How to let children know we have to give our dog away

[Anonymous]

It's sad that there are millions of animals put down every year simply because there wasn't a home for them, but people keep sick, terminally ill, and aggressive animals around because they feel sorry for them. Sometimes enough is enough. I say that ad an animal lover.

[Anonymous]

Professional dog trainer here. Resource guarding is fairly easy to fix. I'd at least get a consult with a behaviorist so you understand what you're dealing with. Then you can decide if the work is something you want to undertake, or have a clear assessment to give the new owner.

This is not unprovoked aggression.

[Anonymous]

OP here. He's been through a lot of training. I spent so much time and money on him. I would say he's friendly but super hyper. He's taken up most of my time at home for the past two years. I don't trust him anymore. I guess what I didn't realize was until this happens to you, you have no idea what it feels like. Seeing someone standing in your kitchen with blood running down their arm will be seared into my memory.

[Anonymous]

Why do people always argue that the right thing to do is to refuse payment of medical bills. Dog bites should be paid for unless the person did something cruel to the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He's been through a lot of training. I spent so much time and money on him. I would say he's friendly but super hyper. He's taken up most of my time at home for the past two years. I don't trust him anymore. I guess what I didn't realize was until this happens to you, you have no idea what it feels like. Seeing someone standing in your kitchen with blood running down their arm will be seared into my memory.

Could have been worse. A counter surfing lab does not normally inflict harm requiring stitches. Where did you get the dog? Perhaps the breeder would take him back and NOT "launder" the dog. Is this an AKC registered dog or from a shelter or rescue? This weekend a dog bit/mauled a child who had to have an arm reattached. I read it was her son's dog who had shown prior aggression to another dog. http://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/article_6b3e5055-7744-5c08-bfe1-74864454a5a8.html

I think you posted that the dog snapped at one of your children about it's dog bed. Unacceptable. Oh- dog laundering is when a person releases the dog to a shelter or rescue despite knowing basic character/history then the dog is put up for adoption with less than full disclosure.

[Anonymous]

I was honest with the rescue I got him from. They agreed to take him back. I have a friend I called for advice who fosters dogs for a local rescue, her advice:lie about the bite! I couldn't do that. I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow for a through check up.

[Anonymous]

I hope the people who would give the dog many chances are also single, childless hermits. I love dogs, but humans come first. A dog biting anyone is unacceptable.

OP if you give the dog to a rescue, please be 100% honest about the aggression and bite. My daughter was bitten by a rescue dog and she has been afraid of dogs ever since. Sadly even if OP is 100% honest some rescue workers like to protect the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has food aggression. That's a trainable thing, and it was caused by something at some point in the dog's life. I don't consider that a give away offense...at least not before you make an effort in training. Dogs don't talk- they use their mouths to talk- and there are a lot of breeds that have this inbred- like doxies...Labs really do not, so this really unusual.

I'm a big grownup (LOL) but my mother gave away dogs just like that when I was a kid. One bit someone once. One was messy, one pooped in house twice.I was really scarred by her indifference..and she really never liked dogs. She got them because she thought she was teaching us something. I was taught that their lives don't matter, and never to get attached.Needless to say, ai raised my kids with dogs... not all were easy, but they were family members.

I am all about not having an aggressive dog.. and by that I mean, random, unexplained episodes of snarling, biting, etc., and I would give the dog away under those circumstances. Your dog does not like having his food removed or threatened. I would try to deal with that first.

I think you do not like this dog, didn't really want a dog, etc. I think that because it doesn't seem as if this would be a heartbreaking thing for you- you wished they would take away your dog from the get go. Come on,now....

+1000

Please do NOT put the dog down and contact lab rescue. It sounded from the beginning of your post as if you did not like the dog from the get go and as if he was a burden.

You may have spent a lot of money on training but did YOU properly participate in the training?

Seriously, it sounds like you don't like animals, got the dog because one of your kids wanted him and you can't properly deal with him and now you want justification for getting rid of him from DCUM because YOU haven't properly followed through on "ALL OF THE MONEY" you spent on training.

Your poor kids. And that poor dog. Please never get a pet again.

Who ARE you?

A terrible person. I suppose you'll just tell your son that the dog ran off? I guess you get DCUM "Mother of the Year!"

[Anonymous]

People are too quick to dump their pets. A lot of the problem is that you are asking too much of the animal and not looking into correcting the behaviours.

I thought everyone knew to avoid getting between a dog and its food?

Children also have to learn how to treat animals properly. Its a two way street. I always supervise children and animals until the child is old enough to treat the animal kindly and correctly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has food aggression. That's a trainable thing, and it was caused by something at some point in the dog's life. I don't consider that a give away offense...at least not before you make an effort in training. Dogs don't talk- they use their mouths to talk- and there are a lot of breeds that have this inbred- like doxies...Labs really do not, so this really unusual.

I'm a big grownup (LOL) but my mother gave away dogs just like that when I was a kid. One bit someone once. One was messy, one pooped in house twice.I was really scarred by her indifference..and she really never liked dogs. She got them because she thought she was teaching us something. I was taught that their lives don't matter, and never to get attached.Needless to say, ai raised my kids with dogs... not all were easy, but they were family members.

I am all about not having an aggressive dog.. and by that I mean, random, unexplained episodes of snarling, biting, etc., and I would give the dog away under those circumstances. Your dog does not like having his food removed or threatened. I would try to deal with that first.

I think you do not like this dog, didn't really want a dog, etc. I think that because it doesn't seem as if this would be a heartbreaking thing for you- you wished they would take away your dog from the get go. Come on,now....

+1000

Please do NOT put the dog down and contact lab rescue. It sounded from the beginning of your post as if you did not like the dog from the get go and as if he was a burden.

You may have spent a lot of money on training but did YOU properly participate in the training?

Seriously, it sounds like you don't like animals, got the dog because one of your kids wanted him and you can't properly deal with him and now you want justification for getting rid of him from DCUM because YOU haven't properly followed through on "ALL OF THE MONEY" you spent on training.

Your poor kids. And that poor dog. Please never get a pet again.

Who ARE you?

A terrible person. I suppose you'll just tell your son that the dog ran off? I guess you get DCUM "Mother of the Year!"

The Psychos are definitely out!

[Anonymous]

Keep your damn kids out of his bed. He has a right to a safe and secure space. You need to train the kid, not the dog. As far as his food aggression, it's an easy fix but not something taught in the basic Petsmart obedience class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's off to the glue factory for Boscoe.

How mean...

[Anonymous]

Any Op update? I was wondering what happened with your dog.

[Anonymous]

OP, you're not a terrible person. I think it's reasonable to give the dog back to the rescue. Tell your children that you are simply not up for having a dog that bites. It's too much of a risk and liability, and you don't know how to train him to be any different.

[Anonymous]

I still have him. My husband is on board with me, so we are trying some more training.
I learned my lesson posting here, people make all kinds of assumptions about you. Like the one about how I don't really want the dog, didnt participate in the training. I've had dogs for over 20 years and this is the only dog I've tried to do everything right!
Lab rescue would take him if I so choose. I'm not getting rid of him because he's been my best friend for 3.5 years!