Bones, puppy teeth & my poor finger! Advice!?

[steve young]

OK, so just back from the butchers with a few huge bones for Mylo & Sasha. I gave them to them both in their crates to avoid mess, Mylo had a huge knee joint, Sasha a smaller piece.

Problem is, I put my hand in to turn Mylo's bone round (i was taking pictures!) and he lashed out and my right index finger now has a very deep gash just about a centimeter long, blood everywhere. Sound like a stupid thing to do? Yes, in hindsight, as I type with my left hand i was stupid.

He's never been like that with any food, chew, toy, anything. He allows me to touch everything, as does Sasha, who has never bitten.

I think he was just as shocked, I lashed out right back (instant reaction), not hitting him too hard though. I took the bone away, took him from his crate and held him down gently until he was calm and submissive.

This can;t happen again, bad enough with me but anyone else and things could end badly.

I don;t want to avoid giving him treats in the future, but how can I ensure this doesn't happen again?

Also, i might have to go to casualty and get my finger stitched but I'm very wary in case hospital staff tell the police I might have a dangerous dog and I wouldn't want anything to happen to Mylo for what was my mistake and ignorance.

Any advice appreciated!

Ouch!
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Steve Young
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Dogs: Sasha (10 yr Lurcher, male) and Mylo (1 yr Shepweiler, male)
Pictures Videos

[Craig C]

Best thing from my own point of view, is to make certain he realises that he has to accept you taking things off him without complaint.
Make a point of taking toy's / food away from him now and again (not all the time), and always give him something to replace what your taking away.
Or in the case of food, if you take it away from him, make sure he see's you adding something to it before you give it back to him.
If he continues to not want to give up certain things, then don't give them to him again.
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Craig (& Bran)

Bran's Photo's

[kendal]

sounds like you did everything right. that is exactly what i would have done.

you said that you can normally take things away from him, did you do anything different this time, like is this the first time you have touched his food when he is in his crate.

how bad is you finger,
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[steve young]

I've touched hide chew things when he's in his crate before and when food is usually involved he sits obediently until I tell him he can have it. I haven't put my hand in his food bowl, but I have taken it off him before when I had to add some oil for his dry skin. That time I held his collar and lifted the bowl, no growls though. He usually eats Burns dry puppy food mixed with a wee bit of Sasha's tinned meat.

I'd say the main difference this time is the thing he was eating, a huge raw cow's Knee bone the size of his head with dripping blood (cows, not mine ) He looked like he'd won the puppy lottery.

My finger is strapped up with a plaster and savlon, throbbing is dying down but the blood's coming through a bit. Think I can get away without stitches as long as it stops bleeding. Will leave it strapped for a while before I check.

Incidentally, the bones are awesome (looked like a dinosaur bone before they chopped it up) and were surprisingly free from Howisons butchers in Newmains, I'd pay them a visit Craig!
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Steve Young
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Dogs: Sasha (10 yr Lurcher, male) and Mylo (1 yr Shepweiler, male)
Pictures Videos

[Jack]

Apart from trying to take the bone Stevie you did everything I would have done too.. In fact HAVE done with Ella. I can put my hand into her dinner bowl if I choose, her mouth to extract something without fear of being bitten and I can enter HER space, HER crate any time I choose, fully or partially. I can take anything at all from her with her being 100% accepting of it and offering no resistance or grumpiness whatsoever except......

She's not allowed bones - these are the ONLY things that she has bared her teeth and/or growled at me when I have attempted to take them off her. Needless to say she was told off, gently held in submissive position whilst I removed the bone from her and allowed her to watch me put it in the bin.

I replaced it with nothing.

