My dog is medium sized, but recently nearly killed a small dog. My step mom and the parent of the doggie victim urge me to put her to sleep. Yet, my vet told me Barkbusters can train her from tis behavior. Even though I scheduled them to come here, my step mom says the lady will call animal control, costing me 500 dollars, and possible having my dog put to sleep anyways. I told step mom to wait, give my dog a chance at training, this may be me being a bad owner, and not the dogs fault. I am paying the vet bills for the injured pooch, and my step mom keeps going next door over there and it is making things worse. Today I had to lie and say I scheduled a euthanasia for my dog, just so she could make the lady happy. Then, I snuck and cancelled it because I am so torn. My heart and throat ache. Planning my dogs death seems even more brutal than the attack itself. Shouldnt I give training a chance before killing ther dog I love. I am watching her much closer now, using a muzzle,ect. Help!!
Ok, no offense, but your dog didn’t bite a person, but a dog, right? I mean, I get it, I would be mad if s.one’s dog bit my dog but come on.
Yes, training will more than likely help your dog. And just b/c the lady calls animal control does NOT mean that they are going to make you put it down. They barely do that for a human bite.
Don’t put the dog down. Get it trained, keep a closer eye on it. And remind everyone involved that this is a living, breathing creature, that you love and everyone needs to give it chance.
And ask your step mom to please stop egging it on and be supportive of you and your feelings.
Also, watch the dog whisperer in between training sessions, Ceasar has a lot of great tips that REALLY work, you just have to be willing to spend the time and energy to get your dog training.
Good luck.
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8 Responses
2009 Sep 04
Doggies first offence??? If it is, usually they won’t make you put it down until it has a"history" of brutal attacks…. Give the doggie you love so much a chance @ training, but pleaseeeee watch him closely and keep that muzzle on at least until he’s had his training.
GOOD LUCK
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2009 Sep 04
Let them know that you want to do the training first (it could help) and if it doesnt work out then you will definatly will put him to sleep.
OR, (and I just thought of this) find him another home (one that doesnt have any other animals in the same house) and let the new owners know that he doesnt get along withother pets but do with people) I know you still lose your dog this way but at least he will still be alive. Dont tell your step mom know you gave him away. Let her believe that you did bring him in to get euthanized. (If you want that is)
Good luck. I hope training works.
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im a vet technician
2009 Sep 04
First let me say that if you are forced to euthanize your dog, you have a right to your grief and others need to respect that. Your step mom may be trying to placate the neighbor so y’all do not get sued, or fined by Animal Control. You don’t say your age, but try getting your step mom to help you negotiate with the neighbor. Perhaps the neighbor would agree to wait and make a decision after her dog is doing better and some of the emotion is out of the way. If the neighbor is a dog-lover, you may be able to sway her toward training. Good luck.
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2009 Sep 04
I think you are doing the right thing!! Please keep a muzzle on it all the time and really try hard with the training.
If it doesnt work though you have to be realistic and put the dog to sleep before something worse happens.
I must admit if my dog was killed by another i really would want that dog put to sleep too!! I would be very heart broken.
Remember if it attacks a small child there will be severe consequences!!
Good Luck!
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2009 Sep 04
Ok, no offense, but your dog didn’t bite a person, but a dog, right? I mean, I get it, I would be mad if s.one’s dog bit my dog but come on.
Yes, training will more than likely help your dog. And just b/c the lady calls animal control does NOT mean that they are going to make you put it down. They barely do that for a human bite.
Don’t put the dog down. Get it trained, keep a closer eye on it. And remind everyone involved that this is a living, breathing creature, that you love and everyone needs to give it chance.
And ask your step mom to please stop egging it on and be supportive of you and your feelings.
Also, watch the dog whisperer in between training sessions, Ceasar has a lot of great tips that REALLY work, you just have to be willing to spend the time and energy to get your dog training.
Good luck.
References :
2009 Sep 04
I suggest training. A first offense is usually a fine and a warning. However now your dog has a history of agression and if it attacks someone or something else you will be in trouble.
As far as calling animal control, I say call her bluff. Just beciase animal control is called does not mean they will euthenise the dog. Your dog bit another animal not a person, and in the eyes of the law your are not responsible for anything but the cost of the vet bills. You don’t have to worry about a law suit by the other owner if you are already paying 100% of the medical bills. The law sees animals as property, and the lady wouldn’t be able to sue for pain and suffering, etc.
A fine is possible, if that is where the $500 is comming from, but you need to make te decision if you pets life is worth that. I personally think any dog can be trained and if you are keeping the dog confined(fenced, leashed, etc) and 100% supervised when outside, then I say go for the training.
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2009 Sep 04
Sad to say, but in most cases cities have leash laws. If your pooch was off lead and attacked another dog, you are responsible for your dog’s actions, period.
The fact that you are paying the other dog’s vet bills is a good and responsible thing. Make sure you get duplicate receipts.
Using a muzzle is a good thing as well.
The next thing you need to know is that when a dog gets a taste for this behavior, it is very hard to break.
I had a Standard Poodle that was my breeding female for my litters. At one point I was also teaching. I would bring home classroom pets for the summer. One summer she broke through a door and got 2 hybrid rats. She was not interested in eating, just killing. This escelated to a pup from another litter. She was only out to kill it. After a talk with my Vets, we decided she should be put down. I had a grand baby in the house, and we feared he would be next. It was the single most hardest thing I ever had to do. But we couldn’t take a chance of her hurting a human.
I’m telling you this because I want you to know what CAN happen later. There are many good training schools out there for red zone dogs. I sincerely hope they can help you and you dog.
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2009 Sep 04
One–your stepmom must be quite a mean person to support killing an animal;
Two–you are doing the right thing to keep the dog alive, he is family and since when do we kill our family?;
Three–use a muzzle to make the neighbor ***** happy;
Four–dogs kill by instinct, the other dog was probably seen as a threat or did something to hurt the your pooch, dogs won’t attack without reason. Was your dog on your property?
Animal Control won’t put a dog down for hurting another, especially if this is the first time. Anyone that would kill a dog for any reason but self defense is a horrible person anyway!
Put the dog in training, use a muzzle, and ignore the stepmom.
I have been bitten VERY badly by a dog before, and fought for the animal to stay alive. I don’t care what reason you have, even if a dog bites a child the dog shouldn’t be put down. Humans seem to put themselves before animals–and a good 99% of the time it is the human’s fault that the dog (or other animal) bit us. It’s our fault by poor training that so many dogs are agressive in the first place. Maybe the neighbor and stepmom should be put down…
And I know I’ll get a LOT of thumbs-down, but I’d rather speak my mind than let an innocent animal die.
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