she will not be blamed for an incident where she had few if any alternatives. I also hope that you and the girls will take steps to prevent such an event from happening again. It would be truly tragic if she were to feel she had to escalate this behavior because it worked.


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## Purple-peep (May 14, 2009)

I'm sorry you're going through this.:w00t:

We too have had serious problems with Libby growling and biting. She's bit my husband and son. I freaked out because she's wonderful with me.

We've got several new rules around here. My son is not allowed to pick her up ever, unless there's a fire. He is also not allowed to go near her when she's eating or enjoying a toy. This has really helped.

Last night, we all went out for ice-cream and this teen wanted to pet Libby, while I was holding her. I said ok but was nervous about it. She growled at him twice. From now on, I'll put her down on the ground before someone tries to pet her. She really guards me for some reason.


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

I have no experience with this. Just wanted to wish you luck in figuring it out so that both your dog and kids can be safe.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

MalteseJane said:


> Why is it that the animal always gets the blame ? This is the only way he can defend himself especially if he is trapped on a couch. It seems to me that more often the humans need a behaviorists training than the dog.


I didn't place blame solely on the dog, I stated in the beginning of the post that the dog probably felt like it was being teased by the children. I still think it's a good idea to seek out help either through a behaviorist or through literature, because either method should help give tips on teaching the children how to properly interact with the dog, as well as give tips on training the dog on any issues it may or may not have. It's never really 100% the dog.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

MalteseJane said:


> Why is it that the animal always gets the blame ? This is the only way he can defend himself especially if he is trapped on a couch. It seems to me that more often the humans need a behaviorists training than the dog.


Janine, I suggested a behaviorist with the whole family involved for just that reason. The family needs to be trained on how to properly deal with a small dog in the household so it never ever happens again.

I certainly don't blame Vanilla. She was probably afraid because she couldn't get off the couch to get away and tried warning the kids, but they kept bothering her. 

The problem is that legally the dog is always to blame. If this had been a playmate who got bitten, the bite would have to be reported. Depending on the seriousness of the bite, a lawsuit could have resulted.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Purple-peep said:


> I'm sorry you're going through this.:w00t:
> 
> We too have had serious problems with Libby growling and biting. She's bit my husband and son. I freaked out because she's wonderful with me.
> 
> ...


Alex is 13 years old and I have to be careful if someone wants to pet him when in my arms. He guards me too. I seldom let someone touch him. He does not warn. He will start screaming and biting. He is fine when on the ground. We had our new neighboors over on Sunday. She could pick him up from the ground and put her on her lap. But in my arms he is a monster.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

As a trainer, this is something I see all of the time and my heart absolutely breaks for the dog. 
1. I would be concerned about something painful around your dog's mouth. Please check her thoroughly.
2. Your dog actually has very good language skills! She gave 2 CLEAR warnings. This is very appropriate behavior. Also, the bite was not damaging. This means she inhibited herself. This is also a very good thing. 
3. The best prevention is supervision. If you are not literally standing there watching, your dog and children need to be separated. Please do not ever leave them alone unattended again. You are lucky this is all that happened. I've seen dogs accidentally injured by well-meaning kids. I've seen many, many kids who think their behavior is fine (because it would be with a person) bitten, some severely. It is just not worth the risk to your dog's safety or your children's safety. 
4. I highly recommend teaching your kids about dog language - how dogs talk mostly with their body. Sometimes it can help to have a professional come in and give a lesson. 
5. Always make sure your dog has an "out". Be sure they can escape and flea a situation. This will help ensure that, should another unfortunately incident occur, your dog is not put in the position to bite. A no dog on the couch/bed rule may be a good idea. 
You have a good dog...shame about the situation.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Ladysmom said:


> Janine, I suggested a behaviorist with the whole family involved for just that reason. The family needs to be trained on how to properly deal with a small dog in the household so it never ever happens again.
> 
> I certainly don't blame Vanilla. She was probably afraid because she couldn't get off the couch to get away and tried warning the kids, but they kept bothering her.
> 
> *The problem is that legally the dog is always to blame. If this had been a playmate who got bitten, the bite would have to be reported. Depending on the seriousness of the bite, a lawsuit could have resulted.*


You are right on this one. And it is a shame. Most of the time it's not the dog's fault.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

MalteseJane said:


> Why is it that the animal always gets the blame ? This is the only way he can defend himself especially if he is trapped on a couch. It seems to me that more often the humans need a behaviorists training than the dog.


I was just sitting here thinking the same thing and was thinking maybe I was nutso for thinking it! Glad I'm not the only one. I was thinking why does the dog need a behaviorist .. it's the children and family who need training on how to interact with their Malt and of course they must be supervised at all times.


