Ole Rooster did a good job of addressing the training issue, so I won't even go there. But it is never an "easy" decision to put down a working dog. That dog is often a rancher's constant companion and work partner. It can take months, years, or even a lifetime of training to get the dog trained how you want it. (Kind of like people - we never stop learning as long as we live.) But if that dog starts to kill your stock, or even worse - your neighbor's stock, you do what you have to do.
Just one thing Joan. These ranchers do take the time to train their dogs. Not all come obedience trained from birth. Some have inherent characteristics that enable them to go to work by natures calling. With training most do very well at what they're trained to do. Believe it or not dogs are a lot like people. We all have the same opportunity in life. We all have school, but it's up to us to apply ourselves. All the training we need is there for the taking. Most thrive withself appraisal and the hard work needed to survive. Dogs are a lot the same way. They have the training and feed they need to be good stewards with their time on the ranch. Most get a loving master but work is expected of them. But sadly not all dogs even of the same breed adapt to the training they receive and somewhere go wrong. When that happens there is not a jail or government program to cover up their wrong. They go straight to court and capital punishment. The owners have to make the decision and carry out the verdict. With people government steps in, pampers them, feeds um and tell them they just didn't get the training they needed. Or they end up in prison.
We are a lot the same but the dog faces reality immediately where the person does not. Life is hard to start with, just harder on the ranchers and farmers.
