To have my dog put to sleep?

[NotAHun]

Not sure this is the right place to be posting this. Long time poster but name changed for privacy...

We have a small ish breed dog. She’s 5, over the last year she’s bitten 2 of my dc one twice, and two other times when people have knocked at door, once when taking a toy off of her, she’s also bitten me hard enough that I lost my nail. She just punctured ds’s arm right on the bony bit and through a long sleeved top and jumper because he tried to push her away as he opened the door to let me in (I hadn’t knocked and she would have heard it was my voice the other side of the door.

I cannot walk her off lead as she would definitely bite a toddler unprovoked she hates tiny children! My dc are all over 5. I don’t feel comfortable re homing her because no one can guarantee that they never come into contact with children and I feel responsible.

It’s awful because we all love her but if ds had been wearing a t shirt and not a jumper she could’ve done serious damage. I feel so guilty at the thought of having her pts but no idea what to do.

I agree with you OP I think it’s necessary now.

This is a dog that simply dislikes toddlers. The reason why, is not important. I have a two year old. Shes tiny and defenceless. She loves running around in the park, or going for walks. If a random dog that simply “didn’t like toddlers” suddenly decided to attack her for no reason other than that it doesn’t like toddlers, I cannot even imagine what that would do to her and to our family. That is not a risk that anyone should be taking and frankly shame on the people who say otherwise.

I agree with you OP and I think it’s kinder to the dog than sending her to a rescue. I adore my dogs and would be heartbroken but in your shoes I would have to PTS.

No she hates toddlers and I’d kind of understand if she’s had a bad experience with toddlers but my dc were all over 5 when we got her.

She pins both other dogs down, one has a scar by eye where she bit it. Lucky it wasn’t eye ball. I can’t feed her in same room S them, I can’t buy treats or bones or toys as she would attack the dog for even walking past.

In reality how likely is it that someone would rehome this dog when they have the choice of plenty of dogs in rescues that don’t have a history of biting?
If the OP can’t keep the dog safely at home and rehoming is unlikely what is in the dog’s best interests?
OP I would PTS.

She does take offence to some dogs out side the house and will often for want of a better expression square up to them, she would if she got the chance attack any dog walking past our house.

Can't understand why you posted about this when you've already made up you're mind, you say she's very devoted to you , so maybe that's you're problem as to why you won't rehome her, because you know deep down she'll be happier with someone else and forget you.... you who'd rather end her life. Oh an some of sentences are a little far fetched!

Ime rehoming shelters aren't that reliable for placing ddogs in the best new homes. I fostered a family ddog after a relationship breakdown. Thanks to mm I got him a place in a reputable rescue. He bit the dc he went to live with. Fuelled by jealousy. Given to a lp with 50 /50 dc. On returning from their df's he bit the dc on the face. The woman had never owned a dog before and they gave her next to none of the info I had left with them. He had a mental breakdown on returning to the shelter and was pts. I couldn't be there and it broke me for a long time. If I had just insisted pts initially his suffering would have been minimal.
Pts in your arms is the way to go imo op. You owe him a safe and secure passing.

purplepartygal

You are clearly failing to manage the resource guarding.
She would be better off as an only pet without children around. But it’s a big leap to say she needs to be PTS.
Have you spoken to her breeder?

Believe me if I thought she would be happier she would have been re homed a long time ago. Why on earth would I have persevered as long as I have. Not sure what exactly is far fetched. I’m aware I’ve drop fed a little but I’m also aware that I am identifiable if I give too many details.

Yes to an extent I do want validation that I’m doing the right thing. But it’s not like I woke up this morning and thought fuck it I’ll have the dog out down

Her breeder is. I longer in contact with me, I kept them updated on her for first couple of years and then they just stopped replying. No idea why and aren’t local

*her breeder is no longer in contact

You need to have her PTS. Resource guarding time this extent is a very dangerous problem and she has already bitten, different people, multiple times. No decent shelter would rehome her as it would be extremely difficult to ensure she would not bite again. Sending her to a shelter would only condemn her to months or even years in kennels with even more stress.

Totally unreasonable to have her put to sleep.
The behaviorist has explained why she is doing what she does and you are not making enough effort to manage that.
That is not the dogs fault. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that she is not giving any signs or cues that she is uncomfortable. Biting is rarely the first response.

