Asking for your prayers...

[Spiderlashes]

and advice if you have any.

I have decided that I must surrender my almost 9 year old dog because I worry that he will become aggressive with my 8 month old daughter. He has a very unpredictable demeanor, has been violent with other animals, flinches when the baby comes near him, and has now barked at her in a very unsettling way. She's recently started crawling, and he seems to really hate it when she crawls up to him and tries to touch him. (She likes him a lot and smiles and laughs whenever she sees him.)

I've had this dog since he was 7 weeks old, and he was the apple of my eye. But now that I am a wife and mother, but I feel the only responsible thing for me to do is remove him from our home. I am simply not willing to risk having my child hurt.

I've been asking around, and no one I know wants to adopt him. So far, all the dog rescue agencies in the area are full (but I'll try a few more), and I hesitate to place another ad in the paper because it's very common for unscrupulous people to find bait for dog fights this way...plus I'm running out of time. (I did place one ad a few weeks ago, and I got no response.)

Unless I can find a good adoptive/foster home for him, I may have to drop him off at Animal Services. And because of his age and breed mix (boxer/chow), I was told that he would be be euthanized immediately.

I am deeply saddened by this situation. I know I'll miss this dog terribly, and I can't help but feel like I've let down my best friend.

Please pray for him (and me too, if you wouldn't mind).

If you have any advice, please share it. I live in Columbus, Ohio, btw, in case you know of anyone in the area wanting a good (but sometimes destructive and hyper) dog. He's loyal, playful, clean and very smart. Not good with babies or kittens or certain other male dogs.

 

[Dagna]

If you can't adopt him out, put him down yourself. It'll be the same result as taking him to the shelter, but at least he'll be with the one person that he knows at the end, rather than a stranger.

Have you considered training classes or animal behaviorists? They can do wonders with dogs, even 7 year old dogs. In the meantime, just keep them seperated. Get a baby gate and gate him off into a bathroom or kitchen. I understand that your 1st responsibility is to your child, but since the dog has not bitten yet, and does not sound like he's acting aggressively from your post, it would seem that this dog could be easily trainable. It sounds like he is acting more defensively than anything...

 

[jenptcfan]

Keep him separated from baby until you can find a home for him.

I can't imagine how torn you must feel. *hugs* Call around to animal trainers in your area and ask them if they think they can help.

 

[Chajara]

You might not have to get rid of him. Keep in mind that dogs are pack animals and this new little human is taking over his rank in the pack. Once he learns to accept that no matter what humans come before animals, he should back down.

If, however, he absolutely refuses to give up his hierarchy, then he may have to find another home.

I'll ask around at a pet forum I go to and see if anyone in your area can take him.