[sabrina]

The last couple of days have been hard for my husband and myself, on Thursday night we took our two and a half year old Staffie cross lab/lurcher to the vet and had her put down. Lizzie was my OH dog, I called her his as he took her on as a pup when no one wanted her. My friend rescued her mum a pure bred staffie who was chucked out when she became pregnant to the dog next door. Sasha had two pups but no one wanted them so my friend found a home for her mum and kept one pup we took the other. Both of us already had three dogs so another one was not a problem. Lizzie was a very friendly girl, loved her dad to bits, when he came home I never got looked at. She was great with the grandchildren, played a bit ruff some times with Tanya one of our German Shepherds but nothing that she could not handle that is until Thursday evening. We had gone for a walk down our farm road, Jake, (Jack Russell ) was running ahead as usual, Fallon our old German Shepherd was staying close to me as she does not see so well and Lizzie and Tanya were both a few steps in front when all of a sudden Lizzie attacked Tanya. Gordon and I stood horrified, nothing we did could get Lizzie to stop and when Jake went in about to help Tanya Lizzie bit him on the back of the neck. I managed to get her lead on but even then she went back to have another go. There was blood everywhere. Tanya was bitten on the face, neck, legs and back and was in a state of shock. what scared me so much was what if she had done this when my granddaughter who is nine and loves her to bits was out with myself and the dogs. Tanya has been like a mother to Lizzie and we will never understand why she attacked her but it was so bad that we decided to have her put down right away. She was a well trained dog but what she did on Thursday night was so out of control that I doubt she even heard my voice. We took her home and buried her under some trees, today I planted bulbs on her grave

[MiriMaran]

Oh gosh that so so heart breaking - I really feel for you, but thank God you have done the responsible thing and had her put to sleep.  I had to have a collie put to sleep a few years as he wasn't safe around children and I just wasn't willing to take the chance even though he had never done anything.  He was only 3.

How is Tanya doing?  Put all your energies into looking after her and just feel very relieved that it was her that was attacked and not a child.

Big hug to you

[ukag0972]

As bad as this is, well done for letting your head rule your heart!!

I hope that I would have the same courage as you, if i was faced with the same! X

[doganjo]

I have been where you are.  My first late husband had saved very hard after stopping smoking to get a well bred cocker spaniel to show.  She started to be unruly with the other two girls at about a year and they began to be afraid of her to the extent that when I went out I had to separate them.  Then one day I was kneeling on the floor making up the fire when she dived from the other side of the room and bit me just under my nose.  I still have a small scar. We took the decision right then and Sandy took her to the Vet that evening.  Our Vet said that he saw it coming and was surprised we hadn't been down with her before.  We had young children with their friends coming in and out and couldn't take the risk of keeping her after that.  It was Cocker Rage Syndrome, but your dog may have had a brain tumour.  I have heard of lovely natured dogs suddenly turning like that and autopsies showing that was the reason.  You did right without shadow of a doubt but it will not feel like that for a while. 

[little blue]

Very sad, but the right choice if the dog had no apparent reason for the attack.
No dog can be trusted 100% as they are all wolves at heart, it takes a brave and sensible person to do the right thing

[Rosemary]

Sorry to hear about your trauma. You know you've done the right thing though. Hope your other dog is OK.

[sabrina]

Tanya is recovering and her wounds seem to be healing which is a good sign but Jake our Jack Russell is very low, off his food and missing Lizzie. They both slept in our bedroom at night often sharing the same bed. Lizzie was not a large dog, about the size of a Springer Spaniel but she was very sturdy and strong. The force of her attack shocked us both but we are now wondering if she had been giving Jake a hard time as we have found old wounds on his body. There is no doubt in our minds that we did the right thing, our vet said that most people wait until the dog bites a person and by then its too late. With five young grandchildren it was a risk we could not take. Our house is not the same without her. Thankyou all for your kind words.

[Unicorn]

Well Done Sabrina - it is a tough decision and we have also shared your grief.

The difference being our daughter was attacked at 4 and a half years old by a Pedigree Golden Retriever, called Jack, that was my first ever dog. 

My Mother was terrified of dogs - infact we were not allowed pets because of her fear, so I got Jack so that my daughter would grow up with a friendly dog and not miss out like I did.


I got him at eight weeks when my Daughter was born, and they grew up together. We have lots of family photos of him playing with her in the baby walker in the garden of our first home together in Ireland.

We had to have Jack put down, the vet said it was Rage Syndrome, and it was really sad for all of us but especially for my daughter who not only had to have surgery on her leg, and is scarred for life, but because she also lost her best friend, and I my favourite dog whom I wanted to breed from.

My Mother blamed me for my Daughters trauma and scars, and has never forgiven me really, it strengthened her argument against animals.

Did not deter me though, we have a Cavalier King Charles and a Rottweiler, and pigs, cats, rabbits, goats ,guinea pigs and guinea fowl, hens, geese, miniature donkeys, emus, Sheep, Ducks and hope to get more dogs in the near future too.  It was one bad experience, and not anyone's fault.

You have made the right decision, and we all send our love to you at this difficult time x x x

[dixie]

As a responsible dog owner you did the right thing, we had a similar situation when our gsd 'turned' at the age of 9, we'd had her as a pup and she grew up with the children, one day she bit a chap working at ours then went on to attack our sheep, as hard as it was we had no choice but to have her put to sleep, at least you gave her a good start and a loving home, albeit a short life at least she had one, hugs from me too

[Roxy]

I have 6 dogs, no children.  I would not allow any child near my dogs, supervised or not.  My dogs are GSD and their x off spring.  Although the male is registered, I have a feeling he has Rotty in him somewhere (just had the Rotty look and colouring).  People tut tut about me having these large dogs, but ANY breed or size has the potential to turn, and when they do the consequences can be as equally bad.

I have two bitches (granny and granddaughter) who are fine until food is around, and then they go at it like they will kill each other.  The younger one and her sister did go to a new home as pups, and Flo adored the children there, but they returned her to us, as the two bitches were fighting over food.

What you did was a very hard thing to do, but doing that was indeed the better option when you consider what the dog could have done at a child.  On the other hand, it may never have touched a child, but I am sure you would never had any peace wondering if it would turn, and had it done so, you would never have forgiven yourself ......

You did what you had to.