I don't believe in offering a bribe OR a placation when my dog has growled at me. They HAVE to accept me as boss which means I have the right to give and remove anything I choose at a time I choose and they have to SEE AND accept that. I didn't get so much as a grumble off her when she saw what I was doing. I got cow eyes staring from the bin and back to me but it didn't work.
Shortly after that Ella had her worst upset tummy EVER. Sick and the squits non stop for 5 days. There was clear evidence of half digested bones (all she had had on the day in question). There were shards of bones coming through both ends which has always been a huge worry of mine. The bones were raw and fresh so I know they weren't dodgy. Sykes & Rosie both had the runs for 2 or 3 days too so bones clearly don't suit my lot, in terms if digestion OR attitude in Ella's case. It's a shame as they LOVE them but they all have delicate tums so I have replaced with organic treats and though they adore these too they sit nicely in line eagerly awaiting their treat, no scuffles, no fuss and no grumbling

I would say that if you give bones again - do exactly as you did - in his crate but speak to him as you approach. tell him to "drop it" and WHEN removing the bone approach it (not him) with the BACK of your hand or a loosely clenched fist, again the BACK of this showing toward him. This way your fingers and soft pads of your hands are protected and IF he chooses to nip again he'll likely catch just air or merely scrape your skin. You could always try instructing him to leave his create before you attempt to remove the bone so he's not in an enclosed space and overly territorial.

Good luck & hope the wound heals quickly
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[Craig C]

[Craig/Tracy]

Well glad this was brought up Steve as Craig was in the same position weeks ago when food was placed down from me (Tracy) and he was eating away Enzo my gsd stopped to finish off his water then started to eat his raw meat dinner when Craig approached to get him another drink of water but Enzo gave a warning growl but Craig i thought did wrong as he removed his food which just triggered Enzo off even more as he went for Craig so Craig grabbed him with fur on his neck, i approached Craig and said this was the wrong way of handling it as he should not have removed the food as this can make the dog more possessive of the food but to work with him as feeding him more and looking like he is eating food before Enzo then placing bowl down to understand pack order as i feed Enzo on a daily basis with food, treats and kong filled with cheese and i can pet him at any time, move him away if trying to get anything from the kitchen,refill his water bowl when he eats,i also get marrow bones from my butcher and Enzo takes in bone or treat automatically into his crate as i think he wants to be left alone as he has been rewarded with a treat and its like his bedroom and wants peace and quiet but months back he would come out his crate to finish off his bone and gave a warning growl again to Craig as he tried to remove the bone to get him back into the crate to avoid mess on the wooden floor but Craig backed off,the following day he had another bone when Craig just sat in shock and said to me how on earth did you manage to get that bone from him to get him back into his crate but i just think its because i feed Enzo constantly,i never try to remove treats unless i say things like Enzo bed which he understands and also enzo move which he knows i want into my dishwasher so advice here also for Craig please as i do not know if we are also doing the right thing

[Jack]

Craig just needs to listen to YOU babe - You've got Enzo sussed

You're doing everything right. Pre warning Enzo you are there and telling him what you want. If Craig (no offence) doesn't have the same knack for this then I think he should leave you to it but I absolutely agree he at least needs to try to interact more around food and treat time and do exactly as you do that way Enzo learns the rules apply to ALL humans and not just to you, the person that Enzo views as the ultimate pack leader - smart pooch you have there!!!
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[Craig/Tracy]

That's my boy Enzo that is

[Jack]

CLEARLY a ladies man - big hugs & kisses to my fave bad lad please! xxx
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[Craig/Tracy]

big kisses always to enzo from you Jack and yes he is a ladies man, he has fell in love with Tanya who is Johns dads gsd who he knows is a stunner

[Jack]

Aw nice to hear he has found true love at last
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[steve young]

Well, thanks for the advice folks. I've spent a bit of time with Mylo and the bone. Let him have it but only when i say 'ok', like normal food or he gives me a paw like we do for other treats. He was wary of it, but he's now chomping away just outside his crate on the tiles.

I feed him, walk him, discipline him, train him, do everything for him since we got him, so he usually doesn't mess with me, the 'pack leader' (shh, don't tell the wife). So I think we've both learned something today. Funny though, he still wants Sasha's bone which is a fraction of the size.


Pics from earlier, just before 'finger-gate':

What's this?


Tastes grrrrreat!


Eh... get yer hands off!


Ooyah!

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Steve Young
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Dogs: Sasha (10 yr Lurcher, male) and Mylo (1 yr Shepweiler, male)
Pictures Videos

[Craig/Tracy]

That's a do not mess with me cut for such a baby , Craig does all these things too but still got this reaction are you sure your wife is not the pack leader

[kendal]

lovely photos. i see what you mean about the bone being as big as his head.

finger looks soar. but i don't think it will need stitches.
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microchiping and grooming www.chipnclip.co.uk