Shall I Have My Dog Euthanased?

Shal I have my dog euthanaised?

  • Yes because if her main happiness is to play with other dogs in the off the leash park

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    3
  • Poll closed .

helpsavemydog

Active Member
Hi, I desperately need advise but I know at the end of the day it will ultimately be my decision. Five months ago I brought home a border collie cross cattle, she was 3 months old. Georgous, and fitted well into our small family, just my husband and I. I love dogs and started straight away to train her, took her to puppy school, took her to the vet for protective medication and checkover. Had her desexed and microchipped. Knowing that she was from an energetic breed walked her to the off the leash dog park twice a day where she could have a good run. Lately as she has got bigger she has been jumping the fence and neighbours have reported her to the council (not from being lost as she always stays home in the front yard but being out of the back yard (once) Last weekend my husband and I were gardening in the front yard and I was about to put Rosie inside as she could not be trusted but just before I did she rushed up to a passer by and growled - I grabbed her straight away and put her inside. The council came 30 mins later. Now they have pronounced her a dangerous dog. With this label in Australia she will never again be allowed in a unleashed dog walking park off the leash which was the highlight of her day. I am having her euthanased as it will be no fun for her anymore
 

rouen

Experienced Member
So if your mind is made up why did you bother posting? Seems like a pretty harsh choice to me considering a dogs life should be about more than just being walks to the dog park an back, definately not her fault for the poor management.
 

running_dog

Honored Member
If you look at the blog you will see a blog post there that suggests dog parks are not good for dogs anyway.

I'd say don't make a hasty decision.

You haven't given her a chance yet.

You don't know yet whether you might be able to re home her.

You don't even know yet how you might be able to work with her to see how much fun you can make her life without the dog park. There are lots of things you can do at home to make her life more interesting. If a dog uses its brain it needs less physical exercise. If running free in the dog park was the best part of your dogs day I don't think you begin to know what building a partnership with a dog can be like. It takes time, a clicker helps, and guess what? YOU become the best part of your dogs day.

One day in the future I want to adopt a deaf sighthound. Before I train recall I won't be able to let the dog off leash so I hope to run and cycle with this dog as well as teaching retrieve and jumping. These might not be the answers for your dog but it shows that with a little thought you can enrich even a confined life. If your dog is not vicious you could even potentially get another dog for her to play with.
 

helpsavemydog

Active Member
So if your mind is made up why did you bother posting? Seems like a pretty harsh choice to me considering a dogs life should be about more than just being walks to the dog park an back, definately not her fault for the poor management.
Thank you Rouen, Well I haven't given the go ahead yet, that is why I posted the comment as I wanted some experience dog handlers advise, I ring the council today. I realise it was my fault and not the dogs, I have been beating myself up about it ever since the incident occurred, I feel soooo angry with myself and take the full blame. The walk to the park wasn't the highlight it was while she was at the park, playing with other dogs, her and the swalllows also was a pleasure to watch. As she was only a puppy (7 mths) she needed that of the leash run as she was full of energy that needed releasing. But you are right a dogs life is more about 'the park" Thanks again
 

running_dog

Honored Member
This is the link to Jean's blog post on dog parks.

Most of dog owners who are active on this website work hard to train our dogs. We don't take the easy options and as Rouen's post indicates we won't condone easy options. Some members here work with extremely aggressive dogs and still manage to keep them exercised and happy.

Get your yard properly fenced and use all that time that you won't be in the dog park on some active play and positive training with your dog.

Sure it is your decision,
just remember,
it is your guilt too.
 

helpsavemydog

Active Member
If you look at the blog you will see a blog post there that suggests dog parks are not good for dogs anyway.

I'd say don't make a hasty decision.

You haven't given her a chance yet.

You don't know yet whether you might be able to re home her.

You don't even know yet how you might be able to work with her to see how much fun you can make her life without the dog park. There are lots of things you can do at home to make her life more interesting. If a dog uses its brain it needs less physical exercise. If running free in the dog park was the best part of your dogs day I don't think you begin to know what building a partnership with a dog can be like. It takes time, a clicker helps, and guess what? YOU become the best part of your dogs day.

