Should I Put My Dog Down?: an ethical question

Post Reply New Topic

Hi, I have not read past mid-page 1 and will be responding mostly to the little information given in the original post, so sorry if it doesn't fit.

You have a reactive dog. He does not simply need obedience training, but he needs counter-conditioning. Sounds like the situation can be dealt with a few ways. One being management (tools, avoiding trigger situations and having plans in place for what to do if confronted with on), another being working on the behavior, and the third, well, yeah putting the dog down. Have you heard of Behavior Adjustment Training (aka BAT)? Honestly, it's a difficult feat without the help of a professional to at the very least analyze the situation, but it *is* possible to do it on your own if you are dedicated enough. Fair warning that it is tedious work and is no quick fix. The dog may or may not be able to fully come around in the end, but you can likely get him to a manageable point that isn't exhausting at the same time.

The incident where he bit your mother seems like an unfair thing to base putting a dog down on, in my personal opinion. The aggression would have been redirected aggression. Oh, and the prong collar could very well be exacerbating the issue as it can cause over-stimulation especially in an already aroused dog. Good leash skills can help quite a bit when dealing with a reactive dog. If pulling is a big issue, I'd recommend getting a front-attaching harness. Something like the Freedom Harness or Easy Walk from PetSafe. It will redirect the dog back to you when they pull.

Are you running into these problems on walks or do you live somewhere (apartment, etc) where you can run into these situations just taking the dog out to use the restroom? If on walks, then try to take him during less busy times and be one step ahead. If you see a dog coming up, turn around or cross the street. Muzzle the dog before taking him into any situation a potential trigger could be. BTW, you will want to condition the dog to fully accept the muzzle before taking him out in it. Muzzle doesn't have to be a long-term solution if you go the BAT route instead of management, but for now tons of management is necessary.

Hate to lay it on ya, but you assumed responsibility for this dog. You should at least attempt to work with him on the behavior and do what you can before deciding to euthanize him. If you do re-home, please please please make sure that the new owner fully understands the behavioral problems and will take them seriously. You don't want him to end up with somebody who is equally as unprepared to deal with it and him to get into a situation where he DOES cause serious harm.

Sorry if this is scattered-- low on sleep. Best of luck to you and your dog.

Well his issues are way out of my league. I believe his good natured spirit would make him an excellent candidate for something like the BAT training.
I am waiting to hear from the vet now regarding a possible placement.
Euthanizing him remains an option if a suitable placement is not found.
In the meantime I am trying to time his potty breaks when the street isn't crowded, but there are dogs everywhere.

Maybe you could try taking his favourite squeaky toy or chew toy with you on walks, and try to distract him with it when you see another dog nearby. Or do something that calms him down, like scratch his neck or his head. Try to keep his attention on you and try to keep him calm to try to prevent him from attacking the other dog.
You could also try a head halter to keep him from being able to jump up and attack.
The problem is that he hasn't been socialized properly with other dogs, and that needs to be fixed, but I don't think it's something you can try to fix on your own without him seriously injuring other dogs in the process. He needs obedience training, and he needs to learn how to properly socialize with other dogs.
As long as your dog hasn't bitten anyone outside your family, and he isn't getting violent with the people he has accidentally bitten, I don't think euthanasia is a solution. And I would strongly recommend against it. I think if you do have him euthanised, you will never forgive yourself. I had a dog that I had euthanised about 10 years ago because he had a lot of health problems and I didn't have the money to have him treated. I still feel guilty about it.

Thank you for all your replies.

I heard back from the vet today and I will be surrendering him tomorrow to the local shelter. From there he will be picked up by the pitbull rescue. They will evaluate his behavioural issues and decide whether he will be re-homed or euthanized.

I feel sick as he is my only real friend in the world. I wish I could provide a suitable environment for him.

You did the best you could for him. Hopefully, the pitbull rescue has someone who specializes in these extreme cases.

Resurrected for update:

I have decided to keep my dog and work with him. He is showing signs of adjustment to his new environment. He's a smart dog. I can't put him down and there seems to not be available a better home. Leaving him at a shelter is not an acceptable route.

So I'm sticking with him.

Thanks for updating as I've been wondering about the situation. Hope everything works out for you. My own dog has reactive tendencies (towards people and objects, not dogs) and I've also observed a few classes that educate/teach owners on how to work with their own reactive dogs at the place I train with my dog for sports at. Feel free to PM me or post here if you need to be pointed in the right direction for helpful online resources or books, because I've been recommended some by my trainer and have come across a lot of really useful stuff as well.

Thanks!

He seems to have understood my negative reaction to his charging behaviour. The other day he encountered an unneutered bull dog and his reaction was containable.

I always muzzle him outside. I have to, there's a by-law.

I would not have left him at a shelter, not knowing his fate.