i'm having my labrador put to sleep tomorrow should i feel guilty?

Question

We have had her roughly 2 months, she has seperation anxiety and so if we leave her she goes mad, she attacks other dogs and today ended up being run over and is hurt (not badly tho) She bit an old man while walking past today so we called our brother who is a vet and he is putting her to sleep tomorrow. We have tried so much on this dog, and even spent £100's on trainers to try and help the problem, still she is no better.

Am i doing the wrong thing?

I even took her to dog training lessons, she came from a rescue centre and they will put her to sleep as she bites people otherwise i would try to rehome her in a rescue centre, I have spent ages trying to find her a suitable home, i didn't want to just give up. Anyone willing to take her contact me at:

[e-mail]

she is 2 and a half years old, not 2 months by the way.

Answer 1

This would be a dog who would take tons of time and effort and patience to rehab. It is possible but it sounds like you do not have the type oftrainers in your area that your are going to need to work with. This goes way beyond basic obedience stuff. It needs to be addressed by a behavioral trainer.
It would take a huge amount of time and learning on your part also and you may not have thedesire to do it.
It may very well be the kindest thing to put her down.
It would be very hard to place her with a rescue or another person as she has bitten someone and that can be a huge problem when looking to place a dog. At least this way she will no longer suffer from the stress and anxiety and aggression problems.

Answer 2

I think it is the right thing for both the people and the dog. when a dog lashes out to a person without being provoked is to far! you have down the right thing trying to get help with trainers. All you people saying she should what if this dog had come into contact with a child nd bite half it's face off! the child will be scared for life mentally and phycally! The dog has already had a life of being in a cage at a shelter. I think if you can find the right hom but he is such a hazard it is hard. You are doing the right thing for everyone. Best of Luck.
The shelter should have put that dog to sleep if it is biting people and has seperation anxiety!

Answer 3

The trainers you have worked with probably didn't use behavior modification. They probably used method training. There is a big difference betweem the two.

You do sound like you are at your wits end about this and are already carrying guilt. If you feel that you have tried everything and absolutely works then you can start thinking of other options. You could call your local Lab rescue. There might be someone who is looking for a head strong aggressive dog and could be placed in a home that his behavior is welcome.

People looking for that kind of temperament have to look hard and long cause they don't come around very often and I know cause that is the temperament I have always looked for.

Give him another chance for life and find a rescue for Labs.

Answer 4

I know how you feel. When you have tried everything and you feel the dog is a threat to others then I would say yes you are doing the right thing. My shepard was like that, and we almost put her down because she bit a little kid but instead we have built her a new pin that she cant get out of and we keep her strictly isolated from people. You might see if any one in the area is looking for a good guard dog first. Some people want a dog that will be loyal to them and protect them from any one else. But if you think she is to dangerous than I would go ahead with it. How would you feel if a little kid came by and the dog attack it and seriously injured it. It would probably make you feel like a bad person, because you knew the dog was dangerous. We didnt put ours to sleep because we knew we could train her and work with her and she is getting better but we are also taking extra precausions to make sure everyone in our neighborhood is safe as well. Ours is a great dog to every one she knows she is just extremely territorial towards strangers. I know some might say I am hypocritical for saying to put this dog to sleep and not my own but it sounds like you have tried everything for this dog and it hasnt worked. My dog still has room to improve, but I promise you if she doesnt get better I will not risk anyones life or serious injury just to keep a dog.

Answer 5

I was just reading a book written by a vet. Most of the dogs he sees are sane, but you get the odd one that there is no help for.
If this dog is biting people it is a matter of time before someone complains and has the dog put down without your permission.
She is set in her ways now, and even training won't stop her from being vicious. You could keep her in a muzzle all the time, keep her in the crate while your gone, but what kind of life is that.
The only other suggestion I have is to find a place that specializes in hard to train dogs. If you find it, ask if they have people willing to adopt her.
That way you will know that you did everything you could for her by giving her a third chance at life.

Answer 6

Not yet. I think you should keep trying with her, maybe she is just still scared since you have only had her for two months. also, age depends. if she is still really young (at least under two years) then don't. if she is a puppy she is just learning still, and can be easily trained out of it.
keep her out of public as much as possible to prevent her biting strangers and getting you lawsuits, but keep inforcing your own laws for her in the house.
ANY aggression, scream up in her face, and smack her hard in the snout (NOT the nose, this can cause damage and is abusing). Maybe get a crate, and if she is bad put her in there after yelling at her. It will show her she was bad, and she will know she did wrong if she is in the crate.

If she doesn't improve after another few months, then take her to a shelter and ask them if they could help you. Tell them that she is aggressive and has seperation anxiety, and that you aren't sure what to do. Ask if they could help with training, or find her a new home. Tell them if she should be put to sleep you can have your brother do it instead.

The only reason it would be better for would be for you and your family, becuase you won't be as attatched to her yet. If you are done with her though, take her to a shelter first and see if she has any hope. They wil take her, try to train her, and if she fails their tests they will put her to sleep.

good luck with everything, I understand this desicion is tough for you.

((im not sure if I sent this more than once my PC is being annoying))

Answer 7

Don't feel guilty what happens if this problem carried on in another house where there were children involved if she bit a child u would never forgive yourself. I have just had my horse put to sleep a few weeks back and it broke my heart,he was 17 and all off a sudden out of the blue he just started flipping out and he became dangerous and unpredictable and an unpredictable animal is a danger to all around him. I was in the same situation as you then i was thinking what should i do for the best, i could not sell him on because if he hurt anyone i could not forgive myself, but i could not live with the thought that if he was not what they wanted they could just pass him on and i did not want that. then i got the same feelings as u doubting that i was doing the right thing,looking back now though i am glad i did it. i cried for days but now know i did do the right thing. Keep your chin up and pay no attention to anyone who tells you otherwise because until your faced with this sort of problem you can not honestly say what you would do. I think you are very brave people because it takes special people to come to this solution good luck with whatever you decide

Answer 8

Yes, I would rehome her.

My parents have had alsations for years. Often people in their villiage ask if they will take them if they become too difficult to manage. The last one they took was 3 years old. She had become the "boss" in her old home and was running riot and causing all kinds of problems. When my parents took her, she had loads of issues and would turn really nasty. They were very firm with her (NOT beating etc) but they showed her who was boss. She is now one of the most lovely dogs they've ever had, very loyal, obedient, intelligent and friendly.

Maybe you're not the right owner for your dog but someone will be.

Give her a second chance and take her to a rescue centre. Don't just kill her because you can't handle her. I'm surprised your vet brother is even entertaining the idea.

Answer 9

If you got her from a rescue centre read the contract as most insist that she gets returned to them or informed if she has to be put to sleep. Somewhere there is a home for this dog. 2 months is NOT enough to get any problems ironed out. Just because YOU cannot cope with her, doesn't mean that nobody can. I personally don't think you are doing the right thing.

Answer 10

You SHOULD feel guilty--do NOT do it! No respectable vet would ever put a young dog down for this type of problem. The problem of seperation anxiety can absolutley be controlled with time, patience and understanding. This dog sounds like she needs someone to lead her, to tell her how to behave--what is acceptable and what is not. If you are not the right person, then find the right person! You are clearly not the right person. PLEASE think this over and at least take the time to find her another home--that is the least you can do. And at the end of the day, you will both be better off.