We had an Irish Setter when I was a kid. Very nice dog. Great temperament. Always friendly with everyone. One day a patient of my dads (had a practice off our house) was walking up the drive and the dog reared up and went for her throat. Out of the blue. Nothing provoked the attack. Dog was put down. It is to my understanding that some breeds over the years were bred for thinner skulls resulting in brain issue. Irish Setters no exception.
There is really nothing to stop a dog that feels he is the alpha male. Growling and biting anything in the vicinity is ok in his book. Kids included. It is only a matter of time. One day I went to work with my dad in the ER. A young girl (4 years old) was bitten in the head by the family doberman. Bite wound went right to the skull. Plastic surgeon was called in to suture the wounds in hopes to reducing the scaring of the face. Kid did not provoke this dog. Again, alpha male syndrom. Dobermans also bred for smaller sleek heads.
Some dogs you are just not going to reach no matter how much you work with them.
Sorry to hear this had to happen.
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“You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.”
― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road
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