for information on my Online Dog Training, check out: robertcabral.com/training/yt

I am a dog lover AND an ER nurse. It amazes me when a dog owner advocates for the dog that bit their kid's face off. Prioritize the value of your relationships...human and animal. Thank you for your work Robert!!

Thankyou for this podcast. A few years ago I had to have my doberman pts because of fear aggression. I got this dog when it was 15 months old. As soon as I got her home I could tell that she was very nervous of people. I was able in a short time to gain her trust. I taught her how to eat bones and enjoy treats and toys. Yes, she never knew what to do with them at first. I was also able to take them from her and return them, with no signs of aggression. She was so docile with myself and my adult son, and very loving. I fell in love with her almost immediately. If anyone else came over she would attack them and I would put myself between them so they could remove themselves from the situation. She never went for me. It was when other people came close to me, I believe she thought she was protecting me. She also started to attack my other dog, a husky. I had several dogs over my life, including other Dobermans. I tried to rehome her after about 5 months, but she would go for anyone who came over. I tried rescue groups and was told that they wouldn't take an aggressive dog. I had to make a really tough decision. I refused to take her to the local pound because I knew it would terrify her. My biggest fear was that if she was to escape ever, highly unlikely, that she could attack and possibly kill a child. So I made the decision to have her pts at my vet. I forwarded them before I went, and was let in through the back door. Although I didn't want it they insisted I put a muzzle on her. She was terrified. I asked for a few moments to say goodbye and try to reassure her. I couldn't stand seeing her so frightened, and called the vet to start the procedure. I held her in my arms as she slowly drifted away. I was heartbroken, I truly loved her. I broke down when I got home, I felt I had let her down. Your podcast helped me to finally forgive myself. This was about 6 years ago.

I had to make the horrible decision to put my aggressive rescue dog down tomorrow and I needed to hear this to more understand that I’m not being unreasonable or a bad person but man it’s hard

I was looking at getting a dog a few years ago. Met a large dog (some kind of ridgeback mix) named Jax. We live in the middle of a crowded suburb and we asked if we could take the dog for a walk to get to know him since he was clearly stressed by the other shelter dogs barking at him. We were told NOTHING about the dog's history - just "here's some poop bags, a leash, and treats, have fun". While out on the walk, we passed a family. Jax lunged at the child and started snarling, hackles up, the whole nine yards at a four year old child. The only indication we had that there would be anything wrong was "best suited for homes with older children" and we had wrongfully assumed it was due to his size and young age. I'm grateful he didn't make contact with that little girl and absolutely furious that we were allowed to take him in public without knowing his past. They didn't want to tell us that this dog has baby aggression. The whole reason he was given up in the first place was aggression towards his owners' infant and we only found that out after insisting to see his file.

YOU ARE NOT A PC KIND OF GUY AND I LOVE THAT , MORE VIDEOS PLEASE .

Thanks for addressing this issue, I had to put my dog to sleep last year due to persistent, unprovoked aggression. It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and have been haunted by guilt ever since. Hearing a more experienced trainer such as yourself back up my decision really helps.

I live with it as a trainer I took in a dog from a rescue for training he can never be rehomed or trusted with other people he can walk in public and behave but no one other then a small handful of people can pet him. Do to an underlying traumatic event that really messed him up at a young age before he came to me great dog but knowing his ability and respecting it is paramount to keep him and others safe.

Thank you so much for this honest video. I have made the decision to to put my dog down today, and my gut is in a knot. He has a history of animal and human aggression going back to when he was maturing. I am not inexperienced with dogs. I have researched and tried every possible approach. I honestly believe he has a neurological problem. I can't kennel him, and even vets don't want to treat him. I have a terrible bite on my hand now for simply trying to take his collar off, and this simply can't go on. He is 4 now. He isn't going to change. This video gives me some peace for a decision that is so painful.

The hardest decision I’ve ever had to make was to put a dog down. It’s so hard to do but sometimes it’s necessary because of health issues or aggressive behavior. I couldn’t live with myself if I knowingly rehome or keep a dog that would harm someone. I know some people will never say that it should be done but I agree with you. On another note I’m so sorry for what happened to your father.

My new favorite trainer. So refreshing to hear common sense and truth.

The kindest thing is honesty. The shelter behaviorist brought our dog back from an assessment and said she needs to be euthanized. He explained exactly what was said in this podcast. He didn’t give us false hope that a perfect family/person would come along. He said she would live here for 6 months if you chose to surrender and she would deteriorate and be put down anyways. We were told by our vet after a physical check of her that the only way to manage her was to have two separate households, which is no kind of life. We kept holding out hope and she attacked our infant unprovoked and luckily didn’t maul him. He escaped with stitches and we learned a valuable and fortunately not a costly lesson. We made an appointment and held her and told her we loved her as we let her go. We have cried and cried but nothing is more valuable than a human life.

probably the best, most informed, most balanced opinion I've heard on the topic.

Thank you for posting this video. I was recently fostering a 1 year old Great Dane mix that was given up because of unpredictable resource guarding with his family that got him as a puppy. With me, he was great for about 3 weeks. We walked, ran and hiked at least twice per day and had play dates with other dogs. Then one night, he sarted showing aggression over his space or a toy or ???? Trying to scold him or correct the behavior didn't work - he showed no remorse in that state or even recognize me any more. I learned to protect myself by staying away at night (when the behavior happened). I would just let him be. Sometimes I would leave the room if I felt threatened. When he was alone, he would come and find me and want to snuggle. 99.99% of the time, he was sweet, loyal, and fun. He was very fit and healthy, he loved other dogs, never fought, was good with other people. But since he exhibited that behavior in 2 homes, the rescue decided he was no longer an adoption candidate and was going to be euthanized. I was not able to adopt him myself, and struggled with the decision to euthanize him for a few weeks. I ultimately decided to do that, as it seemed to be the most humane thing to do. I wanted to be there with him at the end. I thought it was NOT right to put him in another home where he would probably do the same thing - especially since there are so many other dogs out there needing homes. And I didn't think it was right to take him to a 'no kill' shelter where he wouldn't have human contact - it would be like prison. I hugged him as he passed and told him how much I loved him, that I tried incredibly hard, and that I was so sorry. I cried and wanted some other outcome. But that's what happened 2 weeks ago. Even though the rescue, the vet and all the volunteers supported that decision, it''s been hard for me to accept since he truly was a good friend.

Something that Dog Trainer Joel Silverman says "Bond with your heart and train with your brain" has stuck with me. Not just for training the dog, but all decisions with a dog. We CANNOT make emotional decisions about a dog. We must make decisions using our brain with critical thinking skills. Anyone who thinks a dog takes precedence over a child should not be allowed to have either.

Putting my dog down this AM for this reason. Crying all morning questioning if I'm doing the right thing or if I did something wrong. I did a search on KZfaq and your video popped up first. I couldn't live with myself if she hurt someone else. Thank you for letting me know that I am brave and strong and decent for what I'm doing. Those thought did not cross my mind and now I feel supported in my decision.

Solid advice. The pets I have to put down because of illness all died in our arms peacefully, it is the last gift we can give them and we owe it to them. Putting down a healthy pet because of aggression issues would be hard, but I could not justify putting children or even adults at risk, and certainly wouldn’t pass the problem to someone else. Think long and hard before adopting because that’s part of the contract.

Please don’t excuse yourself for being honest. Thank you for all you do and keep on teaching us.

Yes, yes..yes! I think we should put child molesters & aggressive violent people down as we do aggressive dogs. You cannot rehabilitation them. Society does not need either!

Holding your words close tonight, Robert. Having to make the tough decision and found your channel. Thank you for your expertise and support.

Any working or high drive dog ,you better have two hours a day for at a minimum, or get a pet rock .

No backlash from me. I'm heartily sick of people excusing their predatory dog that kills other animals. I don't care if it loves you. It does not have the right to terrorize, maim and kill other animals or go after other people. Period.

As always your honesty is appreciated.

I am a going-to-be owner. I really appreciate your honesty and clarity of expression. I follow your vids and show them to my mom too as she is a little apprehensive of having a Bullmastiff because of the size; she is coming around. But i also enjoy your subtly slipped in humour. I replay those. Thanks for taking out time and making these vids. Ppl like me really need these.

Tough topic, thanks for covering this.

Gotta say I love your thoughts. Absolutely correct, I’ve have several dogs in my life in which I’ve held them through the final breath. It’s the toughest thing to do but each one was deserving of respect. Those dogs were all 13/14 years old. My dogs are family members until they die. I’ve been watching your videos for awhile, I had to put down my last dog about six months ago, she had a stroke the vet said. After saying I’d never get another one, well I’m getting another dog. I’m excited to be getting a Corso, and the thoughts of training one of these intelligent, beautiful dogs. I truly believe these dogs MUST be highly trained. I appreciate your balanced approach to training, I thank you for your time producing videos training and q&a.

Thank you for this podcast. A couple of years ago we made the difficult decision to put down our loyal golden retriever. We rescued him from the mountain/desert in Idaho and he loved and adored me. But 11 days after we got him he bit my husband on the scalp. (11 staples to close the wound.) Several months later he nipped at and drew blood on my older son and a couple months after that he bit my youngest son on the cheek. The dog showed great restraint, (he was very dedicated and caring toward me) by not biting the children as hard as he did my husband. I have often felt great guilt and wondered if he could have been reconditioned. I now don’t believe so. He must have suffered some great trauma before we got him. Poor thing. 💔

Thank you so much for this. I’m heartbroken over just having made this painful decision. I trust you and your video brought considerable comfort.

Best advice on the topic I've heard, good job, Robert!

I'm so glad you're talking about this. It's hard for people to make decisions about this and having a sound mind like you giving feedback and expertise about this is going to help a lot of people looking online for information while trying to figure how to handle their respective situations with a dog at home acting out. In my case, I hired a professional because I wasn't sure what the right decision was, and I needed help navigating a challenging situation I found myself in after adopting a shelter dog. Thankfully it worked out for us but every situation is unique. I wish the best for people finding their family facing these types of decisions and situations. Just remember even though a decision may be hard, it doesn't mean it is wrong. Good vibes to all who are doing right by dogs, especially when it's hard. I have the same philosophy about a dog only leaving my home through death. I had to edit my comment to fist bump you for that! After my adopted dog had behavioral issues, my neighbors would suggest that I just "give it back" and "they'll find a good home for it." Are you kidding me? "They" who??? No, the buck stops here. This dog had already been rehomed multiple times and I was not going to continue contributing to that. I hired a professional to help me figure it out, but rehoming was never an option in my mind. If I was not a good enough owner to figure this out and fix this dog, I felt like basically no one would be and it'd be a joke to see if someone else could give him a better home. I eventually responded to people with, "No, I'm not going to do that. If I can't handle him, no one can, and I will put him down." Sounds like an arrogant thing to say, but I just felt like I was smart enough to ask for help and I was all in -- this dog had everything going for him and if it wasn't enough, then it would never be enough and I would need to call it off. Again, I am so glad I never had to pull the plug and I have an awesome doggy buddy now and I have learn SO much through this experience with this dog. It's one of the BEST "bad" things that ever happened to me! I just feel like not enough dog owners feel like they have the authority and wisdom to end their dog's life at the right time. More dog owners need to take responsibility and do right by their dogs, and not run away from responsibility and their own emotions. Do the right thing, deal with emotions later. Do right by your dog and your family! Stop saying "JoJo ran away" and teach your children about the cycle of life and how to make wise decisions as a pet parent. Okay, end of rant. :)

I find your approach to training intriguing with the absolute softness, love and understanding on one side and the absolute harshness on the other. And...then comes this video with you addressing such a sensitive issue head on with a solution many won't accept or understand and yet...you explain your opinion with such tenderness, logic and conviction...you finally made me an admirer. I don't like all aspects of your approach regarding training but...you are one of the few I would want to hear their opinion. For me, you and McCaan make the best combination of online advice. THANK YOU !!! (With a 3 months old GSD female)

What compassion and common sense. Luckily I have never personally owned an aggressive dog. I have been with them all for their last heart beat. I never cry so my Service dogs can leave without worry. Losing a dog after a life time is tough. I agree with all you said . Great video Robert on a very difficult subject. I am so sorry about your Father. Thank you Robert .

I have been subscribed for quite a while and have never been more impressed than with this broadcast.

Thanks for having the courage to give your valuable perspective. I do happen to agree with you -- hard realities are things to be dealt with & not avoided. Some animals & some people, use up all their chances. We wish it were otherwise, but it happens.

Thank you for addressing this issue. I adopted a wonderful sable GSD who was abused, she was very untrusting of strangers, she was 6 mo old. Now at almost 3, she has become an awesome dog. She is now very good with strangers. Loves children! I feel that the love I showed her and her older "sister" , a B/T 8yr old GSD have showed her that not all people are bad. I have the same beliefs about dogs that are aggressive. It sucks, but sometimes you can't save them all. She is my 3rd. Rescue dog. All have been exceptional dogs.

Kudos on talking about this. Yes, there are mentally unsound dogs. These dogs are born this way and no training will ever make them 100% safe. Others are made difficult/aggressive/fearful though experience, and often they can be rehabilitated by knowledgeable dog people with experience. But...I’d like to put in my 2 cents about the GSD. Just from hearing what you said about the the GSD in the first case...my thoughts with over 20 years GSD experience...are that CLEARLY something happened at the dog boarding facility he was placed in, that created this aggression issue. That needs to be looked into before any diagnosis is made. It is just hugely unlikely that a GSD, at 10 mo of age, raised appropriately and fairly, with no prior signs of aggression, will display sudden biting tendency out of nowhere. It is telling that the owner says this happened the first night after the dog came back from boarding. Folks, do not place your young GSD into a boarding facility, ever. Unless, you know 1000% that the facility is good and you personally know the person that will handle your dog. A boarding place is a money-making business and some do not have your dogs best interests at heart. Want to risk screwing up your dog?...then go ahead send him away to where you have no control over what your dog experiences. If you do, don’t be surprised if you get a completely different dog back. A GSD at 10 mo might be right in the middle of a „fear phase”, or an “unsure and insecure of themselves” phase. GSDs have these phases as they grow into adulthood, which they don‘t reach until they are at least 2 or 2.5 years of age. GSDs are ‘thinking dogs’, and they take a while longer to mature. At 10 months of age, that is a common age for a fear phase....and sending them off to boarding at this time can be detrimental to mental development, depending on what the dogs perceives, or actually happens, to the dog. I hope it works out for the dog.

Thank you very much for confirming the conclusion I have come to after hearing many others opinion on the subject. ❤️ it’s A very tough subject but must be spoken about/shared... thank you so much for doing so.

Thank you for explaining how aggression has been bred into pitbull lines and is more common than people realize. Maybe it surfaces, maybe not, and you can't test for it like a disease.

SOOOOOOO GOOD!!! Thank you! I'm so glad to hear your point of view.

I am severely impressed by this. Thank you.

Thank you Robert for tackling this difficult issue.

Thank you for talking about this very difficult subject. God bless you.

Keep up The good work!

GREAT video and very informative. Thank you.

... Thanks Robert ... a very difficult subject that was well done ... Thank you ...

Thank you for this. We just made the agonizing decision to put my daughter’s dog down as he had aggression issues toward children and strangers. Your words make me feel better about our decision and we honorably were with him and loving him when he was put down.

Thank you so much for the honesty. I am so tired of hearing people who only believe in positive training taking the side of the dog over the human.

We have had a couple of bad dogs. We have learned the hard way that the issues were unfixable with one. We knew what to do, and that we needed to keep the dog separate from people other than family. One of them we had for 14 yrs before his hind end gave out. It was heartbreaking because even though the vet knew him he had to be muzzled. But our vet was great that he knew as soon as he could, he took the muzzle off before his last breath. Then we had a three yr old pit. I Loved that dog. (We got him at about a year old)But again, he had issues and had bitten. We kept him away from other people. He loved going to the barn with my daughter, and she always took him out with her. One day He went after her. He was on a leash in the house, and I can’t believe still that I got to him before he got to my daughter(she was 20 at the time she never hurt the dog, she loved him) but I grabbed his leash and pulled him. He turned and got me in the arm luckily I didn’t need a Dr. and i held him up on his hind legs and my husband took and put him away. Unfortunately after the fact and thinking back he had always had the tendency to do this. I just didn’t see it. We had a behavioral trainer come to the house and after 15 min, he said he would put him down. The behavioral trainer said he was very fearful, and that I mistook his behavior as not. I didn’t think the dog was afraid of anything. .( until after we put him down I thought about some of his behaviors.) We had had him with three different trainers. And not one picked up on it. It broke my heart, you can keep a dog from others, but family that live in the same house, you can’t. We have worked with to the best of our ability with our dogs, they all get training and I’m the consistent one with it. But I’m not a behavioralist, and missed quit a bit with my pit mix. So I understand the guilt, and realized my dog was unhappy ,and just not right. Did not know anything about him when we got him from the shelter. And i am there for all my dogs when the time comes for them to crossover. In the last 30 years we have had 9 dogs. Usually at least two at a time but had 4 at one time too. Now just down to 2. Being there when putting your dog down is one of the hardest things, and also the last compassionate loving thing you can do for your dog.

I had two dogs: a pit mix and a pit bull. My pit mix was 3 years old when I rescued the pit as a 4 month old puppy. I had a 6 year old Rat Terrier at the time as well. I am angry at myself for not thinking that raising a pit pup that grew up outside in a muddy kennel with its littermates would end up so horrible. I should have known something was up when both parent dogs appeared up for “adoption” less than a month after the pups were all gone. The pit pup was a bit aloof. I chalked that up to under socialization. I have rescued and rehabbed dogs before, so that was not new to me. Fast forward a month after getting the puppy. I had given all 3 dogs their own marrow bone in their individual kennels. I let them all out to play. I was at fault. I did not expect my Rat Terrier to walk into the pup’s kennel to sniff out the pup’s bone. I should have closed the doors of all the kennels. All dogs had been playing together super well since day one. This 5 month old pup attacked and severely injured my Rat Terrier. Vet visit and treatment was over $1500. My Rat Terrier was traumatized by the experience. Things calmed down. I was careful. No food, treats or high value items outside of crates, crate doors closed when not occupied. Immediately. That process worked for nearly a year. The now 1.5 year old attacked my pit mix. Dogs were of the same size by then and I was able to safely break up the fight. Both dogs did need vet care, though. NO stitches needed this time, just wound care and antibiotics. I reached out to multiple pit bull rescue groups, asking for help. They gave some advice, some methods, but nobody could take him. I continued to reach out to more groups. All were full. They suggested I keep looking. The final attack was my fault. I was rushing to get my two dogs ready for a trip to my sister’s house for Thanksgiving. The Rat Terrier had already been adopted by a family where someone was always home (the dog developed severe separation anxiety). The dogs did each have a bone in their kennel. I did not correctly close the Pit’s kennel. My older dog, the pit mix, walked over to sniff the kennel. My pit attacked him immediately and very aggressively. Blood was all over the room. My older dog was screaming as he tried to fight back. The only way my pit would release was for me to take a leash, put around his neck and, with all my strength, lift him fully off the floor. It was only when oxygen decreased to his brain that he let go. I immediately attached him to a piece of furniture and tended to my other dog. Both had wounds everywhere. Blood was everywhere. Both went to the ER Vet. I had to take dogs in separately because my pit never really exited the attack mode. I told the vet what happened, the history. I let them know that I wanted my pit mix treated first and his wounds addressed. I disclosed that I was considering having them put down the pit. They did not want to. The vet techs pleaded for me to rehome him. I explained that he needed a rescue experienced with extreme resource aggression. The Vet herself did not want to put down the dog. They all kept telling me to rehome him. All I could think of was this, which I told to the Vet herself: What if he is rehomed to a dog-free home, but for some reason he no longer gets along with people, especially kids? What if, that dog-free home becomes lax and has over a visitor with a dog? What if there is a toddler in the home and the family lets that toddler walk around with a peanut butter cookie in its hands? What if the kids drops the cookie and BOTH dogs, or just the one dog wants the cookie? What if my pit loses his mind again over the treat? What if a fight ensues and that toddler is injured, or killed? I COULD NOT LIVE WITH THOSE POSSIBLITIES! I told the Vet that the most responsible thing for me to do was put down the dog I loved. Yes, I loved that pit. He was so sweet, adored me, was obedient, always wanted to be near me, could seem to sense when I was depressed. He walked great on a leash, got along with my cat. He loved my family and all other people he met. He was beautiful. All but this ONE thing. The Vet again asked, are you sure? I said yes. She gave my pit some meds to help with pains of his wounds. She laid a blanket on the floor for him. She gave me towels to wrap him up. She gave me time. I laid on the floor with my boy, my pit, for FOUR HOURS. I talked to him. I loved on him, pet him. I apologized for failing him. How we all failed him. The people who owned his parents failed him by keeping him outside, making him compete for food and for not taking time to socialize him. I failed him by not slowing down to make sure EVERY time they had treats or food that everything went the way it should. Securely. I failed him by not getting help after the FIRST time it all went wrong. I held my boy while the Vet administered the euthanasia drugs. I laid on the floor beside him. I held him. I spent time with him, tears rolling down my cheeks as he took his last breath. It was horrible. Many people get angry about this. Them? I had to do this. Not them. It was the responsible end. It sucked. Criticize me, if you will. I still tell the story. I cannot be the only one who had to make the hard decision to put their own dog down for reasons other than medical. I need them to know they are not alone.

