Buster
Buster is an 8 or 9 year old red male, quite big. He is my brothers dog, the family pet bred by him from his bitch, Carly, and his friends dog, the pick of the litter! He has been a very good dog, brought up with my brothers 3 children (6, 8 and 15) with a good temprament with people and other dogs. The problem is, the other day while my brothers 6 year old daughter and her friend were playing in the kitchen, Buster bit the 7 year old friend on the face. Nobody else was in the room to witness what happened. From the injury to the little girls face it is obvious that Buster snapped at her face, puncturing her lip and nose with his incisors. The girls mother has NOT called for the dog to be put down but my brother and his wife are not prepared to take the chance of something like this happening again and have arranged for him to be put to sleep.
I am very sad that this has happened as Buster has been a fantastic family pet and great companion and I have seen him on a weekly basis, for regular walks since he was born and have looked after him while the family have been on holiday etc. He has been a very well behaved dog and never attacked other dogs or people , usually walked off the lead.
He is not an ill tempered dog at all and I really can't understand what happened here. It was obviously only a single snap of his jaws due to the relatively minor nature of the injury compared to the damage he could have inflicted if he wanted to, bearing in mind there was no adult in the room to stop him. But I can understand that he shouldn't be around children now that he has bitten but I can't bear to see him put down.
If anyone can give Buster a good home where he will not be around children, just to be on the safe side (he may never do anything like this again but it's not a chance we can take), please get in touch ASAP. If you need any further info please call me (07989 449401) and I have photos I can email if required. He is located in Deal in Kent but I am prepared to take him to a new suitable home pretty much anywhere in England.
Please help to find this dog a safe comfortable home where he can spend the rest of his days. The family are willing to rehome if a suitable home can be found, otherwise he will have to go for the long sleep, regrettably. thanks for reading and please try to help if you know somebody or somewhere that can take him in.
I posted notices on a forum at www.staffybullterriers.com and some of the members asked if there could be a medical reason for his out of character behaviour. He actually has an existing condition that the vet has not been able to identify. His rear legs seems to cramp and spasm if he has been run hard or exerted himself too much, which makes him stiff and sore for a couple of days after. Could this be making him less tolerant?
He has been to the vets about this a few years back but after head to toe X-rays and I think, a course of anti-inflamatory medication, we were still none the wiser and a bit poorer and Buster still had the same outcome after being for long walks and trying to keep up with his very spritely mother. He now doesn't get taken for long walks as he can't seem to stop himself running around at full pace and suffering for it later, he now only gets a couple of short walks a day instead of going out to the woods for a few hours as he used to. Could possibly be arthritis but he has had this for a number of years since he was quite a young dog, it seems to be more muscular to me but I'm no vet. Mind you the vet was no help either so my opinion may be just as valid. Don't get me wrong he is a healthy dog, he's just not really able for serious exertion. Leisurely walks and short off the lead runs are no problem, it's just sustained running, fetching and playing seems to take it's toll.
One of the members said this could be L2+HGA (L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria) and explained about the condition. It's the first I've ever heard of it and I doubt he has ever been screened for it, the vet just wanted to bill for a series of X-rays. I don't know if this could be a factor in what has happened but thought I should provide as much information as possible to make any potential new home totally aware of the situation.
Thanks for reading and please try to help if you know somebody or somewhere that can take him in and any opinion or advice on this situation would be helpful.
Buster is notbeing re-homed through Staffies In Need, and as such may not be neutered, vaccinated or micro-chipped.
Please complete an interested in adoption form and email it to us if you are interested in adopting him.