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Advice on managing an increasingly aggressive dog and behavioural euthanasia

6 replies

sam13x · 06/04/2026 09:43

I would like some advice please on my dog and whether anyone has past experience with aggressive dogs and behavioral euthanasia.
A short back story, i have 2 dogs (male, both neutered, mini schnauzers). The older one age 7, is extremely sweet, gentle and kind. My younger dog, age 5 has since a puppy been extremely reactive on walks and had real resource guarding issues. On a walk if he sees another dog he will bark, lunge, snap etc and in the house, he resource guards around my other dog in terms of high quality treats and his space.
Previously i have been able to manage all of this but recently in the last 6 months - a year or so he has become so much more aggressive. I have been bit by him many times, last month was particularly bad and he latched onto my hand and caused some bite marks and a lot of swelling on my hand. However my main issue is that he is become more aggressive towards my other dog, the snapping before i could manage because it wasnt like an actual attack it was more just showing dominance but i didnt worry about him hurting, however now, he will really growl and go to bite my other dog and in that moment he is out of control, depsite being 3kg smaller. Just this morning he bit me again and i now have a blood blister and 2 small cuts, this was just from sitting with both dogs and giving both of them a stroke and he just went for my other dog, so from protecting my other dog i then get the aggression directed onto me.
I have tried many types of training and techniques, just last year we spent thousands on residential training and it didnt work. I try to remove all his triggers, we are very cautious now about how we do anything in the house incase it causes him to snap but sometimes you just cant predict what will happen like this morning. I am just worried about my other dog more than anything.
Does any one have any advice or previous experience? Thank you

OP posts:
HungryHungryLandsharks · 06/04/2026 10:07

Situation this morning is classic resource guarding. Which, unfortunately, is impossible to resolve when the thing being resource guarded is you and the trigger is your other dog.

Were the other bite incidents similar? Or were you taking away triggers or moving him?

He sounds deeply unhappy though. Can't say if that's because of his living situation, which may well be exacerbating it (other dog etc), or if he's just suffering in other ways (pain etc).

Either way, I don't think you can keep him because (at least from what you've said above) you've failed to recognise resource guarding as being such an issue and put in adequate measures to stop it from happening. Resource guarding needs dedicated management and all triggers removed - which you cannot do with another dog in the house and have not managed to do. Whether or not that means you re-home through a breed specific rescue and give them all the information necessary to manage his behaviour is up to you.

I've known dogs in far worse circumstances make drastic improvements in the right home that can manage their triggers, including my mother's current dog. But it requires time, patience and dedication as well as the removal of all triggers.

LuvMyYorkies · 06/04/2026 10:12

I wouldn't consider euthanasia but I would consider rehoming or surrendering him to a family with no other pets.

OverlyFragrant · 06/04/2026 10:26

You aren't providing the right home for him.

ThePineappleSeahorse · 06/04/2026 10:32

I’d contact Doris Banham dog rescue. They take last chance dogs and even if they can’t help directly they could offer advice and they may be able to recommend another rescue as they work with many to take dogs from all over the UK.

https://www.dorisbanhamdogrescue.org/wp/

MyFAFOera · 08/04/2026 13:38

A dog that bites needs to be put down I'm sorry. It's not worth the risk - how long before it's a child gets bitten or more seriously hurt.
It doesn't matter what the reason is that the dog is biting - this is a dog that isn't in control and needs to be put down.

People are far to emotional about this and always determined to think the behaviour can be 'fixed' with behavioural training and the removal of triggers etc but why would you risk a person getting badly hurt?!6

LuvMyYorkies · 08/04/2026 13:46

MyFAFOera · 08/04/2026 13:38

A dog that bites needs to be put down I'm sorry. It's not worth the risk - how long before it's a child gets bitten or more seriously hurt.
It doesn't matter what the reason is that the dog is biting - this is a dog that isn't in control and needs to be put down.

People are far to emotional about this and always determined to think the behaviour can be 'fixed' with behavioural training and the removal of triggers etc but why would you risk a person getting badly hurt?!6

Edited

Because dogs don't need to die because people, even well meaning ones, are ignorant of dog behaviour/triggers/reactions/instincts etc.

Sometimes, people cause the issue and don't realise it. The dog deserves a chance to tell its side with people who can be more objective.

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