I couldn't agree more with this video podcast! See them through to the end for whatever reason. I have horses, cats, we've had rescue dobies, etc. We are their last home. Thanks for echoing what's been my mantra for decades.

Thank you for this! I’ve been going back and forth thinking there might be a home that could handle my 2 year old shepherd who has bitten many people and has aggression, but I know he would seriously injure anyone and this video really helped me feel better about making the decision to put him down.

Thank you... Seriously. This what I needed to hear.

Wow. Thank you.

Thank you so much

Love your podcast! Thanks for taking on these polarizing issues. I tried to adopt a dog and the shelters were full of bite histories and behavioral issues I don't have the mental energy or time to tackle. Off to a good breeder I went... My roadside rescue acts like a typical perfect family dog, but if only people knew the effort it took to get her there. On the reputable breeder topic, I'd love to hear you also cover reputable shelters. My friend just bought a dog from a puppy mill claiming to be a shelter. To me, it was obvious , but he still got the pup and it was diagnosed with Parvo a few days later. We'll see if it makes it...

looking at my girl one and half years I hope I never have to face a problem till she is old but you have made me think a great talk every one should listen

Thanks Robert. We had a very reactive fear aggressive Lab x for five years. He was a wonderful dog and loved people he knew but couldn't be trusted. He had come from a shelter and had spent his first year in a puppy farm so missed out on crucial socialisation. Multiple behaviourists couldn't help him. I feel bad about it but when my parents moved to a more urban area we knew he wouldn't cope in a busier place. We opted to put him to sleep rather than rehome for the reasons you've stated. He was a loaded gun and would have hurt someone in the wrong hands. I had the vet come to my house and he died on my lap on the dining room floor. It destroyed me but I think I did the right thing.

THANK YOU!🌷

Can you do more video podcasts please? I really like this format!! Thanks for a great video robert

Absolutely correct. Be a responsible pet owner. Don't leave your problem at the shelter. And, it's not fair to your dog to leave them scared & confused in a crazy-loud environment.

Thank you.

