Could you put your dog to sleep?
- Thread starter jammer
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No. I would not euthanize for aggression because my dogs have never been aggressive, and I don't plan to in the future because I don't plan to ever get a dog that is aggressive. Yes, I realize that most people don't 'plan' to get aggressive dogs, but many people (not attacking anyone here, just saying that in general this is what happens) acquire dogs rather casually, with the attitude that dogs are great, what's the worst that could happen? I don't fault them, that's pretty much how I got my first dog. It's sheer luck and general canine decency that so many people get great dogs that way. But after the experiences I've had with other peoples' aggressive dogs, many acquired from shelters and rescues, I don't have that casual attitude.
I have put down dogs (foster dogs) for human aggression, and I would do it with my own dogs, if the need arose. But first, I would consult with vets and behaviorists, and try to figure out what the problem was, and try to fix it.
I wouldn't put any dog down for animal aggression, especially not cat aggression. I've fostered dogs that have cat issues, which is a little ironic, given that I have a cat...
I've had fosters that have went after Flicka and Pepe, they just go to another foster home, or depending on if I need them out right away, into boarding, and then into a foster home. I've had plenty of dogs that went after the cat, though...she's fast, she can get away. She usually steers clear of the dogs.
But yes, I would have the dog PTS if it needed to be done. Because, there are some things that just cannot be fixed, no matter how hard we try. You make the decision, you cry about it, and then you do the kindest thing that you can do.
It still kills me.
-Rosefern
I wouldn't put any dog down for animal aggression, especially not cat aggression. I've fostered dogs that have cat issues, which is a little ironic, given that I have a cat...
I've had fosters that have went after Flicka and Pepe, they just go to another foster home, or depending on if I need them out right away, into boarding, and then into a foster home. I've had plenty of dogs that went after the cat, though...she's fast, she can get away. She usually steers clear of the dogs.
But yes, I would have the dog PTS if it needed to be done. Because, there are some things that just cannot be fixed, no matter how hard we try. You make the decision, you cry about it, and then you do the kindest thing that you can do.
It still kills me.
-Rosefern
Jammer, 2 weeks ago I euthanized my favorite dog of all for aggression/temperament issues. Wrigley was my Shar Pei/Cane Corso mix & from day one he was a challenge. But I accepted the challenge & every single day I worked with him basically on the same stuff. Wrigley was a highly food aggressive dog & it got better for a while but recently got extremely worse. The decision making moment was when I put him into his kennel for the night & when I began closing the door behind him, he turned & began going absolutely nuts. He was in a defensive stance growling at me with hackles raised. As we've been through this before, I went to pluck him on the nose (through the bars in a light & playful manner) as I have done for 5 years now to silence him & this time he bit me.
I worked with a former military K9 handler/trainer (also trained police dogs & holds classes for the general public as well) the entire span of Wrigley's life. I conferred with trainers all over the U.S. by telephone.
But the fact is you canNOT change a dog's genetic makeup. Period. Some things just cannot be "trained out" of a dog as much as those people who live in a perfect world behind rose colored glasses want you to believe.
The part about Wrigley was that when he was a good dog, which was the majority of the time, he was a great dog. He loved meeting new people & was a perfect gentlement when out & about & on the leash. He wasn't a cuddly dog, but when he felt like it he would come lay his head in my lap & cuddle up next to me (all 100 lbs of him). He was my protector & my shadow. He was the love of my life.
It's just that he had a very dominant/alpha temperament & challenged me several times a day every day. He never challenged anyone else becuase in his mind, no on else was above him. But if someone did try to do something that Wrigley considered a breach of social status, he would let them know. And like I mentioned previously, his food aggression had gotten to the dangerous level. And above all, we've got a 10 month old son who is starting to crawl. And I have no doubt in my mind that if Cole & Wrigley both saw the same stale Cheeto lying on the floor & both went for it, that Cole would lose............& with a 100 lb dog, it could be fatal. Of course I am very very very strict with dogs & children & there has not been 1 time in the past 10 months that my son has been left alone in a room with a dog not even for a second, but I refuse to live my life keeping a dog away from a child.
The thing you have to remember is that a growling dog is giving you a warning. After a while, that dog is going to realize that growling has done nothing to prove his point and/or get him what he wants & he WILL resort to the next step. It's your decision as to whether or not you are going to allow that to happen.
