We have always taken dogs, I love all animals and apart from one or two dog owners everything has been fine....until today. One of my guests dogs - a boxer, bit my little girl. Now its not too bad, trip to A&E, a bandage and some antibiotics - very bruised and swollen but only slightly broke the skin.
I have spoken to the dog owner but don't know how much further to take it.
BTW my little girl who is a very sweet and gentle 6 year old was only stroking its head.
This guy visists me 3/4 times a year - needless to say I don't want him and his dogs back! Can I ban him ?
I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book.
I'd tell him that he's welcome to come & visit you as many times as he likes, but his dog is either muzzled or stays at home. I believe that a dog biting a child is punishable under UK law by the owner being prosecuted and the animal being put to sleep. There's also the potential for long-lasting psychological effects on your daughter.
If that had been another guest's child the dog had bitten, you may yourself have been liable, as well as the owner. Ban the dog first, and see what he says would be my advice.
Y'know thats really good advice - I never thought of banning the dog as they always came as a package. Thats what I'll do -limits offence - you are very welcome but your dog isn't!
Thanks Stu and Syb.
I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book.
Well in anwser to my dog biting a child it would be off to the vet for a very long sleep immediately
My guests to be fair to them are pretty shocked - they have phoned their vet and are having both dogs castrated - they are 2 male boxers and they fight all the time.
And as for the dog issue my hubbie has intervened and banned all dogs forever so it can't happen again.
Very hot here again - 20C 5 days in a row
I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book.
In the cirumstances, I think husband has made the right decision, but don't let your child become too hung-up about dogs, and make sure she has some contact with some friendlier ones.
thanks, actually the dog bite was/is far worse than I thought at first. It became infected even with antibiotics so now she is on stronger antibiotics
The offender should be without his "bits" as I write - hope it works.
The whole situation has wider consequences - the guests- well ex-guests child-mind and foster care 5 children from 10 months to 11 so hopefully the castration will have the effect of making the dogs less aggressive.
Its a bit of a complicated situation for me too - these people booked with me 4 or 5 times a year. They had paid their deposit for Oct and Xmas already so it wasn't a case of just being "full" I have refunded the deposits and will not be having them back.
I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book.
Im sorry your daughter is still suffering...as you say there are wider consequences and I wonder if these people should be childminding and fostering if their dog is biting children.....
Hope your daughter gets better soon...
Has this put you off having other guests with dogs...
well it really should have...but this could have happened in the local park on the street, anywhere so I will allow certain dogs.
Previous dogs guests are very welcome - my husband being willing of course. We had some maltese terriers staying last week, you have to be reasonable the chances of those balls of fluff biting seriously are remote!! However boxers are not welcome again - ever, sorry all boxer loving people
I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book.
we are thinking of banning dogs, we have just had a booking and they had three dogs which we allowed, the guests said could we please bring three dogs, we have booked loads of cottages and could supply references...well they are welcome back but not the dogs..they put the dogs in the utility room overnight and they have scratched the door terribly....not only that, we dont charge extra for pets and the cleaners job is made more difficult, we will probably let the regulars bring pets but we dont need the hassle that pets sometimes cause.
Stephen, I allow pets, but wouldn't allow three dogs, there isn't room for a start. I haven't actually have anyone stay there with a dog or cat, only ourselves, and obviously we are extra careful to remove any hair afterwards. Our dog is put in the car while we clean up, or taken for a very long walk, and is not allowed back in. I do advertise an extra charge of 30 euros for the extra cleaning. Our dog sleeps in the utility room at home, scratching the door is not on though, but may be preferable to sleeping on the sofas or bed. Ours is very sneaky, and creeps out of her own bed when she thinks we are asleep. I have considered just quietly dropping the dog bit from the advertising, but not saying 'no dogs' . Ours will still be allowed to stay.
Hi SerreCheChamois
We have 2 acres so theres plenty of room for dogs, it's just that when problems are caused by dogs, I think why do we allow them,we dont charge extra but they cause exta problems !! the door that has been gouged by the dogs is over 120 years old and is a funny sized door(it's in an old chapel)
and I just dont have the time to try and repair it, I think we will definatlely ban dogs shortly, my family are not there when guests arrive so we don't run the risk of being bit, but that poor little girl will be mentally scared for life.
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself
Castration isn't necessarily a cure-all for an aggressive dog (have to say it would be for me!). When we acquired our two male dogs, they got into several serious fights with each other. Castration for both was recommended by our local vet which he carried out but it didn't make a scrap of difference (except to the vet's bank balance). We sought advice from a professional dog therapist who said it was a dominance problem - the dogs needed us to decide on their pecking order in the 'pack'. We gave one dog more priviledges, the other less and it all settled down very quickly.
It all sounds a bit new-age and touchy-feely to use a dog therapist but I would highly recommend consulting one for an opinion about a problem dog before you go the castration route.
Jim
PS: We have the Wine Route and the Walnut Route here - perhaps the Castration Route could be a new visitor attraction?
...well my guess would be....WOOF
