What to do with monster dog.. Morally and Logically. (Long!)

[CarolinaGirl]

About a month ago, I saw a lab mix running around town... Being the big sucker that I am, I picked him up :| He was thin and well, very unruly and hyper-active. I did ask around town and I found who he belonged to, they didn't want him back. I suppose that should've been my warning! Found out he's 5 years old and according to them "Crazy as heck".

I live on a decent amount of property, the majority of which is fenced in. So I brought him home, put him in my "holding pen" which is about 40'x30' feet, fed him up good and started training him...

He's VERY strong but will walk with me on a leash and sit on command... So I walk him 45 min. or more a day usually. Yet no matter if it's RIGHT after a walk or a swim, he will pace an 8 foot area in the fence in an obsessive strange manner. I think this may be why he's not gaining weight well because he checks out fine, parasite free, etc...

He's also an escape artist but I put a strand of electric around the top where he jumps so that solved that. Or I thought, anyway.

However, he has a major kill drive... 3 cats, 2 chickens which he pulled through the fencing! and just over the weekend, he attacked my cocker spaniel... His fence attachs to my fence for my house dogs and he jumped it (no electric on that side as it's picket) and attacked her. For no reason. She was just playing with my other pups. When I tried to remove him from her, he snarled at me... Once I got him off, he acted "remorseful" and crawled around the yard. Luckily, Bella wasn't hurt seriously. Today, he had a possum in his fence and when I tried to remove the corpse, he growled and postured in a dominant manner.

My question is this... Is there hope for this nut job? I'm NOT keeping him, period. I'm afraid of what or even WHO he'll get next. He seems severely imbalanced... I've rescued many dogs and I have never encountered one quite like this one.

And as much as it pains me to do this, because he is young, I'm considering having him put down. The vet agreed it was probably best... I feel like rehoming would just be putting someone else at risk... And we have no sanctuaries or no kill shelters here, I've looked.

What would you do with this dog?

Just want to add, not trying to start a debate or anything as this can be a touchy subject for some, I'm just having a difficult time deciding his fate...

 

[Dodgegal79]

I would get rid of him, probably have him put down. I will not put up with a dog killing other animals, and if he is growling at you like that he is dangerous. There are so many dogs in this world and some deserve help, some don't. Thats the way I see.

 

[hcammack]

if he has showed aggression to other animals and a human ! you must do the responsible thing and have him put to sleep. I don't think in good consience you can adopt him to someone and I certainly would not keep him myself !

good luck hope you make a good decision,
Henry

 

[jessica117]

I'm sorry you're having so many problems with this dog. I tend to agree with the vet. I don't think he is safe to try to rehome. I don't like it either, but he obviously has a "screw loose." I hate having to make decisions like that. Don't feel bad though.

Jess

 

[tx_dane_mom]

I have had MANY giant breed dogs, particularly danes, but other breeds as well come through my home, one trying to rip off my husbands face, some just as sweet as can be, but not a chance of being adoptable b/c no one but somone as crazy as me would put up with them.
I really think your only option is to put him down. As you've pointed out IF you rehome him, you're simply passing a danger on to another home and if he hurt someone's child for instance you couldn't live with the regret. IF you kept him and he killed your dog you'd hate him forever or kill him yourself. It is not your fault this dog has been abused (mentally/physically, or both) to the point he is unstable. He IS sorry for doing wrong to you after you have helped him, but he's just not write.
You have to do EVERYONE a favor by doing what is right.
I hope that helps some.
Kristi

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I am one of the most rabidly anti-kill (unless they are terminally ill) people you could meet, and I have to say that having him put down sounds like your only choice.

 

[katemary63]

I raised a puppy from 6 weeks old. Socialized, obedience trained, the whole nine yards. Took him everywhere, introduced him to everyone and everything. We got him at an animal shelter. He looked like a lab only he was red. He was a mutt. At about 7 months of age, he started being aggressive to others. He would not let ANYONE near him except our family. He was NEVER aggressive to our family - he was completely devoted to us. I have no doubt what so ever that he would NEVER have hurt any of us. But, he would have ripped the face off anyone else. What a fantastic guard dog! However, I have a farm and a huge family. People and kids over all the time.....there was no way I could risk him hurting someone. So.....I tried to adopt him out to someone who WANTED a guard dog like this. I found a great couple and told them everything. They said he was just what they were looking for. They had no children. They spent about 2 hours at our house getting to know him and finally being able to pet and play with him. They took him home.....he tried to bite their face off! They never could even get him out of the van. So they brought him back and I took him streight to the vet and had him put down. I balled my head off...he loved me and I loved him......but some dogs just don't have a place in this world. There is nothing you can do. He is dangerous. Put him down.

 

[Florida chick]

IMHO there are FAR too many nice dogs to have to retrain one so aggressive! At our shelter where I volunteer we put down 30-45 a WEEK! 90% are all loving sweet discarded dogs. I would have him put down, he has lots of issues. No socialized, food and prey aggression. A dog like that can kill a child easily. If I were you I couldn't put the burden of him on someone else knowing what he has killed and attempted to injure. Sorry. You were doing the right thing for trying to help, but it sounds like he needs to be let go.

 

[fowltemptress]

I worked in a no-kill shelter all through high school, and I can tell you that if you approached us with that dog, and was honest about it's background, we would not have accepted him. There are such things as dogs who should not be adopted out, and it was your bad luck to find one. Morally and logically, it would be better to put the dog down than pass him onto someone else, no matter how honest you are about his behavior. Even if you found someone willing to take him, there are plenty of adoptable, emotionally stable dogs out there, and he'd be taking one of their spots needlessly.

 

[s6bee]

I think as hard as it is to hear, he needs to be put down. He's probably suffering mentally anyway, it's a constant battle for him and he's unable to be calm and safe to himself and those around him. It's too bad that the original owners failed take that responsibility themselves. Instead you will face it. This is truly best for him too.
I have worked in rescue and we would never take a dog like that in. They are a liability. Please know that if by any chance he did do something to someone, you could lose your home owners insurance. So it's not worth the risk.