[Macky]

Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I've posted here. The past couple of months have been horrible but things are a bit better now. I had an english springer spaniel that had some biting issues. We consulted a behaviorist/trainer to help.
We had arranged our home and his outside kennel so no one could get near him.
We did socialize him as a pup. We took him everywhere around people and was very sweet but as he got older he began getting nasty. He bit 10 times. 3 bites had to be stitched. One of those bites, he took off the end of a finger which ended in a law suit that cost our insurance company a huge settlement. The sad thing is that person knew not to hand feed Benny and she did anyway. We were in our yard, he was leashed and she pulled up in her car and stuck her hand out to give him a french fry and he ran up to her before I could pull him in, took the treat and the tip of her finger. He bit my husband and I five times. In the last year he bit our other dog twice.
Most of the time he was sweet, loyal, submissive, affectionate then without warning, he would become a different dog and bite. Within the last 3 months he would growl, curl his lip and show his teeth with just a simple act of petting him or walking toward him. Once he snapped at my other dog and when I tried to correct him he came after me.
When the lawsuit was settled, our insurance company said to remove the dog or our homeowners ins. would be dropped. We would not be able to get insurance in the state of Pa for 5 years. I talked to our vet (after an extensive exam and found him in good health) and also a friend who breeds boarder collies (responsively), has written books about dogs and trains service dogs. Both recommended euthanasia. The breeder told me she had to put down her JRT for the same reason. They both said Benny would probably never stop biting.
My fear was if he could possibly get out and harm someone, especially a child (height proximity to a child's face) I would not be able to live with myself. I also felt (and my breeder friend agreed) Benny was not a happy dog. Rage syndrome was a possiblity although I read about it on the internet and found it is confused at times with dominance/food/possessive aggression.
I thought of bringing him to Cornell U. to examine for a brain tumor and if he did have one did I really want to put this dog through such an invasive operation and STILL have to remove him from our home to protect our future? I wouldn't want to give him up. We would have to go without insurance (we had considered it and just hope for the best) but that wouldn't be a good idea.
I know in my heart I did everything I could to save my beloved dog but we had to finally have him put down. My physically healthy 3 year old, my (most of the time) loving best buddy had to be put down on March 10th. The guilt I felt was overwhelming. My husband wanted no part of putting him down, I took him myself. Unfortunately my husband is still in denial. He blames me for the biting (I haven't figured that out yet) but he is hurting very much. Today he received a booklet in the mail about dealing with the death of a pet. He had sent for it so he is at least trying to deal with it.
I'm sorry this is so long. It took me quite a while to be able to share this. Thank you for reading.
Macky

[terryjeanne]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[poopsiem]

You and your husband might want to read A Good Dog by Jon Katz. He faced similar issues with his beloved border collie and made the same responsible decision. It might provide further healing. So sorry for your loss. You have my deepest condolences.

[borzoimom]

I am sorry for your loss. It sounds like it has been a long time of painful events in many ways.
I would like to toss out to you an option this may have been. It would not have changed the outcome but might give you some peace here. " Rage" syndrone has been shown to run in springers- both english springers and springers. Its like a mental " short circuit"- and sounds like what was going on. They are fine minute then a live armed pistol the next. I had a belgium that had this condition, and unfortunately there is no way to tell for sure this is present until after euthenasia and the brain is exaimined. Usually shows by a shunt in the brain, but also can be present in the cranal " tissue" of the brain. There is no cure for this. The result is the same- And even a vet can not tell you for sure when the dog is still alive that this is the real cause. And the result is the same. ( euthenasia.)
Maybe this offering of information will give you some peace in your heart.. It also advances with age- not present in puppy hood and shows up after maturity..
Again- I am sorry for your loss.

[Malkuth]

Sorry for your loss.

Around these parts the house insurance companies make you get rid of your dog most of the time if a bite happens, or they drop you.

Have one customer that his dog who was chained up bit a toe truck driver. He has no idea how he got bit, but thinks the guy did something, the dog was on a chain.

Anyway my customer told the man that he will pay for any medical bills. The guy said ok and left. 2 days later he got a letter from a lawyer. To make this a little shorter, the house insurance paid. And made him get rid of the dog. Of course he did not really get rid of dog. But if something like that happens again, he will be paying out of pocket.

It never ceases to amaze me how stupid people are. If your dog is tied up, don't go up to it.

[agility collie mom]

I'm so sorry that you had to make this painful decision. Your husband will come around. All people grieve differently. Please except my sympathy.

[borzoimom]

Macky- blame is part of the grief process. When I lost my beloved Buddy I was blaming everyone. It took me quite awhile to realize what had happened to accept it. Agility is right- each of us reach different levels in the grief process at different times. Its taken me well over a month to be able to see pictures of Hottie without tears. And I was braced but that is not the same as coming to peace in your heart. And to put your mind at ease- even if a tumor on the brain, rarely is it operable in a dog. A person with a brain tumor can be reasoned with even if on just their level- it is not there in a dog most of the time.

[Macky]

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions.

Poopsiem, I will look for that book.

My husband said, "NO more dogs". But I know in time he will come around. I can not live without having at least one dog in the house. Right now we still have Tanner, my poodle/cockerspaniel mix we rescued from our neighbor who was ready to take him to the shelter. Tanner is 1 and 1/2 years old and the sweetest dog. He has not made any aggressive moves at all. Just loving and cuddly. He has been my comfort since putting Benny down.
We had Benny cremated and his box of ashes sits beside the ashes of our kitty (Muffin), Boston Terrier (Toby) and my husband's dog (Brandon) along with some of their personal items.