Should I get my dog put down?

[andypandy30]

Really don't know what to do for the best. Had our dog nine years, she is a mixed breed, nor really sure what she is a bit Spanial, she has always been lively jumping up etc.
We took her to training a few years back, it didn't really work to be honest. I have 2 ds one who is five and one 2.10.
A few years back the dog bit the next door neighbour, we were at work she got out in the rain so he tried to put her back in. The nice next door neighbour played it down but had a plaster on.
We let it go and watched her closely. She has growled at the kids a few times and nipped the eldest once when he was a toddler but the child stood on his tail accidentally. Both ds know not to be cruel to the dog and never are. Today ds tried to take a bean off the dogs plate, it was left over from his dinner and given to the dog. I heard ds scream I was washing up he was crying hard his arm was very red and swollen and has teeth marks but it didn't bleed.
Not sure what to do, everyone telling me we have had enough warnings now and next time it could be the eye.
Dog is walked everyday has massive back garden and I only work part time so it's rarely alone.
Please give me some advice sorry it's so long didn't want to drip feed

*due

If you can't rehome to someone who is willing to put the time and effort into training and exercise (securing your dogs future) and are still unwilling to sort the issues yourself all of which are solvable then give your dog a few weeks of being spoiled rotten before you pts

Hang on. Spaniels can become aggressive in later life? How come? I've never heard this before. Of course, all elderly dogs could become grumpy due to illness/dementia etc, but I've never heard that spaniels are more likely to 'turn' as they age

Chickens - That's because they aren't more likely to 'turn'

Ok you are all so correct. We are all idiots in NI. The vets tell lies and the people who run the two Santurys here are full of crap.
Why would the expects ie the vet, the people in Assisi and the animal sanctuary tell me this?? Must be cause we are all think over here and no nothing about digs and parenting.
To the poster who wants to make calls, yes please do, maybe then you will see I'm not lying.
My only option is sil I have NO one else who will take the dog, she said she will walk her, I know she won't but there is nothing I can do I can't force her to walk her or spy on her. I'm doing my best here

Phew

I'm sorry but the last post from you op is the biggest load of rubbish I have ever read. Several posters have advised you of re-homing charities and have even offered to ring them for you. As for spaniels are well known for becoming aggressive this is just ridiculous and looks like you are making so many excuses in order to justify your original decision.

Ring them then.
I have already rang them been told the waiting list is 6 months. Why would I lie to strangers on the Internet?
It costs me £175 to have the dog pit down, the dog I have had for 9 years and love, why on earth would I want to do this if I had other option.
I will be letting sil take the dog I can't force her to walk her, nothing I can do there

Andy - a small animal vet is not an expert in dog behaviour, training or specific breed traits. They need certain degrees etc to be able to claim that

Try contacting a spaniel rescue if your dog is part spaniel

andypandy, im very sorry to hear this but not particularly surprised. My mum went through the same, albeit with an alsation and in the end he was pts. This was about a year after my mum initially starting looking at rehoming, and she was met with the same brick wall as yourself. She kept this dog in another room when she had people/children in (and whilst the dog was alive, it was a rather sorrowful existence), but it just took that first one time the dog was able to open the door and get down the stairs and just about rip the face off my nephew. Luckily my nephew escaped with some red scrapes to his face but it was enough of a scare for my mum to take him to be pts. It was an extremely difficult decision for her to make, but ultimately for the best.

The fact is there are hundreds of healthy friendly dogs with no issues being pts for no other reason than overcrowding. My common sense tells me if there is a scarcity of homes for these dogs then 'problematic' dogs are no more likely to fare better, but probably worse.

A rescue told you that you cannot retrain a 9yo dog? Righty-ho and I'm the spitting image of Kate Moss, honest.

Can't stop thinking about this thread

OP have you tried any of these:

www.springerrescue.org.uk/about.asp

www.englishspringerrescue.org.uk/where-we-operate.html this one which specifically says it will help with dogs from N. Ireland

www.caessr.org.uk/

www.syessr.co.uk/about_us_9.html

for starters. I'm sure we can find more with a bit of googling. Even if they can't take your dog they may know someone who can. Got to be worth a try.

OP what a horrible situation and the unhelpful and downright cruel comments on here are no doubt making it worse.

I don't know if I would make the same decision but I certainly don't think you are being irresponsible or are wrong in investigating all the options. I know you say your SIL won't exercise your dog but is she there all the time and is she kind? Knowing an average spaniel spending time snoozing won't be a complete hardship. Would you be able to keep up the exercise on a frequent basis to supplement your SIL's care?

It would be interesting to hear back from the posters who are ringing all the rescue centres right now.

We had a dog who was a little unpredictable. He responded very nicely to any command you taught him, but that didn't mean he was a people-friendly dog.
Putting him down seems harsh, but I would not leave him alone in a room with your DCs.
Do some research into pack behaviour type training because I really think establishing yourself and DCs as higher pack members will do the trick. Spaniels can be trouble tho - too clever for their own good!
And always keep him separate while he his eating. Never allow him food off yours or anyones plate. All food for the dog should be put in his bowl. Otherwise he may get aggressive whenever there is food around if he thinks he might get some of it.

DISCLAIMER - I have guinea pigs and not dogs!

Andy Sorry you are in this situation. If the rehoming places turn out to be a no-go then your SIL sounds like the best bet - is there any way you could agree to your dog living there but share the walks?

Ephiny your point about not having kids is a wee bit nuts. The OP couldn't have known beforehand.

I do think OP that you should look for a trainer to come to your home. I'm sure they'll be able to suggest a number of practical steps to keep your dc safe and dog happy.

Yes hearts sil is very kind and loves the dog he loves her as she lets him lie on her all day watching tv, the dog is lazy and crud when getting walked would prefer to lie all day getting spoiled but we walk her anyway, plus I make her run with me as I know she needs it
Just spoke to behavior expert there, he said there are things that can be done but at her age no guarantee it quill work and cost me £80 per session. He said its vet difficult to stop that type of behavior and the problem seems to be kids as age was fine before we had them and it's kids she is aggressive towards apart from the elderly neighbor. I have 2 ds can't re home them. I am letting sil take the dog and paying for her food and insurance and gets bills

Sorry for the typos it's this bloody iPhone

So in a nutshell you don't want to fork out the cash for a trainer but are willing to pay your sil to take your dog? Your dog will take her issues with her.

Is the dog good with cats, small animals, other dogs, livestock and older kids? Rescues very rarely have dogs who are ok with all/most of the above the only reason my parents bought a puppy instead of getting a rescue so your dog may find a decent home if he is good with mot of the above if it turns out that your SIL can't look after him

• Most not mot

The problem is not the kids.

This makes me sad.
Poor dog :(

Makes me sad too as its my dog who I have had for nine years but I think it's takes a crazy person and a bad patent not not put there children first.
To everyone who keeps talking about the rehoming I have tried that, waiting list are 6 months the only places in NI have told me they will put the dog on the list but she will not be rehomed. My sister in law will take her so that's we're she is going. I will not pay £80 a session when the trainee told me because of her age it prob won't work. They can solve other issues but the biting is difficult and she may do it again.
How many more warnings do I need? It could be my child's eye next. I simply will not take this risk