Euthanizing Wrigley was the hardest thing I've ever done. II even had my first dog for 19 years but at least with her it was done because of old age & the fact she was beginning to suffer. But despite severe bilateral HD, Wrigley was a very healthy dog physically. The love was there, but the trust was gone. And I don't think it's right to force a dog to live in your home without your trust nor do I think it's right to own a dog that you must confine in some way the majority of the day. I don't think it's right to own a dog that you must physically fight with to adhere to rules. None of it is fair to the owner & none of it is fair to the dog.
After putting Wrigley down, I took 2 weeks away form the computer because I was a basket case. I still am. Everywhere I look, I see him. In fact, I even painted several rooms in my house because his slobber stains were evident all over the lower portions of the walls & it made my heart ache to see them. My head understands it all, but my heart does not.
But we must listen to our heads on this issue, not our hearts. It's too late to do something about it after someone, adult or child, gets seriously hurt.
I worked with a former military K9 handler/trainer (also trained police dogs & holds classes for the general public as well) the entire span of Wrigley's life. I conferred with trainers all over the U.S. by telephone.
But the fact is you canNOT change a dog's genetic makeup. Period. Some things just cannot be "trained out" of a dog as much as those people who live in a perfect world behind rose colored glasses want you to believe.
The part about Wrigley was that when he was a good dog, which was the majority of the time, he was a great dog. He loved meeting new people & was a perfect gentlement when out & about & on the leash. He wasn't a cuddly dog, but when he felt like it he would come lay his head in my lap & cuddle up next to me (all 100 lbs of him). He was my protector & my shadow. He was the love of my life.
It's just that he had a very dominant/alpha temperament & challenged me several times a day every day. He never challenged anyone else becuase in his mind, no on else was above him. But if someone did try to do something that Wrigley considered a breach of social status, he would let them know. And like I mentioned previously, his food aggression had gotten to the dangerous level. And above all, we've got a 10 month old son who is starting to crawl. And I have no doubt in my mind that if Cole & Wrigley both saw the same stale Cheeto lying on the floor & both went for it, that Cole would lose............& with a 100 lb dog, it could be fatal. Of course I am very very very strict with dogs & children & there has not been 1 time in the past 10 months that my son has been left alone in a room with a dog not even for a second, but I refuse to live my life keeping a dog away from a child.
The thing you have to remember is that a growling dog is giving you a warning. After a while, that dog is going to realize that growling has done nothing to prove his point and/or get him what he wants & he WILL resort to the next step. It's your decision as to whether or not you are going to allow that to happen.
Euthanizing Wrigley was the hardest thing I've ever done. II even had my first dog for 19 years but at least with her it was done because of old age & the fact she was beginning to suffer. But despite severe bilateral HD, Wrigley was a very healthy dog physically. The love was there, but the trust was gone. And I don't think it's right to force a dog to live in your home without your trust nor do I think it's right to own a dog that you must confine in some way the majority of the day. I don't think it's right to own a dog that you must physically fight with to adhere to rules. None of it is fair to the owner & none of it is fair to the dog.
After putting Wrigley down, I took 2 weeks away form the computer because I was a basket case. I still am. Everywhere I look, I see him. In fact, I even painted several rooms in my house because his slobber stains were evident all over the lower portions of the walls & it made my heart ache to see them. My head understands it all, but my heart does not.
But we must listen to our heads on this issue, not our hearts. It's too late to do something about it after someone, adult or child, gets seriously hurt.
Well to be honest if someone's dog attacked one of my cats, I would handle the euthanization myself.
I don't put dogs above cats or cats above dogs. I am not cavalier about the thought of seeing one killed. If my dog tried to kill one of my cats, I would no longer trust my dog, and my dog would be removed from this house. That kind of behavior is not acceptable to me.
I don't put dogs above cats or cats above dogs. I am not cavalier about the thought of seeing one killed. If my dog tried to kill one of my cats, I would no longer trust my dog, and my dog would be removed from this house. That kind of behavior is not acceptable to me.
I just wanted to add something to what I said earlier. It seems to make sense to some people, and it makes a lot of sense to me. I love my dog. A lot. I've said that getting rid of her would be like losing a piece of myself. With that in mind, I love the breed more than I love an individual dog. If my dog was such that she makes a poor case for her breed, then I would do what I had to do.
