Struggling with idea of putting my dog down who snaps.

[Buxtonwater124]

I have a chihuahua/Jack Russell type dog that is known to snap. He's 10 and over the years, he's bitten my nieces and nephews face, my brother's face, other dogs in house. We did go to put him down after this but as he was a family dog, my dad disagreed and so did others saying "just keep him away from kids" which we did. It all came to a head last summer when my older nephew rang me (as I had moved out of my dads, but still owned him) saying he's snapping and he needs to go. So I booked him in to be put down, as hard as it was. My partner then stepped in and said no, we will take him in, we have no kids and no one in the house respects the dogs boundaries or listens to train him, which is true. People don't listen with him, and stroke him for example on his stomach which he hates. Over the years we have paid probably thousands on training, on muzzles etc. But because he wasn't in my house at the time, no one in the house implemented the training.

So we took him. Since then, we have kept a strict routine with him and the dog has settled in so well. I'm able to pick him up, walk him well etc. cuddle him and when we have visitors we keep him away. However in last few weeks, I've seen him snap at my friend, who bent down to stroke him in the area we kept him away, he's snapped at our other dog (who he grew up with) and last night I seen him bite my cat on his face.

My cat, has been having abcesseses on his face since we got the dog, and it hit me. Maybe the dog has been biting the cat. I'm heartbroken. I'm in tears writing this. I love the dog so much and he's such a good dog for me. But I know I need to put him down. It isn't safe. But my partner disagrees and says just keep him separate. Here's the hard part, I'm due to have a baby soon and my family keep saying you can't risk the dog around the baby but I just keep saying I'll keep them apart. But after seeing him bite the cat yesterday, I'm devastated it was a lightbulb moment he isn't safe. But its a hard decision to bare on my own and would like my partner to agree. As he's our dog now. He's a sweet dog and I'm looking at him now and feel heartbroken taking a healthy dog to be PTS. My partner is concerned for my mental health losing a dog I've had for years and then having a baby he is worried ill struggle a lot as he knows how precious my dogs are to me. He agrees if he was an XL Bully I would've put him down earlier but also believes that keeping him separatenwith visitors baby is best option as the dog is fine with me and him.

Any support appreciated - please be kind. Seeing it all in writing it is so obvious what I need to do. But im struggling with the mental load of it

• [Note from MNHQ: Please see the OP's update at 16.06 on 20/5 before responding]

It was only last summer that you took your dog to live with you, your partner saying we have no children.
You have known from the very day you had a positive pregnancy test that you would need to have your dog destroyed.

Now you are due to have the baby soon, you know dday is coming fast.

Agree. It is awful but this dog has been living on borrowed time already.

If it was a stranger's child he bit on the face he probably would have been PTS a long time ago.

It's awful OP and I am so sorry. People will judge you for all sorts of things. You have extended his life by taking him in when you did. He is an old boy now at ten years old. You are likely saving him the misery of dying from something else long, drawn out and painful.

Rehoming a dog with a repeated bite history is nearly impossible and he would probably spend most of his remaining life in kennels, or be PTS without you.

I absolutely adore dogs, and ball my eyes out at all the doggy rescue programmes on telly, really feel for the dog in a bite situation etc but you know that it would only be a matter of time until the dog bites your toddler.

Putting the immediate injury seriousness to one side (this obvs has already been discussed) , and event like that could also ruin the chances of your child ever having a positive relationship with any dogs for the rest of their life, which would be extraordinarily sad for them to never know that joy.

After it happens, would the dog be removed from you anyway and PTS? , or social serves involved if you refused etc.

OP, you’ve done your absolute best with this dog - you really couldn’t have done more, and you have nothing to reproach yourself over. You know that DDog will, unfortunately, be jealous of the baby when it comes, and it absolutely won’t end well. You are making the kind, responsible and incredibly difficult decision to have your dog PTS. It’s certainly not as though you haven’t thought about it, and tried every alternative - but sadly, you have no choice. Courage, OP - I absolutely understand why you’re finding it so difficult, but sadly, it has to be done.

I feel so sorry for the poor cat in this scenario.

It sounds like you have made your decision OP and I hope you stick with it. If you have anymore doubts just remember if something happened and the dog did go for someone and there’s police involvement, you would be held liable as the dog owner. And you will never forgive yourself if it was your child.

Good morning everyone,

Thank you again. I emailed the vet to book in as too hard to discuss over phone. But is it normal to be worried like an I being dramatic, am I making a mistake? It's so hard. Common sense tells me I know I have to do it which is why I'm making sure I'm booking it in but the guilt is so real. What if it's hormones or what if it's just me worrying. Can anyone advise if these thoughts are normal when PTS healthy but aggressive pet

Your poor cat 😥

And no, you're not making a mistake. OP you and your DP have made excuses for this dangerous dog for years. It's bitten multiple people and it's been biting your cat for months and you didn't even realise! Please, do the right thing, at long last.

You are doing the right thing. If your dog attacks someone you would be held accountable, you’re lucky no one has taken any action so far.

If you (god forbid) decide to keep the dog, please rehome your cat.

