Whats wrong with my Jack Russel?

[luke123]

I'd rather this didn't turn into an argument.
My Jack Russel, Max is terrified of strangers. When I walk him, small children bend down to stroke him, and he cowers, runs around me, ties me up with his lead and then if they carry on trying to stroke him then he gets so scared he will bite them, I tell people to stop but they dont listen atall, they actually find it amusing that he is scared, then when i carry on walking they chase after him scaring him even more. When im with people that are older, about 12-16, he is fine with them, its just small children, hes terrified of them. How can I get him to feel comfortable with them? I understand all they want to do is stroke him, and they are too young to understand, but im scared one day he will seriously bite someone. what can i do?

Thanks.

[KathyM]

Muzzle him when out in public - it's your duty to prevent him biting not excuse it. I would also get a vet referral to a behaviourist.

[SiUK]

I agree, he has to be muzzled its the obvious quick fix, long term see if you can deal with the issue of him biting, but for now he needs to be muzzled.

[Esarosa]

The muzzle would also act as a visual deterrent to people, so they're less likely to approach him and try to pet him. Hell I have a halti for my Whippet x (long story short wrong body type for harness and can't wear collars due to being attacked 2 years back), and people tend to avoid her as they assume it's a muzzle.. honestly some people!

But realistically you need a muzzle and fast. As an owner it's your responsibility to ensure he cannot bite anyone. If it did happen, he'd be deemed dangerous and have to be destroyed, I doubt they would weigh into account whether he was being harassed or not or whether they had been forewarned. In fact if they had been forewarned and it then happened they would say you knowingly had a dangerous dog out of control in public.

Get a muzzle and seek out a dog behaviourist. Best of luck.

[ami_j]

and ppl wonder why their kids get bitten

[glennskow]

ours was the same , until her back hit the corner she was cowering into as an old lady bent down to stroke her DISPITE BEEN TOLD NOT TO! and duly launched herself at the old lady .luckily i was quick enough to yank the lead back so she missed . no one heard me telling her not to stroke the dog , but every one thinks it was mine and the dogs fault.

[arwen_7]

I have a halti on Jock (also a jack Russell) when i have him out, and most people don't try and pet him because of it, or steer their kids away saying 'its muzzeled don't touch it!'. Which I am not too bothered with as I'am not very good with kids! (Jock is)

Jock has problems with trying to attack other dogs and when he starts barking or lunging at them, its really easy to just grab the ringed bit of the halti and close his mouth, without any danger to you either.

On a whole i think halti's are much better than a muzzel for walking dogs that are not always aggresive. It means that when kids, in your case, are around you can control his mouth and when they are not around he can enjoy a normal walk, without the retrictions of a muzzel.

I would also consult your vet and/or a behaviourist tho.

[KathyM]

A halti is not going to suffice with a dog that has actually bitten - there is no need to control his mouth when he's around children on walks, he should not be near them, simple as. He needs to be properly muzzled when out in case he legs it, it's not responsible to take him out unmuzzled when he has bitten already, the owner is very lucky she hasn't been prosecuted already for having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.

[ami_j]

Originally Posted by KathyM

A halti is not going to suffice with a dog that has actually bitten - there is no need to control his mouth when he's around children on walks, he should not be near them, simple as. He needs to be properly muzzled when out in case he legs it, it's not responsible to take him out unmuzzled when he has bitten already, the owner is very lucky she hasn't been prosecuted already for having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.

tbh it sounds like these kids need to learn that NO means NO and the only way that they will actually learn is to get bitten...though of course then the dog will be a "devil dog" and the parents will be baying for his blood...poor thing has to be muzzled due to little brats having no respect...i really do despair

[KathyM]

I couldn't disagree more, these aren't the OP's children, they're children out on walks and it's the OP's responsibility to not let their dog bite people. It's a Jack Russel not a Great Dane, there's no need for them to even get near him, they could turn around and walk away. It doesn't take much to say "Sorry dear, you can't stroke this dog he's already bitten several children" (and tbh if the OP suggests the children know the dog bites but still petted him, that's rubbish), but as a just in case measure they have a legal responsibility to keep him under control in a public place, which means in this case keeping him onlead and muzzling him.

I don't know how anyone can blame a child for a stranger's dog biting them when the stranger is aware their dog bites children.