My life is dedicated to helping dogs while remaining compassionate to the wide variety of dog owners.
A Jack Russell terrier type dog (not pictured) was killed in a local pound last week because of his extremely aggressive behavior, according to 4 Luv of Dog, a Fargo dog rescue. Because of the dog’s aggression, he was considered by the pound to be ”unadoptable.”
My immediate reaction was shock. Was there really no one in the area capable of helping this dog? How can a group call themselves a rescue if they aren’t willing to rescue every dog? Why didn’t I help him? (In this case the pound would not release the dog to rescues due to its aggression, according to 4 Luv of Dog.)
My more logical self reminded me that I hadn’t volunteered to foster this dog even before I knew he was aggressive. I also realize dogs are euthanized every day, including healthy dogs, young dogs and friendly dogs. This dog was not friendly and probably not healthy either.
When is it acceptable to kill a dog due to aggression issues? Is it ever OK?
Obviously there is no correct answer. But sooner or later, anyone involved in dog rescue and even some who aren’t will play a part in making this choice.
My simplified answer: There are circumstances when the best choice is to kill the dog.
That being said, I also believe every dog can be rehabilitated to the point of living an almost normal and safe life. It’s just that resources are usually unavailable, the risk of a person getting injured is too great and more laws are out there banning dangerous dogs.
I admire 4 Luv of Dog Rescue for honestly posting info about the impounded terrier on its home page and admitting he would not be rescued. I’m sure the organization will get at least some negative feedback for its decision to post this info, even if the pound would not release the dog.
No other shelter or rescue group in the area was able to help the terrier either. Adopt-A-Pet of Fargo Moorhead did not. The F-M Humane Society did not. 4 Luv of Dog Rescue was the only group I am aware of that at least acknowledged the dog.
No one helped this dog, and everyone who is a true dog lover should feel at fault for the result.
Euthanizing an aggressive dog
My own parents – two of the world’s greatest dog lovers – had their aggressive spaniel “dealt with” when I was about 3 years old.
I’m not sure if Abby ever got a new home, but her chances were not good. Dog aggression is a serious issue, even more serious when a 3-year-old and a baby are at risk.
In his book “A Good Dog,” Jon Katz wrote about the intense bond he shared with one of his rescued border collies, Orson. Anyone who criticized Jon’s decision to euthanize Orson after the dog attacked multiple people is missing something.
Confinement, medical treatment and endless rehabilitation are always choices, but not necessarily options in the best interest of the dog or the people who love him. No dog is worth the life of a human.
As for the terrier supposedly euthanized in Fargo last week, he is one example of why more work needs to be done – more communication, more education, better information on training, on socialization, on exercise and adoption.
It’s not just the big dogs, the shepherd mixes and the pitbulls that end up as victims. It is every dog.
Do you believe it is right to euthanize an aggressive dog?
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Hi
We rescued a staffie x in November , thy told us he was a stray and was about 2 years and had been spayed .
Two days later he came into season ! And the vet said she was more like 6-7 years old .
This didn’t matter to us , however her fear based aggression towards other dogs large or small does .
We are midnight walkers as he is so aggressive when she sees a dog ,s he’s always on high alert when we go out and is a completely different dog , as inside she is loving and such a good girl .
She has bitten two dogs up to date , one she grabbed round the neck . We are ll o depressed and frightened when walkies is due. .
We have insulted two behaviourist and one of them said you’ll never change her , the other wants to work on dog desensitising , this always ends in her barking snarling growling snapping and lunging
I dare not think what could happen if she ever managed to slip her collar .
We are thinking of euthanising as cannot be going to court or more importantly want another dog hurt .
Please help
Juliet xx
That’s consulted not insulted ( sorry damn keyboard ) xx
Hi Jules. I’m afraid I won’t be of much help other than to say I think you are doing the right thing by consulting with some behaviorists, making some attempts to help your dog but also considering euthanizing her. There is no easy answer, and only you and your family know what’s best. You may want to look into the book Feisty Fido by Patricia McConnell. It has some tips on how to slowly help a dog feel calm around other dogs on walks.
Thank you Lindsay
Your kind and understanding words meant a lot xx
After serious thoughts and discussions our family took the most painful decision in the world and have poor Ruby put to sleep .
She was deeply troubled outside and totally in a zone that we could not bring her out of . We tried so very hard .
Our house is quiet , and has a sadness so deep . We loved her so much .
I hope she understands our decision ?
Our hearts are very heavy with guilt and many unspoken wishes that she was like other dogs .
Miss u rubes xxxx
Love u good girl xxxx
Sorry to hear of your loss
Thank you all for the replies to my post. I honestly believe in my heart that something was wrong with my dog. Looking back, the state of anxiety this dog was in constantly was not right..something was off there. I don’t know what it was, but the vet agreed with me; whatever was going on was in her brain. It wasn’t that she was a “bad” dog, she just couldn’t help it because, we believe, she was mentally ill. (I worked with this vet for some time, so he wasn’t telling me this just to be consoling). Something would just flip in her brain, like a switch, and anything could trigger it.
To say that the life has been sucked out of our house since she left would be an understatement. The quietness around here is deafening, and only now am I beginning to get used to it. My older dog is beginning to realize she can bark without fear of being jumped on, so she is slowly relaxing and coming out of her shell.
I’m so sorry that all of us here has had to experience this. It breaks my heart that others out there are going through the same thing and may not have the support I’ve had on here and at my vet’s office. Thank you so much for being here.
Sherry
Thinking of you, Sherry.
I believe most dogs can have their behavior changed. Try Don Sullivan’s method. There is plenty of people who disagree with him but I will personally vouch that his program works in most cases and can save your dog. The package comes with the collars and two training dvd’s. I am a volunteer at our local animal shelter where I walk dogs. There is a lab there now who I am absolutely in love with but because of a few agressive incidents they might be euthanizing him in a few weeks. I know the don Sullivan method would work on him because it worked on my dog but they won’t even let me try it because of liability reasons. You have your dog at home- that is a luxury. Try it, do what he says on the dog aggressiveness section of the DVD. I thought it was stupid at first but I was willing to try anything. Trust me it works, and no I do not work for or get paid by that organization. Just want to help.
Dominance theory DOES not work on dogs that have severe anxiety (which is the root cause of the majority of “aggression” issues.
Beating the fear out of the dog does not result in a “confident” or “submissive” dog- only in a terrified dog who no longer has the confidence to handle a situation. It doesn’t remedy the aggression- only bottles it up until a dog can no longer tolerate life and snaps.
Thank you for the suggestion, Sandy.
Yes, I do still believe some dogs can be rehabilitated, but I also believe there are dogs who are mentally ill, or suffer from severe anxiety and a fear so deep nothing can change them. Such was the case with my dog. We don’t know why she was this way, as we gave her no reason to fear us, anyone, or any other animal. We tried everything recommended, and she might show some improvement for a week or so, but that “lightning fast” reaction was always there, and she was in a constant state of tension and anxiety.
