Should I have my dog put down?

[byegad]

I just knew this one would degenerate.

 

[theclaud]

at what age is it appropriate to put an annoying child down, say if you couldnt handle your parental duties any more?

glad that you have that emotional detachment / death that allows you to get over it, or is it just a way of avoiding those guilty feelings that normally-tuned humans get?

And I think it's amazing that you can write shit like this and presume to lecture others on caring and empathy.

 

[Sara_H]

He bit me. Not in play but in aggression. The background...

Earlier today, 2 kids knocked at the door selling raffle tickets. Sam, our 10 year old border with problems, did his usual go ballistic barking. As some of you may of gleaned from the other thread, Sam has issues and gets anxious when anything disturbs his world. He always performs when we have visitors; barking, growling, running around. After several minutes, when he calms down and sees there is no threat, he will go up to the person and let them stroke him. So back to the front door and the 2 kids....

My wife opened the door, Sam still barking, and I could see the young girl was clearly very frightened and the guy was concerned. So I took Sam by the collar, not pulling him just trying to calm him, but obviously he wanted to escape my grasp. He bit my face, taking a chunk of flesh and causing me to bleed. I then dragged him through to another room and shut him in there, so my wife could talk to the kids. It shook me at I'm still feeling shaky and a little sick in the stomach.

To my mind, that says he's neither predictable nor controllable. As my wife's business means members of the public do visit us, it's not really an acceptable situation for him to be about. So he has to go; either found a new home or put down.

I'm pretty sure my mind's made up on what should be done, and my wife is in agreement, but I wondered what the panel thought.

I haven't read all the replies as it turned pretty horrible very quickly.

Without going into too much detail, I was once in a similar position to you.

We took advice from the rehoming centre that we'd got our dog from (three months previously) and from our vet.
Their advice was that a dog that bites the neck or face is considered dangerous. There was next to no hope of rehoming her due to this fact and I couldn't possibly keep her with a small child at home - had I not had a child things may have been different. Returning her to the rehoming centre would have condemned her to a life in kennels, as someone who'd worked in rescue kennels I wasn't prepared to subject her to that.
With very heavy hearts the decision was taken to have her put to sleep. As a lifelong dog lover it was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made.

Yello, if you want to talk more send me a private message - I know its a very difficult situation to be in

 

[Archie_tect]

That's a very thoughtful and sensible post Sara.

 

[Andrew_P]

Cannot blame Yello for bolting from this thread...

 

[yello]

Not bolted; just reading and not posting.

And yes, byegad, had I known then what I know now, I wouldn't have posted in the first place! But then hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it? Gosh, I wonder what else that might apply to?

 

[cisamcgu]

Yello,
By taking the dog home, you took responsiblility for its welfare and behaviour. If you consider that the dog is a danger both to your family and, perhaps more importantly, to other people, then only you can decide what to do. But, you should do something before the problem is taken out of your hands by the dog biting a passer by, a child, another dog..... Whatever you choose will be dificult, but you are not to blame, no one is to blame, sometimes things just don't work out and difficult decisions have to be made. I wish you luck and would support whatever you decide to do.

Andrew

 

[Chris Norton]

as a last resort the dogs trust have a sanctuary for the dogs that cannot live with people. they live as a pack and soon find themselves in there. my current hound was heading that way before I got him.

shame the dogs not in the UK as that would be the option.

 

[Christopher]

Get rid, yello. Having looked at the other thread I don't think the dog is suitable for you, through no fault of your own.

I am amazed at the sentimentality shown towards animals/dogs by some people on this thread. They are the type of people who would beggar themselves keeping a sick animal alive and in pain when it would more humane to put it down (not suggesting you are like this). Blimey, you British. If this was a French forum there would have been only one reply: "Shoot it".
No I am not a pet owner and won't be one in the future either.

 

[hobbitonabike]

Get rid, yello. Having looked at the other thread I don't think the dog is suitable for you, through no fault of your own.

I am amazed at the sentimentality shown towards animals/dogs by some people on this thread. They are the type of people who would beggar themselves keeping a sick animal alive and in pain when it would more humane to put it down (not suggesting you are like this). Blimey, you British. If this was a French forum there would have been only one reply: "Shoot it".
No I am not a pet owner and won't be one in the future either.

Could you please not assume what I would do!! I would never keep an animal alive in pain for my own benefit!It is more than sentamentality it is love. I do not rank species in order of importance (although I do rank some humans lower than animals due to the way the behave sometimes!) An animal is not disposable under the premise "it's only a dog". I care for all living things. This does not make me over sentimental or an idiot. I like to think it makes me a good person. I hope Yello has managed to find some advice and help among all this bickering. There is no winner in that situation...dog or human. But thats life and we all do the best we can (I hope...though with some people I do wonder sometimes!) Life can be hard enough without all the hate. I have no issue with people who dislike animals...only when that dislike becomes cruel. Christ...it is a long way down off this soapbox!!! Lol

 

[byegad]

Not bolted; just reading and not posting.

And yes, byegad, had I known then what I know now, I wouldn't have posted in the first place! But then hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it? Gosh, I wonder what else that might apply to?

Well I thought on first reading that I'd have it put down, but didn't post as I was wise enough to know the reaction from the dog lovers. As an aside the dog owner who insists 'He won't bite.' Are not always right. As I know to my cost. Those that say, 'He will bite'. Are almost awayls correct.

 

[cd365]

This thread really descended into chaos but this is common on CC!
Yello, whatever you have done I am sure it was the right decision.

 

[Cyclist33]

[QUOTE 2282150, member: 45"]You're talking about your emotions, not those of the animal.[/quote]

no. im talking about your emotions, well, lack of, and the animal's. my own are not really involved in the discussion, whichi. wouldve thought is obvious.

 

[Cyclist33]

And I think it's amazing that you can write shit like this and presume to lecture others on caring and empathy.

what "lecture"? youre not making any sense.

 

[Archie_tect]

Yello, you've come across in your posts as a sensible, caring person who has had to face an unwelcome decision... unfortunate that the thread was diverted from supporting you but that always seems to happen, eventually! Hope you're OK.