Please make the effort to rehome her with someone who will meet her needs and not ask a vet to kill a healthy animal.

A decent breeder would insist that you contacted them if you ever had to give the dog up.
Persevering doesn’t mean hanging onto the dog as long as you can. It means NEVER putting her in a position where she will bite. If you can’t do that you should at least let someone with more time and experience try.

Are you in touch with the owners of her puppies? I'd be worried about their temperament if this has seemingly come out of nowhere at 3-5

I could very easily re home her but one she is strangely despite the aggression very devoted to us and would struggle I think and secondly I really don’t think it’s fair to put other children at risk?

I'd take her to a reputable dog rescue and explain the situation. See what they suggest.
Don't worry about her being devoted to you. No matter how well bonded to its owner a dog is, they can almost always bond to a new person. It is highly unlikely that she would pine for the rest of her life. Dogs love people, and they move on.

The dog rescue might keep her under observation for a while, then seek a suitable home with an experienced owner and no children. If the dog rescue find that she's not homeable, they'll make the call about whether to euthanise or not.

You don't need to make this decision about PTS or not. You only need to make the decision to turn the problem over to people who do this a lot, and who are perhaps better placed to be objective about it.
It sounds to me like the decision you need to make is to let her go. Don't make it more complicated than that.

It is irresponsible to rehome a dog like this IMO.

The fact here is that almost no-one never comes into contact with any children ever, and OP has even said that the dog cannot be walked off lead because she will one day attack a toddler when out for a walk. Do people really think that a rescue is going to easily find a home for a dog like that? Of course not. In fact the rescue will know that she can’t be rehomed to anyone because the guarantee of no child contact is one which simply cannot be made under any circumstances.

OP I would have her PTS without question, and I would ignore the criticisms from posters who seem to prefer the idea of dogs being stuck in kennels for the rest of their lives because they can never responsibly be rehomed. Being PTS isn’t always the worst thing which can happen to a dog.

Rescues don't rehome dogs with a history of biting like this one. They cant afford to risk being sued. If you send her to a so called no kill shelter then eventually they'll end up full of dogs they cant rehome. A life in kennels after a family home will just be stressful for her.

If you cant manage or safely rehome her, then the kindest thing is for you to have per PTS yourself.

But the responsible thing for you to do is to not buy another dog until you have learned how to handle and prevent resource guarding while they are puppies.

She deserves to live, just in a different environment. Dog rescue centres are really careful about where they put dogs. They will re home her somewhere where she is never around children and with people who are aware of her issues. She’s still a young dog and could have many happy years ahead of her away from the stress she is currently feeling in a busy family home.

Yes I am in touch with all of her puppies owners.

I’m no longer going to comment on this post. I seriously will take everything on board. I really resent the assumption I’ve not tried hard enough. I really truly have tried and this is not an easy decision.

Thanks again for all of your replies.

PTS is not the worst outcome for a dog by a long stretch. It is a way which will guarantee her future.

Personally I think it would be irresponsible for you to rehome her. I am not saying that there isn't a home for her and it might be something that a reputable rescue can help with but pick carefully. No-kill rescues do not mean a dog doesn't suffer - a hard to rehome dog spending years in a cage is not ethical imo.

Good luck whatever you decide but I wouldn't have her near the children.

I should add that I am an experienced dog owner. I have had and do have other dogs with no behavioural issues whatsoever.

And although 5 sounds young it’s not actually much younger than the average life expectancy for the breed.

Thanks again

I think putting her down will feel very bad.

Lots of rescue dogs bite. Hand her over to s good rescue centre and let them take over. Then she's off your hands, as obviously you need to get her away from your kids as a matter of importance, very soon.

Don't put her down - give her a chance at life, with professionals.

Xxx

These so-called no kill rescues are the types who keep dogs in kennels for years and years because they will probably never be rehomed, and then post sad puppy-eyed adverts asking for donations because “we never put a healthy dog down.”

In actual fact these types of dogs are perfect poster-pets to sell the shelter’s appeal and to raise more money.

If a dog can “never be rehomed” then it is not healthy and should be put out of its misery.