How to get an aggressive dog put to sleep?

[Jazz91]

Hello everyone,
I need some advice from anyone who knows anything about this.
My dog is almost 2 years old and I’ve had him since he was 8 weeks old. Recently we’ve had to move away just the dog and I, and he has become more and more aggressive ever since. A few weeks ago he even was kicked out of his doggy daycare for showing aggression towards the staff.

This has resulted in him having to be home alone for 10 hours a day while I’m at work, because I don’t trust him to be cared for by anyone else.

I took the dog with me to stay with my mum over Christmas, and on Christmas Eve he attacked my mum and then bit me badly for trying to remove him. Tonight he has gone for her again, pinned her down and badly bitten her.

His attacks are without warning, he doesn’t even growl before hand, he just lunges. I do have a dog behaviourist appointment in January, but I think this is beyond help. I am fearful for myself, my family and for strangers. I am devastated that this has happened, I adore my dog and have only ever given him so much love and tried to be the best owner I could be. His switch is sudden and other than this aggression he has been the sweetest and most loving dog, but I know he is dangerous and as much as it will break my heart, I think he needs to be put to sleep. Rehoming is obviously not an option.

Does anyone with knowledge or experience have any advice on where to go from here? Do I call vets first thing in the morning? Do I call an animal charity?

Please don’t judge me, I can hand on heart say that I have tried to do my best for my dog.

Thank you xxx

Brave decision but you know what to do. if your mother has sought medical help (she should for any dog bite that has broken skin) then the hospital shd inform police and that may take the decision out of your hands. It's rare for the first step to be PTS but they may well require you to keep him muzzled and under close supervision which might make getting another dog walker or day care sorted impossible. It's cruel for people to say you created this situation. I hope your Mum is ok. Your dog will not know what is happening. Call the vet.

• have done what you can to give him a good life/chance

Jesus…an American bulldog showing aggression without warning. These dogs are no joke. He needs put to sleep sooner rather than later. How irresponsible of people to be suggesting rehoming, putting other people in danger (the vet examining it for a start then the rescue staff going in and dealing with it) not to mention potential new owners and leaving the OP open to a massive liability claim.

It doesn’t matter the reason or the cause. The fact is this is a huge aggressive dog with the very real potential to kill somebody. Humans are more important (and I say that as someone who loves and works with dogs day in day out)

No vet will judge you OP. Ring them and explain the situation and they will talk you through the rest.

I know what it's done.

But I could never get my dog put to sleep without giving it every possible chance at survival, and that means a vet check at the very minimum to check him over for pain or neurological problems.

There was an episode of It's Me or the Dog years ago with an American Bulldog that was aggressive. A quick vet check showed it had thyroid issues - it went on medication which solved the problem, and never attacked again.

No one seems to have mentioned this: "recently we've had to move away just the dog and I, and he's become more and more aggressive ever since"

Sounds like you had more people around you and / or were somewhere you were settled - it's a massive upheaval if so. He'll be feeling very unsettled and probably insecure - dogs aren't always as versatile as people think. Why on earth would your first thought be PTS?! I foster dogs who were in your dogs position, and it makes me sick.

Get to the root of the problem. Yes, biting is bad and should not be tolerated - especially "pinning" people down - but look at what's happened to him. He doesn't sound settled. Get a behaviourist ASAP and in the meantime give him a safe place which is just his - an open crate in a corner covered in blankets or a hidden corner where he can go to feel safe and alone where he gets time alone without feeling threatened.

Have you even taken him to the vet to see if he is in pain??

Really sorry to have to say this, but any dog which bites its primary human needs to be put down. Ditto dogs which bite/attack without giving a warning.
Even if it turned out that the dog was lonely/stressed/ill, the fact that its behaviour deteriorated so sharply is a red flag, even if the underlying problem is diagnosed or solved.
"He is an American bulldog" - in that case ring the vet tomorrow and don't be talked out of putting him to sleep.
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/tributes-mum-killed-american-bulldog-25173942

It’s an American bulldog not a Bully XL.

Lots of the crazyd9g lovers out again. Who cares what stress the dog us under, if it's a child they go for next that kid will die or be disfigured or disabled for life. Of course it needs to be pts ASAP well done op for recognising this.

The sudden change in a dog of this age is possibly more a result of it reaching maturity than a medical issue.

But even if it is a medical issue, you can't keep an animal of this size that will behave like this every time it has a medical issue.

American bulldogs are around 50kg with a bite strength of around 300psi.

what’s your point?

This is very very wrong advice. Next time a dog you've looked after hurts someone its ok as they are stressed? Get real and think about the safety of humans. The dog bit her mum and her and is out of control.

I am going to take a wild stab in the dark and guess that the dog in that programme was not 2 years old!

He's 2 ! Have you checked he's not ill????

It should be illegal to rehome an aggressive dog. Rescues should be prevented from taking on aggressive dogs by law, and if a dog bites someone while in rescue it should be pts without question.

This isn’t a dog which has snapped or nipped someone or which has been irritated and bitten reactively. This is a dog which has pinned someone down and bitten them, unprovoked. Doing anything other than having this dog destroyed is utterly irresponsible.

OP the vets have seen this all before. I would ring them and have a discussion, but they won’t judge you, and they will suggest the best way to do this which is best for both you and the dog.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10263545/American-bulldog-killed-10-year-old-boy-NOT-banned-list-police-reveal.html. This one was 8stone.

It’s also the fact there is no growl, snapping, etc, and it’s a sustained bite. That scores very highly on the bite scale

suggest you read this. OP. apdt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ian-dunbar-dog-bite-scale.pdf

WTF have I just read. Disgusted OP ignore this dreadful post you are distressed enough. Hugs

He was three.

If the bite was a level 4 on that scale (and it sounds like possibly a 5) then the dog is deemed very dangerous with little chance of behaviour change. 🤷‍♀️

Yeah but you don’t need to be such a bitch about it/revel in the situation. What sort of psycho are you?

Wow an American bulldog, your poor mum must have been terrified