As Becky stated, beating a dog is not the answer, and can actually make a fear based aggressive dog worse, not better. A dog with severe fear problems will only end up fearing the owner and people in general even more, thus resulting in a higher anxiety level.
Since our dog was a rescue, we have no way of knowing what exactly happened to her before she came to live with us. She had been tied out with a chain ( & that’s a whole different soap box for me), and basically ignored, I think, until we got her. I’m sure this had great bearing on her mental state, as she was not socialized properly, and by the time we got her, she had already developed a high level of anxiety. Sadly, she slowly deteriorated, even though we tried everything we knew to fix her. If I could’ve found a magic pill that would have made her better, I would have gladly given any price for it, just to save her.
So, with all this being said, sometimes it is not the owner’s fault either. I know you hear and see things like “there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. It’s time to start blaming the other end of the leash”. It just tears me up to read this things (I can’t go on social media anymore because of it), because people posting all this, (my friends), have not ever had to deal with a dog who has severe mental problems. Now I know they don’t mean any harm when they post this stuff, and I agree..in certain situations, it CAN be the owner’s fault, because, there are no “bad” dogs, and there are owners out there who mistreat their pets and cause them to be aggressive, but in some cases, I believe the dog is truly mentally ill, and that’s NOT the owners fault. One has no way of knowing how a dog’s mental state is going to develop, even if you adopt it as a puppy. It can be raised with the most care and love a dog could ever want or need, and still, something just goes wrong.
I know this is very long, and I thank you for reading it. It’s been a rough two weeks at our house, and I just want people to understand that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, there is no fix, and that’s certainly not your fault, or your dogs’ fault. My dog was mentally unstable, and there was nothing I could do about it, except take the most drastic step left. Does it still hurt? Every day. Do I feel guilt? Oh yeah, you bet, and probably always will. The only comfort I have is believing I released her from her the restraints of her physical body, because I do believe that in a way, she was suffering, not from any physical pain, but in her mind. My sweet baby was a beautiful soul who didn’t deserve the rough beginning she was dealt, and now, she is now finally free from the tension and anxiety that plagued her for so long.
Sherry
I agree with you. It’s not always the owner’s fault. I fostered a yorkie mix that would attack, and I met his previous owner. I believe she loved him and did the best she could. He was originally from a pet shop, so his genetics and early upbringing were probably far from ideal. When I fostered him, he was still very aggressive despite my best attempts to work with him on training, structure, discipline, exercise, socialization and of course, love.
Sorry for your loss, Sherry.
Sherry,
I will be giving our dog to a young girl trainer who has tried to help me. She is going to try and “rehab” him with the help of another more experienced trainer, but eventually he may have to be euthanized. We have had a very similar experience. We took him in at 13 weeks, not know much of his history. Other than his random, unpredictable aggression he is the best dog I have ever had. But, he just bit my daughter in the face (he tends to go in that direction) so one way or another he must go. It is breaking my heart. It has been a roller coaster ride for years with him and I have tried so much. It really hurts to have a dog that you love, but cannot trust. I really appreciate your sharing. It helps to know that someone else has gone through this. My only consolation is that he may wind up with someone who can manage his behavior. If not, the euthanasia is probably the most humane solution. He is mentally ill, I believe, and that is so sad.
Joe
I’m so sorry you have to give up your pet. I wanted to find my Patch another home, but I was afraid she would end up with someone who would not care for her after a while. Her problems ran deeper than we could ever reach, so for us, euthanasia was the only option, because she would flip at the slightest thing, and had already begun to bite.
I don’t know if you’ve read all my posts on here, beginning back in January. We rescued her at 6 months, most of which she spent at the end of a chain, which I believe was the root of her problem. She was mentally ill, and I discussed this at length with our vet, who also believed with her behavior, it was beyond the point of rehabilitation and meds. This was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make as a pet owner, and it was definitely not easy. I miss her every day; the emptiness in this house now that’s she’s gone is unbelievable. She was so lively and the sweetest you’d ever hope to meet, but the fear and anxiety this dog had was, I believe, torture for her. I could try to hug her sometimes and she would pull away and growl at me. I have no idea why..she had no reason to fear us; all we ever tried to give her was love and a good home.
She was only 3 years old, and I don’t think she was in any physical pain, just mentally. I believe those early months she was on a chain and not socialized properly had great bearing on her emotionally and mentally. I don’t know if the people who had her were physically abusive, but she was always skiddish and wary, even when she had no reason to be.
I really hope whoever gets your dog can help it overcome the problems it is experiencing, but just like humans, dogs can also have mental problems, and since they can’t tell us the problems they are having, we have to guess at what treatment works best. Unfortunately, sometimes it is the hardest and most painful one (for us) imaginable, but I do believe in my heart they are finally freed from whatever anguish they may be going through. This is the only thing that has gave me any comfort through this.
Blessings to you
Sherry
Sherry It sounds like you are describing my situation to a “T”
We have poured every resource into our little guy (a 3 yr old JR/Chi mix who we rescued from the shelter here) we knew he had aggressive tendencies and 3 failed adoptions. But, we thought we could pour resources into him and “fix” him. Behaviorists, meds rehab, counter conditioning, every trick in the book and we’d have a good few weeks and he’s snap and take 3 giant steps back.
He is still with us as we await the results from the last round of tests to come back. But if they come back negative as I suspect they will, the decision has been made to put him to sleep. I have been crying for days straight, I keep wondering if there is something we’ve missed. But, it my heart I know we did everything possible and then some. The shelter will take him back to live out his life in a kennel..I don’t think that is fair and would torture him even more. I do believe he is mentally ill, he has Mr Hyde living in him (thats what we call him when he’s “off”) and putting him to sleep will release him of his mental pain. So tragic. Thanks for letting me vent and for having this here to read, makes me feel not alone!!
Leslie
Leslie, good for you for having given that dog his only chance and trying to rehabilitate him. It says a lot about you as a person that you were willing to risk your own heart by trying to help a “troubled” dog. In my own experience I was astonished to realize that all the love (and training/intervention) in the world isn’t always enough to help a dog with aggressive issues. Just wanted to offer some words of support – lots of us can relate to what you are going through with your dog. I hope you and your dog can find some peace.
Dear Leslie
I can totally understand
And I feel your pain x
Our family is feeling it too .
Some dogs especially rescues have deep troubles that no one ,not even with the best will in the world can fix .
Lord knows we tried and so did u ,
Love to u and your family
Jules xxxx
I am in the midst of making this painful decision. We got our dog as an emergency rescue 6 years ago. I took one look and fell in love with her. We decided to keep her. She’s a red nosed pit bull.
She is a nervous dog and always has been. We know nothing of her history. We got her at about two years old. She fights with any other female dog she comes across and tries to dominate male dogs. We’ve tried every program out there, including a very expensive, on location, two week boot camp. She came back knowing basic commands but that was it. Still nervous. I run her most morning in the backyard and still she’s a bundle of nerves. And any chance she gets, she goes after our other female dog. We’d tried rehoming her in the past but, due to her breed, that’s impossibly difficult.
