Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Abandonded dogs

I work accross the street from an animal shelter. Once again, some idiot tied a dog to a tree overnight. I guess they could not find the time to drop it off by 7:00 PM when they close. This was one bad-a** dog. He looked like a black lab from a distance, but as I got closer I could see he was a big, bad mixed pit bull or something. He was mad as I have ever seen a dog: would not take water or my roast beef sandwich. He wanted fresh meat....ME! The experienced handler from the shelter and I were on our butts trying to leash him. He got the rabies stick and finally got him. The big guys mouth was bleeding from biting the stick.
Here is what struck me. The dog was wearing a Harley collar and leash. I wish I could tie the owner to the tree overnight with no water. And I would not give him my roast beef sandwich either!
I'm afraid this dog may be too far gone to rescue. I'm pretty good with dogs, but this one needs the Dog Whisperer. Hey Dwight, you know everybody of importance in CA, give him a call.

Mike Sr.

Is "dog whisperer" a new model of 12 gauge shotgun?

I see compassion in Montana is still measured by bore size. I'll admit to being petty humorless when it comes to animal abuse.

I'm not talking about abuse. Mike painted a picture of a dog that really can't be trusted to be let loose among humans. It's tragic but some dogs can't be saved when they've been raised by some jackhole who thought it would be cool to have a mean dog.

Said jackhole could use a shot in the tail with the same 12 ga. I could shoot the owner in his bum with little guilt(okay, just rock salt). But I still can't watch Old Yeller knowing how it ends .

John I have to agree with you. It is too bad. But with some dogs its just not safe to have them around. On another forum I hang out on, I got flamed hard for suggesting the same thing. On a dog who had bitten someone and the owner was worried about. I'm sorry but there has to be a limit to the amount of rescuing and compassion that incorrigible dogs get.

exactly...it's one thing to kill a pet, but this is purely "disposal" of an animal.

I love dogs as much as anybody. I've made friends with some pretty rough guard dogs in the past. But I have to agree that it is best to put a really bad dog down. This poor guys neck was tore up from a chain. He was well fed, but has no social skills. The karma train will eventually catch up to the idiot that made him this way. I hope his girlfriend/wife leaves him for another woman.

When it comes to disposal of animals that can not be rehabilitated I prefer the more humane drug overdose applied by vets or a simple handgun bullet to the back of the brain. Shotguns can not be trusted for a clean kill although death is certain at point blank range. The original post implies the animal is not safe a therefore should be euthanized post haste. Doesn't mean it can't be humane death for an abuse animal. I'll leave just punishment for the "human" that caused the situation for another day.

A 10 gage slug would be more fun for the jackhole!

Owners who let thier domestic pets run free and become road kill should be shot as well. I HATE seeing any animal as road kill but any domestic, cat or dog, really bothers me.

shotguns are more than capable of making a clean kill if you use the right load. #4 in a 12ga will drop a dog in its tracks @ 50yrds.

My point was not the capability of the weapon but the certainty of the shot. Until you've had to shoot a dog in the head you can't know how much it sucks but you have to be certain it's a kill shot. 20 years ago we had no SPCA and only one vet who didn't have the time. I missed once long ago and it was ugly. I won't make that mistake again.

them suckers sure can yelp.

I've had two dogs, one for 14 years. The most recent, a car stopped on the highway in front of a co-workers house. Door opens up, dog is pushed out, car drives on. They watched this happen. I had that dog, the legendary "pup" for 13 years. I never got around to giving him a proper Christian name, so he stayed the "pup". I had him put to sleep, by a friend who grew up to become a veterinarian, when he developed congestive heart problems two years ago. I've never had to put a dog down myself and agree it would be hard, but under circumstances the right thing to do.

I have little, make that zero regard for people who don't treat animals under their care in a humane & kind way.

jh

nope.. works on coyotes & medium sized dogs just fine. it's all about shot placement.

Several years ago I used my M-1 Garand to clear out some coyotes. Most any hit is a kill shot with a 30.06

I like cats.... dead ones. But now I have to get a cat, because squirrels and chipmunks are taking over my yard and damaging my garden. My Cocker Spaniel can't catch chipmunks or the squirrels. At least he tries.

Just my $.02 - tying a dog out for any length of time makes them go insane

Agreed. Chains and ropes are best left to ships.

And the bedroom!






Of course, I'm referring to hanging drapes and light fixtures!

There are no bad dogs.

Let me tell you about Logan. He is a jet black male Lab. 90lbs of ripped muscle and teeth. BIG square head and runs like no dog I've ever seen. He is amazingly fast. BUT-

He was mean. I mean REALLY MEAN. I saw him whip two German Sheppard's at once- and Logan started it- he wanted it. When I first ran across Logan, the kid down the road was whacking on him with a metal conduit pipe as he was chained to a tree. He has chipped teeth, two ribs that point the wrong direction, and a mess of scars on his face and legs.

