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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

To the poster who advised me to euthanize my puppy last year....

88 replies

Badgershy · 14/04/2021 18:58

OK so not directly to them as I doubt they'll read this and I can't even remember who it was but this has been on my mind so I just wanted to put it down here.

Around this time last year our 7 month old pup had an awful fright. A child screamed in his face. Following on from that he then redirected his fear towards our 12 year old DS by snapping and growling at him on a few occasions. I came straight onto here for advice whilst waiting to speak to a behaviourist.

A couple of posters told me, in no uncertain terms that I should have the dog put to sleep, that I was putting my DC at risk and that this dog was not suitable to live with a family and that it would be unfair to rehome him knowing that he was a bite risk.

Thankfully I also got great advice off other posters who didn't think death was the only option for this pup.

Fast forward to now and we have the most loving, values member of our little family. Hes an absolute joy. We worked through his issues, he came out the other side of his fear stage and we wouldn't be without him. It makes me so sad to think what could have happened if I'd followed that shit advice.

I hope they do read this and will think twice before being so outspoken about a topic they don't understand, we could have killed a beautiful dog with his whole life ahead of him, a permanent solution to a very temporary problem.

OP posts:
Saucery · 14/04/2021 19:11

You always get dog-hating trolls on here waiting to pounce. They must get something out of adding to the worry and distress of posters trying to make sense of a behavioural issue.

I’m glad your boy was able to get over his adverse experience and become the family dog you intended.

Original poster
Badgershy · 14/04/2021 19:17

Thanks very much. The scary thing is that as a first time dog owner I did genuinely carry those thoughts with me, was I doing the right thing keeping him? Is this a dangerous dog to have around children? Would euthanasia be the safest thing to do. When you've got no experience and someone is so confidently telling you that this is what a responsible dog owner would do, you do listen!

OP posts:
CollieDug · 14/04/2021 19:23

YABVVVU to start a lovely thread about a lovely dog and not post a pic!!

(But great news and so lovely to hear - hope others listen)

LaurieFairyCake · 14/04/2021 19:31

That's wonderful news Thanks

There's a lot of dog haters on Mumsnet weirdly

DoubleTweenQueen · 14/04/2021 19:37

That's really happy news!

YABVU to expect people, who know very little about anything, spouting rubbish on SM.

And we need a pic Smile

ragged · 14/04/2021 19:41

piccie? :)
I had a biting dog when I was a child. She bit a lot of people.
Great with kids. Kids were safe. She had a billion prejudices about people she didn't like, but kids weren't on that list.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 14/04/2021 19:53

That's wonderful news OP. Ignore idiots like that. Glad your beautiful boy is ok.

Ideasplease322 · 14/04/2021 19:59

Wonderful news. Sure he was just a baby. Who would ever considering putting him down for being frightened and confused.

Soubriquet · 14/04/2021 20:01

Yabu! There’s no picture Grin

And yes there are a lot of dog haters on here

Dog shits in the house? Put it down it’s dirty Hmm

Original poster
Badgershy · 14/04/2021 20:11

Here's the rabid beast

OP posts:
TaraR2020 · 14/04/2021 20:17

Oh my, doesn't he look fearsome Grin

What a beautiful, soppy face! So pleased it's worked out for you :)

Bargebill19 · 14/04/2021 20:18

Thank you for being a sensible person and a responsible dog owner. He gorgeous!!

EeeByeGummieBear · 14/04/2021 20:21

Thank you posting this. Being a first time anything (parent/dog owner etc) when things go 'wrong' is hard, and I, like you, would have asked those 'wiser' than me for advice.
It's good to hear a story where the issues have been sorted.
And thanks for the photo- gorgeous! Smile

GlendaSugarbeanIsJudgingYou · 14/04/2021 20:22

Those spots. My heart...

Give him a scratch from us adoring MNers.

Theworldisfullofgs · 14/04/2021 20:27

Thank you for posting this. He is fab.

I'd be really interested to know how you got there. Ours is a soppy thing and as he is my one and only I know I don't know much.

picklemewalnuts · 14/04/2021 20:32

Gorgeous dog! What breed?

BigWolfLittleWolf · 14/04/2021 20:54

I think I remember the thread.
Tbh, while I’m really glad it worked out, I think a lot of the comments here about ‘dog haters’ and ‘trolls’ and the like are really off.

I don’t think the majority of people who said they would PTS are dog haters considering, as I remember, a fair number of them had dogs themselves!
And were going on the information in the OP which said a dog was growling and snapping at a young child...

The thing is, dogs biting children isn’t all that uncommon and it usually starts with growling and air snapping.
It is absolutely fantastic that your dog got over it and is a lovely family pet, I am genuinely pleased for you but I really don’t think you can be surprised that people commented that they would PTS on the information given

Original poster
Badgershy · 14/04/2021 21:13

BigWolfLittleWolf I disagree, I think it was shocking advice. This was a puppy, going through a fear phase who'd had a really frightening experience. To not even give him a chance, for the first port of call to be euthanasia was not OK. My DS was 11 at the time as well so not a young child at all.

I totally understood that for some dogs, a home with children is absolutely not the right fit for them. I also understand that some dogs with a history of biting who haven't responded to a behaviourists training may sadly have to be PTS but a puppy, who is doing a really great job at telling people 'back off, I'm scared of you', for a perfectly understandable reason who hadn't yet received any help from a vet or behaviourist should absolutely never ever be considered for euthanasia.

OP posts:
Original poster
Badgershy · 14/04/2021 21:15

picklemewalnuts thankyou, he's a spaniel terrier cross.

OP posts:
HairyPits · 14/04/2021 21:21

That’s lovely news. However, I’d focus your energy on positivity.

You clearly harbour anger and resentment towards this poster.

Would you really have chosen to put your puppy down, on the advice on an anonymous forum? Of course not!

So let this go.......

DoubleTweenQueen · 14/04/2021 21:31

Lovely pic x

BeautifulBirds · 14/04/2021 21:52

This is really nice to read.

I like how you have dedicated time and effort into your pup. This is a very valuable lesson to your son too, life is not disposable, and when times get tough you need to work through things.

Well done. Keep up the good work 💞

Aprilshowersandhail · 14/04/2021 22:01

Well I hope you just removed his muzzle for the pics?
Grin
He looks adorable op!!

Original poster
Badgershy · 14/04/2021 22:01

HairyPits im simply reflecting on how far we've come since this time last year and I absolutely agree that the focus should be positively which is why I wanted to come back and finish our story....our positive story and maybe if the person who replied to my OP with a solution on euthanasia reads this, they may well consider a more POSITIVE response in the future.

OP posts:
Original poster
Badgershy · 14/04/2021 22:03

Thankyou for all the lovely replies.

It's taught us all a lot and certainly that dogs are intelligent animals, with emotions and fears and they need to be respected and that dog ownership is not something to be taken lightly. That its full of ups and downs and when you give a dog a home it may not be the dream you wished for but you can work through these things and its well worth the effort.

OP posts: