Aggressive dog

[kate9001]

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Never used a site like this before, but I'm desperate and out of my mind with worry.

I have a 12 year old Jack Russell, who has always been a bit temperamental and grumpy, but hes getting much worse, hes nipped my 7 year old son a couple of times, but never broke skin, he also nipped a lady who came to the door but not badly, but today has been a whole new ball game. My son had a pal around to play in the garden, I made sure the dog was secure in the house and warned the children not to open the door. The dog got out and viciously bit my sons pal badly on the back of the leg, I was absolutely mortified, fortunately the boys parents were ok ish about it. I cant help thinking that it could have been so much worse.. what if the dog had bit him on the face.. what if he does it again.. I feel I cant control him, and that hes a tragedy waiting to happen, I couldn't live with myself if it happened again, even my son now is very unsure of the dog, I don't feel its fair all round to keep him, I don't want to have him put to sleep and I don't have the money to pay a dog behavior expert. Does anyone know if the RSPCA or animal shelter would re home him given his history?

 

[lurcherman]

Dog biter yeah?? Simples put to sleep to spare anybody else the pleasure of being bitten, why would you want to put your son in harm confuses me..

 

[kate9001]

Firstly I don't want to anybody to be at risk, I just want to know if there is an option of rehoming, I know deep down, euthanasia is the right thing to do, I've spoken to the vet and other organisations and they are all suggesting muzzles behaviour experts etc, none of which are 100%! Thanks for your reply, I appreciate your honesty and totally agree with you!!

 

[eingana]

Hi Kate

You must be feeling dreadful, panicked and very upset about what has happened, and you have my sympathies and probably those of every dog owner who has ever considered what they would do if their dog attacked anybody. Your first step MUST be to muzzle him when there are any risk situations, even inside your home if necessary, until you've worked out a plan. Please use a Baskerville type muzzle rather than a cloth one, as the cloth ones don't allow them adequately pant or drink in hot weather to cool themselves.

My first thought would be about your dog's health. A dog that is grumpy but has a sudden change in temperament and goes on to attack humans could be in pain, could have sensory problems that are making them on edge or could be developing epilepsy, a brain tumour or a neurological condition, all of which could have removed his normal control over his actions. For this reason you should be thinking of seeing a vet if you're not already decided on your course of action.

With terriers, nipping and biting are really not the same thing, so nipping a family member is not something about which I'd be concerned, in behavioural terms- clearly it's not appropriate, but the dog intended to nip rather than bite, if that makes any sense, and that shows a level of control on his behalf. An out and out attack shows a loss of control.

I work in GSD rehoming and one of the things that I'm always careful to point out to people who have children and who apply to adopt is that the needs and priorities of their home change completely due to having a new 'most vulnerable' member of the family. If we put a dog into that home the choice of that dog is hugely affected by the needs of the child(ren) and although in normal circumstances the rescue is doing their job for the dog, where there is a child we have to put that child ahead of the dog's needs.

When it comes to rehoming, I would have to say that you've got very limited choices and even a healthy and happy 12 year old dog with no known behavioural issues will struggle to find a new home. If you could find a rescue with the space to take your dog then you could always try to put him in there, but I think you need to be a realist about things. Rescues (pretty much all of them) are full at the moment and are having far more calls to take in dogs than they are to adopt. When you get an adopter through the door, what do you say to them about why the old dog has ended up in rescue? Yeah, that dog bit a child and a visitor to the home. Do you want to trust him in your home now?

You COULD lie to the rescue, but that puts what could be a very dangerous dog in a new home full of unsuspecting people, with the risk that he could create real damage, and then would be put to sleep anyway. If you want a 100% guarantee that your dog won't be able to attack anybody else then I'm afraid there really only is one solution, and it involves a vet and an injection.

When you're looking back on this, would you regret doing nothing and him having the chance to attack someone else, giving the problem to someone else, or having him put to sleep yourself more? I'm afraid there are no easy solutions here.

 

[kate9001]

Thanks for your input,

I've considered a muzzle and a crate but from experience I know the dog would go mental.

It's not a sudden attack, the dog has been aggressive towards people before, but never as bad as this, and im ashamed to say I've always made excuses for his behaviour.

I've spent most of the day on the phone to rehoming centres and always being truthful, I couldn't pass him on without be honest about his history.

I'm 100% there is nothing medically wrong with him. So I guess euthanasia is probably the only and safest option as I couldn't risk him doing it again, I could do everything in my power to stop him biting anyone else but there could always be that one time.

It's just so hard as I've had him a long time!

 

[eingana]

My avatar is my GSD Molly. Volunteering in rescue, I know that the future for a big dog that bites is very bleak indeed, and would result in her being either a scrap yard dog, devoid of love and attention, or a fighting dog, or ending her days in a rescue kennel, being overlooked by the adopters because of her history. I love her enough to not put her through that, and as hard as it would be to do it (and I hope that I never have to take that decision) if she ever bit someone and meant it (not a response to being attacked or whatever) then I would choose euthenasia as the least horrible of the alternatives for her.

If you're coming to the position that it would be dangerous to give him to anybody else then you have to either keep him in your home and try to work a way out of this (which will be expensive and involve lots of hard work from all family members, with no guarantees) or to take the hard decision yourself.

I don't envy you either way round, but I agree that you clearly can't do nothing and risk this sort of thing happening again.

 

[chelynnah]

I think that at the age of 12 he's had a good length of life. A change of environment could make him nervous and just increase the problem. In my personal opinion the kindest thing you can do for him is to let him go with some dignity left. He's not happy as shown by his aggression, and now your own family is nervous and even more at risk. This could also make things worse as he senses that unease.

I know it's hard, but it truly is the kindest most loving thing you can so for him. A rescue may take him, but if they can't work with him they will put him down, and then he'd have spent his last weeks and moments with strangers.

 

[kate9001]

Thanks, your comments have helped me come to terms with the fact I'm doing the right thing for my dog and everyone else, I know he wouldn't be happy in kennels or would find it difficult in another environment so it's the kindest thing to do! Thanks again

 

[chelynnah]

I'm sorry it isn't the advice you were hoping for. I think you are doing the best by him. I'm so sorry