Sausage Failing you? Find another way.

Yes, there is such a thing as a dog who most likely shouldn't be allowed to be too close to other dogs, or people for that matter. 

This does not mean that this dog should be relegated to a life of seeing the inside of his backyard fence, or snarling at things through the windows. 

This does not mean that this dog is incapable of working.  It does not mean he is incapable of changing.....to some degree.  Sometimes, this degree is so far away from what you started with, that you cannot believe the dog you now have.  Sometimes, it is a small degree of change, but the dog is happier and you are less frustrated, and on the way to a better life..... 


Nor does it mean, in my opinion, that he is "unfixable."  You may find yourself with what I like to call a "Lifetime Management Issue," but this 'issue' can be worked with.  Telling a person that their dog is hopeless, and therefore, you may as well do nothing and allow this animal to spend the rest of his life in the same, sorry, upset, stressed-out state of mind, while you go about ignoring his pain does not sit well with me.  Having one 'trainer' tell you the dog is hopeless, and taking their word for it, without the agreeing opinion of your vet, and at least one other trainer (with different methodology), is damning your dog to a lifetime without quality. 

So your dog has been diagnosed as a cat-killer, or has landed several other dogs in the hospital....This doesn't mean he's done for.  This means you have a choice.

You have a choice to work with what you have, and do some heavy groundwork to help change his emotional response to the stimulus that sends him into overdrive.  Your life will change.  Your choices about how you walk him, where you walk him, and when you walk him will change.  You will become his bodyguard.  You will become more outspoken than you ever thought possible.  You will accept that he may never be Safe, but with you around, he is no longer Dangerous.  Does that make sense?

The other side of that coin, is to humanely euthanize such an animal.  In my career, I have only suggested this to three people (cat-killing is not an offense worth euthanizing for, by the way).  And with this recommendation, came the suggestion to also have the animal examined thoroughly by a veterinarian, and at least two other aggression specialists.  When I "throw out" such a heavy sentence, it usually comes with an alternative.
 
"Your choice is to commit to never having children while you have this dog, as she will be a Lifetime Management Issue, or to euthanize."

"Your choice is to realize he will be functional for You, or to euthanize if you ever decide you cannot handle him and the lifestyle he requires anymore."

"If by 'send him to a farm' you mean euthanize, then yes.  That is a viable option for him at this point, unless you are willing to fully commit to his treatment and management....."

In all three cases, the choice to commit to this and realize that it WILL be a ton of work, is there.  Euthanasia is not the Only option.....But you either commit to the dog you have, or do him that favor.  You cannot pass this level of problem off to someone else.  That is not fair.  You have no idea what someone else will do to him for his infractions.

And leaving him at home day in and day out, is not ok. 

"oh but he's happy!  He's getting a little fat, but he's so happy."  No.  He isn't.  He's bored out of his mind.  He is like a crazy person in an asylum.  He is getting his drugs and cookies, but he's not in therapy.  Without therapy and counseling, we may never know if he can be helped, or if truly, genetically, he is so flawed that he is a Lifetime Management Issue....and even then, let's get him out for a walk of some kind! 

Shall we?.....

Pitbull Puppies make me sick

Not at all kidding.  I am a member of a few facebook forums that are supposed to be a community of responsible, pitbull loving/accepting folks, and frankly, the number of "Lookit what I got!!" posts with a photo of a stupid-cute pit puppy churn my guts.

 I hope, in genuine sincerity, that you acquired that pup from a rescue.  I hope you didn't pay money for that to some dude off of Craigslist....or worse....."Yay! My Easter Present!!!"  Are you kidding me....?  Really?  Someone bought you a live pitbull puppy for Easter?  Not only does this fire me up on the do not give animals as presents front, it makes me worried that You might be a responsible Human, but the person who bought you that cute dog, had no idea what they were doing, and gave a back-yard breeder money to continue the practice.  And do you truly have time to raise and train that new present?! 

I know that there are TONS of puppies that cycle through the rescues, but I get so sad when I think about the senior dogs, and older dogs being passed over because someone opted for the cuteness instead.  I also understand that in some situations, getting a young dog is actually the better option.  You may actually have a good reason for wanting to raise your own; put in what you want; not have to deal with or fix any rescue baggage...I get that.  I have had moments where I too have considered a pup the next go'round.  But then I think of the numbers.

 4,800 out of 7,000.

That is the number of pitbull type dogs euthanized in my state (Colorado) 2013.  That is a lot of dead dogs that probably didn't have to be dead.   

I also know I am most likely being too cynical about this.....but I fear I may be absolutely right.  Most of these posts do not divulge where or whom the pup was "gotten" from.  They somehow "got" another puppy to go with the other three full-grown pits they already own.  "Well, my dogs wouldn't like a grown dog, so we got a puppy."  ok, fine...where did you get that puppy?