I am sitting here crying - opinions please! (Update)

[momma's chickens]

After a tearful night, we have decide for now at least to search for the perfect home for him, but in the meantime to talk to a dog trainer that just happens to be here from Montana staying at my parent's house. He has 7 dogs so perhaps he can give us insight. I will also be calling the vet in the morning to discuss this with them and to get their opinion. We will beefing up the security around here for now. This is a dog that most people would love to have, he sits, lays down, stays, fetches, is super sweet with people, only barks when somebody comes here that we doesn't know or there is deer in the yard. He is housebroken and crate trained. I sincerely hope we are making the right decision and if not I guess we will have to live with it. I want the best for Rocky!

Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers and replies. I have read all of the them several times and took all of it into consideration.

 

[Royd]

In my Dad's world, where sheep were money, dogs, even chasing sheep, for sport, were not long for this world.

No favoritism was shown. My neighbor came to my dad, and said that he'd seen our dog in his sheep herd...That night, we heard a gunshot, and never did find the dog, except for the blood, on the sidewalk.

 

[19hhbelgian]

It sounds like he just isn't suited to your lifestyle. I understand that you guys love him, but if he doesn't come when called - whether he's chasing or not - means you are not in control. You said you resorted to a shock collar. Did you actually work with him with the collar? It is NOT a bad thing to use, if used properly. Our dogs would not hesitate to chase and kill the chickens or a cat or anything like that. They know better than to go after the goats or horses because we have big goats with horns, and the horses chase the dogs

. My point is, you've got to take the time and really work with him with the collar. Our dogs know when we put the collar on them we mean business. Normally we don't even turn it on. We did not torture them with the collars, but we did spend a great deal of time at the local park and at home training with it. If you don't want to work extensively with him and a PRIVATE trainer, I'd have to suggest rehoming him to someone with no other pets. We've been through the obedience classes, and they are nice for basic stuff and socialization, but not specific behavioral issues... Hope you come to a conclusion other than putting him to sleep!!

 

[TexasVet]

momma's chickens :

I need to add that he is 90 pounds and can drag me around the yard when he wants too and yes, I have resorted to a shock collar. My mom was the one watching him when the goat got out and he pulled her all over the yard and skinned her up badly. I guess when I write that, and read it from another person's standpoint it is apparant he isn't safe.

No question that I would put the dog down. You're now giving the dog's life a higher priority than other animals AND humans. He is a disaster waiting to happen.

A relative of mine had a dog like this. He went after a neighborhood cat while on a walk and dragged her down the street. She ended up with cuts, road rash, and a dislocated shoulder. And I often wonder what would have happened if he'd gone after a child.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com​

 

[mekasmom]

momma's chickens :

I don't know what to do because if I do care about him and my family loves him. I also thought it was our fault because if he watched him better he wouldn't be able to kill but tonight broke the boundaries.

Do you think we should put him down, is there any other options. I hate to rehome him because it is not like he can't care for him and I don't want him to become somebody's else problem.

It's simply prey drive. Would you put down a cat for killing mice?

This isn't a livestock dog-- obviously. But he isn't a vicious beast either. He just has high prey drive. He is a hunter or a guard type dog. He will be great at keeping strange animals off your property, but never good with animals.

As long as he has no meanness toward humans, it wouldn't be a problem for me. But you will have to keep him away from your livestock.

Rehoming would be an option as long as he is good with people. You just have to make sure that people know he has high prey drive. I personally wouldn't put him down for prey drive. That isn't the same as aggression.​

 

[momma's chickens]

Mekasmom, you are right about him keeping strange animals off our property. One of our geese would have been dead three weeks ago if he hadn't woke me up barking. He sleeps on my dh's side of the bed and the other dog sleeps on my side of the bed. Rocky was the one at the window barking and growling and he is what saved her. She got three stratches with blood but she was not horriblely injured. The geese now get locked up at night every night. No exceptions but if it hadn't been for Rocky who knows what would have happened.

 

[Minniechickmama]

We put a dog down about a year and a half ago because her issues in life were getting worse. I felt terrible because I had gotten her based solely on the reason that she was great with kids. Well, she was dumped off in 'the country' at a farm and we took her from that couple who were elderly and didn't really want her but felt stuck with her. We got her home and she was quite evidently an abandoned dog, she chewed everything in sight: power cords, boxes, tools, metal cans, plastic, paper, rigid foam insulation we put under her kennel to help her keep warmer and off the floor. Her worst habit was chasing trucks and bicyclist. She wouldn't hurt anyone, but it was so deep in her blood to chase trucks especially, that there was no stopping her. She was a nice dog in personality, friendly as a day is long, but we decided she wasn't worth the risk. What if she were to cause injury of a driver who was trying to avoid her? We weren't ready to take that on. Also, the bike riders were scared to death of her. Her method was to ambush from the shrubs we have along the road. She did get her paw run over by a FedEx driver once. BTW we refuse to tie a dog up. A dog should have room to stretch its legs.
The point is, even some great people dogs are not worth it if they cannot be trusted with those things we hold in a position of importance. If you cannot trust the dog with any other animals, then it is time to go. You might find someone who would want him and does not have other animals and would appreciate a dog who guards their property against unwanted animals, provided they could handle him on a leash if necessary. It sounds like he needs a great deal of obedience training if he is dragging people on a leash. If he is unstoppable even on a leash then you have more of a problem, you really cannot control him. The other alternative is to euthanize him. It is not cruel, in my book, to use a humane method of putting an animal down. It is painless and they just go to sleep. I witnessed our first dog go through it. And it just so happens that he was not tolerant of any other animals except dogs. We had him first so we didn't have any other animals until he was gone when he was almost 12. I have a St. Poodle now and the shock collar went on when I could not stop her from attacking the chicken wire and chasing any chickens that were out of their pen. She listens now and now some of the hens chase her.
I don't know what your son's disability is, but perhaps there is some other dog out there that would be even better for him and the whole family. I am sure the stress of what your present dog is doing is effecting him as well as the whole family.
Good luck in deciding, I know it isn't an easy one.

 

[McCord6]

If I was in your shoe, my hsuband would NOT allow us to keep the dog, OR rehome it. A dog like that, likes blood and if they can't hunt an animal, it will turn on human which is EXTREMELY dangerous to anyone.
I advice you to put it down, that' the best thing for everyone. Im sorry for your trouble.

 

[ZooMummzy]

It sounds like you made your decision and if you are calm with it, then it is the right one no matter what others might say. I think in a situation like this, everyone has a different way of dealing with it so there really is no right or wrong answer...just what you and your family decide to do.

I wish you much luck in your search for a new home and peace for your family.