And yet, sometimes, that is an option that dog owners have to consider. These were some of the hardest cases I worked with when I was seeing clients full time.
What a wonderful job you have! As hard as it is to talk to clients about whether to put down an aggressive dog, it is nothing compared to what the owners are going through. Euthanizing a physically healthy dog, one who is joyful and loving part of the time, is surely the hardest thing a dog lover has to face.
My intention here is to help people considering the option of whether to put down a dog who is seriously aggressive, in hopes that I can provide some guidance. What I can do is start by sympathizing, and saying that I am so, so sorry that anyone is in the position of having to consider putting down a physically healthy dog because of a serious behavioral problem. It is exhausting, heartbreaking and terrifying. When I talk to people in this situation I emphasize how important it is to be kind and compassionate toward themselves, as if they were facing a serious illness.
Their brain thinks they are. I ask them to surround themselves with good friends who are truly supportive, and to shake off any harsh judgements or unhelpful advice as best they can. Usually conversations about serious behavioral problems include three primary options for dealing with all serious behavioral problems: 1 Keep the dog and work with a trainer or behaviorist to mitigate or manage the problem, 2 re-home the dog if it can be done safely and responsibly, and 3 euthanize the dog.
Needless to say, option three should only be considered if options one and two are not viable. But how do you consider if they are or are not? Here are criteria that I suggest everyone consider:. That is true even if the dog is carefully managed and the owners work hard on a treatment plan. Would it be possible, I was asked, to work with the dog and make it safe? Yes, perhaps⦠anything is possible. Who would be willing to risk that kind of damage to another person. There are lots of dogs who can be turned around, or at least managed, as long as the owners acknowledge that the behavior needs addressing, and can find good advice about how to do so.
