The difference between men and women. Hmmmm! I wish I had half the dog sense Deanna and Lee have. Some people should own gold fish. The're lots easier to dispose of if they don't live up to standards. A dog can be a real pain to flush down the crapper. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

To the pound or to the Vet to be put to sleep, I don't think it really matters. The point I was making is that if a dog has a problem thats incurable or uncontrolled behaviors that could be dangerous. I think it is responcible to have the dog dealt with. And not give it to another person or agency to put a burden on them emotionally, or threaten their saftey or finacail situation.

If I test the dog and he does not pass my test I won't accept it. I've been asked to help out but I want to make sure the the dog has a chance to be part of our pack. I'm not a recuse agency, if the shoe don't fit, I won't force it.

If one of my dogs got ill to the point it was in pain everyday, rather then watch him/her suffer I'd deal with, take him to the Vet and bury it on my five acres somewhere. I'm not flushing the dog, but I won't past a dog off that will be a potential problem. Unless someone came to me thinking they could help it.

And of course I've been around here long enough to know that Deanne and Lee are great consultants and dog trainers. But their basing their advice on a unseen dog, and my preconceived idea of the worst case scenario. What if I meet the dog and instead of a male (the guy that approached me is her nephew that not real close to the dog) its a Black GSD female with bounds of energy and excellent Ob and personality. Or its a Male with the same traits, I'm hooked the dogs in and has a happy home, thats full of fun and adventure.

Sometimes I work in the worst case scenario, if I working with a "X" factor, so when I actually invovled and see a little above that its a plus.

Don writes:

"To the pound or to the Vet to be put to sleep, I don't think it really matters. The point I was making is that if a dog has a problem thats incurable or uncontrolled behaviors that could be dangerous. I think it is responcible to have the dog dealt with."

There's a big difference: the difference between taking responsibility oneself, up to and including euthanasia, and shuffling it off on someone else. The difference between "having the dog dealt with" and "dealing with the dog."

And I'm speaking from experience, here, having adopted a female GSD whose dog aggressiveness and lack of socialization started to erode the temperament and training of my Sch. candidate GSD. I didn't take her back to the pound to be euthanized, nor did I even take her to the vet. I paid $200 to have the vet come out to my house and euthanize her while she lay with her head in my lap. And frankly, the monetary outlay was the least of the cost--there's no one I could pay to handle my emotions for me.

But that's what's involved in being a responsible dog owner. As the Old Earth Dog said, "A dog can be a real pain to flush down the crapper."

 Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Trowbridge:
There's a big difference: the difference between taking responsibility oneself, up to and including euthanasia, and shuffling it off on someone else. The difference between "having the dog dealt with" and "dealing with the dog."

Excellent post!

Don, I think you need to really take some time to read and understand this. There's a problem called "macho dog syndrome" and I think you have it to some extent.

Thanks for this lessons in compassion, it not what I was asking for, but thanks anyway.

Before I start caring about a animal I look at it like a resource, a tool or Man power. If it can fit into my world then we have a match. If not I will let someone else adopt it.

I don't want a dog that runs and hides behind its owners leg or barks and runs and won't even come to the owner if a strangers close. I would let someone else deal with it. I don't want a dog thats already limping and hobbling when I first see it. I would not accept even a black female GSD in that condition. I've raised teenagers I don't want anymore problems.

As for letting a dog be put to sleep while its head lays in my lap, I don't have the time for that. You make a decison and live with it, I'm not saying that I won't have a tear in my eye. But it would not help him or me doing that. You handle things your way, I'll handle it mines. You call it a cowardly act, I call it compassion.

When the viking sent the burying craft out to sea they didn't need to watch it consumed they knew that the fire would do its job.

I'd really wanted advice on what to look out for, but I'll take your blind constructive advice, if the dog is not exactly what I'm looking for besides color and gender, I'll decline.

I like/luv dogs, but I don't love them. There is a difference to me in human life and a dogs life.
We are buddies but I realize that he will always be a dog, good (he cares) and bad (but he could still bite me, in the wrong situation). I won't baby a dog, I treat the animal, with respect and dignity.

Whats macho about that?

Ed has written articles about adding a new dog to an existing household and they are available though the training articles section. It isn't rocket science, and no one here can tell you all the what if's and possible combinations. None of us have a crystal ball.

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