What do do with a St Bernard, the Rescue won't take him

[happygirl]

Thanks. Very useful advice, which I will definitely pass on. I'm making the long drive to see her and the kids in a few weeks, and will also mention that my nephew might want a bit of counseling, which another pp suggested.

Your poor nephew. How old is the dog?

 

[taximomfor4]

Your poor nephew. How old is the dog?

I think about 4-5 yrs old now. They thought they were ok getting a giant dog like that, because they are generally kind, gentle, and are supposed to be great even around little kids. Theirs has always been pretty exuberant...definitely a problem given his size!!

Their other dog is old, and not going to live long either. I think they got the St Bernard so they wouldn't be dog-less when their old dog dies.

 

[mskayjay]

I am a huge animal lover and usually take the ones no one else wants.....(my current dog was found locked in a litter box, starving to death). I would *NOT* take that dog she has at all. With three bites already, the likelihood is it will bite again and even if it doesn't, it should live with being confined for half of its life because of it????? I'm sorry but no...... The dog needs to be humanely euthanized (God I hate that term.....)

 

[happygirl]

I think about 4-5 yrs old now. They thought they were ok getting a giant dog like that, because they are generally kind, gentle, and are supposed to be great even around little kids. Theirs has always been pretty exuberant...definitely a problem given his size!!

Their other dog is old, and not going to live long either. I think they got the St Bernard so they wouldn't be dog-less when their old dog dies.

I hope this won't scare them off the bred. Like I said earlier we raised them all of my kid life. They are sweetest dog in the world. I would hate for one bad apple ruin it for them

 

[DizBelle]

I think I may upset some people with my comments but here goes...

The humans in this scenario did something irresponsible somewhere along the line.

The people that had this dog created (breeder or puppy mill or whatever) did a poor job and forced bad traits into future generations.
The people that sold the dog did a poor job of ensuring that the dog was a good fit for the purchaser.
The people that bought the dog did a poor job in researching the breed or where this dog came from in determining if it was a good fit for their current and future family.

I don't think the dog was at fault at all. You can't blame a dog for being a dog (even a poorly bred one). It wasn't any more his fault than it is the fault of your child for having the traits that they were born with. The same goes for learned behaviors. I'm sure this dog wasn't "taught" to bite but I'm guessing he wasn't really taught otherwise either. Maybe he saw the nephew as an adversary for attention in the family and wasn't taught otherwise. No one taught the dog that the nephew was alpha to him. He was not taught to respect the humans in the house. No one should be surprised that he didn't.

It's sad that this dog is probably going to be euthanized because of irresponsible people but it happens more often than I like to think about.

 

[johnsontrio]

I have always heard that dogs get one free bite.

As a dog lover, this thread makes me very sad. I think there is no choice but to put the dog down. The safety of those around the dog is priority #1. The next bite might be a vicious attack and the adults involved will have to live with the fact that they knew the dog was a danger and/or legal implications.

The children involved need to be emotionally supported and told clearly that this is not their doing or responsibility. to you and your family.

 

[PaulaSue]

The Dog is not safe and shouldn't be around kids. SPCA will not take animals like that here and only put them down. I would feel terrible if you gave it to another family and it bit again.

 

[Jynohn]

As a breeder and rescue person, I agree that putting the dog to sleep is the only responsible, humane thing to do. I have Great Danes, and there's no way I would take the chance of having a giant breed dog with known aggression problems near my children. Nor is it responsible to rehome the dog with another family. Rescue won't take him because as others have pointed out, it's a tragedy or lawsuit just waiting to happen. It sounds like this poor dog had several strikes against him due to his poor breeding and most likely lack of proper socialization as a very young puppy.

I'm sorry for what your family is going through

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Growing up, we had to have a dog put down because he bit my brother. 30 years later my brother is a huge animal lover. He's always had a dog, and he is not emotionally scarred by it. Your nephew will be sad, but he will be fine. Just make sure he understands it is not his fault.

 

[sbell111]

Cujo will probably be put down, but I disagree that this is the only possible good outcome. I reject the notion that a biter such as this dog cannot be rehabilitated. Certainly, it should not be in a home with children or small animals, but the right home and the right owner could save this dog.

It's sad that this is not going to happen.

 

[terri01p]

Wow just wow, before anyone takes the time to find the poor animal a good home they just assume kill it. Geez I hope they don't get another dog ever!!!!!!!!

 

[Jynohn]

Wow just wow, before anyone takes the time to find the poor animal a good home they just assume kill it. Geez I hope they don't get another dog ever!!!!!!!!

So I assume you would be willing to adopt a 150+ pound dog who's a known biter?

 

[C.Ann]

Three bites is too many - regardless of the situation.. If a childless home can't be found the only alternative is for the dog to be put down..