Today I came home from running errands, leaving my two younger sons (9, 11) in the care of my daughter (18). As I was pulling into the driveway, my daughter called that the dogs were fighting. I ran inside to find the usual disaster when they fight — bloody dogs, bloody room and sheer madness. I rushed both dogs (in separate trips) to the vet. Normally they’re kept apart. Pit is in her crate when she’s not outside, other dogs are loose inside when not outside. Today their paths crossed and the pit went after my other dog, as she always does
We can’t, with a clear conscience, turn her over to the pound because she won’t get adopted, will languish in a crate (not unlike she’s doing now, right?) and be euthanized with strangers and who knows in what manner. We can’t, with a clear conscience, rehome her as who knows if they’ll give her what she needs and, most importantly, what if she went after a person? Or killed someone’s dog and the person getting in the middle of it was bitten? I love this dog so much but I can’t trust her and with little boys in my house, it’s just not an option any longer. I’d rather have her go peacefully with me holding her. It’ll kill me, and i’ll feel guilty, but at this juncture I think it’s what’s best for her and for us.
How sad. I’m so sorry to hear about your situation, Kay.
Kay, I am so, so sorry to read what you are going through. I lived this one myself nearly 2 months ago. My spayed PB-cross Stoli had a hair trigger and would go after her littermate if Prudence so much as breathed wrong or crossed Stoli’s path at the wrong time (except we couldn’t figure out what the wrong time was!).
Stoli’s final “blind rage” was directed at an unattended, unleashed poodle/chi/God knows what small dog to the tune of $3400 in vet bills. She’d gone after me twice already. Stoli would not release from the smaller dog until the small dog’s owner finally sashayed on the scene, accompanied by another unleashed small white dog and and an unleashed chow.
You know in your heart your dog is sick—not in body, but mind. It sounds like you have gone through extraordinary lengths to make this work. You gave her six good years that she would not have otherwise had. Be gentle on yourself, try not to play the “what if” game (I’ve done it a lot these past several weeks), and eventually you will remember the good things about her, and let go of the small, mentally ill part of her.
I will say that the remaining two dogs are a lot less on edge, and less destructive, with Stoli gone.
Thinking of you… who’d have known that so many of us have had to make this decision? I am glad we all have a place to go so we understand we are not alone, nor are we “bad people.”
Catherine,
I’m also glad we have a place we can share our stories and pain. God knows it hurts so much. We loved ours like a child, and if she could’ve told me what exactly the problem was, I would have moved Heaven and Earth to fix it, but she couldn’t. She loved people and I honestly don’t believe she “wanted” to harm anyone, or any other dog for that matter, but the fear and anxiousness took over, and immediately she went on the defensive. She would attack with no warning. Sometimes all my older dog had to do was get too close, and it was on.
She couldn’t help her condition progressed, nor is there anything else we could’ve done to help her. She had only attacked another dog one time before last fall, and that incident happened over a year before. He approached her very fast from behind, and she wasn’t having any part of that. Then, last September, she attacked our chi,and she had NEVER offered to bother that little dog. After that, it was almost a daily thing. That’s why I believe something was wrong in her brain. Chemically, psychologically, or a physical tumor; we have no way of knowing, but it was some type of neurosis. It just progressed too fast, & the vet agreed.
So, I stayed with her at the vets. She was so calm and never flinched when it was time. God I hated myself then, because she wouldn’t look at us, and in a way, it makes me wonder if she knew what was happening. I was in the floor with her, and I put her in my lap. I’m sure she picked up on my feelings, but whether she actually knew I was trying to help, I don’t know.
Anyway, the only comfort I have is being able to come on here, and read what others have gone through and are still going through, and write. I feel for each one of you, because I’ve been there, and am still there. I never thought I would have to make a decision like that, and I sure don’t want to ever again. It’s different when they are old and sick, but when they are young, like mine was, and still have a long life ahead, you’re left with regrets, guilt, and “what ifs”. I don’t know how long it will take for all that to go away, but right now, I’m still crying every day, and probably will for a while. I do believe wherever she is, she at peace now; the fear, tension, and anxiety she suffered with here are not causing her pain anymore, and that helps me cope a little better.
Sherry
I don’t know if it’s right to euthanize aggressive dogs. I do know aggressive dogs can be changed from my experience. I adopted a jack russel terrier from craigslist for free(he wouldn’t be free if he did not have problems). He had fear aggression towards people and dogs. He attacked my dog the first day he came to our home. He was scared when anybody tried to pet him. He tried to attack a few dogs when the dog got too close to him. He went into attack mode anytime a dog is close to his body especially his end. I was always ready to react quickly to control the leash when any dog approached. I showed him my disapproval anytime he showed aggression meanwhile I give him lots of love, attention, exercise, socialization under supervision. Now he has became a mellow, obedient dog in one year.
Fang,
I don’t think anyone’s saying just euthanize a dog after the first bite. If you read the comments, you’ll see people who have drained their savings accounts and lost other pets in the process of trying to rehabilitate a dog.
Some dogs are just mentally ill. Just like in humans. Some dogs will not move past their anxiety/aggression no matter how many medications, behaviorists, and treatments you pursue.
Not every dog can be saved. It’s an unfortunate reality of life. It’s great you were able to rehabilitate your dog. I spent over $8,000 on my dog, consulted the best behaviorists in the area, and created as much safe space for him as possible. He was fine 99% of the time- passed a temperament test for a local dog park, had many play dates with other dogs, etc. I have a picture of him and the dog that he killed curled up together on the couch- as happy as can be.
Sometimes, mental illness truly is the root of the problem- and unfortunately hard decisions have to be made
That’s wonderful you were able to help your dog. Of course, every situation is different. Each dog is unique.
It has been almost two years since we put our 1 year old Shepard/Mix down. It was a difficult decision and one I still live with on a regular basis. After reading stories and seeing firs thand what a dog with a serious aggression problem can do, in terms of seriously injuring and even killing someone, I know we made the right decision. I have stated a few times before, that our vet waived the 10 day cooling off period because of the dog’s behavior and serious bite history. If a vet, who loves animals, is telling you to put down your dog , you need to listen. We were told we could put him down now or after he bites a young child in the face. It did not make it any less easier.We brought him to a trainer and did everything we could to make him better. Usually we already know what the answer is. We just don’t want to make the choice to end a dog’s life.I wish everyone well with what ever decision you must make. It comes with the responsibility of owning a dog.
Well said, Rich. Sorry for your loss.
I’m glad I found this website. I’m facing having to euthanize one of my rescues due to escalating dog aggression. I’ve been to a behaviorist (diagnosed with global fear) and tried to modify home life to no avail. Usually I’m the only one to get bitten when breaking up fights but this last time my other dog lost a toe. I truly feel she would not adapt if re homed because she is so shy around people other than me. I guess I’ve let this go on too long and this last fight was my wake up call. My other two dogs deserve a safe, peaceful home for their final years. I have cried endlessly over this dilemma but know in my heart it’s the responsible thing to do. This is hands down the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.