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## Maltsnme (Feb 7, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Given that this dog has lived with these two girls for a relatively long time without incident I think we should not jump to conclusions just yet. If in the past your daughters have been able to touch her face without getting snapped at my first thought would be that she may have some pain ... maybe an infection in her mouth or a bad tooth? A trip to the vet may be in order.


However, the dog could have been giving calming signals the entire time and no one ever noticed. Another dog would have and left her alone. Many times, when the statment is "she's never done this before" or "it happened out of the blue"... not really. Dog was giving OBVIOUS distress signals...people just don't understand the lauguage.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

maltsnme said:


> However, the dog could have been giving calming signals the entire time and no one ever noticed. Another dog would have and left her alone. Many times, when the statment is "she's never done this before" or "it happened out of the blue"... not really. Dog was giving OBVIOUS distress signals...people just don't understand the lauguage.


i totally agree with karla and others on this. this doesn't sound like its your pup's fault, she was communicating and your children didn't understand. your dog was acting normal. i definitely recommend the book "calming signals" along with the companion DVD for the whole family. and no unsupervised child play with your pup. 

also, mary gave great advice to rule out any pain issues with your vet. that can often lower the tolerance threshold for pups. i experienced bites with my little girl when she was in pain for things that she normally tolerated.
:grouphug:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

:goodpost:


jmm said:


> As a trainer, this is something I see all of the time and my heart absolutely breaks for the dog.
> 1. I would be concerned about something painful around your dog's mouth. Please check her thoroughly.
> 2. Your dog actually has very good language skills! She gave 2 CLEAR warnings. This is very appropriate behavior. Also, the bite was not damaging. This means she inhibited herself. This is also a very good thing.
> 3. The best prevention is supervision. If you are not literally standing there watching, your dog and children need to be separated. Please do not ever leave them alone unattended again. You are lucky this is all that happened. I've seen dogs accidentally injured by well-meaning kids. I've seen many, many kids who think their behavior is fine (because it would be with a person) bitten, some severely. It is just not worth the risk to your dog's safety or your children's safety.
> ...


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

Wow I'm so thrilled with the excellent advice ! 
I honestly think my kids were annoying her and she feels threatened on the couch.
We've already had a nice long talk and there were rules we had to repeat once again.
In the video I also noticed my little one playing with the dog's ears.
We went over all the rules at dinner time and I'd like to say thank you once again for your honest opinions.:ThankYou:


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

If your pup is usually good with your kids (and I have to think that is the case, since you are comfortable leaving them together!) and this is an isolated event, I think your kids just bugged her too much and she was trying to tell them that in the only way she knows how. 

If this is a habit for her, then yes, I can definitely see seeking professional help but I really think it can be dealt with by your kids understanding that Vanilla has her limits. It doesn't make her a 'mean' dog, by any means. 

My kids were 7 and 8 when I got my first maltese Lucy and it was a looong time before they were allowed to pick her up. I had to make it very clear that she was 'my' dog, not the 'family' dog because I wanted to avoid exactly this situation. Of course, now she is the family dog and my daughter's junior showmanship dog that she will be showing at Westminster in February, so I think it worked out well. 

Lucy has never bitten anybody but when she is bugged, she will airsnap. It's my job to not let her get in a position where she feels she has to airsnap to get her point across. I remember her being on my lap at a hotel pool and these kids kept coming over wanting to pet her. They were soaking wet and didn't speak english and wouldn't leave her alone (to see they were annoying would be an understatement!!!!). She airsnapped when they kept crowding her to pet her, getting her wet and I quickly stood up and got her out of there. Did it make her a mean dog? No it meant that she'd had enough and was letting everyone know it and I should have gotten her away from them sooner. Do I trust her with younger kids? Under normal circumstances, YES. But I would be there to supervise to make sure that she wasn't pushed past her limits. I do not have to supervise my kids anymore around the dogs though, thank goodness! (they are 11 and 12) but when they have friends over, I keep an eye out. 

I hope you don't think anyone is 'blaming' you or your kids!! I love that you came here to get advice and I think you've gotten some great tips!


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Sorry this happened and everyone has given very good advice. It reminded a bit about the article someone posted recently about "rude" dogs and how the good dog gets the blame. Not saying that you blamed your dog, just that it reminded of this article.

One thing I'm curious about though is the video camera. Where was it. Where the children holding it and perhaps putting it close to the pup while taping? I know my Annie is only comfortable with a camera when it is a distance away. If i were to ever put it in her face I think it would scare her big time. So, it could have not only been the kids in her face, and their hands in her face, but a big old machine in her face too (if the kids were holding the camera). That's a lot for a little dog who feels trapped on a couch to begin with. Just trying to see it from her eyes. Hope everything works out.l


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

bellaratamaltese said:


> If your pup is usually good with your kids (and I have to think that is the case, since you are comfortable leaving them together!) and this is an isolated event, I think your kids just bugged her too much and she was trying to tell them that in the only way she knows how.
> 
> If this is a habit for her, then yes, I can definitely see seeking professional help but I really think it can be dealt with by your kids understanding that Vanilla has her limits. It doesn't make her a 'mean' dog, by any means.
> 
> ...