My intent was to remove him from his current situation and find him a better place to live. we'll, he was too mean- nothing but a liability. I couldn't give him away- someone would sue me for sure. He had food aggressions, territory issues, dominance problems, and the list gos on. I called the Lab rescue- they came out, took one look at him and said no way. So I started working with him. He ran away, sometimes several times a day. He ate, humped, or whizzed on everything he could touch. He bit me- three times over the course of a year. We had our bouts, and more than once he was in the truck taking "the ride" to see the vet. Once he had the 12ga screwed into his ear in the back yard. My wife saved his life several times with her, "Honey, he's come so far. If you keep working with him, he'll be okay. Don't give up on him. You have to keep trying..." speeches. As usual, she was right.


Love, technique, patience, and persistence payed off. He is lying at my feet right now, looking up at me as if he knows I'm telling his story. Awesome dog. He is fully trained on hand and voice commands. Loves to play ball. Looses his mind for a car ride. Will gladly tolerate anything for a pat on the head and a good boy. I've put him in lay and made him stay while the cat rubbed all over him. He was glad to do, just for my approval. Now, if I raise my voice, it crushes him...

I have no problems with my 3 month old grabbing a wad of his ears and doing what a 3 month old does; and neither does Logan. He is truly a friend and I know he would lay down his life for me- probably just on command.

I'm no Caesar Milan (Dog Whisper), but I'm yet to run across a dog that cannot be rehabbed. The worse the dog is, the more it takes (time, knowledge, and attention), and you have to have some experience and education in what you are doing. Dogs have different personalities, and respond to different stimuli. They are also dogs. The same methods used on people usually are not the correct methods for dogs. I'm not saying the dog that started this post would be like Logan, but, in my experience, any dog can get to the point that they can be a productive part of a family and not have to be destroyed. Logan is not the first or only dog I've worked with. There have been other in the past, a couple I created because I didn't know what it meant to own dogs. There has been other since- the chow has a story, too.

You're right, but it takes time and commitment. Unfortunately there are only so many people willing to make the effort and there are so many that screw up the dogs in the first place. I’ve had dogs that required rehabilitation and they turned out to be the ones I’ve loved the most. But I can only save so many and there are so many out there.

I, too, believe in giving it everything you've got to try a rehab any dog. I had the unfortunate experience of having one tear my wife's favorite cat apart in front of her and my only choice was a bullet. Didn't keep me from crying. And, like ladisney, one of my favorites was one of the hardest cases I ever tried to turn around. When he passed at 17, I mourned for months.

I have a six year old Siberian Husky who is the sweetest tempered dog I’ve ever met, with other dogs and people. Like most Huskies however she is very prey driven and considers cats in the same category as rabbits and squirrels. Early this year I had to run out in the snow in my underwear to rescue a neighbors cat she was trying to kill in my yard. If it’s not a person or a dog it’s a prey animal. I made the mistake of letting her run free way out in the country a few years ago. She took off after some deer and disappeared for several hours returning exhausted and very thirsty when she’d had enough. Certain dogs are natural hunters and should never be trusted with cats. I guess they just don’t grasp the concept of cats as pets.

Good story there, Cowboy. I'm proud of you. I went over to check how the big boy was doing. He has calmed down and they feel he has a chance for rehab.
I should never have walked in the back room of the shelter. We pick up our 3rd dog tomorrow. They call him Regis. A yellow almost 2 year old Lab with the typical happy go lucky Lab personality. I don't think that name will stick, so I'm open to suggestions.

Reggie?

Great story Cowboy! I admire you and your wife's patience and dedication to Logan. Sounds like he is a valued member of the family now.

Trip...short for Triple since it's your 3rd dog. Triumph-y name too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Trip! I like that. I do have that Thunderbird Sport. Gotta bounce that one off the boss.

Charlie,
My first thought was Reggie. The wife said no. She is coming up with some strange names. We had less trouble naming the kids.

How could a yellow lab not be named Speedie?

We finally agreed on a name: "Augie".
We have a Shepherd named Shelby after Carrol Shelby of Cobra fame. I thought of other famous racers of the 50's and 60's and remembered Augie Pabst (of Blue Ribbon fame). Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy also came to mind(that was a cartoon with a father and son dog if you are not from around here). Since he can't tell us what his name was and did not respond to Regis anyway, Augie it is. What a find! Housebroken, plays with the other dogs like they were old friends, sleeps in his own bed and just a great addition to the family.