Whitney, I’m sorry to hear about your dog. It sounds like you are making the only safe, responsible decision you can. If your dog has global fear she is not living peacefully, it’s got to be tough to feel afraid all the time. And as you say you’ve got to look out for your other dogs too. It is absolutely the hardest decision ever. But it sounds like you are doing the best you can do for all of your dogs. Best wishes to you in this tough situation.
Rachel,
Thanks for your reply. I hope others reading this who are in the same position can find some peace and comfort knowing they are not alone in this. I’m trying not to let emotion guide my judgement over safety and responsibility but that is easier said than done in my case. No easy answers. It’s hard to see the reality of all we are tolerating when we are so deep into it. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here.
So sorry to hear you have to go through this. Thanks for sharing your experience here. It is a help to others.
I’m currently going through the same situation that many seem to have dealt with. I recently adopted a Belgian Shepherd. Of course, I did not question her when she was re-homing him for FREE, I just thought I’d be doing a good thing by helping her and him. You could tell she didn’t take great care of him…worms, underweight, a cough…but I figured I could “save” him.
When I first brought him home he was shy, barked at new people, but didn’t attempt to bite. Within 2 weeks though, I found out he was a lunger and biter. I had a friend over and he jumped up and bit his shoulder. I’ve had him for 4 months; he’s now 14 months old. I’ve attempted to work with him, he obeys commands very well, unless he gets into his zone. When we walk, he will try to lunge at most any person, child, or other dog. No warning barks, does not matter if they’re close or far, he’s a go get them type of dog.
Recently, I had a friend over, muzzled my dog and had him on leash, he calmed down after a while, but then just because of a sudden move, he lunged and bit my friend through the muzzle. It was so quick I couldn’t pull back in time. He broke skin and I cannot imagine what he would have done without the muzzle. I’ve seen a behaviorist, but their methods didn’t work. My vet said because he’s afraid of everything, has high anxiety and is breed to be a working dog, he is a ticking time bomb. Could be trainable but there are no guarantees. I thought we were making progress, but after this bite I’m a little worried. I don’t want to wait to make a decision until he causes a severe injury. I’m exhausted from always being on alert with him. I cannot have guest unless he’s crated, and living in an apartment home, I have to walk him around the neighborhood so keeping him away from people is not an option. I know rehoming is an irresponsible option and would never wish this on anyone. I’m just torn.
I wish I had the answers for you, Shari. I know you will do what you believe is best, and really only you know what is best. I’m sorry to hear you have to go through this and make such a hard choice, no matter what your decision is.
Shari, I’m sorry to hear about the problems with your dog. I wish I had some great advice for you. Living with and managing a dog with aggression is so stressful. It does sound like he is a ticking time bomb, as you say. Best wishes to you and your dog, whatever you decide to do.
My husband and I made the very difficult decision to have our 7 year old Boxer, Norman, humanely put to sleep Sunday in our home. He was becoming more and more agressive toward other people and dogs (while on a leash) and had viciously attacked our other dog several times. An unprovoked attack last Saturday night (on our other dog) was what made us make the final decision. He had attacked him the week before, while on our honeymoon, and our pet sitter could not get them separated. She had to run to our neighbors for help. Both dogs looked like they had been through a war. The attacks were was so scary and getting worse and more unpredictable over the last year.
Norman was a love bug to the people in his family. He was all white with one brindle brown ear. He had a crooked jaw and his lip often got stuck on his tooth. He was so cute it was ridiculous.
He had health and mental health issues (separation anxiety and Inflammatory Bowel Disease) that got worse over the last couple of years (we had him on an all raw diet, which did help).
BUT when he was good, he was so happy and loving. He bounced around the house with his ball and played keep away with my step kids and their football. We recently had a full work-up done and found nothing else abnormal. Prozac was prescribed but we were warned that it does not usually help with dog aggression and people aggression. Another vet thought it might be an organic brain issue or possible brian cancer, but cannot be sure.
Norman was my jogging partner and saw me through some really tough times in my life. I will always be grateful to him and hope he understands. He loved my 10 year old step-son and stuck to him like glue on the weekends. I still feel guilt and such sadness of the decision that we made but I was so afraid it would happen when we had our kids, ages 13 and 10. My pet sitter had already been bitten trying to separate them and so had my husband.
My heart goes out to those who have been in similar situations. There is no easy decision and rehoming at an older age is almost impossible in most cases and I am not sure that is humane for a dog already so attached to his family. I explored a behaviorist, but for me, there were just too many risk factors. My husband travels and I am home 3 nights a week alone with them. I feel like I failed him in some way, though I know our options were very limited. He died in my arms with Paul at my side, feeling our love and touch, and hearing how much we all loved him. We told him that Nanny, Hoggie, and Murry would meet him soon.
I had a silly dream this morning. I was in a white sequin dress, walking down the road when a brown haired man in a white sequined car pulled up, smiled, and drove off. I can’t help but wonder if that was a connection, if that was my boy….
Joanne, how sad. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Thank you for sharing your situation. I am having a similar experience and get a bit of relief knowing I am not alone in having to make such a difficult decision. I’ve lived around it for so long its hard to see how bad it has gotten. Knowing in our minds that it’s right does not make it any easier on our hearts.
Joanne, I’m sorry for your loss. Norman sounds like my dog, in that he had many wonderful attributes combined with dangerous aggressive behaviors. It is so tough. You did what you had to do for safety of your other dog and for people. Best wishes to you during this difficult time. Certainly it’s tough to lose a dog regardless of the circumstances but the complicated emotions involved in having to euthanize a dog for behavior problems are especially hard. Leaves a little scar on the heart, in my mind. Take care.
I had a beautiful black lab/boxer/pit mix that looked exactly like the dog in the above picture. He was a wonderful dog at home around the family but if people came to visit and also when we would take him on walks he would just flip like a lot of the descriptions above. I did everything that was within my power to save him but to no avail. I ended up having to take him to the shelter and I already knew what his fate would be if I took him in so this is why I tried so hard to work with him. They deemed him unadoptable and put him to sleep on 04/19/2013. My heart aches because I loved him so much and I can’t look at his picture or be reminded of him without breaking down. This wasn’t the end I wanted for King but my only hope is that he is in a better place chewing on his rawhides. RIP King I love you.
Vanessa, I am sorry for your loss. It sounds like he was a great dog in many ways. So tough when that’s combined with aggression. Best wishes to you in your grief.
I want to thank everyone for their stories and comments in regards to mine. This decision is not an easy one, but it helps to know that you aren’t the only one in world going throught this. Today I took my Lou Bear (his nickname) to the vets office and sat with him during his last moments. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but after an incident this past Sunday, I realized it was for the best. I truely don’t think he was 100% happy in life; between his high anxiety and fear of strangers, he lived inside mostly and in a crate if people came over. He was never able to freely chase a ball or run outside. I already miss him so much but I know he’s been released of his pains.
