fear biter

Question
my daughter was recently biten by a dog that has turned into a fear biter. the dog was attacked by a larger dog and needed syrgery. while at the vet he was also castrated. he is not an older dog maybe 1-2yrs. since he has come back from the syrgery he has becaome a fear biter. he attacks everyone except for family members. my daughter was in the house and the dog just went for her. he is a larger pomeranian and jump thigh high and bite her and then bite her again in the knee. she got 2 very nasty bites. i would like to know if this is normal for a dog after a visit to the vet or is it normal after an attack by another dog? is there anything that can be done besides keeping people out of that house for fear that the dog will attck someone else? we do not want the dog harmed by "puttung him down" but there must be something that can be done so no one else gets hurt. thank you

Answer
This is not normal and you need good, in-person help. If he is still in pain, or is having confusion from the anesthesia, that could explain behavior changes, but that should have lasted no more than a day or two. Trauma from the dog attack could also contribute but knowing "why" doesn't fix the problem. You need either a good trainer who specializes in aggression problems in a non-punative program - (punishing the dog can make it worse) or a certified behaviorist (some people call themselves "behaviorists" who are not - ask for credentials - should be advanced college degrees in animal behavior.) Tell your vet what is going on, and ask his advice and referrals to a professional. It is way too dangerous for everyone involved to guess what is going on, on line, or to take advice from anyone who can't evaluate your dog in person. I would do this as soon as possible, and I would be careful to keep the dog out of situations where he has the opportunity to bite, in the mean time. Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com