One day in the future I want to adopt a deaf sighthound. Before I train recall I won't be able to let the dog off leash so I hope to run and cycle with this dog as well as teaching retrieve and jumping. These might not be the answers for your dog but it shows that with a little thought you can enrich even a confined life. If your dog is not vicious you could even potentially get another dog for her to play with.
The council said it is close to impossible to rehome her "Nobody will be willing to take on a dog that has been pronounced a dangerous dog! So they are not even going to bother to hand it over to the animal welfare! I was on the phone to them for quite some time yesterday. I have to put her in an 8' high child proof fence inside already the yard enclosure. "If a dog uses her brain it needs less physical exercise" Wow really! I went looking for these clickers at one stage, can I buy them online?

Your response has given me hope!

I am going to ring my husband now to organise a portable fence (as we rent where we are) and then ring the council and go and pick Rosie up

Thank you so much OMG I was sooo close to having her put down thankyou
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
so you have a puppy that jumps fences?
that's it?
and she growled at a passerby of her own home?

You might calmly type out a well worded reply to this neighborhood org, that has labelled your dog aggressive (maybe she is, i do not know, one can not label a dog aggressive by an isolated moment) and ask this label be removed.
You could ask your vet, if he has any ideas on how to get label removed.
EDIT: or, maybe the dog needs to be evaluated, as he is getting to the age where aggression can show up in a dog, no harm having a dog trainer or vet who is knowledgable, "test" your dog's temperment.
even if dog is aggressive, there are other options than killing the dog.
and yes, i so agree, dog parks are not always the best thing in the world for many dogs. My dog sees them as nightmares in 3D.

Fixing the fence seems a much less heartbreaking sol'n, than killing a dog who jumps it.

Also, you can train your dog to not jump the fence, as well. Probably won't be easiest thing you've ever done, but, not impossible.
Line the fence with edge to edge arbovitae trees.
Lots of options besides kill the dog.

I have a notoriously dog-aggressive dog, just a total gangsta,:cool: and i adore him to pieces, and would be devastated if i lost him. Nope, he is not a dog park dog, nope nope nope.
He runs free off leash, with visible joy emanating from him,
all through empty parks, empty schoolyards, and empty cemetaries. My dog does not enjoy most other dogs,
but he adores me, and he has a most excellent life, learns new tricks most every week.

Otherwise, Buddy is perfect lil gentleman, just a total joy.
You may want to consider hiring a "positive only" dog trainer, to help you.
and yes,
do contact border collie rescues, if you just can't fix your fence or train this very very young dog to stay in the yard.


someone else threw out the dog i have now, didn't want him at all, he was in the "death row" box, a 'dangerous dog'
but i LOVE him to pieces.
so there might be another home for your dog, too.
 

helpsavemydog

Active Member
I have just read the blog re: dog parks. Never looked at it in that angle. I just looked at the side of my dog enjoying herself and having alot of exercise not realising she might be picking up bad habits. Lorraine
 

running_dog

Honored Member
The council said it is close to impossible to rehome her "Nobody will be willing to take on a dog that has been pronounced a dangerous dog!
And you believed them? Believed a council that had labelled your dog dangerous for ONE incident when NO ONE was injured?

I know a German shepherd cross that has bitten several people, happily rehomed.

I know of two terriers that killed sheep, one happily rehomed while the other is no longer a problem without his buddy.

Tigerlily gives good advice about challenging the label but get your dog back first.
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
OH MY! THEY'VE TAKEN HER DOG AWAY??? WHAT??

that's terrible, i would be beside myself, too, oh no! ONe isolated incident does not mean a dog is aggressive! oh my..
 

running_dog

Honored Member
Yes, you can get clickers online (though I just started with one of those retractable pens that have that irritating click).

You can pick up lots of tips about using clickers on this forum. Why not post another discussion about starting with a clicker? I'm not gong to give you advice on using a clicker as I'm only just learning about them myself BUT I couldn't believe how much brain was hiding between my mutt's ears.
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
I have an aggressive dog. he's fear aggressive, but it's aggression none the less. AND he's an active dog (serious understatement!) He doesn't get to run off leash much, I have to take him out in the middle of nowhere for that, and usually only happens on weekends...

However, He is ridiculously happy. He ADORES doing tricks and clicker training, and after a 15 minute session, he zonks out for as long as he does after a 1 hour off leash run. It tires him out, big time! I tent to do alot of physical, balance type tricks, so he gets to use his muscles as well as his brain. Ollie can now balance in a beg position on a 3.5" wide board (body perpendicular) and we're working towards a broomstick. He can also put his front feet on a big ball and walk around it with his back feet.

You will be able to make her happy, just by being with you. Oliver certainly is.
 