To those who have never had an iffy dog, I hope your luck holds out. Its the most horrible thing in the world to have to kill your companion.
To those who have never had an iffy dog, I hope your luck holds out. Its the most horrible thing in the world to have to kill your companion.
A wild animal is not someone's beloved pet. No it is NOT acceptable to me. I love my cats as much as you love your dog. Perhaps that is why I chose a breed that is more likely not to be cat aggressive. That doesn't mean it's ok for somebody else's dog to kill my cat. Cats DO have feelings too. I'm just not too sure everyone here knows that. I would waste my time telling you stories of maimed cats I rescued but I know it won't do much good. I save that for cat rescue discussions.
To be honest, if my dog attacked ANYONE's domestic pet, I would no longer trust my dog's tendencies.
To be honest, if my dog attacked ANYONE's domestic pet, I would no longer trust my dog's tendencies.
T
If it came down to it, yes I could for the safety of other dogs and people. But you'd bet I would have exhuasted ALL possibilities and it'd have to be bad. I've lived most of my life with at least one type of aggressive dog. Its nothing completely new to me that I can't handle.. only if extremely dangerous and serious would I not be able to handle it and would make hte hard choice of putting the dog down.
I don't allow aggression to anyone inside the "pack". If I had a dog with aggression issues I would do my best to work through it, but if the dog continued to harm me or anyone else in the house it would need to go. I wouldn't PTS for animal aggression, though, unless I absolutely could not find the dog another home.
I live well with your philosophy RD. I would look to rehome first, but any aggression toward anyone's pet that occurs with one of my pets would mean the aggresser has to go. Mainly, I am no dog trainer. I would not trust an animal that does that. I myself would feel unsafe. Not to mention broken hearted.
I feel the same way TM, except I'm honestly a bit more lenient when it comes to someone else's animals. I personally don't trust my dogs with strange cats. They know which cats are "their" cats and they love and protect them, but on occasion a neighbor's cat will come into their yard and try to fight with my cats. The dogs go ballistic and I know that if the neighbor cats couldn't scale the wall and get away when the dogs come after them, they would be done for. Oddly enough, when I bring home foster kittens (can't foster adult cats as my cats aren't very fond of them) they hiss and spit at the dogs, but I just put the kitten on the floor and tell the dogs "gentle!", and they seem to understand that it's helpless and ours. It's interesting. If they found the same little creature outside on a walk they would try to hunt it.
I expect my dogs to accept and watch out for the other animals in my house. There are very few concrete, NEVER do that rules here but unprovoked, relentless aggression towards another 'pack member' (and I don't necessarily subscribe to the details of pack theory but I do know that my dogs understand what their family is) whether it's towards a human, another dog or a cat is grounds for serious behavior modification bootcamp or rehoming. Until I get a kennel/outdoor run facility where I can reliably keep animal-aggressive dogs separate from other animals, I can't live with it.
I do allow my dogs to scuffle and put one another in their place. The border collies have a massive amount of control over their jaws and they come away from those arguments without even a scratch. What I won't tolerate is fighting to injure or kill one another, rather than dominance or resource-guarding rituals.
I expect my dogs to accept and watch out for the other animals in my house. There are very few concrete, NEVER do that rules here but unprovoked, relentless aggression towards another 'pack member' (and I don't necessarily subscribe to the details of pack theory but I do know that my dogs understand what their family is) whether it's towards a human, another dog or a cat is grounds for serious behavior modification bootcamp or rehoming. Until I get a kennel/outdoor run facility where I can reliably keep animal-aggressive dogs separate from other animals, I can't live with it.
I do allow my dogs to scuffle and put one another in their place. The border collies have a massive amount of control over their jaws and they come away from those arguments without even a scratch. What I won't tolerate is fighting to injure or kill one another, rather than dominance or resource-guarding rituals.
I guess the point is that we never feel for other people's pets the way we feel about our own. But still, imagine if it were our pet that was the victim. RD, you understand the boundaries, and I can guess that you are vigilant about keeping you dogs away from other people's pets toward whom they might be more aggressive. I would also bet that you would fell VERY badly if in incident were to occur. That is what I respect about you. You are not cavalier about it.