It's a sad thing - but a child being maimed or killed would be even sadder..

 

[minkydog]

I think its time he's put down. It's a horrible decision to have to make but definitely the correct one.

I agree. I grew up with Saint Bernards--they were both 200-lb giants. The first one was a lovebug. He would have eaten his own leg off before he would bite a child(or anyone else, for that matter.) The second one came from the pound and had been terribly mistreated. My dad had this misplaced compassion for the dog because it was a Saint and really thought he could rehabilitate it, despite the fact that there were 5 children at home. He allowed that dog to bite EVERY ONE OF US before he admitted that the dog was dangerous and had to be put down. Believe it or not, my father blamed us kids for "driving the dog to bite."

OP, you can help your SIL & DB by supporting them in putting the dog down. Let them cry on your shoulder; it can't be easy to let go of a dog you truly loved.

This dog cannot be a member of their household anymore. He has bitten 3 times. He will not stop biting now.

 

[johnsontrio]

To those of you that think a suitable home can be found for this dog I have a question.

How would you go about finding a safe home for this dog and others like it? If you are thinking someone that has a bit of property and no kids around, how do you have a 100% guarantee that this dog would have no contact with anyone that is vulnerable? No one has complete control over who comes on their property and when. The dog would need to come into contact with people at the vets office, etc..

Here in our local area, 2 adults were killed by a dog that was off it's property in a rural area. The dog killed an elderly man on his own property and a woman that was walking for exercise, IIRC. The dog had a history of biting and the owner felt comfortable with the fact that she lived out in a rural area.

She has been charged.

 

[Epcot luvr]

I agree with the poster who said somone at some point failed this dog, it is a very sad story. I wish I could offer advice she called the rescue, did she speak with her own vet who is familar with the dog? I had a neighbor who wanted to put down their golden because they said it nipped, well the vet took it. I guess a lesson to all who read this do not buy from a pet store, proper training and eduaction when you are taking on a pet. My heart breaks for the dog. I hope your nephew is ok. I just finished reading a book "The life of a stray" an autobiography, what a tear jerker.

 

[DawnCt1]

I am sad about this. This sounds like a dog that developed a fear response to children, and the last time, struck before he felt he had to defend himself. He sounds like a dog that would do nicely in an all adult setting on a farm where he had room to roam. I think I would look for that type of setting before condemning the dog. I do see the other side of course, but then, I pick up spiders and carry them out of my house.

 

[sbell111]

To those of you that think a suitable home can be found for this dog I have a question.

How would you go about finding a safe home for this dog and others like it?

No one is saying that it would be simple to find a new home for the dog. Just because something is difficult doesn't mean that it shouldn't be done and certainly doesn't mean that everyone should default to euthanasia, as many in this thread has.

If you are thinking someone that has a bit of property and no kids around, how do you have a 100% guarantee that this dog would have no contact with anyone that is vulnerable? No one has complete control over who comes on their property and when. The dog would need to come into contact with people at the vets office, etc..

This is no different than any dog. As a responsible pet owner, you ensure that 1) no one can possibly come into contact with your dog when the animal is not under your control and 2) you maintain control of your animal when it is around others.

No one is suggesting that Cujo be taken to the nearest off-leash park for a play date. Rather, he needs a very structured environment where the owner gives him proper training and authority is made clear. The animal should not feel threatened, not should he believe for a second that he is alpha.

I've seen mistreated pit bulls that had been used for dog fighting turned around. I hardly feel that this saint bernard is a lost cause.

 

[DisTeach1]

We are struggling with the same thing with our lab/mix that we got as a puppy from rescue. Whether it's from bad breeding or poor socialization, he has a very unpredictable side to him and has bitten 3 times. We were very lucky the first time...he bit our son's friend in the face. He is very dog aggressive. I was walking him last week and he lunged at someone.

Most of the time, he is fine. But like my vet said...This dog will be fine 95% of the time. It's the 5% that you have to worry about, because you never know when it will happen.

I want to put him to sleep, but it's the 95% of the time that my husband and son are attached to.

 

[sbell111]

We are struggling with the same thing with our lab/mix that we got as a puppy from rescue. Whether it's from bad breeding or poor socialization, he has a very unpredictable side to him and has bitten 3 times. We were very lucky the first time...he bit our son's friend in the face. He is very dog aggressive. I was walking him last week and he lunged at someone.

Most of the time, he is fine. But like my vet said...This dog will be fine 95% of the time. It's the 5% that you have to worry about, because you never know when it will happen.

I want to put him to sleep, but it's the 95% of the time that my husband and son are attached to.

Interesting post.

How long have you had the dog? What training has the dog received? Does everyone participate in the training? Is everyone 'living' that training? What have you done to correct the behavior?