I adopted a very anxious dog that bit all of us in the early days, he’s now chilled and happy and not a bite risk to us, but wears a muzzle when at the vet’s and out on walks. This is why I suggested rehoming, there may be someone else who could gain his trust and give him a quiet home away from the things that make him feel he needs to snap at people. Discuss this with your vet and see if they know anyone who could help with rehoming and rehabilitation, at least then you know you have explored all the options.

an animal dying is not like a person dying, your dog doesnt have hopes or dreams for the future. It lives entirely in the present. And if you kept him, his life will change very significantly for the worse, constantly shut away from the family for the rest of his life. I dont think that’s doing him a kindness.

A snappy jack russell cross with an extensive bite history is a big threat to a newborn baby, I remember reading that the baby’s cried can tigger their prey instinct:https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/09/baby-died-bitten-jack-russell
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/gardai-to-prepare-inquest-file-after-infant-girl-attacked-by-family-pet-dog-1.4587926

They are incredibly normal.

FWIW, I am almost always the voice saying 're-home the dog, give it to a breed specific rescue' on these threads. But I've read all your Posts, and your dog sounds so deeply unhappy I don't think it's actually fair to force him to continue.

You've done your best, but you can't undo the years of failure he endured at the hands of others. And I am really sorry to say that, but he's an older boy now and the behaviour is ingrained. Dogs in this position need careful management and help from day one, and you have done all you can.

What happens next is a result of your families failure to look after him, and judging by your first post...I think you know that. So whilst it's natural to feel guilty, your shouldn't. You have done your best, it's everyone else who has failed him.

OP, you're doing the right thing. It's so so hard but you are, your tiny baby needs to be absolutely safe and unfortunately you simply can't guarantee that with your dogs history.

You've given him some lovely time where he feels safe and and comfortable as he can be, and better for him (and you) for him to go now, rather than forced decision later when it might be too late.

Different situation, but when I got divorced I had an old horse who was on retirement livery as she could no longer be ridden and I had a toddler child and no time. When my exH left I genuinely could no longer afford to give her the life she deserved and was used to. She would have been difficult to rehome at her age, so i had her PTS. It broke my heart as she was generally healthy, but it was the right thing to do for her and for me.

I'll be thinking of you OP, it's such a tough decision, but I promise you're making the right one ❤️

Op your doing the right thing.
You've given the dog a chance and its still biting. I honestly don't think it should be rehomed again plenty other dogs out there

OP, he has had far too many chances. You've done everything humanly possible and you still can't trust him. Would you forgive yourself if he hurt or killed your baby?

I've had a dog put down for behavioural issues so I know it's hard but there are worse things than a peaceful death.

For me, it was when our other dog started attempting to protect people from him, even she knew he was a liability. He was only dog aggressive but would go through anyone to get to them. Total blind rage. There was no training or discipline or distraction that could penetrate.

Do not do it!!! Please don’t

What an insane way of excusing killing an animal

You’re definitely not making a mistake op.

The mistake was not doing it sooner when he attacked your niece and nephew.

As a mum with a new baby, you will basically live on the floor a lot of the time for play etc. It’s unrealistic to keep the baby and the dog separate all the time.

I would also recommend to keep a strong eye on your cat once your baby is born. It is actually 2 cats that have reacted badly to my kids. My mum’s usually lovely cat kept hissing at my son despite never doing that before. My son also got badly scratched on the face by a cat at his childminder.

You are doing the right thing. Healthy dogs don't bite people. There's a Facebook group called losing Luna for people making this choice.

You absolutely cannot risk your baby by keeping this dog and euthanisa is the kindest and most responsible choice.

Also if you need a massive lie for your family, google some illnesses or conditions that dogs get that can be serious and fatal and tell them he died suddenly from that. He’s 10 so not implausable.

Please don’t let nasty comments get you down. It’s very clear you are an amazing pet owner xxx

I cannot believe a family member said give him a chance! What, a chance to kill your vulnerable newborn baby?! Is this for real? sad as you may feel, you cannot delay this. This dog cannot be around when your baby is born.

What do you suggest she do? She cannot rehome an aggressive dog. A rescue will put down. He cannot live with the baby, he's already bitten multiple small children in the face. He's gone through training twice now in both homes, with consistent effort from OP to rehabilitate.

There is no where else to go with this. Its the end of the road. You can't keep a dangerous dog, period. Stop making her feel shit, it's not like she's doing this on the spur of the moment. It's the absolute last resort.

OP - this is not up to your family.

They have no right to make decisions about the safety of your baby. They themselves did not observe training and measures that could have helped. They were irresponsible guardians of your dog. So - they need to STFU.

You simply cannot ensure your baby's safety. It takes one slip up with a gate or door not closed and the dog is not separate from the baby. One slip up - when you have visitors to your house, when you are tired, when yuo have to dash to the loo, when you are carting baby and 'stuff' and a door doesn't get closed....

Sadly your dog is not safe to have in your home. You are going to be a Mum - being strong for your baby is a tough job sometimes.

And very hard, so I do sympathise.

No, it is not.