BAD Behavior - PLEASE HELP!!

[Maddie's dad]

I put a call into my sister's vet and got some #'s of behaviorists. I had emailed the Boxer Rescue in my state earlier today, but no reply yet. Thanks so much for all of your words of support - I need it.

Will you share your information, please? You can't post the phone numbers, but even if it were just the city they were in I would have something more to go on. I am having some aggression problems with my Pit mix. I e-mailed a Pit rescue and got no response. There is nothing in this area. We're in Mayfield, just south of Paducah.

 

[RoxieDog]

contacts

If you want to contact the vet it is "Nicholasville Road Animal Hospital" in Lexington. I don't think I can list who or phone #'s and I don't want to break the rules. I asked them for Behaviorists and they gave me 3 different names. Also, National Canine was suggested to me which has a web site: www.nk9.com as a good source of information.

Hope this helps.

 

[RoxieDog]

Results

I spoke with two different behaviorists this morning and he met with one. The recommendation was to put him down. I have it scheduled for Thursday at 4:30 PM. Keep us in your thoughts. Thanks for the support.

 

[KonaKoffe]

Personally I would not make that decision based on the opinion of one behaviorist who has actually seen him. A phone call does not address the issue.
What are the credentials of the behaviorist do they know boxers, do they deal with problem dogs, what is their track record.

From you description I think the dog has a chance to be saved but it is not something that will happen overnight. You definitely need to speak with someone from the boxer rescue. They deal with boxers that have been abused and they would be the ones to give you the best evaluation as to whether the dog can be rehabilitated. Call them and keep trying to get a hold of them. They are alot of volunteers that may not be there all the time. They may even take the dog off your hands if you choose to release it to them.

Please reconsider your decision and give the dog the benefit of the doubt. You were kind enough to save him in the first place. Some dogs may never be able to be around other dogs or in public without a muzzle but he sounds like he is a sweetie when he is with you. Sounds like his issues are not ones that can't be corrected with some proper training on your part on how to handle them. You may need to seek the advice from a professional to understand and how to correct his agressive behavior. His years of abuse are not going to be corrected in a few months. I stress correction because he needs to be given the chance to be prefessionally corrected and it does not sound like he has been given that chance yet. Please Please Please give him a few more months.

 

[KonaKoffe]

I was re-reading your first post.

The dog park incident: Our Cassius would never have been taken to a dog park because he was never socialized with other dogs except KOKO who he never showed any agression with. In your case he should just never be taken to a dog park. Dog parks are not for all dogs.

Dog bath: Not all dogs like to be handled by strangers especially in that personal of an experience. Maybe something in the owners behavior triggered his defensives. Most of the time when dogs are groomed they have to be muzzled for the groomers protection. This is a respose that can respond well to correciton - maybe not overnight.

Charging the door and barking incident: This is something that also can respond well to correction - again something that is not corrected overnight.

I see no reason why any of these incidents can not be corrected with proper training. You have only had him 5 months and you said he did well in class. Did he attack the other dogs? These issues sound isolated and should not demand a death sentence just yet. Sorry if this sounds harsh but we are talking about a life. I guess I have seen so many of the Dog Whisperer shows that this dog sounds like he can be helped.

 

[RoxieDog]

More information

Several things. He did bring blood with the golden at the dog park. He has been to the dog park every other week since I got him without incidence. He went for this dog not once, but 3 times. I muzzled him after the second.

The dog wash - he has been there every other Sunday since I got him with the same guy washing him. He went through the whole bath and then attacked while he was drying him. Nothing different.

I so so understand that every dog needs a chance, I am on my second Boxer rescue and have had 3 other rescues in my life. I will have another.

I did speak to Boxer Rescue, explained the situation and was told he was not adoptable and it would be best to put him down. I spoke to a trainer who had been through behavior training in Columbus Ohio (National K-9) and she said she thought he needed intensive training that could not be done locally. It would be very time consuming and very very expensive. If that was not an option, he should be put down. I talked to my vet, a boxer owner, who said put him down. And lastly another behaviorists who evaluated him. He was very nice to her at first, but once she moved rapidly in his presence he tried to attack her also. Not a playful 'boxer' attack, it was violent.

