# Foster bit DH last night



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have been fostering Hawkeye since early Dec. He has shown reactiveness to my 16 yr son since the beginning. The first day here, we intro'd the dogs one by one outside off leash in the fenced in back yard. Everything was fine, though it was very high energy. After about 45 minutes(getting dusk), we tried to get Hawkeye inside and he was too afraid to come in. My son and his friend tried to coax him w/ treats w/ no luck for about 10 minutes til I said enough, and then my daughter and I finally were able to get near enough to grab his collar. We had issues with him coming in for about a week, throw treats inside, get away from the door let him come in and shut the door. Whenever my son comes into hawkes vision he barks and growls. Son has backpack, & coat on alot as he comes and goes, but ignores hawke or will toss him a treat if we are just sitting around watching tv or whatever. Hawke had also reacted to my DH evenings, will bark at him sometimes. Once he jumped him when DH was turning off the tv, bent over. Then he jumped on his back,scratching it when DH was walking into our closet, room was dark. Last night, I was in bed, hawke on a dog bed on the floor beside me, Onyx on the bed and DH was on the other side adjusting his clock. Hawkeye jumped over the bed and bit him in the back breaking skin and puttin two holes in his shirt. I crated him immediately and will do so from now til ...while dh is around. I believe this is fear based and whatever happened in his past had to do w/ men. Now dh wants me to have him go back to the spca kennel and I am really, really upset. I know my dh and son come first, but it is unfair to hawke. I am just venting and know that we cannot really do anything to help this situation other than to have him go to the kennel or God please send someone to give him what he needs. He had no training whatsoever before coming here, but was in foster for 3 weeks before us, and they did housebreak him. He had no bite inhibition and my dogs have worked on that w/ him. I have practiced nilif and he is very bonded w/ me and my daughter. He formed a very strong bond w the first foster family, but they cannot take him back as they have over 15 dogs(foster and their own) and the wife is pregnant. Please send some vibes this way that things will be ok for him. Tomorrow is an adoption event and he will go to the kennel afterwards. This am I e-mailed the adoption co-ordinator and she hasn't replied. They do have a behaviorist they use, and I asked to have contact w/ her. Hawkeye is great at the adoption events, good w/ dogs and other people, though I see his body language and can tell he is very uncomfortable w/men. At this point, he really isn't adoptable...


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

awww - poor Hawkeye.....I am so sorry - Hopefully, something will happen tomorrow and he can find a forever home!

Lee


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Thanks, Lee. This is probably the last night he stays here and he is crated! I feel worse than him I am sure. The spca admin e-mailed me finally with a response of "Please bring him tomorrow to the adoption event and we'll discuss it then". I just want this poor boy to be loved forever and here is not his place, even though I love him.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

I don't see any shelter adopting out a dog with a bite history









Can you try to find rescue for him?


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## skyizzy (Apr 15, 2008)

Jane, I am so sorry to hear this. I know you are a terrific foster for him. Please keep us updated. Hugs to you and your family.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: myamomI don't see any shelter adopting out a dog with a bite history
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Many rescue groups will not take a dog with a bite history either.


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Absolutely true Laurie...I belong to two GSD rescues. 

Just thinking that there MAY be a rescue out there..that can work with issues...that may be able to work with this....it's worth a shot...it's a better chance than a shelter..........


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

i am so sorry you have to go through this. it's so easy to get attached to these dogs (and them to us). many, many blessings to you for fostering. take good care.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

I don't know you or the situation well so if I over step I apolgize but isn't taking him to an adoption event to get adopted with this just happening not really fair to the dog or the person who is going to potentially adopt him? 

At this point I would think he is not adoptable until he can be seen by a good behaviorist or the vet for tests to see what is truly going on with it? I wouldn't want to put any other family or person into a possible bitting situation. 

Did he have a growl before he leap over the bed? It doesn't sound like fear (I am no expert) but more of a protection of you since your husband was coming toward you by sitting on the bed fixing the clock?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The SPCA is a rescue. Hawkeye is a good dog, but he has been reactive to my son and husband. At the events anyone can pet him, he is fine with kids and other dogs. Though he does show body language that he is not comfortable when men are petting him. (I believe he was grabbed by the collar by his owner(man)when he did get attention ,it was negative in his early mos. when he was able to get away, he did and was picked up by AC as a stray) He had no training or shaping in his early mos. Didn't even know how to use stairs when we got him. I have always told anyone interested that he prefers females, though if a man showed him kindness and he began to trust said man, I am sure he would be fine. 
He is with his former foster family that had him for three weeks before I took him. He was always fine with Dave(foster dad) and Erin(mom). They are now down to 8 dogs, so decided they'd try to see what Hawkeyes behavior is like w/out me or Onyx in his realm.
I believe he was either afraid(darkened room) or protective of either me or Onyx who was on the bed. My DH and son didn't ever try form any type of bond w/ hawke and so I think he saw them as a threat. DH has fed him though and when he was outside doing chores, Hawke was just fine w/ him. Hawke would counter-surf and did get verbally reprimanded by DH a few times for this. Son would toss him treats and such but for the most part, usually just ignored him and went on about his 16 yr old business. He has shown this behavior twice to DH in the bedroom area but never bit. Yes, when this happened,he growled and barked as he rushed over the bed. 
I agree, a behaviorist is needed and told Gwen(spca admin) this when bringing him to the adoption site. But on the other hand, our household was not good for him. If DH and son would have tried harder to win his trust this never would have happened, IMO.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Keep us updated on what happens any type of reactive reaction is hard to figure out I am sure this is so very frustrating for you because you only want what is best for your family, your dog, the foster dog..hats off to all that foster because bring a new dog into your home with no background is a risk and making the best decisions all round I am sure is not easy. Keep us updated .