Shari, I am so sorry for your loss.
I want to thank everyone on this thread who has helped me cope with the decision to euthanize (I hate that word) my little guy, Duke. This was the most difficult decision I have made in my life. He went to the Bridge on 4/4 and I cry every day. Only people who have experienced the same understand what I feel.
Thanks for being there.
Leslie, I am sorry for your loss. 100% agreed, it is the most difficult and painful decision I have ever made too. This thread on Lindsay’s blog is such a blessing as there are few people otherwise who can understand the particular pain of our situations.
I have recently come to the conclusion that we are going to have to euthanize our 6 year old black lab.
He showed up in our neighborhood around the age of 5 to 6 months and we took him in after no one claimed him. We discovered that first day he had never been inside a house – he had no idea how to step up over the threshold from outside. He was not housebroken. Whenever he got into the garage he peed on the concrete floor. He did not know how to play or fetch. We came to the conclusion that someone had kept him in a concrete floored kennel or in the garage his whole life and did not interact much with him or train him. We housebroke him, crate trained him, taught him to play, got him shots and neutered, and loved him.
After six years with him we are preparing to have him euthanized because even though he is very even tempered around our family, he has always been somewhat stranger aggressive but, more importantly, has begun to show random aggression to unfamiliar children that come to our house with my children. He has growled and lunged or snapped at three different young children over the last year and a half, unprovoked. No more chances. I cannot live with him injuring an innocent child.
I will not dump him in a shelter, if one would even take him, to have him languish in a cage, unloved, only to be euthanized alone at some later date.
I believe the lack of socialization during his first 5 to 6 months is key here. He was always extremely stubborn during training even though he knows I am the boss and will submit to me belly up. I think because no one bothered with him from the time he was separated from his first mom until the time I got him 4 to 5 months later he developed a very strong sense of independence because he was allowed to do whatever he wanted all that time. No matter how much I have worked with him, there are behaviors I cannot get him to stop. Early and consistent socialization is key – there is something programmed in his thinking that I just cannot undo. It reminds me of those kids who are raised in orphanages and get adopted at 5 and 6 years old but have attachment disorders. No matter how great and loving the family that adopts them is, they have issues with bonding and trusting.
Oh Jen, how sad. I am so sorry to read about your dog. I too had to choose child safety over my love for my dog. It is a very painful decision. There is a great book called “Dog Heaven” for your kids, if you are so inclined. Best wishes to you and your dog.
Jen,
I have other posts about my story on here if you want to scroll back through and read them (if you haven’t already), but your story sounds similar to mine, except when we got our Pit/Boxer mix, Patch, at 6 months, she had been on a chain almost her entire short life at that point, and with hardly any human interaction, she was very hyper and excitable around people…just so happy to have any affection at all. I thought she would calm down after having her at our house (she was indoors, as is all our dogs) after a few days, but she didn’t. She stayed hyper and highly anxious; always on alert.
We did obedience classes, behavior therapy, you name it. We tried everything we knew, and when she attacked our little chi last fall, I knew it had to be done. My husband, however, was always very quick to take up for her (she was his baby), and wouldn’t do it then. Finally, after several incidents where she growled at us, snapped at him, bit me, and constantly attacked our older dog if she looked at her wrong, he knew it too. He told me to take her, then hated himself after it was done, even though deep down, he knew.
I do believe Patch had some kind of neurosis. We don’t know what, but something was wrong. As you stated in your post, there were things we just could not get her to stop doing, no matter what we did.
So, on March 11th, she and I made our final trip to the vet. That was the hardest decision I’ve ever made; to know I was purposely putting down a dog who was sweet as could be most of the time. I felt I was letting the negative behavior win. She knew her basic commands and would do them willingly, but if she got loose, and she did a couple of times, “stop!” was not one of them. I felt I failed her, and hated myself for it; still do.
Afterward, the house just seemed so empty..like the life was gone out of it. For days, my husband and I went around on auto-pilot, numb from pain. Our other 2 dogs though, slowly began to act like their old selves, and I realized just how much intimidation they must have been under while Patch was here. Now they’ve learned they can bark again without fear of being jumped on and having to fight.
I miss her every day; that won’t ever change, esp. when I curl up on the couch, she was always right there with me. I keep thinking another dog will come to us to help us heal, but I don’t know when or how. I just know I can’t go get one and bring it here, because I don’t know if I can ever trust another dog again. We had 2 dogs that just came to us out of the blue, after we’d lost another dog, and I believe they were sent somehow just for that purpose, so maybe another dog is in our future, but only if it comes by fate, not by our choosing.
Patch changed me forever; my life won’t ever be the same after that decision, and I’m glad I’ve got a place to share my story; to know other people have faced the same thing I’ve been through, and have felt the same pain, and I’ve got a place to come to and read peoples’ stories and maybe help them in some way, just as coming here has helped me.
Sherry
We are having our staffy cross pitbull who is 5 years old put to sleep in the morning he is a rescued dog who my husband removed from a home where he was being beatan when he was a year old. He is a very lovely dog but over the last 6 months he has bevome very aggresive for no known reason if we tell him no or to get in his bed he will bite us but for the last 3 weeks he has just turned on us 1 min then is fine and acting like nothing has happened
He is our baby and after trying everything its killing me inside but its the only thing i can do
So sorry to hear of this, Victoria.
Victoria, I am sorry to hear about your dog. How heartbreaking. Was he fine until until 6 months ago, or has his behavior just escalated? Regardless, sorry to hear the bad news and best wishes to you during this difficult time.
I am so glad I found this forum, for the last few weeks I have been fighting with this decision. We have a mix Sherman Shepherd/Rottweiler. We adopted him for the shelter when he was 6 months old, now he is 3 years old. I noticed his aggression almost from the beginning but I read so many blogs about how with the proper training any dog can be well behaved, I tried 3 different trainers, 9 months ago I tried with the last trainer, that was thousands of dollars, they took him for 3 weeks, they were very optimist as far as the results, even though they told me they have never dealt with a dog as aggressive as him. He is basically scared of everything and everybody and because of that his reaction is very aggressive, he is not aggressive towards dogs (which is surprising). Within few weeks when he came back home his old personality started to come back and even though he gets plenty of exercise, he cannot control his anger, if I have friends coming over (which it rarely happens a because of him), he has to be in a room by himself and while people are still in the house he is in a rage no stop barking and growling, he gets so out of control that even after the people are gone we need to stay out of his way because he seems to be blind in anger. What really breaks my heart is that I live in a small town and the vets around will not help me, as far as euthanize him, my only option is to take him to the shelter where he will be hold for a days (even though he is very aggressive) and put to sleep after, but they will not allow anybody to be present and is killing me the thought of just leaving him there. I wish I had the resources to keep trying but I am really afraid this will escalate and he will really hurt somebody. Thank you for listening (reading).
