I thought this might be an appropriate place to tell my story, and perhaps get some understanding from othere here. I apologize for its length, but I'm still very emotional about all that has happened.
I am grieving terribly over what has happened over the last week, events which ultimately led to my 6-yr old hound mix Travis being taken to animal control and put down.
Travis was an adopted dog who exhibited aggressive behavior towards other dogs at about 10-months. We worked with him with obedience instructors and behavior experts, and at one point had him on Prozac to try and soothe his anxiety. Throughout his life he attacked two dogs (not seriously - no treatment involved). We worked very hard on controlling his aggressive behavior. We added a female black lab puppy about 2 years ago, and they got along well - they played together, and understood each others pack position.
About 2 years ago, he showed teeth to my 2-yr old neice who approached him while he was eating. We understood then that there was a risk with small children, and so made sure that he was crated whenever children were around. Our children are grown up and out of the house now.
Last week, my stepson and his wife visited with his 15-month old boy. We went to great pains to make sure they understood about Travis, and that we had to make sure he was crated when the baby was up and about. All was going well until Friday, when they forgot to crate him. My stepson was eating a snack with his son on the couch with both dogs nearby. Travis growled at the baby, or perhaps the other dog - we are not sure. My stepson got angry at Travis and kicked him. Travis reacted by biting the baby on the face, breaking skin and bruising him. Everyone reacted in horror - the baby was taken to emergency room, treated and released. My wife, who was home at the time, called me at work to tell me what had happened. She said she always said that if he ever bit anyone, that was it for Travis. She said she could not live with him anymore. A police report had to be filed due to it being a reported dog bite, and my wife took him to animal control. As I was at work, we spoke on the phone as she was doing all of this, and on her way to animal control. I tried to pursuade her to stop, to give him another chance, that this was provoked and wouldn't have happended if Travis hadn't been kicked. But ultimately she said she cannot live with him anymore, she can't trust him, that once he has bitten, he will bite again, and that she cannot relax with him around anymore. As of now, he is probably still in quarantine, and will be put down within days.
Both my wife and I feel terrible about what has happened - that our son reacted the way he did by kicking the dog as opposed to removing the baby from the threat of aggression; that our grandson got injured the way he did; and that ultimately we have to lose our dear companion, as difficult a dog as he was. We feel his loss even more than our dear departed first dog, a Black Lab who succumbed to cancer over 2 years ago. Travis was such a presence in our home, especially since we had to accommodate his personality and work every day at it. Travis was also most attached to my wife, who ultimately made the difficult decision.
I hope anyone else who has been through difficult circumstances like these can add words of understanding. I find the only way to get through the grief is to share the emotions and feelings with others who know what it is like to bond so greatly with their dogs, even when they have as many issues and behave as they do.
Thanks to all for being here.
Phil
I am grieving terribly over what has happened over the last week, events which ultimately led to my 6-yr old hound mix Travis being taken to animal control and put down.
Travis was an adopted dog who exhibited aggressive behavior towards other dogs at about 10-months. We worked with him with obedience instructors and behavior experts, and at one point had him on Prozac to try and soothe his anxiety. Throughout his life he attacked two dogs (not seriously - no treatment involved). We worked very hard on controlling his aggressive behavior. We added a female black lab puppy about 2 years ago, and they got along well - they played together, and understood each others pack position.
About 2 years ago, he showed teeth to my 2-yr old neice who approached him while he was eating. We understood then that there was a risk with small children, and so made sure that he was crated whenever children were around. Our children are grown up and out of the house now.
Last week, my stepson and his wife visited with his 15-month old boy. We went to great pains to make sure they understood about Travis, and that we had to make sure he was crated when the baby was up and about. All was going well until Friday, when they forgot to crate him. My stepson was eating a snack with his son on the couch with both dogs nearby. Travis growled at the baby, or perhaps the other dog - we are not sure. My stepson got angry at Travis and kicked him. Travis reacted by biting the baby on the face, breaking skin and bruising him. Everyone reacted in horror - the baby was taken to emergency room, treated and released. My wife, who was home at the time, called me at work to tell me what had happened. She said she always said that if he ever bit anyone, that was it for Travis. She said she could not live with him anymore. A police report had to be filed due to it being a reported dog bite, and my wife took him to animal control. As I was at work, we spoke on the phone as she was doing all of this, and on her way to animal control. I tried to pursuade her to stop, to give him another chance, that this was provoked and wouldn't have happended if Travis hadn't been kicked. But ultimately she said she cannot live with him anymore, she can't trust him, that once he has bitten, he will bite again, and that she cannot relax with him around anymore. As of now, he is probably still in quarantine, and will be put down within days.
Both my wife and I feel terrible about what has happened - that our son reacted the way he did by kicking the dog as opposed to removing the baby from the threat of aggression; that our grandson got injured the way he did; and that ultimately we have to lose our dear companion, as difficult a dog as he was. We feel his loss even more than our dear departed first dog, a Black Lab who succumbed to cancer over 2 years ago. Travis was such a presence in our home, especially since we had to accommodate his personality and work every day at it. Travis was also most attached to my wife, who ultimately made the difficult decision.
I hope anyone else who has been through difficult circumstances like these can add words of understanding. I find the only way to get through the grief is to share the emotions and feelings with others who know what it is like to bond so greatly with their dogs, even when they have as many issues and behave as they do.
Thanks to all for being here.
Phil
we lost another dogthat nit because of triggered behaviour