To get rid of the dog

[BananaLeafs]

So here goes..my first post and I am open to hearing if I'm being unreasonable.

Around 6 months ago I got a reactive rescue dog, she wasn't from a rescue center but from a home where she was mistreated. She doesn't listen at all, she knows her name and will only respond if I offer her human food. She is dog and people aggressive, lunges and barks on lead, cannot be near anything, guards her crate and toys and food, very viciously, even guarding the hallway.

She will also lunge at you if you have something she wants eg food or plastic bottles. She has been spayed and I have had a dog trainer which hasn't helped. I am exhausted I just want to cry, she even barks at neighbours and lunges.

She is not the dog I thought I was helping, I knew she had a few issues but nothing like this. She has put her ears back and attempted to bite when we go anywhere near her things, she destroys blankets and beds and growls if you pick her up.

She will not let me answer the door or even leave the house,its like I'm a prisoner in my own home. I cannot go anywhere and have to take her everywhere I go or she barks until I come back.

I don't know what to do anymore I have tried so many things and leads and harnesses, she destroys everything including my social life and confidence to go out. She drags me about on walks too

I cannot take her to a rescue center as they will not take her, this is why I took her in or she would be euthanized or bred in a puppy farm. It's not getting any better.

I suffer from depression and wanted a dog to get me out more so I wanted to help a dog rather than buy a puppy so we could both be helped in one way or another.

I want to cry all the time as I don't know what to do anymore.

I don't know what I want for sharing this, I just need to let it out somewhere thank you for reading x

I completely understand I had a rescue dog, well I saved him from a terrible home similar to yourself. He had many problems with his behaviour including guarding, lunging, barking completely anti social. I used an amazing lady who wasn’t cheap but it was life changing - 2 years later my dog now lives happily with 3 other dogs in my home.

The courses are done over 4 or 8 weeks with daily check ins, they are very rewarding for both dog and owner for us it was the best investment.

This is the lady’s website

Oh you poor thing. I have a reactive rescue (10 years with the little sod now!) and it’s tough. The good thing is that she’s young and small enough to physically control. It’s a lot harder with a bigger reactive dog. What’s your budget? Are you able to seek help from an experienced behaviourist? Another option to explore is to speak to your vet. In my dogs case, she was so traumatised and anxious she was prescribed Xanax for a short period which helped a lot in the short term to get her settled in the home and while we got to grips with training. She had a lot of your dog’s behaviours, resource guarding, aggressive towards dogs and extremely territorial. She’s a lot better now, I mean still an arsehole with other dogs and I can’t bloody get her to love the postman, but absolutely zero resource guarding, not drugged and an absolute sweetheart with my 15 month old and other visitors (if they come with a biscuit). Having said that, no judgement here if you can’t cope with her and want to rehome. You did a lovely thing but it is SO difficult especially if you have no experience with dogs like that.

I would PTS, passing her on will just add to her distress and mistrust of humans, you have tried, putting her into a noisy overcrowded kennel environment will send he stress levels through the roof, there are far worse things than a good death, in a familiar place, she has no concept of tomorrow.

Don’t have the dog put to sleep. She is a product of a clueless owner. Allow her to be adopted by someone who knows how to deal with her. Poor thing 😓 She hasn’t had much of a life up until now. Give her the chance of a quality of life with someone who knows what they’re doing

She definitely could be rehabilitated, she needs a chance. I posted here for some support and just to say how I'm feeling without judgement , and to see if anyone else has a reactive dog

Sometimes the wrong home gets the wrong dog and two wrongs don't make a right ! You are miserable and she clearly isn't happy despite your best efforts. You could both be happy, just probably not together, and there is no shame in admitting that if it means she gets a happy life elsewhere.

You think a Llassa Apso on a lead is a danger to society? Are you always so dramatic🤣😆😆

My mother had this breed, one became like this. We tried everything. It turned out to be a neurological problem.