Thank you Robert for your support and advice.. As the saying goes..Dogs are a mans best friend but who wants a friend that attacks you or someone else unprovoked..like humans dogs can also be mentally unstable due to all sorts of reasons but mainly genetics. I always appreciate your sound advice.👍

Thank you for this video. We had to put our 11 year old dog down in January. He had shown signs through the years with agression and we struggled with the decision to not put him down for years. We finally had no choice when he bit our son. Mind you this was the same child he slept with every night for 10 1/2 years and out of no where he lunged and bit him. The next day we made an appointment with our vet and he agreed there was no other choice. It killed all of us and still does but in my heart I knew it was the right decision to make.

Robert, Thank you. Bravo. Needs to be said more often. Never ever understood the mindset that says I have a dog with serious problems to the point I can not deal anymore - let me pass on the problem to someone else ( usual an unsuspecting person). Hello if you don't want him why would anyone else. Again thank you for this video.

This is helpful ... thank you

Cheers Mate!

Absolutely agree with the responsibility. Particularly if you are a breeder. Too many breeders try to put a reduced price on a dog that is a cull. By not being selective you are weakening the blood line.

Hey Robert... Amazing video this is the finest I've seen you explaining how you feel and your opinions and your passion in your field .. once again you have proven that passion is key humane is key and being responsible and being an adult is key .. I love your opinions I love your structure I love your videos I love your website and I love the way you explain how to do what's right for the dog . And yes it's all about what's right for the dog !!!! what's right for our little buddies that live with us that holds memories and feelings as well just like us 🤘🤘💗💗

Great segment! Really enjoyed your show!

A friends wife went under a dining table to cuddle their large dog that they had for a couple of years. The dog bit her face disfiguring her . I and they don’t know why this happen because the dog never showed this behavior before. She may have startled the dog when it was asleep,either way they put the dog down. It was a very sad situation .

Excellent video.

Wow. This makes so much sense. My terrier hated our new stray puppy for the first couple months that Charlie has blessed our house 😁 lots of growling thru the fence. But, with lots of time and safe interactions thru the fence, they finally love and play with each other 😁

thanks for this lesson, Sensai...

Thank you 😊, you have helped me.

Thank you so much for this video I put my dog down today for being very aggressive toward our other dogs she started growling at my daughter and was so aggressive she was out to kill the other dogs. Now that I watched your video I know I did the right thing. My vet said the same thing as you said.

You touched on the issue that some dogs could be rehabilitated, even if they bit. I wish there was more discussion of how to distinguish when rehab might work. Of course you put down a dog who bites a kid, but beyond that you didn't say much about how to know if they were workable.

Thank you for this, we just had a similar experience we know what we have to do and that it’s best for everyone and it’s gonna suck I just blame the previous owner who abused our sweet pup and made him the way he is

Great video beautifully explained. The only people who can handle a dog like that are not looking for a dog like that. Raising a working line GSD to a solid standard is an incredible amount of work, real commitment. The casual dog owner pops to the shelter... Gets handed a land shark

This had me in tears so much but was the correct message to send out. about 2 weeks ago I came to own a 1 year old german shepherd that the lady "didn't have time to train" and handed it off to me. It bit the shit out of my hand and she kept a shock collar on him. I DID find him a home with a single man out in the country that has experience with aggressive dogs (and this dog just had fear aggression. within 2 minutes he was all loves with me and I was a complete stranger to him). He just wasn't taught to discern between a non-threatening stranger approaching vs one with malicious intent. I know with a good trainer he can be taught, but he could not stay with me when I have two small children in my home. Because to unteach that fear and reteach appropriate interactions and resocialize him was not something I am capable of in a high traffic home. It would have been way to stressful for him.

Someone to believe and trust. Thank you Robert

Great video, thanks Robert 👍🐶 ♥️😊

I’ve had a number of dogs, large and small . We don’t have a dog at this time and would love to have one but we know that to have a proper home and care for any pet it can be expensive especially ( as with people) as they get up in years . My point is , people should be made to know the ins and outs or the responsibilities plus the expense of owning a dog before they buy or adopt . And yes we have had to put our dogs down but because of old age and even though it was one of the hardest things to do , we knew and felt in our hearts our dogs had a great life while they were with us .

