To re-home our dog

[Centipedeswellies]

We are an animal loving family. We have 2 cats, a horse, 2 alpaca, hens and a dog. We have had previous dogs. Our current dog, a springer is well trained, well loved. I'm home a lot as we run holiday lets on our land and I have another business where I can be around. We have 2 preschool and one primary school age child.

I've always rescued animals from here, there and everywhere. Only the dog and horse were bought, everyone else arrived by hen rescue, cats protection, neighbours, rehoming groups etc. I love animals and don't give up.

However.... Our springer is 6, We walk him loads, he's well stimulated, he's well trained. But he is very reactive. He bit my wife a year ago when she tried to move him out of the sitting room, she just reached for his collar. He had previously growled and snapped but not bitten. He's been on anxiety medication since he was 2 or 3. We noticed he wouldn't settle, growled when approached if he wasn't happy and snapped if you tried to take of his towelling coat etc. he has to be sedated for vaccinations and it takes multiple vets to even get near him. He bit me too about 6 months ago when I tried to get him out from under the table. Tonight I was playing with him and he suddenly, growled then lunged to bite, he backed off and then lunged again.

We have 4 year old twins and a 6 year old. My mum instinct says that the dog can't stay as I would never forgive myself if he hurts our children. However, it goes against every grain in my body.

Sounds like you don’t really understand him or his behaviour. Have you tried a really good behaviourist?

I totally get it, it doesn’t mean he’s a horrible dog, but the danger is if you did manage to find someone to take him and he bit again, you don’t know how that might end for him anyway.

Sometimes it can be the kindest decision you can make for your pets, it doesn’t mean you’ve not loved him.

I think it's time to consider euthanasia rather than trying to re-home him. I have had to take this tough decision with my previous dog, a rescued Jack Russell. I could never have let him share space with a child.

It wouldn’t be right to rehome him. No one wants a dog that will bite them.

Our dog came to us at the age of four. Was aggressive towards other dogs but otherwise lovely. She is about to have her thirteenth birthday and doesn’t take any notice of other dogs now. Our neighbour who works for a rehoming charity remarked that as she was aggressive towards other dogs when we got her she would have been put down. The worry is that by rehoming you are just passing on the problem. Perhaps an honest chat with your vet might help to find a solution.

I think posters who are suggesting you see a behaviourist have probably never had to use one themselves, they are very expensive, it takes a long time to put a plan into action, there's no guarantee it will work and the whole family needs to buy in, play a part and be completely on board that means kids too, which just isn't practical. Tough decision, but I think you know what you have to do, you will never forgive yourself if he bites one of the kids and it will be too late. My sympathies OP.

I presume he has been thoroughly checked by a vet that there is no medical cause for his reactivity? Although, that might be difficult when he is so unhappy to visit the vet.

I also think euthanasia may be your only option. An adult only home, with no other animals, might work but there is no guarantee and once you give him away you will have no control over what happens to him next.

I know someone who’s spaniel had rage syndrome and they had to have her put to sleep as essentially she was suffering as she was recovering from potential seizures when she bit.

Rage Syndrome Overview
Rage syndrome is widely regarded as a rare, serious, and genetically inherited neurological disorder that is a form of epilepsy, possibly related to abnormal electrical activity in the temporal lobe of the brain. The aggression it causes is distinct from typical behavioral aggression (like fear or territorial issues) because it has no apparent trigger.

The first thing you need to do if you haven’t already is get him checked for pain at a vet. All the scenarios you are describing relate to him being moved or touched or someone coming in to his personal space. If he’s in pain it’s highly likely he will react this way. Dogs are excellent at hiding pain, and any behaviourist worth their salt will advise a thorough vet check as the very first step.
Then please contact a breed specific rescue such as Spaniel Aid. They take on many dogs with a bite history if they feel they know or can work with the cause, and often these causes are totally avoidable. For example; if this is pain related it may be solved with pain medication! If he’s resource guarding a space (the sofa, under the table, his toy) then this can be managed.
I understand why you don’t feel your home / family is the right environment for him, but PLEASE investigate the 2 suggestions above thoroughly before making any “permanent” decision as other posters have suggested.

