Sad day in our house...giving up a dog
By monica1216
@monica1216 (509)
United States
January 12, 2007 10:33am CST
We have a 3 yr old Australian Shepherd that we are giving to new owners because he is a little bit aggressive and has snapped his teeth and scratched our young children. We know we are doing the right thing but it is heartbreaking because we love him and he was such a sweet puppy and is a beautiful dog. The saddest part is that we have older children ages 15 & 10 and the dog is fine with them but not so good with our 5, 3 or 6 mo old baby. We're so sad! If you have been thru this or can say anything to make us feel better please speak up.
Thanks!
6 people like this
36 responses
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
12 Jan 07
Don't you mean a German Shepherd we do not have any Australian Shepherd they can be very aggressive dogs and even turn on their own owners, oh they are great when they are small and they are so cute but remember that they do grow up and then can turn I love dogs and have had many in my life but I would never have a German Shepherd but my father used to own one when I was a young girl so to make you feel better just think that you did not get hurt any more than you and your children did.
@shelonewolf1969 (486)
• United States
12 Jan 07
in the usa there is an austrain shepherd dog it is alot like a border collie but alittle smaller they bob the tail there is differences but thats the closest breed I can think of to compare it too .
1 person likes this
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
15 Jan 07
Yes, there really is a breed called Australian Shepherd and it's very different from a German Shepherd.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
12 Jan 07
Remember that dogs do live in packs and in a hiearchy. He is fine with your 15 year old because your dog has learnt that your eldest son is superior to him, while your dog might think that the rest of your children 5,3 and six month old baby are inferior to him in hieararchy. Was there a change in behaviour towards your dog after the arrival of your last baby? For example he was accustomed to live inside and then suddenly he is sent living outside in a yard. This might be a cause of triggering aggressive behaviour in the dog.
@toyboxer04 (353)
• Malta
12 Jan 07
I strongly agree with ronaldinu. He surely knows who is inferior and superior to him. Also maybe the little ones seek his attention in the wrong way. Maybe punching at his ears or their moves are too fast for him to interpret as correct so he reacts aggressively
2 people like this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
12 Jan 07
I think in some cases it's also a breed thing. A lot of the smaller herding dogs are a bit nippy, which isn't good with children. They may try to herd the children and it's pretty hard to make a young child seem superior to the dog when the child can't take part in such actions on their own or even with help.
Keeping them separate sometimes works, but then you always hear about the slip ups where for one second a child was set down and then nipped.
One of my online friends had a child who got nipped very suddenly by their ferret that she was not norrmally allowed near. It got her right on the eyelid and even today she has worse vision in that eye and a weird looking eyelid. Her daughter still loves animals and probably wouldn't have wanted the ferret put to sleep, but rehoming is not such a bad option. I think it is great if you can actually find a home for the animal rather than just dumping them.
3 people like this
@shuz697 (1043)
• United States
12 Jan 07
I'm so sorry to hear this I know exactly how you feel... I also had to give up my dog because he was no good around my kids ... it was such a sad day for me but I know I made the right decision ... my kids safety is much more important but that still didn't take away the pain of losing my best friend.. I wish I could say something that would make you feel better but Ive got nothing except you are doing the right thing and one day you will look back on this day and be so grateful that you did it.. Good luck with the days ahead and be strong you will feel better with time ... :)
2 people like this
@pendragon (3350)
• United States
12 Jan 07
I used to run a dog shelter and have had families have to give up their animals, the best I could do was to promise the animal would find a new home or a specialty rescue group dedicated to a certain breed, I ran a no-kill shelter, and could do this is , even if it were a lengthy process, the animals were given as much personal time and attention as we could affored to give them. You have new owners to give him to already, so you can be happy with that at least, I hope you will get to visit. I hope you will all feel a little bit better very soon, kudos to a hard yet wise decision.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
12 Jan 07
I think in some cases, the breed just isn't right for being around young children. I do animal rescue and while a lot of the times I think people have horrible excuses for giving up their pets, this is not so bad, and really, what I commend you on is finding the dog a home on your own, rather than just dumping them at a shelter.
I think more people need to take responsibility like you did, and at least help in the process of finding their dog a home, rather than dumping off the entire responsibility to someone else or an organization to do it for them.
2 people like this
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Thank you. I do have great respect for the hard work animal rescue organizations do and in the past have gotten pets from animal shelters so I don't wnat to get to the point of dropping one of my animals off there
1 person likes this
@jbones32103 (717)
• United States
12 Jan 07
We are still upset ourselves over having to get rid of a part wolf and Siberian Husky.He was good with the older two children but was snappy at the younger ones. Although you already made the right decision, you have to look at the well being of the dog too. He must have been miserable being around the younger ones and just couldn't handle it. Now he can live in peace without being upset or nervous. It's stressful on a dog being put in the situation.
