welshwizard Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 A friend I use to work with rang me over the holiday as we were due to meet and he didn't turn up , turns out his dog a Westie attacked him and bit the end of his finger off , he ended up in theatre for plastic surgery . I met this dog when he had it about 15 months ago (its 18 months now ) and it was a nervous little thing so I asked him what he had done to it , someone had told him to reprimand it with a rolled up paper and its obviously made it worse , thing is the owner had never had a dog before and as he is 65 now he didn't have a clue in regards training , he has tried a dog behaviorist but then this . As I think its the owner not the dog I tried contacting the Westie group but they do not have anyone local to us , I suggested contacting the breeder and k.c. for help but he has put it in a kennel for the holidays to avoid it injuring his grandchildren , so he needs some help to rehome as I think he has given up with it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Most places will be very reluctant to rehome the dog if they know it's attacked or bitten someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Apologies for being blunt but if your mate cannot handle a Westie then he should not have a dog at all. I have had dogs for years but I have never been shown a hint of aggression towards either myself or any family member-if it did happen then it would be the only time for that dog. A dog needs to know who is in charge from day one. Edited January 5, 2015 by bruno22rf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Westies have a reputation of being unpredictable biting wise, this one has obviously not been helped by its training / treatment though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenshooter Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 I've had a number of Westies and know a lot more. One is sitting a my feet just now. None of them have every bitten, nor even shown signs of aggression. However, I've never 'reprimanded' one with a rolled up paper so can't vouch for what would happen if I had done so. She is a little bit excited just now as the neighbours black cat had decided to sit on our front lawn, just outside our glass front door!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3vert Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) We bought a Westie for my ex MIL, after my Wife and I split up the little **** nipped one of the Grandkids. The Ex was told in no uncertain terms that either the dog goes or my Son never visits the house whilst the Westie is present. The dog was rehomed to a suitable family. It was an aggressive little **** and I know two other people who have similar issues with Westie's. I personally cannot stand them! I certainly wouldn't let it anywhere near my kids or in his case grandkids ever again!! I have real sympathy for your friend, although he does seem to have been naïve in his approach with the paper! Wherever he tries to re home it, he needs to be 100% up front on what's gone on. But I suspect he will struggle to find a suitable home? Edited January 5, 2015 by m3vert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbietherimmer Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 must have been a fair old bite to take the finger tip off- I know a guy who has a westie type dog and it thinks its the boss and can be aggressive. Its a pampered little rodent, that's get dressed in dog jackets and blow dried and eats off the table etc and I don't trust the little *************** one bit. Sounds to me like the dog thinks its the boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston72 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Apologies for being blunt but if your mate cannot handle a Westie then he should not have a dog at all. I have had dogs for years but I have never been shown a hint of aggression towards either myself or any family member-if it did happen then it would be the only time for that dog. A dog needs to know who is in charge from day one. +1 if it were mine it would be going for a walk with the 12G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) The problem is the only way that a small dog has to defend its self is to snap at what it perceives as being a danger to it we do not now what the guy did to provoke the attack if someone hit me with a paper I would punch them in the eye dogs do not have that option. I have had small dogs all of my life and have been bitten several times nothing bad but mostly it was my fault and the dog did not intend to hurt me just worn me that I doing something that it did not like if people cannot except that then do not get a dog get a pretend fluffy toy. I forgot to say I am talking about small dogs I have never had a large dog but I will say that whilst you can live with a small snappy dog a big dog has to be non aggressive as the damage that it can do is so much greater. Edited January 5, 2015 by four-wheel-drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks guys , I know how difficult it is I personally have had Terriers , gundogs and lurchers all my life but never a Westie , I don't think its the dog I think its ignorance by the owner and now he has been bitten he is also scared of it , as its a young dog I think it should be fine with the right owner handling it correctly and retraining it but I can't see him sorting it out . If I was younger and didn't have my own dogs I would take it and start over with it ,I have never had any of my dogs do anything like this but if they have ever growled or snarled I reprimand them vocally and have found that if they are on a lead a sharp tug on that usually snaps them out of it , but we can only surmise what's gone on from some idiots idea of training by threat and possibly hitting it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenshooter Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks guys , I know how difficult it is I personally have had Terriers , gundogs and lurchers all my life but never a Westie , I don't think its the dog I think its ignorance by the owner and now he has been bitten he is also scared of it , as its a young dog I think it should be fine with the right owner handling it correctly and retraining it but I can't see him sorting it out . If I was younger and didn't have my own dogs I would take it and start over with it ,I have never had any of my dogs do anything like this but if they have ever growled or snarled I reprimand them vocally and have found that if they are on a lead a sharp tug on that usually snaps them out of it , but we can only surmise what's gone on from some idiots idea of training by threat and possibly hitting it . Great sensible reply, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimmie Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 going to have to be the blue injection,real shame, but rehoming a aggressive dog will be very very hard. such a waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 +1 if it were mine it would be going for a walk with the 12G I can't imagine it will be much cop for picking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 going to have to be the blue injection,. That just doesn't sound right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenshooter Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 going to have to be the blue injection,real shame, but rehoming a aggressive dog will be very very hard. such a waste. I hope not. It's a dog that has responded to being beaten (by effectively a baton) by biting. That's surely not a reason to put it down... Most dogs, or at least many dogs, would respond like this - but we don't know what 'reprimanding' means in this case nor the context of the reprimand. But I do take your other point ie if a dog is aggressive then rehoming is not a practical option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimmie Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 That just doesn't sound right! got such a dirty mind matt lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Anyone know of a help centre for this kind of thing , as I cannot see him kennelling it much longer and I think it would be a pity to have such a young dog put to sleep . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenshooter Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Where does he live? (I have friends in Maidenhead who have just lost their Westie to 'old age illness'.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) You could try http://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/ https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/ I just love the way some people think one little bite and its take it out in the woods and blow its head off. Edited January 5, 2015 by four-wheel-drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Where does he live? (I have friends in Maidenhead who have just lost their Westie to 'old age illness'.) 8 miles from me in Abergavenny . South Wales Edited January 5, 2015 by welshwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickyh Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 You could try http://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/ https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/ I just love the way some people think one little bite and its take it out in the woods and blow its head off. If a little bite has taken a mans finger end off, thank god it wasn't a 2 year old's face. Its only a dog man, get a grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 One way trip to the vets, there are enough decent dogs looking for a home without keeping an unpredictable animal alive needlessly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 That just doesn't sound right! less of a reprimand more a reward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston72 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 You could try http://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/ https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/ I just love the way some people think one little bite and its take it out in the woods and blow its head off. its guaranteed not to bite again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Let's face it it's little to do with the reprimand. I could smack mine with a rolled up paper all day and wouldn't get bitten. When a dog has effectively gone at its owner then if you can't work through it then it's actually kinder to have it put down rather than passed from pillar to post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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