Author Topic: When A Person Euthanizes A Dog Due To Behavior  (Read 1267 times)

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Offline Lola

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When A Person Euthanizes A Dog Due To Behavior
« on: September 18, 2014, 08:56:43 AM »
Quote
When you have a dog that would bite you, there is a world of hurt attached.
First, you are living with an abusive spouse, only it is not a spouse. In a marriage your friends would all cheer when you left, and there are resources to help you recover. With a dog, people will assume that that you failed or didn't try hard enough. Not only are you not supported, but you will be judged. Harshly.
And then there is your own inner grief. You love your dog. You know you can't do it any more. And you are at the end of your rope...
But the worst part, the part that no one will ever tell you in advance, is that when you euthanize a dog for a serious behaviour problem, you will be completely unprepared for the relief. While relief is normally a blessing, in this moment, it will be crippling. The guilt attached will knock the wind right out of you.
If you have ever had to euthanize a dog for a behaviour problem, my heart goes out to you. It is probably one of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make in your life. And is not one that I have ever seen a person take lightly...
Monique Anstee
Victoria, BC
http://www.naughtydogge.com
Everything you NEED to know about caring for your feline. www.catinfo.org

Offline Lola

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Re: When A Person Euthanizes A Dog Due To Behavior
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2014, 10:19:58 AM »
I found the above "interesting" because, as many of you know, I made the decision to put our Sparky down last December.  Putting down a furkid is NEVER easy.  Putting down a physically healthy furkid... beyond imaginable. 

We worked with (and around) her for 8 years.  We loved her.  She had a wonderful sweet side to her, as well as the "dark" side. 

However, we often felt she was an accident waiting to happen, but hoped we would find the "fix" before...

Fast forward:
She was determined to kill Lacy dog that dreadful morning.  The accident waiting to happen... happened. 

I always felt that we failed her.  "There are no bad dogs, just bad owners."  I looked into her eyes.  I told her I was sorry... and then I told her good-bye.  The dog that looked back at me... wasn't the "dark" Sparky.  She closed her eyes.  I heard a "sigh."  She was gone.

Among all the emotions, there was also relief.  Relief that Sparky's tortured soul was at peace.   rainbow3

By the way, I know the author is not referring to the same kind of relief I mentioned above.  I just don't want to "go there," at the moment.   :-* 
« Last Edit: September 18, 2014, 12:52:03 PM by Lola »
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Offline Pookie

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Re: When A Person Euthanizes A Dog Due To Behavior
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2014, 06:51:10 PM »
grouphug grouphug grouphug grouphug grouphug
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: When A Person Euthanizes A Dog Due To Behavior
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2014, 07:22:37 PM »
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Relief that Sparky's tortured soul was at peace.   rainbow3

And that's the crux of it Lola.  She WAS a tortured soul. Whatever it was that made her .."wrong"..I believe with all my heart that she suffered from it too. She may have been physically healthy but her mind was sick.  She WAS as loved as she could be.  There are some things that are just....insurmountable.

love and hugs....

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