About had it with them & their dog!

[~clover~]

Friends of ours have 2 dogs. A small mix breed. Foxy & chauahua (however you spell it!!) & a bigger mix. Blue Heeler & Border collie as far as I know.
They had a red cattle cross something years ago too.

Now the first dog they had wasn't too bad. But I guess there was only one child to watch, so there wasn't as much time spent with the dog
Anyway, after being tormented over the back fence for 2 days straight (we watched the whole thing & told the young boys over & over to stop) that dog got out accidentally & bit a poor girl about the same age walking past.
The kids behind had been throwing sticks & rocking the roof non stop & it just drove him nuts. He lost it.
Even though they didn't have to, our friends had the dog put down. They refused to risk anything like that happening again.

So... 5 years later, they have these other 2 dogs. The little one is snippy. There 6 year old DD has hair pulling issues & not only twists & pulls her own hair out, but does it to the dog too. Sure they've made a half arsed attempt to stop it, but they haven't put much effort in They aren't so worried coz its a small dog & won't hurt. Whatever...

The bigger one... well. She is about 12 months old, I guess. Desexed. About 4 or 5 months ago their DD had a friend sleep over & the whole time he was there, both kids ran around with those party blower things blowing them in the dogs ears. They literally drove the poor thing nuts!
The DD kept it up for days after too. Sure they told her to stop, but when she didn't, they'd just shake they're heads.
The dog has changed. I can't let the kids out of my sight there now & when I do I'm crapping myself the whole time coz of the damned thing!
Its gone at a few kids. Never bitten....not yet! But its had every intention to.
DS is just 2, its gone at him 4 or 5 times. Another little girl once. Both my girls at least once & bailed DD1 up so she couldn't get to us.

After today I'm almost at the point where I say its us or the dog. DS walked past the dog while she was eating & she went at him. She is about the same size as him. He had a red dot on his arm, but I don't think that was from her.

It scared the crap out of poor DS & they did nothing! Absolutely nothing! Just like every other time. If they are having a few people over they tie the dog up & tell everyone to keep the kids away, fair enough, but when they have a small yard & the dogs inside where my kids can't get away from them you'd think they'd try some kind of discipline!!
I've owned a few dogs. I have one who is alot older (7 or 8, raised by someone else) & would probably snap around food too, but not one dog I've had since a pup has dared! I've made sure of it!

My kids feed my dogs & have been able to take bones etc out of their mouths. I've not exactly encouraged it or anything, but my dogs have always known that the kids are the boss iykwim. They do not, under any circumstances hurt the kids! Ever!

The pup we have now has nipped a few times being playful, but thats it. She has never & would never growl or snap at my kids. Especially not just walking past!

Sorry for the huge long post, but I'm stewing right now! They did nothing, said nothing. I guess I should keep my kids inside to trash their house, since they want us there, or just not go there...

[AliBaby]

That is really bad that you dont feel safe with the kids there and they arent doing anything to make it more safe.

I actually feel really sorry for the poor dogs. It is their owners fault that they have become this way and it is awful that they are being tormented by their kids). You would think that they would have learnt after the first dog getting aggressive from being tormented.

I totally see where you are getting at whenyou say about your own dog and that it knows it place in the pack. Mine are the same and we have worked to make it this way. Its what they need and function with. They need to know their place in the pack.

Not sure what advice to give.