Anneke

Honored Member
I have a dog agressive dog... He has attacked two dogs and has a police report... Over here(the Netherlands) only one more incident (that is reported) will get him a muzzle order, meaning he will have to wear a muzzle outside, or the citycouncil might take him away.
But I make sure that he will not be able to make a mistake again. It is not his fault, mine. And besides... I love him to pieces! The ONLY reason I would ever think about putting him to sleep is when he turns his aggression on us.
I walk my dog in places where there are not a lot of other dogs, I do other things to keep him busy, and I still work on his agression.

If my dog was only 7 months old, I would try to find a behaviour specialist and see if he can be helped. I refuse to believe a dog to be agressive, judging on what you discribe!
Growling at a passerby in the front yard, is probably not agression, but doing what comes natural: protecting his territory. Something that can be worked on, with a little help.

You do not only have an energitic dog, you have a smart one!! So excersise the brain as well as the body;) The clicker will help a lot in training, and you will find loads of tricks, as well as basic obiedience, on the site!
Don't give up on your dog, just because people that know nothing about dogs, do!
 

helpsavemydog

Active Member
Thank you friends for your supportive responses. I took her for a run in the park yesterday - bike, Rosie and lead. It didn't work - she hates wearing the mussel but she must otherwise in this period if found without a mussel it will be an immediate $700 fine. Two enforcements while in this 14 - 21 day proposed declaration notice: When in public place to be under effective control (meaning a lead) of someone who has no other dogs at the same time and an enclosure must be maintained at or on the address where the dog is kept, must be childproof and stop the dog from leaving the enclosure. The words of the council are: ...not under effective control, has menaced a person in a place where that person was legally entitled to be ....Even though I grabbed her as soon as she growled - this happened in seconds, the girl and the dog were both running towards each other and I would have grabbed Rosie well within a dogs length from the girl. I apologised to them and said it will never happen again.

I have been told you should never stop a dog from growling as they are alerting whoever can hear that the next step could be dangerous - giving a warning if you like. If you stop them from growling they miss that step then it could be serious.

Rosie hates the mussel, she went on strike several times and just refused to walk. Then when she did walk she tried to scrap the mussel on the ground and grazed her nose. She will just have to learn. I can easily tolerate a big cage in the back yard - that is good as it keeps her safe. The triple registration is also something that is tolerable even though our financial situation isn't great. The large sign on the front gate stating 'BEWARE-DANGEROUS DOG' is actually quite funny really as everyone that meats Rosie loves her and has never shown any aggression (of course unexpected guests she will growl initially but soon is there best friend). At least it puts the burglars off.

She is booked into obedience classes in Feb (earliest I could get her in)
I would love to learn to use the clicker - I first learnt about it from a podcast called the 'Dog Trainer'

I am sooo happy to have Rosie back and thanks again for all your helpful advise
Lorraine
 

Attachments

Amateur

Experienced Member
Does the council reassess dogs after a while so that you may prove Rosie isnt a danger.
I mean one episode that didn't amount to anything seems rather rash to label a dog for life
 

running_dog

Honored Member
Rosie is gorgeous! Don't worry if things don't seem to work out straight away. Rosie isn't used to the new regime yet. Keep trying, Rosie is worth it. The kikopup video is great and there is also one posted by Elliot DMDs here on this site again about teaching a dog to like a harness.

You are right about never correcting a growl. I didn't know this and corrected my dog for growling, he was unusual in that he developed an alternative to the growl (a yowl and jaw gape) when he feels threatened.

LOL I so want to recommend you to go to the Classroom and it isn't here anymore! You could look at the blog article about training classes, not all trainers are good :confused:.
 

Anneke

Honored Member
I know it is hard to see her dislike the muzzle. But it is for a good purpuse.
The kikopup vid is great! Did a similar thing with teaching the gentle leader. (have to add, both my dogs still hate wearing that thing:D but that is because I don't make them wear it often)
As for the clickertraining, just watch all of the kikopup vids. And then let your imagination run free.
Most important thing in training... HAVE FUN!!!!
 

helpsavemydog

Active Member
Does the council reassess dogs after a while so that you may prove Rosie isnt a danger.
I mean one episode that didn't amount to anything seems rather rash to label a dog for life
I have until the 22nd of Dec to show why Council should not proceed with the regulated dog declaration
"Does the council reassess dogs after a while" No, once a dog is declared regulated they are for life, this is harsh isn't it? Today I'm starting to work on a letter to the council. I took her for another walk today with the mussle which she hates, we just have to persevere.
 
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