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

Regarding the bite history I agree. We try and be so cautious. But every now and then we get a dog that is very aggressive, and he goes to a trainer we use. Some do fine, other do not, but in the latter case for whatever reason our trainer keeps them.

Anyway, I hope the OP keeps us all posted on Hawkeye.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Today I went to the spca adoption event. When I was walking in, Hawkeye and the foster along w/ a young couple w/ toddler were going out for a walk, we do this to get them out of the loud, crowded dog area and it acts as a meet and greet of sorts.
He saw me and was very excited, so we snuggled for a bit, I apologized to them for getting him all squirrely and went inside. When they came back in, they went up front after putting Hawke back in his crate. I got him out and we did some more hugs. It was very hard for me. His coat is full already of dry flakes and he was begging me for the treats I had. So I am sure he is on a mixed up donated kibble and only fed the minimum. Anyway after the fosters were alone, I asked them how he was doing and all is well, two families are interested in him and basically I am not included in any decisions to do with his life. No talk of his being evaluated or anything, he is fine w/ Dave. They changed his profile on petfinder, took off what he is mixed with. I feel like a failure and wish I could have done better by him. I still hope he gets a loving forever home.


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

Jane,

don't feel bad. I had a rescue named Zoie who would go after anything human or animal. I simply could not control this dog. After a session with a trainer our rescue group uses, Zoie was much better. However, Zoie is still in rehab with the trainer, so this is no success story, at least not yet. It happens to all of us.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The thing is, if I were the one to help get him adopted into a nice family, I would have tried to help them understand the importance of nutrition and positive training. Tell them about this great forum so they could be better partners to him. How well he would do in agility as he is so graceful. He is not an aggressive dog at all. The fosters just look at it as feeding one less dog right now, so really arent concerned as much as I am where he is placed. They also have an old school type training theory(knee them when they jump on you as an example)...can you tell my heart is broken?


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

Oh my word - this dog is going to be adopted out? How totally irresponsible. This dog sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen with the potential to do some real harm. He needs some real help before he's placed with an unsuspecting family.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I will say this one more time~ he is not an aggressive dog at all. In the right home he will be just fine. My DH never formed a trusting bond with him and he felt either threatened or was protecting Onyx or me. It was a darkened room. I agree, he should be evaluated before adoption, but it has been taken out of my hands. Once this dog forms a bond, he is great! I believe the staff at the spca feel I am the reason for his behavior. And with me out of his life he will be just fine...


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

I hope all will be well, I think it is the unpredictablity of the bite that would concern me especially with a family with kids. 

I don't think it makes him aggressive it makes him untrustworthy at this point. 

He needs a foster that understands his needs not an adoptive home that is going to work best for him to see if this was a 1x thing in your home or if it is an unpredicatability issues (behavioral or medical). 

I hope the SPCA is going to be honest with the person that does adopt him, if he bite and I wasn't told and then he did it in my home and I found out I would be very upset and that is where the lawsuit is waiting to happen.

I am not judging you on what you did OG, just saying I can see the cause for concern on this dog and that I feel the SPCA is not handling this situation very seriously, he should not even be up for adoption until he has lived with a suitable foster home for at least a couple months to see if this behavior emerges again. 

Dark room or not, protective or not a well balanced dog knows who lives where and even if not bonded with that person should not snap out or bite. 

If it happens 1x it can happen again.


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

Yes I can tell you are heart broken, and I disagree with so many of the comments on this post regarding the bite. A bite is not an attack, and there is a big difference. Furthermore, none of us can evaluate Hawkeye until we meet the dog.

Like Riley's Mom I am also involved with a rescue group in SE Wisconsin. And like her group, we would never place a dog considered mean or aggressive. We also go to great lengths to find the best fit for our dogs. For example, a healthy retired person who had expereince with GSD's might be a good fit for Hawkeye. But we would have to foster Hawkeye first and if things were not working out, like Zoie, he would go to a trainer we use, at our expense.

Nutrition, good training, being with other shepherds, and finding the right home sounds like a good RX for Hawkeye.

If you can keep track of Hawkeye's progress, or lack thereof, please keep us posted.

Thanks


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

Whether or not your husband and son made an effort to bond with the dog, the dog's been in your home for three months now and has been reactive w/your son the entire time. He should know your hubby by now and the night-time routine. You see signs that he's not comfortable around men in general. Big red flags are flying high in my mind. I didn't state the dog is aggressive but I do not see this dog as being "fine" enough to just plop into an adoptive home. it could happen that the dog will never be comfortable around men.

Unfortunately, what happens to him is out of your hands now. I think you were trying to do right by the dog. I still feel it's totally irresponsible for the shelter to adopt this dog out until he's had some solid rehabilitation by someone who knows what they're doing and then maybe even some time in a solid experienced foster home. If he gets adopted by a family and bonds tight w/the Mom - then like your husband, the Dad is his next potential target. I think in many if not most cases, a dog bonds with the family and then within that family there is sometimes a special bond between one family member and the dog. I would consider this normal behavior. Ok, so your son and hubby didn't go out of their way to bond w/the dog. They are still part of your pack/family yet after three months this dog was still not comfortable with them - more red flags.

I would think anyone adopting a dog has a right to know if there's a bite history and to be given a full background of whatever is known about the dog. 

To me this dog is currently unstable and can't be trusted. Not saying with some serious work he can't become stable and trustworthy, and even to become comfortable around men but to adopt it out to an unsuspecting family in the state of mind he is right now is not only irresponsible but wrong and dangerous for the unsuspecting family and the dog. If it does bite again, there's a huge chance it will be put down.


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

As a foster guy, I agree with you. I do think the dog needs a chance, but would never place it for adoption at this time. 

I hope the OP can keepus posted on the dog.


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