Behavioral Euthanasia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only if in consult with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. I had an otherwise very friendly dog who randomly started attacking my other dogs at age 8. He had never shown a single aggressive tendency before. Took him to the behaviorist and got him treated for pain and put some other stuff in place to reduce his stress level. Zero additional incidents 4.5 years later.

Oh please

Yeah "board-certified behaviorist" is giving "reiki healer" energy. It's just a new way to make money. If you have money to spend on that, well, it's your money. But don't act like it's an "only if" because it's very much not.

They’re veterinarians who do very competitive multi-year internships and residencies. They study animal behavior and are highly skilled. It’s also not more expensive than a regular vet visit. A couple hundred for a consult. And yeah, I’d spend a couple hundred before deciding whether to kill my dog.

Bro, there is ONE near me, and by "near me" I mean a 2+ hour drive away. If you're going to call this a mandatory step, it has to be accessible to people. I'm not putting a crazy dog in a car for two hours to spend several hundred dollars to ask a stranger why it bites at my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

Walk us through it. I used https://avsab.org/directory/ and https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp and couldn't find anyone near enough to me to be a viable option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only if in consult with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. I had an otherwise very friendly dog who randomly started attacking my other dogs at age 8. He had never shown a single aggressive tendency before. Took him to the behaviorist and got him treated for pain and put some other stuff in place to reduce his stress level. Zero additional incidents 4.5 years later.

Oh please

Yeah "board-certified behaviorist" is giving "reiki healer" energy. It's just a new way to make money. If you have money to spend on that, well, it's your money. But don't act like it's an "only if" because it's very much not.

They’re veterinarians who do very competitive multi-year internships and residencies. They study animal behavior and are highly skilled. It’s also not more expensive than a regular vet visit. A couple hundred for a consult. And yeah, I’d spend a couple hundred before deciding whether to kill my dog.

Bro, there is ONE near me, and by "near me" I mean a 2+ hour drive away. If you're going to call this a mandatory step, it has to be accessible to people. I'm not putting a crazy dog in a car for two hours to spend several hundred dollars to ask a stranger why it bites at my kids.

The largest behaviorist practice in the DMV dos virtual visits. But also an hour drive to the behaviorist to decide whether to put your dog down is fine. Kennel them in the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

Walk us through it. I used https://avsab.org/directory/ and https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp and couldn't find anyone near enough to me to be a viable option.

Virtual consult…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

Walk us through it. I used https://avsab.org/directory/ and https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp and couldn't find anyone near enough to me to be a viable option.

Virtual consult…

scam alert!!! Some vet who has never seen or interacted with your animal is going to give you meaningful advice via zoom? What a cashgrab!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

This all sounds like it could be handled by a vet visit to me. And yes, obviously a dog who was previously calm suddenly being aggressive would make anyone with half a brain consider a pain component. You act like you’re providing some earth shattering revelations here. You’re not. No one needs a board certified behavioral vet for anything you’ve described here. Stop trying to exaggerate and catastrophize everything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only if in consult with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. I had an otherwise very friendly dog who randomly started attacking my other dogs at age 8. He had never shown a single aggressive tendency before. Took him to the behaviorist and got him treated for pain and put some other stuff in place to reduce his stress level. Zero additional incidents 4.5 years later.

Oh please

Yeah "board-certified behaviorist" is giving "reiki healer" energy. It's just a new way to make money. If you have money to spend on that, well, it's your money. But don't act like it's an "only if" because it's very much not.

They’re veterinarians who do very competitive multi-year internships and residencies. They study animal behavior and are highly skilled. It’s also not more expensive than a regular vet visit. A couple hundred for a consult. And yeah, I’d spend a couple hundred before deciding whether to kill my dog.

Go to a regular vet.

[Anonymous]

Bit of a tangent - I dropped my middle school kid at a new friend’s house so the mom could take the kids to a movie. The mom had to hold her dog back from attacking us. It was a snarling crazy dog - trying to protect the family from us. We are dog people, but this was nuts. Who keeps a dog like that with children? This is a dog I would euthanize. I can’t let my kid hang out at their house. She might actually get bitten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bit of a tangent - I dropped my middle school kid at a new friend’s house so the mom could take the kids to a movie. The mom had to hold her dog back from attacking us. It was a snarling crazy dog - trying to protect the family from us. We are dog people, but this was nuts. Who keeps a dog like that with children? This is a dog I would euthanize. I can’t let my kid hang out at their house. She might actually get bitten.

