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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put my dog down...

149 replies

Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 11:20

I'm so sorry about this long post.
I have a dog who has been my best mate for 12 years. I got her at 2 years old after she was abandoned and she had not been trained in the slightest.
Everything has been fine.
About 2 years ago she suddenly started being destructive for no reason I could find. I was living at my mums at the time. She ripped up carpets, ate door frames, chewed up a whole waldrobe and coffee table. Serious destructive behaviour. I tried everything. My vet ran out of options. My mum lost it and kicked us out once her house had been destroyed.
I moved into a rented house. She had a few blips but settled down.
6 weeks ago she has switched. She has destroyed everything in this house and the landlord is selling up and I need to move out. So far I have spent soooo much money repairing things. She even ate a fucking wall.
Now this is the problem. I have not left my house for 5 weeks straight out of fear of her destroying things. Even if I pop to the shop I can guarantee to come back to carnage. She ate the back door last time I dared to leave the house.
I'm going stir crazy. I sit in doors with my baby day in day out. It's seriously affecting my mental health. I just want to go for a walk with him but when I tried to take dog out with the Pram she almost pulled it over going for another dog. I sit here all day crying looking out the window just wishing I could go outside.
I'm convinced the dog has slowly been going senile and this is the result.
Putting her down would kill me.
No one will take her on because she is aggressive with other dogs and cannot be left alone.
Do I just carry on my miserable life and wait for her to die naturally?
Wwyd?

OP posts:
Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:13

I've been trying to make her crate a good place. I don't think she likes it. She gets pigs ears and all sorts when in there. I'm trying to build up the time she spends in the crate so far we are at 10 minutes. Soon I'll put her in and wait outside to see how she copes and keep increasing the time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:14

Yeah that's precisely what I did put her in crate then left house. I didn't know it was going to end so badly

OP posts:
BackieJerkhart · 21/09/2017 12:15

That's not crate training! You don't shove them in and build up the time the door is closed! Fgs. Why do you have a dog you haven't a clue how to train?

Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:16

Sling is great idea I'll try thank you

OP posts:
jeniz · 21/09/2017 12:16

My 13 year old collie started barking and chewing everything every time I went out.
My vet put her on Amitriptyline 20mg twice a day, it has worked for her.
I think it took a month or so for it to really kick in,she was also a rescue dog who I got at two years old .
My vet did say if that didn't work there are other things we could try.
I hope you manage to get her sorted xx

Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:17

Because I was 17 and some girl turned up with a dog and said it was being put down because no one wanted it. I stupidly took the dog on.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:18

No it wasn't stupid she would have been put down and she has had an amazing life with me.

OP posts:
Huskylover1 · 21/09/2017 12:19

Life expectancy for a Staffie, is 12-14 years, so she hasn't got long left. Have you tried hormonal treatment, to calm her down? I presume the vet has suggested this. You don't even need a prescription, you can buy a plug in at Pets at Home.

Other option could be a dog walker, but if she's aggressive with other dogs, it would have to be a lone walk, which is more expensive (about £12).

I wouldn't want a destructive staffie around a baby, tbh. Given her age, I think I'd be inclined to PTS.

Tashface · 21/09/2017 12:20

That's not crate training! You don't shove them in and build up the time the door is closed!

Having never used a crate can I ask, out of curiosity, how it is done then?

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 21/09/2017 12:21

Did you take her to any training classes or is she still as untrained as she was when you got her at 2?

Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:21

I've tried the plug ins and collars. She was spayed as soon as I got her.
I'll ask vet about the meds that worked for your collie.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

OP posts:
ElizabethShaw · 21/09/2017 12:22

That's not crate training! You don't shove them in and build up the time the door is closed! Fgs. Why do you have a dog you haven't a clue how to train?
What is the point of a comment like this Confused. Do you think its going to help the OP/dog? Or are you hoping just to upset her and make her feel bad?

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 21/09/2017 12:23

I think Backie's postw as quite justified imagine if someone who had never crate trained came on read this and thought that was how it was done.

chipscheeseandgravy · 21/09/2017 12:24

Still don't get why you don't walk her in the morning. Either buy a sling for the baby or alternatively companies will walk pets for you.

If she's that destructive what's she going to be like with your baby? You can't keep an eye on both of them all of the time.

jeniz · 21/09/2017 12:24

If your vet does give you Amitriptyline
If you know they work it's much cheaper to get a prescription from your vet and get them from the chemist .
They charge you around £10 as it classed as a private prescription for human meds

Danceswithwarthogs · 21/09/2017 12:24

It sounds like you have tried hard with this. If you've explored treatment with your vet, she has poor quality of life because of her problems/anxiety, rehoming isn't an option and it's affecting your mental health/welfare of your family, then I don't think pts is the wrong decision, sadly.

I am a vet and very often see people come to this point without having tried as much as you have. Your bond with her and ability to cope with her behaviour is relevant, but looking at it from her point of view.... trying to be objective about how much pleasure she gets out of life, may help you decide without feeling guilty. Also if behaviour is becoming unpredictable you MUST prioritise safetype of your child. Flowers so hard, I feel for you.

Original poster
Kittysparks1 · 21/09/2017 12:25

I didn't take her to classes, I had no income for that. We are poor! But I did my best and she is super obedient. I socialised her and was successful until she had a fight with a rottie and my confidence went. So I aVoid other dogs. I know thats my issue.
If I had not taken her 12 years ago she would have been put down, she wasn't even house trained. I get the impression I should have allowed that to happen. I will never get a dog again.

OP posts:
ElizabethShaw · 21/09/2017 12:25

14 is a pretty elderly dog - she isn't happy and you aren't happy. I would have her pts.

BackieJerkhart · 21/09/2017 12:27

Having never used a crate can I ask, out of curiosity, how it is done then?

You have the crate sitting with the door open all the time and you put things like a tshirt that smells of you, some of their favourite toys and you throw treats in. They will follow the treats in and see all their "comfort" stuff and want to be in there. You don't do anything when they go in other than keep throwing a treat in every so often. You don't close the gate. Eventually the dog seeks out the crate themselves and chooses to be in there. The aim is for them to see the crate as their safe space and their favourite place to be. Once they are comfortable in the crate then you can start closing the gate for very short periods building up to longer and eventually getting to the stage where you can leave the room and then leave the house without the dog being at all upset because they are in their happy place.

BackieJerkhart · 21/09/2017 12:28

What is the point of a comment like this confused

Err, to get someone who is causing stress to an already stressed dog to stop doing it. I thought that was pretty obvious.

ElizabethShaw · 21/09/2017 12:28

Some people always turn up on pet threads to be nasty about anything they perceive as less than perfect pet ownership. I would assume it is about their own issues and ignore any unhelpful posts.

ElizabethShaw · 21/09/2017 12:30

Backie If you didn't mean to come across as a dick, maybe you could think about how to rephrase your post next time?

BackieJerkhart · 21/09/2017 12:31

Thanks for the advice thread monitor Elizabeth Hmm

troodiedoo · 21/09/2017 12:34

Put the dog down. Yes it'll be sad and you'll feel guilty. But life must go on you owe it to your baby to not have a miserable existence.

ElizabethShaw · 21/09/2017 12:34

You're welcome, I'm sure you aren't so nasty in face to face interactions.

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