The best podcast of Robert yet! Thanks.

Great video again

Well said.

It's is both scary & heartbreaking if biting/attacking starts & one can't get it under control!

Wow. Can't Imagine.

Such a difficult video to watch. But I agree with everything you have said.

Thanks!

Very tough subject, kudos for taking it on & giving solid advice

I really like the way you thinking!

Thank you Robert. I have an aggressive dog who absolutely can't be trusted around children or small animals. She has bitten me 10 to 15 times. Some of these were guarding issues, some were her approaching me as if she wanted affection and then getting snarly and snappy. In spite of all this it is not an easy decision to make. I don't take her around other people unless she's muzzled. She has two crates And a pen.... I've spent a lot of time energy and money on managing her aggression. This is a dog I can never cuddle . She is a lot of fun when we are training or playing, super smart and athletic. It is not an easy decision. I know it is the right one.

I do 100% agree with you !!!

Thank you for bringing the common sense back.

Thank you for this podcast. Out of all the dogs I have worked with, I have only had to put one down due to aggression, but it has haunted me ever since even though logically I know it was the right thing to do. This was a very dangerous dog (a small black Lab) who I had been working with since he was 3 months old due to his aggressive nature. At 10 months old, he got loose and took off across 50 acres to attack the garbageman. He also did not tend to target the arms. If he ever attacked, it was clear he would go for the face. At 12 months, I finally was able to convince the owner that it was the right thing for both the dog and anyone around him to put him down. With me or my husband, he was a funny, goofy comic, but he was instant Kujo for anyone else. My husband is an excellent shot and wanted to take the dog for a final long walk through the woods, love him up, and put a bullet in his head. He would have had a wonderful last day and never known what happened to him. Instead, I made arrangements to take him to the vet. It was horrible. She gave me enough drugs to knock out a dog twice his size and they had no effect. He was panicked, terrified and vicious in the crate as she tried to euthanize him. I was with him the whole time, because I believed it was my responsibility to bear witness to the decision I made and do what I could for him. I hope to never have to do this again, but am glad to hear respected trainers like Robert talk about the necessity and validate that sometimes it is the only responsible decision.

Totally agree with everything you said. I worked with dogs for over 20 yrs. And in fact had Pit Bulls for about the same amount of time, and getting people to understand what they were truly bred for and to be a step ahead of them so they can be responsible Pit Bull owners is very hard sometimes.

About 9 months ago I adopted a 3 year old terrier mix from a rescue group here in Utah. He at first was a stay in a shelter. He was so aggressive no one could get near his kennel. So he was scheduled to be put down. A rescue group took him in before they put him down. The rescue group had him for 6 months adopted him out 2 times prior. Each time he was returned for aggression. When I met him I was warned about his issues. But I was drawn to him for some reason he had no aggression towards me. Seeing as I live alone few visitors I decided to not just give it a shot but committed to make it work out. He is in my opinion 98% perfect acting in the house. But out side will not let anyone come close to the house. But spending time with him outside showing him what acceptable and whats not. He has come a long way and now I can see he will have a good long happy life. He still wants to kill the trash truck I let him have that one.

Your last part, about taking responsibility for your animal to the end is something I feel really strongly about. Absurdly enough this is the reason I will probably never provide a home for rescue dog or cat: all my local shelters/humane societies have contracts that stipulate that you can't put the animal down without their permission. And that is something I could never agree to. If I take on an animal it is my responsibility, I will never let someone else dictate that *my* sick, old or aggressive animal should continue to suffer.

Well said. Great advice on a sad subject.

Thanks for making this video. I went through this with my last dog. He was so dangerously aggressive with people and animals and then turned to children last straw he bit my three year old in the face. I looked to everyone for advice and they all said to our dog down. Vet his trainer even my pastor. And I did but it was the hardest thing I have ever done. But your thought process on this is right spot on. Thanks for making this.