Biting Dog

Question
Yesterday our 1 year old daughter crawled up behind our 80-lb 2 1/2 year old male labradoodle, who turned and bit her on the forehead bruising her and slightly breaking the skin.  He has been growly towards her, and quickly moves away when she comes near, in spite of a year of rewarding him and paying extra attention to him whenever she is around. Since she was born, he's also become jumpy whenever my husband and I step near him, and fearful/aggressive towards unknown dogs. We are  devastated to think we may have to find a new home for him, but our daughter's safety has to be primary.  What has happened to him?  Are we giving up on him to soon?  What can we do to change his behavior?  Are we foolish to even think of keeping him in our home?

Answer
You have a complex problem since your dog is exhibiting behaviors (jumpy when you step near him, sudden fear of unknown dogs) that really have no apparent relationship to your infant.  Having said that, I can't stress strongly enough that a growl is a BITE waiting to happen.  Under NO circumstances should your infant daughter be allowed to interact with this dog.  NONE.  In less time than it takes for you to get up out of your chair, the dog can seriously injure, or worse, a human baby.  The dog is giving clear signals of fear and insecurity but this does not mean that your child should be in harm's way.

Your first move should be to take your dog to the veterinarian for a complete checkup, including neurological examination and eye examination.  Your second is to find a credentialed behaviorist, NOT a dog trainer with make believe credentials.  If your veterinarian does not know such a professional, call the veterinary college closest to your home and ask for referrals.  This is not a behavior problem that can be successfully, or safely, addressed online!  Hands on with the dog and a complex case history of behavior throughout the dog's life, coupled with the results of veterinary examination, are absolutely necessary.  While not shunning the dog or isolating him, do not allow him to interact with your baby until this situation has been evaluated by professionals.