With a Heavy Heart

[ZRabbits]

Aw I'm sorry. I know how it feels, both the sadness and the helplessness.

Thanks Meeps.

KAZ

[Snowshoe]

I'm so sorry. I've read your posts, it seemed like Lilly was working out so well and you were in love with her. What heartbreak.

[ZRabbits]

I'm so sorry. I've read your posts, it seemed like Lilly was working out so well and you were in love with her. What heartbreak.

That's what is so heartbreaking. She was coming along in leaps and bounds. But once she has these episodes, we have to start all over. If you remember, I posted about Lilly going after my husband before. I just can't wrap my head around it. My husband was the one that was with her every day before we brought her home. Once the "honeymoon" stage was over, her focus of attack when these episodes happen was on him. It's not like I was the only one working with her. Both of us were truly involved.

Truly love her as I see what potential she could have. But I have no clue what sets off those episodes. Even have seen them come when on walks. Thankfully I let everyone who approached know how excitable and mouthy she was. What would have happened if this happened to a child? Bad enough my husband is in agony physically and emotionally, just think of the liability it would have come to for us? With today's society, maybe I would have been banned from ever having a dog again?

Sometimes the risk has to be weighed. And sometimes you have to just have to understand that not all can be saved. No matter what you do.

KAZ

[mcstak]

So sorry to hear about Lily. Sometimes the right decisions are not always the easiest, but you have to do what is best for everyone involved. I can only imagine how heartbroken you are because I know from your posts you have put your heart into Lily.

[EmmaJo11]

So sorry for your family and Lily.

[POPTOP]

I'm so sorry. It's a very hard decision to make getting attached and then having to let go. You're right, sometimes a brain is just not right or, as you said, past experiences have caused serious problems. No judgment, you know what has to be done for you and your husband's safety.

Know of what I am speaking. We have a Dalmatian pup who was a handful and did fine until the first grandbaby came along. He had been in training. He immediately was fixated on the baby and not in a nice way. We spend 7 months and hundreds of dollars in more training. The trainer, who also worked with us at the house, said until the gran was big enough, the Dalmatian would look at him as a prey animal. We could not take the risk. He was returned to his breeder.

My heart goes out to you.

[smartrock]

We were in a similar position with one of our bullmastiffs several years ago. He was normally as sweet as pie but he bit me a few times, kind of out of the blue, and I was the one who provided all his day-to-day care- feeding, grooming, going to the vet, training. You can't have a 140 pound dog going after you unpredicatably, during the normal course of the day. We consulted a behaviorist, did everything we were advised to do, and yet... I know the pain of having to make that call and my heart goes out to you.

[lovealab2]

So very sorry you have to go through this. From your other posts I know you worked hard with her and did your best. This is a hard decision...but one that must be made.

[MightyThor]

I'm so sorry. Poor Lilly, who knows what she went through that triggers that behavior?

As a child, my husband was on the receiving end of a similar attack with a rescue that had been coming along so well. The attack was out of the blue. It's actually one of the reasons that we waited so long to get a dog - I wanted to rescue but he absolutely did not want to. He wanted to go through a breeder so that (in his words) we knew everything about the pup's experiences from the moment it was born. He has an almost irrational fear of rescue dogs, whereas I grew up with several wonderful rescues that I loved dearly. It took a long time for us to come to a point where I agreed to go through a breeder - it took a lot of research on my part, as well as a bad experience with a rescue group, before I agreed.

I hope you find the right dog for you and Lilly finds some peace.

[Charlotte K.]

I am sorry for all involved. She obviously does not have good bite inhibition, but she seemingly has some or he would literally be torn. No one needs bites like that. Please be sure that the shelter has her sit rabies quarantine for 10 days, for your family's safety. Also, when you do raise a pup, do not wrestle, etc with him, the way some like to do, as it can lead to harder mouth and this kind of biting. She is an adolescent, so, yeah, kind of wacky is normal at her age. The intensity of the bite is not normal.