Hi Guys, I have had every dog owners nightmare today!! My parents mind my dogs while I am at work but today they had a really bad scrap over a toy which resulted in my boxer having surgery tonight on his shoulder and worse my dad is having plastic surgery on his hand. My dad tried to separate the dogs when they started fighting, a boxer and a bull terrier and he tried to get the bull terrier off the boxer as he was shaking him like a rag doll. The bull terrier then latched on to my dads hand  and crushed bones and tendons . I never leave toys or food lying around and they have always got on great. To make matters worse my mum feels uneasy about the bull terrier and wants him put to sleep as we all live under the same roof! I spoke to the vet tonite and he says he wouldn't put him to sleep as my dad got in the way of two dogs fighting. Guys please help me as I don't know what to do.
Clare

Thats terrible clare, hope your dads hand has no permanent damage.
Do you think he bit your dad delibrately or just by accident ?

I would certainly separate the two dogs !

Donna :-)

It wasn't deliberate my dad stuck his hand between the two dogs when they where in full throttle!

I have two bullies it probably was an unfortunate  accident :-(
i wouldn't put him down if it was me,
Do you think you mum would be too scared of him now though ?

Donna

Hi, I hope your dad's hand will be OK. We had a fight between our two male rotts a few months ago. Not sure why, but that's besides the point. If you and your dogs live with your parents, surely they must have picked up some basic rules. You don't put your hands in unless you know you can separate them?

We found that with any scuffles that the best thing to do is to chuck the nearest water bowl over them!! Lots of mess, but does stop it.

I think that the vet is right with refusing to put your bull terrier down. I think I would suggest that perhaps your mum spends some supervised time (by you) with your bull terrier. Just so she can build some confidence with him. Making him sit, down and also a bit of play etc, and also learning to notice any changes in his temperment. If your parents allow two dogs in the house, they must like animals, so perhaps if you can build her confidence up in him not being naturally aggressive, then hopefully at least you still get to keep him.

I hope everything turns out OK

If you try what people have already said and your mum still feels she cant' live with the Bull Terr then you should rehome him. Rather than putting him to sleep.
Because it sound like your dad just got in the way rather than the BT being attacking him.

I am so sorry for you, follow your own gut feeling after reading peoples posts, you will know best what you must do.

Hi Clare,

I hope you are ok, I have PMed you.

Take Care
Speak soon
Deb

What a horrible situation for you all :( I do hope your Dad and your Boxer are ok, Clare. Sorry, I don't have any advice but it would be a shame for your BT to be PTS when it was an unfortunate accident.

Hi Clare,

rotten luck :( :( :(   I guess your dad thought he was doing the right thing but I'd certainly not have got my hand in between the snarling ends of two dogs fully going in for it.  I really hope your dad is OK and the dogs too and of course you and your mum who will naturally be worried sick.

Perhaps you can make other arrangements for your BT to be cared for separately?   Don't make any rash decisions until everyone has calmed down a little and able to discuss things better without being too emotive.

Not much help, but thinking of you all.
Best wishes, Teri x

Hi Guys, I have a nights sleep and I went to see my poor Dad last night. The first thing he said was hows the dogs!!!!! He said that he knows now that he shound't have got in the way but the way the dogs where fighting he thought one was going to end up dead. He said the BT didn't bite him deliberately he put his hands near his mouth to try and prize it open as he had hold of the boxer and thats when his hand got in the way. But my dad was was shocked when I told him I had booked him in to be put down, and he said what for!!! I love my dogs but my family will always come first. Thanks soo much for everyone who replyed it has realy helped me and has made me feel a lot better. I am not putting my BT down but I need to make sure that no toys are lying around as this is how it started, fighting over a blue bone. I am worried about whether he would do this to another dog, but its soo notlike him, he's such a pussycat and loads of people on here know him and know how he is such a lovely dog,. I realy feel I have let him down.
Thanks everyone, Clare

Hopefully all is now sorted and I hope your dad's hand is OK .... He has a  lovely attitude and sounds like a kind man :)j

I'd not have a dog pts for accidentally biting someone. I do think you may have to keep an eye on things, have a plan if a fight does ever break out again, and if you are worried get a vet to check the dog over and maybe do tests for problems which could be a cause of aggression. You could then be referrred onto a behaviourist if necessary. Hope you won't need to do this and that it was just a silly one off incident :)

i do hope your dad gets better soon. a horrible situation all round but certainly it wouldn't have been fair on the dog to be put down while feelings were still running so high. but best of luck in resolving this.

Thanks Roz we have all calmed down a good bit now and I think putting the dog down would have been a hasty decision. I have been diappointed by some of my friends views on the matter, some condeming the bull terrier as a breed, which is total nonsense. Any dog if they ae fighting regardless if its westie or a great dane, if someone gets between them injury will be inflicted. Unfortunately in my case it was my BTwhich is a strong powerful breed. But he is a good dog with a cracking temperment. My boxer has arrived home from the vets but I am keeping them seperate. I just don't understand how one day they can be sunbathing together on the garden bench and the next tear lumps out of each other.
Thanks guys, Clare

Hi Claire, this happened about 14 years ago in my mums house, we had a dobe and a german sherpherd at the time they did have to be separated because they were both entire, someone left the door open and the dobermann got in the back yard which ended up in a terrible fight between the two my mother tried to split them up and ended up being bitten on the calf quiete badly by the dobermann.  At that time the layman thought if a dog has bitten someone it has the taste of blood so he will bite again so therefore should be put down.  Anyway he didn't get put down because i wouldn't allow it he was a lovely dog but they did have to stay separated:rolleyes:

I'm very pleased that you did not but the BT to sleep, it sounds to me like an unfortunate incident, which may never happen again.

It is amazing how something so trivial can cause a dog fight, see how the two dogs go and hopefully your boxer has learnt it is not worth an argument if the BT wants something. If he is stubborn and can not see he is no match for a BT then you may need to seperate them, but hopefully it was a nasty lesson learnt for him and he will accept he is not the alpha male.

Glad to say they are the best of friends again!!!!I am taking no chances and when I am not around  I am  seperating them. This is the first big argument they have had and hopefully the last as neither of them ever displayed agression over toys or food so this was a first. Thanks for everyones kind comments and support through this stressful time.

Pleased to hear all is well, hows your Mum feeling about all this now?

As you say, even small dogs can inflict damage when fighting - I had a nasty bruise when one of my two caught me by mistake in a fight (I wasn't trying to separate them, they started it when one of them was on my lap!) - and this is a Cavalier and an American cocker. Glad things seem to have improved, I think it's a good idea to keep them apart when unsupervised, that's what we have to do now. :-(

What a difference a week makes!! I caught her feeding the BT tea and rich tea biscuits!!!!! Everything is getting nearly back to normal.

LOL, pleased shes come round, see us Mums can with a bit of delicate handling ;)

Awww :D great to hear some good news!