Hi OP have you tried reactive dogs uk facebook group? Lots of people on there in the same boat as you. I adopted a dog who had issues and who bit (and grazed) a man who was shouting at me. We found a behaviourist who taught us to manage her but I was very down for a while but with careful management she’s ok- but I have to be so careful and can’t take her in places where there are people close by. I have to shut her upstairs to have people around. Your dog sounds much more traumatized however and is probably resource guarding. It really doesn’t sound like she’s very happy, I think that if you’ve given it a year with no improvement then you do need to consider euthanasia for everyone’s sake. Thank you for trying to help her xxx

“Lhasa Apsos can be aggressive due to their guarding instincts. They will guard their home fearlessly and yap at anyone who comes by. These guarding instincts can become aggression if the Lhasa Apsos is not properly trained or socialized. These dogs are reported to be more likely to bite than many other breeds.”

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but did you know this ^.
How much exercise does the dog get? How firm are you? It doesn’t always have to be a pts option, but the dog needs serious work.

I would ask for this to be moved to the doghouse not aibu. MN hate dogs.

This. Kinder than sending her to yet another home.

God no, you wouldn't be unreasonable. You didn't create the problem, and you're the one who offered the dog its chance at a normal life. You've given a lot more than most would, I certainly wouldn't make myself that miserable for any animal.

She doesn’t sound happy at all, she sounds very scared of the world around her ☹️ have you tried a behaviourist? If not and you’re in the UK and happy to PM, I can put you in touch with some rescues that can genuinely help her.

How did you get this dog? Did you pay money for her I’m guessing? How many trainers have you tried?

Have you tried contacting different charities. If in the UK there will be charities who will take her and work with her. The charity you got her from sounds very irresponsible as she shouldn't have been rehomed without receiving therapy to work on her issues first.

Sadly by the sounds of it, she should be PTS. You can't control the world so that she can't be triggered. I would admit to yourself you've done your best.

Please consider employing a decent behaviourist. Try the APBC www.apbc.org or FABC www.fabclinicians.org . Both organisations acredit properly qualified, experienced and insured behaviourists who use kind scientific methods. Avoid the Southend dog training guy, his methods will not help your dog long term.

My friend has a Shih-tzu that was just like this. She took him on just about every training course known to man. Finally, the Vet suggested they try medication. Prozac...it works like a dream. Not ideal, I know, but better than being pts. Worth a conversation with your Vet?

Another vote for either a breed specific rescue or you need a behaviourist using force free methods.

My dog can resource guard, we have learnt the triggers and how to manage it. A friend had a dog that resource guarded; they gave her up to a breed specific rescue and the dog now lives with an older retired couple who have the time and experience to train and manage the dog.

Dogs also pick up on our behaviour - if you are stressed the dog will sense that and not understand why, so in turn may also become stressed. They are then never relaxed enough to be able to learn and change as their cortisol levels are always high. In order to work with the dog you need to show confidence and be calm. It may be that your home/you isn't right for this particular dog, no shame in admitting that.

I would agree here. A local rescue has a dog very similar to the one you are describing. He was meant to be pts but one of the ladies stepped in and said no. Made all kind of promises to find help and get him trained yet the poor buggar has spent more than a year in a crate in a shed. It's not fair and yes I have reported to the relevant people. Sadly the rescue is part run by the dog warden so seems to be untouchable for anything.

@NeverDropYourMooncup that’s what I’m thinking. Probably why op hasn’t answered those who have questioned it.

Southend dog training are bloody awful, I would avoid them at all costs

I can't believe the amount of people here telling you to PTS a 18 month old dog. I hope they are all qualified vets and dog behaviourists. 😑

You didn't mention have spoken to a vet?(unless i missed a reply) and you only tried one dog trainer?

I don't expect you can have the financial or emotional availability but please try to look for some more options before killing a dog. So many rescues and people willing to help, just need to find the right group.

I would totally agree. This doesn't sound like a rehomeable dog unfortunately.

i had had many dogs over the years,few years ago got one from local dogs home it was a nightmare,used to long walks then come home and wee and poo in the house,would chew everything in sight, found out it had been to 5 homes in a year so we were not the first,took it to an ex police dog handler for help.he actually told me its rare but some times you just have to give up,our health was suffering,so we took it back to the dogs home,it sounds like you have tried your best and you might have to give up the dog ,