I’m in a bit of a tough spot. My 1-year-old Boerboel, Beutus, bit a friend’s child out of nowhere. He was totally fine all day, just playing around like usual, but then this happened. I’m really worried and don’t know how to handle it. Has anyone else had something similar happen? What did you do? I feel bad for Beutus, but I also don’t want to put my kids in danger. Any advice would be really appreciated!
That’s a really scary situation. My dog did something similar once. For us, it turned out to be a mix of stress and too much going on around her. Is Beutus around a lot of people or noise?
Lucas said:
That’s a really scary situation. My dog did something similar once. For us, it turned out to be a mix of stress and too much going on around her. Is Beutus around a lot of people or noise?
Yeah, we do have a lot of people around sometimes, but we try to keep him away if it’s too much. This was on a really hot day though, maybe he was just overwhelmed?
Lucas said:
That’s a really scary situation. My dog did something similar once. For us, it turned out to be a mix of stress and too much going on around her. Is Beutus around a lot of people or noise?
That could definitely be it. Dogs can get super agitated when they’re overheated, especially with all the noise. A local trainer might be able to help with some strategies for that.
I know how you feel. It’s hard because you want to protect your kids but also not push Beutus away. I think getting a trainer is a good step. If it’s a thyroid issue or something medical, you’ll want to catch that early.
@yub
Yeah, I’m definitely going to have him checked out. The vet didn’t mention a thyroid issue, but I think it’s worth looking into. Thanks for the suggestion!
Oh wow, I can’t imagine how tough that must be. Have you thought about keeping him separate when there are kids around, at least until you can figure things out? It might help keep everyone safe in the meantime.
@Ethan
That’s actually a good idea. I don’t want him to feel like he’s being punished, but it might be safer for everyone if we keep him away from the kids for now.
I think you’re doing the right thing by trying to find a trainer. My dog had a similar incident, and it really helped us to work with a professional who could assess his behavior and guide us through it. Hope it all works out for you!
@Jennifer
Thanks, I really appreciate that! I’m hoping the trainer can give us some solid advice on how to deal with it.
I’ve had a similar experience with my dog. We had a health scare that caused some sudden aggression. It might be a good idea to get a blood test done to rule out anything medical, like a thyroid issue.
@Amanda
That’s a great point. I’ll definitely ask about a thyroid test. I didn’t even think about health being a factor. Thanks for the suggestion!