Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep?

My mom has a Jack Russell terrier that has been dog aggressive from 8 weeks until now, he is 6 years old now and it has gotten worse. he is now going after dogs he has known for years. It is getting to the point he is biting people in his way of the dog.…

    Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep?

    My mom has a Jack Russell terrier that has been dog aggressive from 8 weeks until now, he is 6 years old now and it has gotten worse. he is now going after dogs he has known for years. It is getting to the point he is biting people in his way of the dog.…...
    Dogs Training Discussions : Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep?...

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep?

      Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep? Dogs Training Discussions
      My mom has a Jack Russell terrier that has been dog aggressive from 8 weeks until now, he is 6 years old now and it has gotten worse. he is now going after dogs he has known for years. It is getting to the point he is biting people in his way of the dog. My mom is thinking about putting him to sleep. She wants my opinion, and I really don't know what to tell her.He has always been dog aggressive, every sense he has been 8 weeks.

      Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep?

      Is dog aggression a good cause to put a dog to sleep? Dogs Training Discussions
    • Well if the dog has previously been a calm dog, then you need to find out what is causing his aggression. He may have some kind of medical problem that is causing him some pain or distress. take him to the vet and tell the vet about his change in personality. No dog just suddenly becomes aggressive for no reason. Putting him to sleep is not the answer.

    • It could be he is in pain, and reacting to the pain aggressively. Certain diseases/medical issues can also cause a change in temperament. I would have his Thyroid checked, and have a full blood panel done to rule out any medical issue. Get a Behaviorist to help curb the dog aggression.

    • DA dogs can be managed, but honestly, if you cannot deal with his problems, and he's redirecting to people, you need to call in a professional. It's not unusual for any of the terrier breeds to be DA, but if you don't know what to do and it seems like euthanizing him is your only answer, it's time to get some help. If you can't afford it, you might want to consider his quality of life versus the measures you will have to take to protect society from him.

    • It can't be that difficult to keep him away from other dogs, assuming your mother hasn't foolishly brought any more into her home knowing he's aggressive. Rather than putting him to sleep, has she made any effort to find a rescue that will take him?

    • wow your mom has had a dog for 6 yrs and her first solution for him biting other dogs is to kill him...like the people before me said, hes prolly in pain...arthiritis or something like that....I had a old golden retriever who would attack other dogs, because after a while they have a territory.have you introduced any new dogs into his "territory" lately? that could be the cause....certainly not to kill it...gosh...sounds like your mom is just tired of dealing with him and wants a way out

    • that's a very tough question. if your dog is putting your lives in danger and the safety of your family and you have not gotten ant help to resolve this issue or have seen a dog trainer and nothing is helping you can talk to your vet to see what thay say and go from there. maybe your vet can suggest something. and if all else fails you can maybe turn in the to the spca and maybe thay can work with him on his aggressive behavior. because there has be a reason why he is doing this since he was a pup. a dog does not become that aggressive unless the family member is abusing him from 8 weeks on .

    • How sad that he never had the opportunity to be a dog and have doggie friends and outings. Obviously, the dog was never properly trained or socialized and this is what happens when owners are not responsible. Instead of killing him, perhaps your mother would consider finding a no kill shelter or a breed specific rescue group that would take him and train him so he would not be so afraid of other dogs. He is very fearful and that is why he behaves the way he does. Very sad but it is not his fault. It is not fair that he should have to lose his life because of failure of his human. Not right.

    • NO. R U afraid of the dog? If so, maybe it is time to try to get a different home for the dog. Some where out in the country, where he or she can run freely and no other domestic animals are around. Probably children should be avoided too. The JRT likes lots of attention, especially outdoors. The lack of that is problematic with a grumpy JRT. I own a 5 year old female JRT, who never liked other dogs or cats. We would dog sit a neighbors dog. and walk the two together. Our girl was fine with that. But tangled with another dog every time when not introduced to a joint session walk. I am pretty sure the extra outdoor play we give and the back yard trees with squirrels have kept her stable with our command and a real pleasure to be around. After proper amounts of play, she is content to lay around waiting for a pat on the head.

    • You should of nipped this problem in the butt 6 years ago, now a person could probably make it better but I doubt if it could be completely fixed. I will link a video showing a trainer working with a dog aggressive dog if you notice he is not correcting the dog , he is rewarding the dog for when it looks at him and doesn't focus and lunge at the dog. Basically that is what you would need to learn how to do with you Jack.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FgbarVF3CYShould you put this dog to sleep well probably but I truly believe this dog act the way it does because of you and how badly you did as a dog trainer, sorry that is the truth. Please don't get another dog unless you are willing to learn how to train dogs or take the time and effort to train dogs.

    • Ok...my answer would be no. i say that because as you said that hes always been an aggressive dog, but just because he's older doesn't change anything.BUT--- the smartest thing would be to get to the root of why he's acting out. there has to be something going on. Now if he's harming people or other animals and it's serious then maybe talk to a trainer or a vet. but if it's just basic aggression i would think it's because of his age. In all honesty the only reason a dog should be put to sleep (because of aggression) would be serious harm to other people or animals. If that hasn't happened its up to you and your family to get him help.

    • I would get a trainer. This could be an issue that can be solved. If it is such a huge problem, putting a dog to sleep is the last option if the dog bites you. I have a Dachshund who was previously dog aggressive. I trained her out of it. It is possible it just takes time.