Urgent: Advice/help Needed

[FairyDogMother]

This is part of an email update I received today about my first and former foster Merle who was renamed Monty.
To fill you all in a little. I knew he was afraid of new things while he was growing up but got over it really quickly. He also freaked out initially when meeting a new dog after about 7 months of age.
I guess his fears expanded to strangers and alot of everything else. He's transformed into an aggressive dog! This gal has hired a behaviorist and a trainer and I'm confident she's one to follow through with everything to the letter.
I'm so incredibly heartbroken.. I don't know what to say or do!!!!!
Anyone have anything for me???? Please!

I also want to talk to you about what is going on. It is a sad day for all of us...the vet said that he will most likely never get over the aggression that he has, that he is genetically programmed to be that dog. He said that we can try to desensitize him, but that is about all we can do. He does a little better for awhile but then he'll go right back to it. ****and I are quite sad and dont know what to do. We are going to consult a couple of other trainers that the vet recommended, but we may not be able to keep him. This is obviously the worst case scenario. Please understand that we love him and are quite attached but we cant have an aggressive animal. I dont want to upset you but I wanted to know what his fate would be if we bring him back to Bremerton? I hope you dont mind me emailing you this, I am just upset and want to do what is best for everyone!

[Hudsons~Mom]

That is yucky...I am sorry...but they are doing everything that they can to try to change what is going on....there is really nothing you can do but be there for them and support them.

Hey did you decide if you are going to keep (sp) Genivive

[Luvmyjob]

That is truely heartbreaking. I wish that I had some advice, but I can only offer support.

[FairyDogMother]

Originally Posted by Hudsons~Mom

That is yucky...I am sorry...but they are doing everything that they can to try to change what is going on....there is really nothing you can do but be there for them and support them.
I know that and at this rate he's gonna end up with option and I can't even go there in my head. This is getting me in the heart. I can't even bring him back here like this for the safety of everyone here! This is sooo terrible!

Hey did you decide if you are going to keep (sp) Genivive

hint: check out my photo galleries LOL

[Hudsons~Mom]

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY ohh I am soooooooo happy!!! Thank you so much for keeping her

[Bosley Slave]

[quote=Teresa;469066]
the vet said that he will most likely never get over the aggression that he has, that he is genetically programmed to be that dog. He said that we can try to desensitize him, but that is about all we can do.

I don't particularly like the vet's attitude, seems defeatist at best. Where do they live? I know an excellent trainer in the Lynnwood area that is just superb with aggresive dogs and she is a lovely person. She really works with the people and the dog together.

Do you think they may be reinforcing the "shy" behavior by cuddling and babying? So many people over baby rescue dogs because they feel sorry for what they've gone through. It really happens to the Chi's I've seen.

I hope they are committed and will really be careful with the trainer they chose.

I'm so sorry Teresa, these things happen more than we want. Hopefully they are willing to put in the work to fix this and help Merle live a happy life.

[FairyDogMother]

[quote=Bosley Slave;469207]

Originally Posted by Teresa

the vet said that he will most likely never get over the aggression that he has, that he is genetically programmed to be that dog. He said that we can try to desensitize him, but that is about all we can do.

I don't particularly like the vet's attitude, seems defeatist at best. Where do they live? I know an excellent trainer in the Lynnwood area that is just superb with aggresive dogs and she is a lovely person. She really works with the people and the dog together.

Do you think they may be reinforcing the "shy" behavior by cuddling and babying? So many people over baby rescue dogs because they feel sorry for what they've gone through. It really happens to the Chi's I've seen.

I hope they are committed and will really be careful with the trainer they chose.

I'm so sorry Teresa, these things happen more than we want. Hopefully they are willing to put in the work to fix this and help Merle live a happy life.

Yes! Please pm me the contact info. Very much appreciated!

[mara]

I'm really sorry, Teresa. I know how upsetting this must be for you.....I think they should try professional behaviourists/trainers, but having been the owner of an agressive dog I know there is only so much you can do.
Sometimes the most difficult decision to make is the kindest in the long run for the dog to avoid setting him up for failure......just my feeling.
Again....I'm sorry....

[fairlight]

No Teresa, I'm sorry I just can't believe any of that email that was sent to you. Not my Merle! YOU hand raised that dog from a pup, YOU know the ins and outs of that dog, YOU are the one who loved him and trained him. I'm sorry to say and and I hope and pray my prediction is wrong. An email is going to come back to you stating one of three things. 1. That they have exhausted all outlets and Merel does not fit in. 2. They took Merle to the pound, or 3. They want to give the dog back to you. I think you can see the writing on the wall. They do not want this dog. I can only impress upon you to please email them back and tell them if things do not work out to please be in touch with you first so you can take him back.

[Python]

He's transformed into an aggressive dog!

I wonder what has happened to him to make him aggressive?

Has he been allowed to do what he wants? Are his new owners teaching him properly? Perhaps they've decided they don't want him any more and are painting a black picture of him to justify getting rid of him?

A dog is usually only as good as it's owner.

I don't like the vet's attitude either. In 30 years of fostering/adopting animals I've only once seen an animal that was aggressive and that was a cat. The cat was the product of in-breeding in a very small feral colony. At one year of age this cat was the same size as a 4 month old kitten. It never grew. I fostered this cat for a few weeks and knew it had problems. It was rehomed with a young couple with no children. They were made aware that the cat had problems and they still wanted her. They genuinely tried everything they could (they kept in regular contact with me). The cat would never cross a room. It would slink round the walls. It seemed to have difficulty jumping up even onto fairly low objects. It seemed it's balance was off. It fell off a chair (not a high one) and broke it's leg. It spent a few weeks in plaster. One night the cat went mad and literally shredded the woman. She had to have stitches put in her head. They still wanted to keep the cat despite this. They changed their vet and the new vet ran various tests. The test results were bad. Because of the close in-breeding the cat had inherited a genetic fault. Apart from being highly-strung it also suffered from brittle bones. It's the only case I've ever heard of in a cat. The vet said it was a direct result of the in-breeding so it can happen but usually problems are apparent from the start. Unfortunately, the cat had to be PTS. The couple were absolutely heartbroken. They adopted another cat a few months after and everything was fine with their new cat.

I'm inclined to agree with Fairlight on this one.