Usually conversations about serious behavioral problems include three primary options for dealing with all serious behavioral problems: 1) Keep the dog and work with a trainer or behaviorist to mitigate or manage the problem, 2) re-home the dog if it can be done safely and responsibly, and 3) euthanize the dog. I ask them to surround themselves with good friends who are truly supportive, and to shake off any harsh judgements or unhelpful advice as best they can. When I talk to people in this situation I emphasize how important it is to be kind and compassionate toward themselves, as if they were facing a serious illness. It is exhausting, heartbreaking and terrifying. What I can do is start by sympathizing, and saying that I am so, so sorry that anyone is in the position of having to consider putting down a physically healthy dog because of a serious behavioral problem. Clients often asked me “What would you do if it was your dog?” I can never answer that question, because I’m not the one who will have to lie in bed at night thinking about what has happened. We all know that a great deal of what is labeled as “aggression” is defensive behavior, but for the sake of our discussion, let’s focus on consequences, and not what we think is the dog’s intent.įirst and Foremost: It is No One’s Decision But Your Own: This is both a blessing and a curse. Let me start by asking that we agree on a definition of “canine aggression.” For the sake of our discussion, let’s define aggression as an action in which a person is either injured or at clear risk of being injured by a dog. I’ll get the conversation started, but I greatly value the input of you as a reader, if you have any to share. My intention here is to help people considering the option of whether to put down a dog who is seriously aggressive, in hopes that I can provide some guidance. Euthanizing a physically healthy dog, one who is joyful and loving part of the time, is surely the hardest thing a dog lover has to face. Often I’d run into people who would say “Oh! What a wonderful job you have!”, no doubt envisioning me spending my days running through fields of daisies with Golden Retriever puppies.Īs hard as it is to talk to clients about whether to put down an aggressive dog, it is nothing compared to what the owners are going through. I would drive home, sick at heart, and wonder why the hell I hadn’t found an easier way to make a living. These were some of the hardest cases I worked with when I was seeing clients full time. And yet, sometimes, that is an option that dog owners have to consider. If there is anything harder than euthanizing a beloved dog for serious behavioral problems, I don’t know what it is.

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