Need immediate help with a tough rescue decision - Page 1

Hi guys,

I've posted before a while ago... so for those who don't know here's the situation: we have a 10 month old pup and for some time now, have been looking to adopt a dog from a rescue (as a pet). We found a dog, but the owner wouldn't fix him due to high cost and rescue refused to place him unfixed... so, after a series of back-and-forths which led nowhere, I thought the deal was off.

Lo and behold, I'm contacted by owner today, and there's a little tidbbit of information that I didn't know before. It appears they're giving the dog away because the dog bit a child. From what I was explained, the dog is very protective of his crate, the 4 year old child bumped into it and the dog went for him. The dog was raised in the house with 2 young children and other pets, I was told he had a formal obedience training and is otherwise social and friendly. The owner can't keep the dog for long and trying to place him pronto, or he'll go to the pound. The dog is around 4 years old, working line and the breeder refused to assist in rehoming him, that's all I know.

I'm no stranger to dog training (although I'm not active in sport or ring, I've had a couple of CDX and TD titles placed on my dogs in the past 10 years), but I'm not a canine behaviorist and taking on a dog like that concerns me. On the other hand, we all know what's going to happen if he goes to the pound with his history. The dog by no means is a raging psycho, was probably just mishandled and I believe he deserves a chance, but I'm afraid, aside from us there're no takers. I'm absolutely torn here and clock is ticking. What would be your suggestions?

I don't know anything else about the dog, except he's still not fixed.

Thank you for helping me out.

Thank you, Susan. I realize you're right. In fact, if anyone asked me I would have told them the same thing, I know that much. And, yes, it's the knowledge that he's going to be PTS that got to me, but we can't save them all...

Hi Bubba,
Where are you located??? What part of the states?

The nice thing about most rescues is that they evaluate the dog and adopt to the appropriate home...I am one of the few rescues that do take supposedly aggressive dogs and try to retrain them. Most are misunderstood in the pounds because they are cage and kennel aggressive.. a rescue normally will not lie to you, that is why we have such strict adoption application policies and agreements...
We fit the dogs personality to your personal situation...activity level, experience, etc...

Leave that guy to a more experienced handler or let him go, once the dog gets to the shelter, they usually call us, the rescue groups, to take them...the first thing we do is spay/ neuter..
Hope this helps,
Stephanie
Montana German Shepherd Rescue

Glad to help, BubbaJ. Since we can't save them all, it makes sense to save the ones with good temperaments, not the ones that bite a 4-year-old child for bumping into the crate. A GSD with a proper temperament will tolerate almost anything from a small child, and will just leave the area when things get to be too much. A 2-year-old once stuffed his hand down my GSD's ear, and he just stood there with a goofy look and wagged his tail.

Check out the GSDs at www.petfinder.com. The right GSD is waiting for you somewhere--waiting for you to save his life.

Man this is like a person calling the doctor and saying i,ve got a headache, how much is brain surgery.

Not enough info for any kinda answer.

Sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest. The owners should not be placing this dog. They should have enough common sense and know that this dog is a liablity.  As for being protective of thier crates - if the dog was raised with the children then there is no reason why they should be UNLESS the owners/Adults let him get away with it. Again the owners are the ones at fault not the dog- dog only does what he is allowed to get away with.

this pretty much sums it up

Dog bite child ( dog has gotten away with it and will do it again )
Owners want to get rid of dog ASAP - due to safety of children/liablity
Breeder wants nothing to do with situration/liablity
Rescue found a excuse not to take dog ? must will reguardless
Owners saying if home is not found -Pound  (playing on heart strings)
No one else wants the liablity or hospital bill (or worse)

Quote - was probably just mishandled and I believe he deserves a chance, but I'm afraid, aside from us there're no takers.

In the back of your head you will always wonder and have fear of him around children and he will pick up on that. No dog is worth a child getting hurt over, not in my book.


Again a dog paying the price for non learning owners (saying it nicely)

EK

Krazy,

I'm in NJ. I'm pretty sure the owner withheld the information from the rescue to begin with or they would have let me known about aggression history. It's my understanding that the owner was difficult and the rescue basically washed their hands off of him, to me they said that they don't have time to try and reason with irresposible people (but I don't know why the rescue wouldn't just collect the dog and neuter him).

Regardless, I can only hope that once he goes to the pound, some other local rescue would step in and try to save him...

MVF,

Thank you for your input. We don't have toddlers, but we do have a 14 year old daughter and, of course, the house is overrun by her friends on regular basis, hence the reason for concern. That and the fact that I'm not entirely confident I have enough experience to rehabilitate this dog.

Thank you for your help, guys. I appreciate it.

Some times you need to pass . A very sad fact but very true . I do think the dog deserves a chance just not with you. If you doubt your skills to rehabilitate the dog please pass . Save a different dog . Let the experts figure out the problems this dog has and let them try to fix him . Some people really mess up good dogs ,Let yourself off the hook on this . Try to do what you can to help the dog get the right evaluation if that makes you feel better but you can not save them all .