As an immediate measure the dog has to be completely separated from the children. Not just supervised, no contact. Tomorrow.

Them look atvthe long term plan.

Again sorry you and your dog are going through this.

where did you get him from? If a shelter you really need to speak to them about the match they made

Was going to type exactly this.

This is so difficult OP. I am a huge animal lover and a bleeding heart. It sounds like you r dog in living in a great environment where he is well taken care of. But he is dangerous and he could badly hurt one of your children.

i do think having him out to sleep is the kindest thing for him. He wont know. He can’t continue to live with you and any alternative is unlikely to be a good life for him. No rescue will take him, and it is unlikely anyone sensible will take in a reactive dog that has a history of biting.

I think having him put to sleep would be kinder than sending him out into an uncertain future (likely put to sleep any at after a few weeks or month of feeling lost and confused).

Sometimes the police look for spaniels for sniffer training, but he may be too old

Sounds to me a bit like a fear reactive resource guarder.
I have a fear reactive dog, she's 15 now and did all the things your dog is doing. We never medicated though as it doesn't help with the route cause of the issues, it just takes the edge off.
If you get some good training and management techniques in place your dog could improve.

I’m so sorry for what you are going through. It’s heartbreaking. I honestly think you should PTS. Your dog does not have a good quality of life. He needs to be medicated for anxiety and is still reactive and unpredictable. A dog that can’t relax even at home is suffering psychologically. There’s also the chance there is an undiagnosed physical problem. Even if you were able to rehome him these facts wouldn’t change. I think PTS would be a kindness and you should do it without guilt. You’ve given him six lovely years. Give him lots of last lovely cuddles and let him go.

Leave a lead on him in the house so you can lead him out of rooms, out from under tables, off sofas etc so you don't need to grab his collar.

Use a command such as out/off etc as you do it and reward. Then he'll get used to just the command eventually and you won't need a lead.

Same with going to the vet. Reward for even just being in the doorway, you don't need an appointment - just an in and out trip building it up to being rewarded for sitting in reception, even better if he'll accept a treat from someone in a uniform.

He is in pain! Classic reactions to pain. My first point of call would be the vet to see what is going on. Not fair to him to just put him down.

This dog has bitten his owners on more than one occasion though. Dog aggressive dogs are very common. Dogs are pack animals and no reason they should be friendly with dogs from another pack. It’s much rarer for a dog to go for its owners. OP says the dog needs to be sedated for vet visits and it takes several vets to safely handle him. I’m sure if the vet had a solution it would have been offered by now.

@RubyFlaxis spot on. There might well be a pain issue at the root of it. Speak to your vet and Spaniel Aid.

You don’t mention any behaviourist work that you’ve done alongside medication so I don’t want assume one way or the other. I do have a reactive dog but have managed to keep her off the drugs with a fair amount of management. She hasn’t bitten but all reactive behaviour comes from fear. I wouldn’t leave her unsupervised with children (and when she is around them she mainly hides).

I think it’s probably right to have him rehomed. It’s possible your dog is overstimulated with other animals around and that he would fare better as the only dog. There are sanctuary rescues where dogs won’t be homed in a private home, and of course rescues can also rehome to an adult only home/experienced owner etc

I think it will take time and most likely the big rescues will not help, you’ve probably got more chance with either a breed specific or small rescue.

Good luck, I hope you can find him a home where he feels settled.

Thank you. Honestly I despair at the answers to these posts when the majority of people respond “put him down” without even wanting to find out what’s causing him to behave like that.

Get rid you can’t risk it.
Imagine your child being scarred for life or worse.

Btw, I’m also a huge animal lover (horse, cats and a dog),

Don’t feel guilty, put your family first.

What has the behaviourist advised, and your vet? How long have you all been working together to help your dog?

How many warnings does this dog need to give you? He’s bitten you 6 months ago and your wife a year ago AND tonight’s issues- are you waiting for your children or you/ Dwife to be SERIOUSLY harmed so it’s an easier decision?

You need to do something asap and the kindest option may be pts because he may end up with a vile human wanting to ‘show him who’s boss’ or beat him for harming their kid/ family member.

Hard choice but you’re actually doing right by the dog and family.