Should I have my dog put down?

[MichaelM]

no, nobody with my attitude would own a dog, what part of that simple statement don't you get?

You may well think that, but you are wrong. There are far too many owners who take the "it's a dog, get over it" attitude.

People of my attitude would also not condone cruelty towards animals but we do have the ability to differentiate between cruelty and someone that's made a mistake, knows it and doesn't need a further 'online kicking' to make it sink in.

Oh and before anyone points out this thread is about dogs I joined the thread out of empathy for Yello. He's always come across as a thoroughly decent sort and even more so after reading his posts on this thread, something I may add that some other contributors seem incapable of doing.

Yello doesn't need empathy. He needs to have it pointed out that he's not meeting his commitment to the dog. He knows what needs to be done, but by his own admission isn't prepared to put in the time, effort and money. In other words, he is neglecting the dog. He is being cruel. It's not o.k. to have a dog put to sleep out of convenience, and he needs to be made aware of this.That is not being "thoroughly decent".

 

[Becs]

And imo, NO decent, self-respecting vet will ever advise euthenasia under any circumstance unless it is a completely last resort.

That's simply not the case with aggressive behaviour, we have a responsibility to protect the kids/adults/other dogs it might bite, and as I said in my post in needs a full examination to assess whether it has a neurological condition etc. I'm certainly not saying it definitely needs to be PTS, but if it has taken a chunk out of someone's face most of us decent, self-respecting vets would consider that grounds to consider euthanasia, if it had bitten anyone else (i.e. not its owner) the police could have ordered its destruction.

Also euthanasia doesn't have to be "completely a last resort", it can often be kindest to do it before other options are attempted in some cases. Take the example of a labrador with arthritis in both hips and both elbows, that is in pain every day: for euthanasia to be the "last resort" in this case you would need to put the animal through 2 hip and 2 elbow replacements with a huge amount of post-operative pain. The same goes for animals on chemotherapy, in SOME cases it is kindest to put the animal to sleep before all treatment options are exhausted so it can go out of the world in relative health rather than after its tumour(s) have got big enough for it to be suffering and have to use the "last resort" of euthanasia. Most of us vets have enough integrity to know when euthanasia is an appropriate option. It's also worth noting that by law any owner can request to have their animal humanely destroyed at any time as the animal is considered their possession. We can refuse or offer to try to re-home it depending on our own opinion but often a humane euthanasia is preferable to people taking matters into their own hands (which sadly happens all too frequently).

 

[MacB]

You may well think that, but you are wrong. There are far too many owners who take the "it's a dog, get over it" attitude.

No, you're wrong and quite spectacularly so, I'll put it in what I hope is idiot proof English for you.

I have no interest in dogs therefore anyone sharing my attitude would be the same and would not get a dog........that you choose to take my 'it's a dog get over it' to mean that I would go out and get a dog then mistreat or neglect it, says far more about you than it does me.

IF SOMEONE GETS A DOG THEN THEY CLEARLY DO NOT SHARE MY ATTITUDES

 

[lukesdad]

That's simply not the case with aggressive behaviour, we have a responsibility to protect the kids/adults/other dogs it might bite, and as I said in my post in needs a full examination to assess whether it has a neurological condition etc. I'm certainly not saying it definitely needs to be PTS, but if it has taken a chunk out of someone's face most of us decent, self-respecting vets would consider that grounds to consider euthanasia, if it had bitten anyone else (i.e. not its owner) the police could have ordered its destruction.

Also euthanasia doesn't have to be "completely a last resort", it can often be kindest to do it before other options are attempted in some cases. Take the example of a labrador with arthritis in both hips and both elbows, that is in pain every day: for euthanasia to be the "last resort" in this case you would need to put the animal through 2 hip and 2 elbow replacements with a huge amount of post-operative pain. The same goes for animals on chemotherapy, in SOME cases it is kindest to put the animal to sleep before all treatment options are exhausted so it can go out of the world in relative health rather than after its tumour(s) have got big enough for it to be suffering and have to use the "last resort" of euthanasia. Most of us vets have enough integrity to know when euthanasia is an appropriate option. It's also worth noting that by law any owner can request to have their animal humanely destroyed at any time as the animal is considered their possession. We can refuse or offer to try to re-home it depending on our own opinion but often a humane euthanasia is preferable to people taking matters into their own hands (which sadly happens all too frequently).