Thank you. Yeah there are VERY FEW comments that do come across harsh but that doesn't bother me one bit ! What 's imporatant is that the MAJORITY of them are solid good advice.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

k/c mom said:


> I was just sitting here thinking the same thing and was thinking maybe I was nutso for thinking it! Glad I'm not the only one. I was thinking why does the dog need a behaviorist .. it's the children and family who need training on how to interact with their Malt and of course they must be supervised at all times.


I had a very positive experience with a behaviorist years ago which is why I suggested it. It wasn't an "it's the dog's fault" session, but training for my whole family (my children were young at the time). Learning how dogs think and communicate was a very important part of our training. Poochie's daughter's are old enough to learn and be part of the solution.

I see consulting a professional as a positive, to help you and your family work on a better relationship with your dog. In my mind it is similar to going to couples therapy or getting counseling for your child when appropriate. With the help of a professional, it can be easier to pinpoint issues and get the tools to work on them rather than trying to deal with them yourself.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

k/c mom said:


> I was just sitting here thinking the same thing and was thinking maybe I was nutso for thinking it! Glad I'm not the only one. I was thinking why does the dog need a behaviorist .. it's the children and family who need training on how to interact with their Malt and of course they must be supervised at all times.





Ladysmom said:


> I had a very positive experience with a behaviorist years ago which is why I suggested it. It wasn't an "it's the dog's fault" session, but training for my whole family (my children were young at the time). Learning how dogs think and communicate was a very important part of our training. Poochie's daughter's are old enough to learn and be part of the solution.
> 
> I see consulting a professional as a positive, to help you and your family work on a better relationship with your dog. In my mind it is similar to going to couples therapy or getting counseling for your child when appropriate. With the help of a professional, it can be easier to pinpoint issues and get the tools to work on them rather than trying to deal with them yourself.


Hi Marj, I was referring to some of the other posts and I totally agree that someone who can help the family learn how to interact would be a positive experience for all. My use of "behaviorist" was referring to someone who would work with the Malt and I just didn't see how that could work since it wasn't the Malt's fault. For some reason I was not thinking broadly enough that most trainers do work with both the animal and owner.

That's what I get for trying to multi-task! 

I think we're on the same page on this!:thumbsup:


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

A "behaviorist" or "dog trainer" has the primary goal of working with the PERSON. It is the person who must learn how to work with the dog. Certainly we work directly with the dog at times, but a good behaviorist or trainer wants the dog's owner to be doing that work as much as possible.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

jmm said:


> As a trainer, this is something I see all of the time and my heart absolutely breaks for the dog.
> 1. I would be concerned about something painful around your dog's mouth. Please check her thoroughly.
> 2. Your dog actually has very good language skills! She gave 2 CLEAR warnings. This is very appropriate behavior. Also, the bite was not damaging. This means she inhibited herself. This is also a very good thing.
> 3. The best prevention is supervision. If you are not literally standing there watching, your dog and children need to be separated. Please do not ever leave them alone unattended again. You are lucky this is all that happened. I've seen dogs accidentally injured by well-meaning kids. I've seen many, many kids who think their behavior is fine (because it would be with a person) bitten, some severely. It is just not worth the risk to your dog's safety or your children's safety.
> ...


 
:goodpost:


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## Chalex (Feb 19, 2010)

Nikki's Mom said:


> Is your dog in pain somewhere on her face or perhaps a bad tooth?


I would check this out. Dogs are much more likely to bite/snap if they are being touched in a painful area. Especially since it was her first time.


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

i think u have gotten great advice from everyone , i hope this does not happen again ... dolce bit me once not hard and it was because i pulled a matt..


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

jmm said:


> A "behaviorist" or "dog trainer" has the primary goal of working with the PERSON. It is the person who must learn how to work with the dog. Certainly we work directly with the dog at times, but a good behaviorist or trainer wants the dog's owner to be doing that work as much as possible.


Great info, Jackie. I should have known this ... well I think I did know it but had a senior moment!:blush: Thanks for clearing it up!! :thumbsup:


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## Delilahs Mommy (Nov 22, 2009)

I am glad your girls are alright.


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## NIMaltese (May 24, 2009)

It definitely sounds like an issue that can be easily solved once everyone understands how to behave around the dog.
I'm sure your kids will behave more sensibly from here on in, once you keep reminding them.


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## bellasmummy (Apr 8, 2009)

Great advice from everyone else, not much i can add apart from i think the first snap was a warning and that the kids were bugging her or scaring her if she couldnt get away. Would be worth looking in her mouth though, maybe she still has a baby tooth in there thats bothering her?


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