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If you follow me on Twitter than you already know that Kainoa was bit by a dog.
Our dog.
The precious, sweet, gentle Victor E. turned out to be not so precious and sweet. In the dog’s defense Kainoa was not being super “respectful” of his space while the dog lay sleeping. He clumsily climbed over Victor E. to get to me and without warning the little dog snapped.
I had no idea Kainoa had been bitten until Pat leaped up to punch Victor E. When I saw the damage I did what any 31 year old mother in her right mind WOULD do…I started crying and called my Mom. Pat and I decided not to take him in…the cuts did not appear to be too deep.
And then came a difficult decision. In the first 24 hours I decided that maybe Victor E. deserved another chance. I could train him, read books, muzzle him, teach the kids (mainly Kainoa) how to respect his space and to never bother him when he’s sleeping or eating. Victor E. is such a sweet boy…I just couldn’t believe he lashed out the way he did. I bought him a muzzle and started training him to stay on a bed blocked out of the daycare area of the house. And by “training him” I mean I “threw pieces of sausage at him” to get him to stay.
I realized we could be in for a long road. I would always have small kids in the daycare. If I’m isolating the dog from people…and muzzling him when he’s around people…what kind of life am I offering that dog? The thought of putting Victor E. back in the foster system made me sad. He was used to his new home and we had bonded. I was mad at myself for not picking Kainoa up and stopping him from using Victor E. as a throw pillow.
On New Year’s Day I did the hard thing. I wrote the rescue group leader and told her I didn’t think it was in our best interest to keep Victor E. The liability with the daycare alone was enough to prompt that final decision, but the thought of him striking one of my kids again, and knowing that it would be my fault for selfishly choosing my bond with him over their safety…I would hate myself.
The night of New Year’s Day I got the kids semi ready for bed and headed to my sister’s house…no more than an hour into my evening there did I receive a calm and polite phone call from my husband…on opposite day.
Victor E. bit Maile.
The pidgin-talkin’-smack-down-island-hood came out of my husband that evening. No longer the easy going, chillaxed local boy we all know and love, Pat went straight gangster for a sec.
In short, that dog is lucky to be alive. Not only did he bite Maile on Pat’s watch, but when Pat threw him in the backyard Victor E. dug his way out. When he finally got him in the house, Victor E. ran away from Pat tracking mud all over the place.
All this while Laina chirped on and on about how Pat’s not being very nice to the dog, Kainoa’s repeating “no bite bictowee…no bite…”, and Maile’s screaming.
In Pat’s own words, “Kat…if we lived inda boonies I woulda’ taken dat mutt out to a field an’shot’im inda head”. With a gun we don’t own apparently.
Pat’s hardcore.
Maile needed stitches. It was awful. My Mom took Laina and Kainoa home with her and we were in the Emergency Room until after 1am. Maile was exhausted…and screaming about the thought of needles before the dr. even touched her with one.
The only thing I could do to squeeze a smile and sense of calm from my daughter was to talk about how if I were a princess with a magic wand I would turn all of her friends into slugs and pigs and boogers…I kept going until I could no longer think of anything repulsive enough to make her laugh. I gave her candy, I promised a trip to Target where she could buy anything she wanted, I offered milkshakes…I’m desperate when my kids are hurting. I’ll do anything.
Victor E. is no longer a member of our family.
The rescue group is aware of what happened and will not be placing him in a home with small children.
We will not foster dogs again. Game over.
Maile and Kainoa look beat up.
And Victor E. needs anger management.
Maybe he should go to the place Pat went to lose the pidgin-talkin’-smack-down-island-hood.
….Oh and Maile said she was petting Victor E. at the bottom of the stairs when he bit her. She is adamant that she was only petting him and that his eyes were open. I’ve tried to coax more information out of her. It’s hard to imagine him just jumping up and biting her in the eye for nothing…but since she’s sticking with that story I have no choice but to believe her.
…Oh and I nearly forgot the sweetest part of the whole story. On our way to Target the next day Maile said she wanted to stop talking about what happened because it makes her sad…and then she said the most amazing thing. She said she misses Victor E.
My heart!
A child’s forgiveness is a beautiful thing.
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Children are amazing. She looks beautiful in the photo – just like her mom and dad. I am glad they are both ok with nothing more than scratches. (You know I had my own dog-bite experience with my son and I know the terror you feel. Go PAT!)
Actually Pat sounds exactly like my husband did after my son got bitten. :-)
(Get well lil Mama Kat kids!)
Holy crap! How awful! How scary! How sad!
I can totally understand Pat’s reaction. Did you find his reaction sexy — he doesn’t want anyone messing with his babies.
Yikes. I’m so sorry you had to experience this.
Wow!! How awful! Poor kids! And I swear I felt really bad for BadAssPat right after I stopped laughing at the picture you put in my head!! lol
Ouchie! And both right in the eye area! That sucks. Hooray for Pat and his hood-skillz.
That’s so sad. Sad and scary that your babies got bit, and sad that you had to lose your dog. My sister went through this with one of her dogs, this past summer. The dog snapped at my little great nephew, and his dad nearly tore her apartment up, trying to chase it down. So needless to say, that dog is gone.
So sorry, that sucks :-( I realize I’m way late to the game here, but if Rudy ever has a reaction like that, if you can stand it, take him to the vet. Immediately. When sweet dogs bite with no provocation, ESPECIALLY when being touched or pet, it’s often a sign that they’re in pain. Dogs are very stoic, they don’t show they’re in pain, until it gets past the point they can bear it. So it might be both kids innocently touched a very sore spot.
So sorry your babies were hurt, glad they are willing to love Rudy!
Oh wow. Here, if a dog bites not once but twice, they won’t put it back in the foster system or in a shelter to be adopted again. They put it down or send it to live on a farm with other angry dogs. And probably Cesar Millan.
This is just so heartbreaking!
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