With aggressive behaviour one assumes you first have to assertain the truth no ?

 

[MichaelM]

No, you're wrong and quite spectacularly so, I'll put it in what I hope is idiot proof English for you.

I have no interest in dogs therefore anyone sharing my attitude would be the same and would not get a dog........that you choose to take my 'it's a dog get over it' to mean that I would go out and get a dog then mistreat or neglect it, says far more about you than it does me.

IF SOMEONE GETS A DOG THEN THEY CLEARLY DO NOT SHARE MY ATTITUDES

Quite. You have no interest in dogs, whereas I do. I own dogs, and am involved in rescue. Therefore, I see things that you probably don't, which is quite understandable as after all - you have no interest in dogs. I do come across dog owners who share your "it's a dog get over it" attitude - quite a lot actually.

 

[lukesdad]

No, you're wrong and quite spectacularly so, I'll put it in what I hope is idiot proof English for you.

I have no interest in dogs therefore anyone sharing my attitude would be the same and would not get a dog........that you choose to take my 'it's a dog get over it' to mean that I would go out and get a dog then mistreat or neglect it, says far more about you than it does me.

IF SOMEONE GETS A DOG THEN THEY CLEARLY DO NOT SHARE MY ATTITUDES

So why are you posting on the thread exactly ?

 

[MacB]

So why are you posting on the thread exactly ?

already explained my initial joining of the thread and my continuation is in direct response to being accused of being a part of a group of people I am not.

 

[Becs]

With aggressive behaviour one assumes you first have to assertain the truth no ?

I'm not sure what you're getting at. . . .

 

[MacB]

Quite. You have no interest in dogs, whereas I do. I own dogs, and am involved in rescue. Therefore, I see things that you probably don't, which is quite understandable as after all - you have no interest in dogs. I do come across dog owners who share your "it's a dog get over it" attitude - quite a lot actually.

I couldn't give a stuff about your interests or your experience or the sort of people you come across...you just need to understand that you have never come across anyone with a dog that shared my attitudes....because they have a dog.

Honestly I'm at a loss to explain it any more clearly even a young child would understand the difference between the two.

 

[lukesdad]

I'm not sure what you're getting at. . . .

In that case I'm glad you are an equine vet.

 

[MichaelM]

I couldn't give a stuff about your interests or your experience or the sort of people you come across...you just need to understand that you have never come across anyone with a dog that shared my attitudes....because they have a dog.

Honestly I'm at a loss to explain it any more clearly even a young child would understand the difference between the two.

They might not share your attitude because they have a dog. But they have dogs and they certainly share your attitude, as a result of which the dogs are often treated as a disposable commodity.

 

[MacB]

They might not share your attitude because they have a dog. But they have dogs and they certainly share your attitude, as a result of which the dogs are often treated as a disposable commodity.

Jeez that doesn't even make sense, you come across as a sanctimonious holier than thou type that wants to spread the blame around for your own personal bugbear. Just try not to be surprised if your sort of attitude and approach hardens people against your cause rather than gets them onside.

 

[Becs]

In that case I'm glad you are an equine vet.

No need to be obnoxious, perhaps you should have worded your query slightly more eloquently?

Biting chunk out of owners face = clear cut case of aggression in my book.

 

[lukesdad]

No need to be obnoxious, perhaps you should have worded your query slightly more eloquently?

Biting chunk out of owners face = clear cut case of aggression in my book.

I don t do that, and the evidence is ? ..getting back to my original post.

 

[MichaelM]

Jeez that doesn't even make sense, you come across as a sanctimonious holier than thou type that wants to spread the blame around for your own personal bugbear. Just try not to be surprised if your sort of attitude and approach hardens people against your cause rather than gets them onside.

I'll just lay the blame where it belongs. Squarely at the feet of owners with an attitude like your's.