Gabriela, how sad about your dog. Aggression can be so tough to remedy. We tried hard with our dog too and were ultimately unsuccessful. With a big strong dog like that with persistent human aggression it can certainly be a recipe for disaster. Has he ever bitten anyone? I am astounded that the veterinarians are not willing to euthanize given what you describe. What reason do they give? Is it a possibility to take him to a vet in a different town rather than take the shelter route? Best of luck to you and your dog, keep us posted.
The local vet and his staff were reluctant to put our aggressive dog down—she was all of 15 months old. They said they do not put down dogs due to “inconvenience” (no one wanted to say “aggressiveness” or “beating up an unattended, unleashed smaller dog to the tune of $3200″) and would not put a young dog down unless there was a court/police order. The authorities were not involved in Stoli’s last act of violence. Perhaps I should have called animal control on the owner of the small dog. Really, she was most at fault.
We reminded the vet that we’d been long-term clients and we among the first to use his services when he came to town in the mid-1970s. To be honest, I would not be surprised to find out they’d called around for a rescue to take her. The vet was out of the office when my husband took her in. Ninety percent of the time she was a perfectly lovely companion and I’m sure she was on her best behavior while there. So very sad that there’s nothing like a pill or brain surgery to “cure” this.
So sorry to hear of this, Gabriela. I hope there is a vet in a nearby town you could go to.
Very upset and frustrated, our 6 month old puppy has possession problems. Yesterday I was bitten. Not happy. Torn about what to do. I will never trust him again. You cannot even approach him when he has something he has found in his mouth. He will not trade for it. Hence being bitten. I have had him since he was 10 weeks old. I am sick about what to do. He has been in training since he has been 12 weeks old. Is it possible to get through this?
Linda, don’t panic he is only a puppy and this can be dealt with!
People often make the mistake of not taking growling and resource guarding seriously in a tiny puppy so for everyone else do not tolerate it from day one!
Number one the puppy does not believe that you are “top dog” or he would not dare to bite you. You need to work on this issue first. Make him “work” for every thing as in “sit and stay” until you tell him he can eat. Sit before going in or out a door. He must ask permission to get on the couch with you etcetera.
Tufts University has excellent behaviorists and you can worknwithbthem without going there. Check out their program.
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/petfax/
Read every book you can find on this subject! NOW is the time to save this puppy! It will only get worse if you allow it to go on and he gets bigger!
Good luck. You can do this.
Lisa
Linda, I could have written this post. We had the same situation a couple of years ago with our puppy. Resource guarding is serious and scary! Trading up did not work for us either. A couple of thoughts – there is a book on the subject called “Mine!” by Jean Donaldson. It lays out how to address resource guarding. However, it’s really a good situation for professional help. In our situation the behaviorist we hired was not very helpful (though a different behaviorist may have done much better!). We did a board and train situation after I was attacked by our dog in a resource guarding situation. I don’t know that that is the best answer, but we were completely desperate at that point and out of options after other strategies had failed us. The problem was much more manageable after that. He still had resource guarding instincts, but because his obedience was excellent, I learned that if he had an object that I could see he was going to guard, I could tell him “come!” and he would leave the item and come to me, sometimes grumbling. I didn’t have to try to take the items from him and therefore the issue was well managed. The reason I follow this thread is because we tragically had to euthanize him at the age of 2 after he attacked a little boy – BUT that situation had nothing at all to do with resource guarding. Unfortunately his problems were complex.
I don’t have any easy answers for you but can offer empathy and I would absolutely get some one on one professional help. Resource guarding is unlikely to go away without intervention (as I understand it) but dog adolescence can be pretty rocky and I think there is still hope that the problem can be managed. Good luck to you, would love to hear updates!
I am so sorry about your dog. All I can do is hope we have not reached the point of no return. We have called our trainer and they will help us if we desire. Right now I have to wait for the Town to come out and see the dog. A report had to be filed because I required a Doctors attention. The dog has a Vets appointment as well. Thank you for the book recommendation, I just purchased it on line. This is my fifth golden retriever and I have never dealt with this issue before and I am at a total loss and very scared.
Best of luck to you, Linda. Sorry to hear you were bitten so seriously. It must have been scary. I hope you are able to find a way to manage the problem.
We have a 10 year old female boxer that became agressive to our other 2 dogs over the past year & a 1/2. She has injured our chihuahua a few times. I had her before my husband or my 2 children so this difference in my perfect companion is making me physically ill. She is currently taking medication for arthritis, joint pain, incontinence & and anxiety. I am not sure what my next option is. I have contemplated letting her “rest”. Please help if you think training or therapy may help her.
I am so sorry to hear that your older dog is starting to have some aggressive tendencies. To me, it sounds like she is in pain (based on the meds you mentioned) and she may just have a very low threshold for pain, “play”, and aggravation at this point. Can you crate and rotate so that the old gal has her own space, and you don’t have to worry about unsupervised interactions?
Yes, good advice, Becky. So sorry to hear about your troubles, Jamie.
As I sit here crying and missing my dog, I am so happy I found this blog.
On Saturday we returned our dalmation/boxer Dax, to the rescue group we got him from. We adopted him to be a companion for our bichon/pekignese, Heidi after her 15 year old companion had died. Dax is a sweet, goofy, high energy boy and we loved him very much. We did not expect him to get as big as he did. The rescue group estimated 50 lbs and he ended up close to 70. The reason we returned him was because he attacked Heidi several times over toys and it was difficult to get him off of her. We brought him to two different trainers and it seemed to have worked. Then about a month ago her attacked her again for no apparent reason and gave her a laceration above her eye. Heidi enjoyed playing with him but he can just be so rough with her and at times she acted terrified to walk by him. I just felt my obligation was to Heidi to keep her safe and feeling secure. I read stories about smaller dogs being killed by the larger dog in the home and I just couldn’t take the chance.
We were treated poorly by the woman from the rescue group when we brought him back, no compassion whatsoever. They posted the return on facebook
(without mentioning why) and nasty comments have been made about people who return their dogs. I am most concerned that they have listed him as eligble for adoption immediately and did not mention that he may not be good with smaller dogs. I just don’t want him to be returned again.
I feel like I have failed him and I miss him SO much.
Hi Julie,
Unfortunately often people do not understand the situation until they have been in it themselves. We had to have our little dog euthanized because he was aggressive and bit dogs and people….half the time he didn’t know what he was doing. You have not failed your dog, you just did what you believe to be the right thing. Know that you gave Dax a loving home and did all that you could for him, and ignore other people. They were not in the situation. Be strong, it will get better.
Sorry to hear of this Julie. I’m sorry to hear that it did not work out with Dax in your home, and I’m sorry the rescue group treated you so poorly. Unfortunately, that seems to be the norm with rescue groups. Please do not feel like you have done anything wrong.