It's actually a job a lot of dogs were breed for - protect their family, doesn't make the dog crazy. That dog owners on the other hand are questionable, they should just keep the dog away from the entrance if they expect visitors.
I have dog like that - it's trying to protect the door, barking, snarling and lunging. I just crate him when people coming over (and he just lay down there quietly). Then let him out when people are inside already, and he perfectly fine around them. But I supervise him, and crate immediately if he becomes overwhelmed/scared. I honestly don't see a need to euthanize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bit of a tangent - I dropped my middle school kid at a new friend’s house so the mom could take the kids to a movie. The mom had to hold her dog back from attacking us. It was a snarling crazy dog - trying to protect the family from us. We are dog people, but this was nuts. Who keeps a dog like that with children? This is a dog I would euthanize. I can’t let my kid hang out at their house. She might actually get bitten.

It's actually a job a lot of dogs were breed for - protect their family, doesn't make the dog crazy. That dog owners on the other hand are questionable, they should just keep the dog away from the entrance if they expect visitors.
I have dog like that - it's trying to protect the door, barking, snarling and lunging. I just crate him when people coming over (and he just lay down there quietly). Then let him out when people are inside already, and he perfectly fine around them. But I supervise him, and crate immediately if he becomes overwhelmed/scared. I honestly don't see a need to euthanize.

I appreciate the explanation. Sounds like you handle your dog well. I have a little dog who is quiet except for watchdog type barking when new people come in the house. Although, she really just wants attention and would let new people pet her if they were interested. She would have to be completely senile to bite someone. So, seeing a dog who would bite me given the chance was way out outside my expectations.

[Anonymous]

Bites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

Walk us through it. I used https://avsab.org/directory/ and https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp and couldn't find anyone near enough to me to be a viable option.

Virtual consult…

scam alert!!! Some vet who has never seen or interacted with your animal is going to give you meaningful advice via zoom? What a cashgrab!!

It's an option for people who don't have access due to distance. You can/should provide the behaviorist and videos. Obviously I'd agree in-person is better. But no, these aren't scams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

This all sounds like it could be handled by a vet visit to me. And yes, obviously a dog who was previously calm suddenly being aggressive would make anyone with half a brain consider a pain component. You act like you’re providing some earth shattering revelations here. You’re not. No one needs a board certified behavioral vet for anything you’ve described here. Stop trying to exaggerate and catastrophize everything

What have I catastrophized? Nothing. I said I wouldn't put my dog down for behavioral reasons without consulting a behaviorist. And that seeing a behaviorist before putting your dog down isn't all that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

This all sounds like it could be handled by a vet visit to me. And yes, obviously a dog who was previously calm suddenly being aggressive would make anyone with half a brain consider a pain component. You act like you’re providing some earth shattering revelations here. You’re not. No one needs a board certified behavioral vet for anything you’ve described here. Stop trying to exaggerate and catastrophize everything

What have I catastrophized? Nothing. I said I wouldn't put my dog down for behavioral reasons without consulting a behaviorist. And that seeing a behaviorist before putting your dog down isn't all that hard.

You do you. But don’t try to tell people they need to go to a ‘behaviorist’ to make a decision. A vet visit is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has a vet been consulted and has the dog been through extensive training or worked with a behavioralist?

You’d be surprised at what some people consider behavioral issues when they’re lack of training easily repaired by proper training.

I think the whole behaviorist blah blah is a little precious and ridiculous. No one should need to spend thousands on an aggressive dog to prove anything.

But I’ll agree with you that I’ve seen ridiculous posts in dog forums from dumb owners who don’t understand dog behaviors. Eg, ‘My new puppy is biting me when we play. What’s wrong with her?’

Most people don’t want to put down their dogs. And most dogs showing aggression aren’t doing it from the get go. When dogs exhibit aggression as a new behavior (i.e. a behavioral change), there is a physical pain component like 70-80% of the time.

For people who would like to avoid putting their dog down, getting a behaviorist evaluation is a pretty easy step. You can see if there is a pain component and you can try anxiety meds if recommended. The behaviorist will also do a danger assessment and make recommendations accordingly. And don’t be fooled, they often recommend behavioral euthanasia.

This all sounds like it could be handled by a vet visit to me. And yes, obviously a dog who was previously calm suddenly being aggressive would make anyone with half a brain consider a pain component. You act like you’re providing some earth shattering revelations here. You’re not. No one needs a board certified behavioral vet for anything you’ve described here. Stop trying to exaggerate and catastrophize everything

What have I catastrophized? Nothing. I said I wouldn't put my dog down for behavioral reasons without consulting a behaviorist. And that seeing a behaviorist before putting your dog down isn't all that hard.

You do you. But don’t try to tell people they need to go to a ‘behaviorist’ to make a decision. A vet visit is fine.

This. And if you've gone to a vet and tried what your resources will allow you to try, you should be able to put the dog down. It's a dog, not a death sentence to your sanity and/or financial health.

Just don't turn right around and get a new one without analyzing what you need to improve.