1 person likes this
@annieja (589)
• United States
12 Jan 07
i am so sorry for you and your family. when i was little we had to give our dog, a saint bernard away because he just kept growing and growing and he would jump on us or other small kids and knock them down. he also didn't have much room in our backyard to play. i know my mother took him to the pound, but when we were little, she had told us, he went to a farm where he could run and be happy.
my advice is just to say to them the "what if" questions. like what if we kept him and he hurt the baby, or what if you had a friend over and he bit the friend and the pound had to take him away.
just keep reminding them he is not safe, and maybe they can pick out a new dog someday. we have 2 labradors and they are supposed to be the best with kids.
good luck to you, that is sad, but think of what would be sadder if something terrible happened because you decided to keep him.
@grievingbeauty (94)
• United States
12 Jan 07
everytime you get sad thoughts about your dog, pick up your 6 month old and hold it tight..call the other two young ones to your lap and the three of you just rejoice in each other...play, sing, whatever it takes to take your mind off the dog..if the dog snapped, you are doing the right thing..
a friend of mine had an irish setter that bit the ear off his three year old..
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Oh my gosh! Thank you for your kind thoughts and suggestion. I do know that I have to do this. We have been keeping them separated so that it wouldn't get to that point with our dog but it's been hard to do. I know everyone will be happier and safer once he's in a home that doesn't have young children.
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
12 Jan 07
My family once gave up a cat named Rusty because my mother feared that it would keep scratching me. I guess that it didn't like for me to hold it and it might have scratched me a few times. I honestly was too young to remember this. I know that it was a hard decision for my family to give that cat up because it was a sweet cat in all other ways and my dad maintains that it would have been fine, and I believe him. I wish that we hadn't had to give Rusty away. We had 4-5 other cats, but still. It is always difficult to have to give up a family pet, and I am so sorry that you are having to give up your dog for the sake of your younger children. I do totally understand why you are doing it, though.
@Pekachu (1112)
• United States
12 Jan 07
awww i am so sorry i know exactly what you are going through i had to give up a chow chow 6 months ago after rescueing him from being put down we took him in groomed him got attached had him for 2 months then he pushed out a screen in a window to chase a cat a bit a little boy then he bit my son and that was it had no choice i cried for days i loved that dog
but he is in a very nice home with a senior citisin making her feel very safe so i feel better knowing he is in a good home we ended adopting another pup who needed a new home and she is working out great
1 person likes this
@PlanetProzac (166)
• United States
12 Jan 07
It is sad to give up your pet but the alternative is giving up or harming your children. I know it's hard but I commend you for doing the right thing. Perhaps you can get a more child friendly dog or another type of pet.
1 person likes this
@grinnerlynn (145)
•
14 Jan 07
hi monica, am sorry to hear you have to give up your dog, but you are really doing the right thing, just think to yourself if the dog did ever snap you wouldnt be able to live with yourself. Im sure you will make sure your dog goes to the best possible home ;-) Take care
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
16 Jan 07
Thanks! Yep I'm still working on it. Just a few minutes ago another person called who knows this breed of dog really well an is very interesting. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works out this time.
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
12 Jan 07
While it is a heartbreaking decision to have to make, I'm sure that you will find a good home for him. We have had to rehome a dog before for a similar reason---he just wasn't happy around children and he would growl and nip at them. We gave him to an older couple who delighted in spoiling him. He was much happier there, and we were relieved that our kids were no longer in danger.
Some people may judge you harshly for your decision, but you have to do what you feel is right.
@my3busyboys (207)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I hope that your efforts to adopt him have worked out ~ thinking of you and your family!
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
14 Jan 07
Thanks Ali. No additional offers to adopt him yet but I'm still working really hard on finding him a great new home.
@BDnLacy (324)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I know how you feel. We treat our dogs like part of the family. And a few years back we had to put one down because it did attack and bite one of our children. I also knew it had to be done, but it still make me feel any better. It took a long time to completely get over it. BUT when I look at my child and think of how bad it could have really been or could be if it happened again, I would do it again if I had to.
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I'm sorry that you had to go through that too. I really do feel we have to do this so that we won't get to that point and have to put him to sleep like you had to. When I think about that I'm even more thankful that our dog just gave warnings and snapped his teeth rather than bite because I would have had to do exactly what you did.
@monica1216 (509)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Well that's what we have been doing for about 9 months now. We really never wanted to get to the point of giving our dog up for adoption because we truly were committed to keeping him. We gradually realized tho that keeping him separated from our 3 younger kids is not fair to him because it keeps him isolated from our family. He's been spending all day outside in the fenced yard and then evenings in his crate. Being kept like that gives him very little time to stay connected with us and was making him less and less socialized. He'll be much happier with a real family that he can spend more time with.
@sproutz (260)
• Canada
16 Jan 07
I know the sadness you probibaly feel. It really is best for your family and for the dogs too. I think they will enjoy their new place. Your doign the best for both the famil and dog. Kudos to you. Alot of people would brush it off untill something really bad happened.
@painturguy (177)
• United States
16 Jan 07
I am sorry to hear that you have to give up your dog. I have a Blue Merle Aussie and he is very protective and a bit unpredictable. He is about 10. When I kennel him, he cannot take walks or be petted by strangers. He is hard to manage around other people.When he was a pup, he did not get socialized. He loves me, of course, and I take very good care of him. I don't think I could let him go. He could easily bite someone and then I would have to. Sometimes you just have to do the best you can for all involved.