I am currently going through the pain of thinking about putting my 8 year old German Shepherd, Bobo, to sleep. It is the hardest thing I have had to do, being that the choice is mine. I got her when she was just a puppy and it was love at first sight. Se is so unique in so many ways. She is a full cream color with a white belly and muzzle and her personality is out of this world. Even as a puppy she had a big personality. I have had dozens of dogs in my short 20 years of life but Bobo is like no other. She is my best friend and like my own child. She was fine as a puppy and ran around our small town with her companion, Tucker, a husky. She was very friendly with all other dogs and people. About two years later Tucker disappeared. We had some neighbors who really didn’t like him and were very open about it and I think they finally acted on it. Anyway, after that she started to change. She developed a huge dislike of strangers but mainly males (our neighbors were two males), started chasing cars, and even started going after other dogs in the area. My mom and i tried to break her from all of these in a loving way but we didn’t have the funds to get a trainer or try anything. We eventually had to put her on a cable, which I did not like one bit! But it was our only option at that point. I walked her everyday and did all in my power to make the most of her life that way. Then she broke the cable so we got a pen and she climbed out of that, we put a top on the pen and she broke off a canine chewing a hole in the fence to get out, we got a thicker stronger cable and she broke that one, as well. We tried everything and she got out of them all.
A serious turning point was when she got off her cable one day and attacked a dog across the street. She broke it’s leg in a matter of seconds. I took the stray to the vet and nursed the poor thing back to health in my house until it was well and found a good home for it. It was the least I could do. After escaping once again, Bobo, attacked a neighbor’s dog in their yard. He didn’t press charges but I paid for his vet bill as well. I was devastated. I tried keeping her in the house after that and she did well, until anyone besides our household came in. She has never bitten anyone yet but she has lunged at my boyfriend, my uncle, my grandmother, and any other stranger.
I finally moved out in the country where it is spacious and peaceful. She liked it out here and seemed to be more at peace but our closest neighbors live a good mile up the road and they had a boxer, so I had to put her on a cable again to be safe and walk her every day I could.
Last night, I got the terrible news at work from my dad that Bobo had broken her extremely thick “heavy duty” collar and ran up the road. He tried to stop her but couldn’t beat her to the neighbors house. There was a small dog in the road on the way that she attacked, and my dad tried to get there in time, he was screaming at her to stop but she was in attack mode only. Anyway, the little dog is dead…and she went after the boxer afterwards. Luckily, my dad jumped on her before she could jump on the boxer and dragged her home. He put her in the house and went back to the neighbors to tell them what had happened but they weren’t home.
I cried all night because I knew what had to be done. Bobo is dangerous and if I had thousands or even hundreds of dollars to spend to attempt to make her better i would but being a college student and a waitress with bills I just can’t. I wish I could do something else but she breaks every collar, underground fencing is a joke to her, and she eats her way through fences. But she is dangerous. I keep thinking “what if that had been a child.”
I love Bobo more than words can explain. I’m an artist and have numerous pieces of work that revolve around her, she has two sculptures of herself on my nightstand and her first bath pictures are all over my refrigerator. I can’t stop crying. How can I make the decision to end my best friend’s life? This is so hard…
I’m sorry you are going through this, but I’m trying to figure out why you’ve left your dog outside unattended? Do some reading over what the National Canine Research Institute has found regarding aggression in dogs. The most fatal dog bites come from dogs that are chained in their yard or otherwise kept away from their families.
Dogs are pack animals and need to be with their humans. To chain them or pen them in a yard is cruel, and not how one should take care of a dog. I’m sorry that you are facing this decision, but you set your dog up for failure by not meeting its basic needs for companionship and exercise. I’d probably break lose and be a jerk if I was chained outside in the elements and only got exercise on the days that someone found the time to take me out for a walk.
Lauren,
I am sorry to hear about your dog. What a tragic situation. And how horribly sad that the smaller dog is dead. I don’t know what advice to give. You clearly love your dog very much. Best wishes to you and your dog, whatever you decide.
I am glad to find this site.
I had a rescue border collie that me and my 11 year old son offered a home to at months. I was told by the shelter that he had SOME on lead FRUSTRATION. That turned out to be a LOT of on lead and off lead aggression towards other dogs.
It reached the point where going past any dog was a fraught business and he would lunge, snarl, be utterly unresponsive and impossible to handle.
I stuck it out for three years because away from other dogs on his own in the field he was a focussed worker and I felt he deserved every chance possible to beat his background.
I worked hard to train him out of the aggressive behaviour with some results, but the bottom line was he could never be trusted to behave consistently and I didn’t feel it was fair on him or the rest of the family to have to undergo a twice daily ordeal in order to exercise him.
Having people glare, swear, kick out at him and scoop their dogs up furiously meant nobody in the family was enjoying the situation.
The final straw for me was when he lunged and snapped at the face of my sons friend. The following day I took him back to the shelter and told them he could not be trusted in a family with kids or around other dogs either on or off the lead.
The shelter said they had a retired rural couple in mind for a rehome, I honestly couldn’t see it being a success, but then what if it was? Who am I to decide what amount of stress and worry people should be willing to put up with in order to give a dog a home?
What has upset me is the amount of hate thrown my way by people who assume that because I was not willing to offer a forever home after three years of trying to a dog that was a potential danger to both other dogs and my guests, I am a quitter or a poor owner.
The lie that there are never bad dogs only bad owners is a totally unhelpful statement and one that often ends up with people too scared to call time on a dangerous animal and get the help and support that they need to bring their lives back to normal. This bullying of kind, hard trying moral owners is what results in eventual bloodshed and disaster.
The stress and danger that an aggressive dog causes both in and outside of the home can NEVER be understood until you have been there and the guilt that a loving owner feels after failing to help their dog correct this behaviour is not alleviated by sweeping statements or judgements made in ignorance.
Our family were all gutted to fail to help our rescue collie, but the relief we felt when we no longer had to live in fear of his next meltdown or hold him muzzled and thrashing as other owners sidled past was as enormous as it was guilty.
It’s been nearly a year now and it still upsets me when I read crass statements on the internet that insist EVERY dog can be rehabilitated with patience and love and that every failure is down to the owner. It isn’t true and I’m sending love and big hugs to every loving owner who has had to accept the terrible realisation and sad consequence of what happens when love and patience is not enough.
Thank you so much for your comment, Fran. I’m so sorry to hear about your story. I’m sorry you had to give up your dog. You are obviously a loving, caring person and dog lover, and I’m sad to hear how people have been so cruel and heartless to you.
Dear Fran
I am so sorry to hear of your pain and upset .
My family and I rescued a jack staffy x and after reading your post I felt compelled to let you know that my gorgeous Ruby showed the same behaviours as your collie .
Ruby was a different dog outside , she too snarled , barked , thrashed and would try everything to get off the lead and hurt other dogs . We were midnight walkers in the end !
The big dream of our teenage children walking rubes was never going to happen as she was so unpredictable ! We honestly tried everything , I hired a behaviourist and walker her 3 times a day to relieve any pent up anger .