I am scared for the people around him. My family dog sits when I go on vacation and I am really too scared to leave him with my parents or my sister - what if he turns on them. What if he turns on my older dog - she is getting older and weaker and is a lot smaller than him and he is getting so strong.

This is the last thing I want to do, but I really feel I have to. I have shed many tear and feel like I have failed him. I am so attached.

 

[Kisha]

Jake's Story

I feel for your situation, I too have an unpredictable rescued male boxer. Jake came from a family that had no time for him. He was kept in his crate nearly 24 hours a day, never socialized around other dogs, and may have been otherwise abused. We have had him for nearly a year. It took him almost 3 months to settle in to our home, when he did he seemed to change dramatically. At first he was timid and seemed to accept most situations, including other dogs and the dog park. One day he got in to a vicious (in my opinion) fight with a pit at the park. Remember that drawing blood is NOT the definition of a vicious dog fight, if neither dog needs stitches it was not a serious as YOU think. Since Jake has become more comfortable with us, including our boxer girl Peach, he has become more protective/dominant over the house, and more unpredictable when we are out. This by no means makes me want to put him down, quite the contrary. It makes me want to do better for him than he had before. He is an awesome dog at home and is great with Peach, but I am always watching him just in case. I do not allow anyone other than myself or my husband handle him for any reason and we don't go to the dog park anymore. He is never off leash when we are out, even if there are no dogs around. All of these measures are inconvenient, but since he is unpredictable they are necessary. Difficult dogs do not need to be put down, you just need to be prepared for unpredictable behavior and predict problems before they occur. A basket muzzle might give you the piece of mind and the confidence needed to deal with his behaviors with out the fear of injury. Most dogs get used to them and they can pant freely and even eat and drink with them on. A rescue dog deserves every chance that you can give him. Only when you have exhausted EVERY possible mechanism for coping with his behaviors, should euthanasia be considered. It might be a drag to keep him home from the dog park, or employ a professional to sit while you are away instead of your family. But ask yourself if he is worth the extra trouble. True aggression in dogs is rare, most likely his problem is behavioral which if it can't be corrected, can at least be managed. Jake has never shown agression towards me or my family, but I am always aware of his background and his potential. This keeps me constantly aware of his body signals, just in case. I hope you reconsider, it sounds like you are getting bad advice- especially if given by people who have not met the dog in person.

Kisha

 

[Kisha]

One more thing...

If you do decide to have him put down, I would not recomend that you adopt another rescue. The potential for another problem dog is great.

 

[Louie's Mom]

why shouldn't they be able to adopt another rescue? It might be better to adopt a rescue that wasn't abused, maybe one that just had to be rehomed. Some dogs are really far gone and you can try to help them, but there is a point when you should stop and think about what would be best, why keep spending money on a lost cause ( to most people ) when you could take that money and use it on another dog that would be better suited for the family and isn't so emotionally scarred. ( But I personally would not adopt a neglected/damaged rescue if I had children, because of the potential problems, but thats just me )

I can see it from everyones different point of view and I understand all of them - but there arn't that many people that would be willing to take in that degree of a problem dog. And you can't look at the dog at home and put the other dog in its place, you can't think of them like that.


NOW this doesn't mean if you do get another rescue and it doesn't work out that you should just keep putting them to sleep, that would be no good.

But in the end it is your decision on what to do, and do what you must.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[RoxieDog]

thank you

I take offense to being told not to get another rescue. I do have another rescue dog - I have had her since she was a pup, she was found in a garbage bag beside the road. She is a reverse brindle and she will be 12 this August.

Briscoe HAS been evaluated face to face w/ someone today and again became very violent and agressive toward the person after about 15 - 20 minutes into the evaluation.

And he HAS snipped at my arms before bringing blood on multiple occasions when he wants attention and I have not given it to him. I have really worked with him on Reward for Behavior and No means No, however he has seemed to change over the last 3 weeks. He has showed teeth to me and is becoming more and more agressive toward my older Roxie.

I am sorry if you feel I am 'giving' up on the dog, I don't feel that way. This is one of the hardest decisions I have every made in my life and pray that I will NEVER have to make this choice again. I love my dog and do not want to see him hurt someone else. If he does, then I could never forgive myself.

Thank you for your support and I apologize if my writing shows frustration. The worst part of this decision is that he is so loving to me 99% of the time.