If your dog viciously attacked someone for no reason... what would you do?

What would you do? Institute a muzzle, put him/her to sleep, etc?

My Sox (a bearded collie x) didnt like dogs or any other people apart from the immediate family. I rescued her from a RSPCA place. We had her for 6 months. Towards the family she was the most affectionate dog and so well behaved.

She attacked a friend of my husbands and Candies husband. Both times she went for their faces. Both occassions where at our house.

In public places she was fine unless she was approached to close.

So for our piece of mind sadly she had to be muzzled in public because of the risk of some child approaching her. Within our home we just had to be vigilant and make sure that she was in another room from visitors.

We had looked into behavioural training but before it could be implemented sadly she was hit by a Landrover on our local park and so had to be put to sleep.

Muzzle her/him and go to a dog behaviourist, I have some experience with dominance and phobias, but nothing with idiopathic aggression. In the very worst case I would have him put to sleep, eg. The treatment isn't working, the dog is getting no enjoyment out of life as he/she is on a leash and muzzle all the time and can't be walked where other people are, ect.

It's a good question, but one which I don't like thinking about the answer.

Kate stop using big words like idiopathic aggression I get confused very easily

Sorry, idopathic literally means "For no known reason". Sometimes Rage Symdrome is refered to as idopathic aggression, but Rage is a medical condition not a psychological one. I meant idopathic aggression in a psychological way.

I told you to stop it Im getting confused, i will start crying in a minute cuz your trying to dazzle me with big words

ops: Sorry again, instead of trying to explain further I will shut my trap, don't cry. Or do you want me to explain again, but this time in laymans terms.

No its ok Kate I think iv got it now.

If it were for no reason ( idiopathic :P ) then it would be PTS for me -I've got children and mind others so can't take any chances and I don't think it would be fair to pass a problem like that on and I couldn't live day to day worrying about it .

I would hope that Heidi wouldn't bite without reason, I would owe it to her to find out why, taking all precautions with her in the mean time of course.