I would be completely devastated if one of my dogs bit someone badly enough to warrant being put to sleep

It would be a last resort for me, but I would do it if I felt there were no other options. Not sure how I would live with the decision though

I think that sadly this story goes to show just why dogs and children should never be left alone together without supervision

I agree with you Laura that each cas should be considered on its own merits.

If one of my dogs badly attacked my baby son when totally unprovoked, I guess there would be no options available other than being pts.

However, if a burglar decided to enter my home and try to attack me or my family then I would be only too happy for my dog to bite them!

I would have to pts a dog that attacked for no reason. Even a small dog is a danger, if it is so unpredictable as to attack without warning or due reason.

Have to say, it would absolutely destroy me to have to make the decision with any of my little ones

Hopefully though, they'll carry on being little cherubs. No reason why they should change now

If a dog went from being a total softie to biting unprovoked, I would worry about the dog's health. The reason I took Loki to the vet last week was because he pinned Rio down for no reason as she was walking past him. It turns out that the toxins that should have been passed out as urine are in his blood stream and can affect the brain function, causing uncharacteristic behaviour, as well as seizures. I believe that this is what had happened, as Loki is such a softie and always has been. He will growl at bouncy dogs, but we noe know it's because of his back and shoulder pain, which is also linked to his kidney function. I think 9 times out of 10 there is a physical reason for a dog's character to change like that. Needless to say I am not leaving him alone with the kids, just in case.

Hi, i had a JRT from a puppy and he was fine until he got to around 3, he would get very aggressive with other dogs, going up on his back legs etc (little dog syndrome i call it !) and he did go for a puppy once. He started getting very protective of his food and bed, you could not approach him at all as he would growl and bare his teeth. He didn't like being told what to do either. I have two kids but they always respected the dog and were warned when the dog was young about the do's and don'ts. Anyway, he did eventually bite my youngest so i looked into getting him rehomed. I was totally honest when i spoke to rehoming centres and alot of them would not take him. I eventually got a place for him at a branch of Battersea dogs home in Brands Hatch. They assessed him and found him to be unsuitable for rehoming and they put him to sleep. I still think about him everyday and feel that i sent him to his death but when there are children involved you can't take the risk. They put him down though without consulting me but they do make it clear that when you take them into the home you effectively sign away ownership. I never thought it would come to him being pts though.

My old terrier cross was PTS in 2007. She did not attack anyone, but we all felt it was becomming dangerous. She was going blind and deaf, and was having (we think) small fits. She had started to turn on her sister, espiecally if we were stroking her at the time, and caught my mums hand a few times. We made the descision before she bit me or my sister, so it wouldn't be forced.

Sorry, but this scenario, *as you have described*, is not a justified reason to PTS.

Dogs, like humans, can lose their mental and physical capacities.
I don't know how long you had your dog, but if she grew old and disabled, that is something you should have accepted as part and parcel of dog ownership when you decided to get a dog in the beginning.
Especially as you state your dog did not show any aggression to humans.
If she bit your mums hand when going for another dog, that is called redirected aggression, and is an accident, not intended aggression toward humans .
Dogs being aggressive to one species does not automatically mean they will be aggressive to another.
Just because your dog has gone for another dog and bitten your mum's hand by accident, is not a reason reason to assume that you or your sister were in danger of being bitten.
There would have been ways for you to avoid a similar accident to your mum.
Of course, if there is more information that a vet or behaviorist gave you that you have not mentioned on here, then i take it all back.

Thats a bit harsh, maybe they had the dog put down for quality of life reasons too, being blind, deaf and having fits - what sort of life is that ?

I agree, if the dog had no quality of life, then being PTS may have been a relief for the poor dog. However, if he did have quality of life and was PTS because of what was described, I think it a little unfair. PTS would be the very last option for me. A dog would have to be suffering for me to PTS. Any other problem that I couldn't cope with (say aggression with kids around the house) , I'd find a home that could. Life is precious, human or otherwise

I have thankfully never had to make that decision as all my dogs have been really palcid, apart from Shady who I have now who suffers fear aggression.
The thought that I may one day have to make that dreadful decision with her is always at the back of my mind.
She is fear aggresive with other dogs and very fear aggresive towards children. Adults on the whole with she is fine but the odd one she will take a dislike to and I always have to be aware on walks incase she suddenly lunges.
I take every precaution I can as she is a big strong powerful dog and could do somebody a lot of damage. She is a big softee with me and my 17yr old daughter and people she knows well, but if my grandchildren pop round she is securely shut away in another room and i won't walk her round our estate where there are lots of children. I pay to hire a secure field for her to have free running in twice a week, and drive her somewhere quiet the rest of the days where she can be walked on the lead without too many encounters.but if she ever showed any aggression toward me or my daughter I wouldn't give her another chance unless she was very ill or injured in some way and obviously if the awful happened and she managed to bite somebody else then I would make that decision.