It put us all under so much stress , our lives were spent worrying and hiding !
The final straw came when she bit a dog that was off lead , our worst nightmare came true we set off for a midnight walk and a lab came trotting out from a blind corner off lead ruby went crazy and lunged at the lab snarling and bit the poor labs throat .
Ill cut a very long , stressful and the worst feeling of guilt and pain I have ever felt in my life to a close by saying we had to have our rubes put to rest as I believe she really had mental issues , and no amount of training and desensitisation can change these dogs .
You showed your collie love and the ultimate love of letting her have peace away from other dogs xx
You will be fine and remember to take each day as it comes , some days will be harder than others but time is the best healer xx
Love Juliet xxx
Hi Fran,
Your situation really resonated with me and you are absolutely right about the crass statements sometimes posted on the internet such as ‘their are no bad dogs just bad owners’. I used to spout this myself until I found myself in a similar situation to you and had to put our little dog to sleep. I know that some people think what I did was wrong, but I know it was the right and only thing that we could have done. Our little boy is at peace now. I have to admit to that it was a relief not to have to worry about being attacked or someone else being bitten. Thanks for sharing your experience and sorry you had to go through it x
I am so thankful that I have found this forum. I have been agonizing for weeks over the thought of putting our black lab down. We have had her for nine years. She was two when my son rescued her from the shelter. She had previously been badly abused and there were some slight aggression issues although not with us. She has always suffered from anxiety and fear issues although she had nothing to fear from us. She would run and hide if anyone in the house raised their voice (like during a hockey game). She is now eleven years old and having some health issues that we are treating, however, her aggression lately is escalating. She has snapped at me recently and other people that she knows. A friend of my son’s that the dog knows and would snuggle up to happen to stop by here last week and she bit him. Not a bad bite but that she bit at all is serious and as I said it has been escalating. I do not want her to spend her last days in a shelter and she can’t be rehomed because I know she will bite some one. It’s the most painful thing in the world to make this decision. Our vet says to take solace in the fact that we gave her nine years she probably other wise would not have had and that her health issues are progressing as well and she should be euthanized but the guilt I feel every time I look at her is unbearable. My head says “it’s the right thing to do” but my heart says “how could you?” The decision was made tonight and she will be taken on Tuesday for an ice cream and a final walk. I’m crying as I write this. Thank you all on here for letting me know I am not alone in this situation. Bless you all
What a gift you have given her. That ice cream and final walk sounds so nice. Maybe take some pictures too if you think that will help at all. So sorry to hear of your situation. Take care.
I am sorry to hear about your lab. It seems to me that her escalating aggression could be regarded as an additional symptom of her health problems – she just doesn’t feel good. You can (I hope) take comfort in knowing that you are not just having to euthanize her for aggression but also to relieve any suffering she has from her advancing age and mounting health problems. Her bites are a sign that something just isn’t right. Poor girl. It sucks to get old.
Thank you for being such a caring, responsible owner to her. My heart goes out to you.
People keep saying that since the dog was mentally ill, it was ok to kill it. But what if people had this attitude towards mentally ill humans? How is it fine for dogs, but not for humans? If you become mentally ill, do you want someone to kill you?
Sara, your comment is ignorant. These are animals, not humans. That is the first key difference.
There are resources in place to provide care for the mentally ill in America, even if they cannot afford treatment. That’s not the case for companion animals. There are no inpatient residential treatment centers or hospitals for dogs.
When a human with a mental illness is medicated, you have the opportunity to explain this situation to the person with a chance that they will comprehend their condition.
This is never the case for an animal.
It is also accepted practice to euthanize a pet when they have become old and no longer have an enjoyable quality of life. It’s what most refer to as the humane and compassionate decision. That is not something you can legally do for a human.
You act like we make these decisions flippantly. You really need to get off your high horse unless you have walked a mile in our shoes.
I’m sorry to read such an insensitive comment from you, Sarah. I see that you love animals and that you mean well.
Sarah,
I hope that you never have to go through this, but if you do, you’ll fully understand the pain and responsibility of this decision. I still cry about my dog and feel this deep pain and emptiness inside when I think about him. However, I had to make this horrible decision before he hurt another person. Something in his genetics made him terrified of all people and it wasn’t that he would get aggressive if they were near, it was that if he would want to go after them, whether they were 10 ft away or 50. A child would of never stood a chance if he had gotten to them. Walking him made me a nervous wreck. Always being on alert.
Once he bit me, simply because a stranger got too close, I knew the problem WOULD escalate and it was a matter of time before he injured someone badly. I loved this dog and making that choice, sitting in the room with him knowing I’d never see him again, killed me inside but I couldn’t take him out in public ever. What kind of life is that for a dog?
We made the decision to euthanize my boyfriend’s springer spaniel when he attacked my puppy a third time for no reason. But there was more to the decision than the aggression which on reflection we realized had always been there. He had attacked at least 10 puppies and small dogs over the years. He was on Prozac. The dog was a nervous wreck. He was never really happy. To take him in my car I had to put him in his crate in the back of my SUV otherwise he would be in my lap. His panting was so intense I had to run the rear defrost in the middle of summer. He could not have anyone dog-sit because he would hide the whole time truly petrified. He had some good moments but the fear was always there. Who would want to go through life truly petrified and filled with anxiety? He got plenty of exercise, was on drugs, and he was loved. It just wasn’t enough. My husband said “I will never forgive myself if he seriously hurts that puppy”. To try to re-home him would have killed him. Much like a sick elderly dog sometimes we as pet openers have to do the humane thing and end their suffering.
Very sorry to hear of your loss. I know you did what was best. Thank you for sharing your story here, because I know it will be helpfulntonothers facing similar situations.
I’m so glad to find this site just so I have a place to verbalize how painful it is to have to make the decision to euthanize my 10 year old cocker spaniel tomorrow. I just came back from the emergency room because of his biting me. In the last year he has also bitten my husband and his dog sitter. We rescued him 10 years ago when he was 6 months old and have loved him beyond words. He has always had fear aggression and we have both been bitten a couple of times but always thought it would be the last time. This morning he snapped when I tried to see if he might have a tick under his chin. I think that we have no choice. I could try and find a permanent kennel for him but living inside a chain link prison for the rest of his life is no life at all and I can’t do that to him. Please if anyone has a better idea, I’m ready to listen.
im not sure if there is a better answer, Betty. So sorry to hear of your situation. I wish you the best.
I have only one comment. Because he is an older dog and this bite seems extreme, I would make certain he is not in pain from an undiagnosed problem. Dogs are more prone to bite when in pain. Just a thought. The vet will probably want to check if she hasn’t seen him in awhile anyway.
When we had to put my husband’s dog down my vet made certain that we had explored ALL other options. Most vets will refuse to euthanzie a healthy dog that they believe has other options. Vets have even been know to rescue dogs in this situation when they believe that euthanizing them is wrong. Afterall most vets love dogs.
Yes, good points.
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