what annoyed me though was the fact that they didnt really show you any of that - so who knows what actually happened and to be honest it was more the reaction of VS that she did not come back and be involved - she gave her opinion over the phone - she hadnt visibly been seen even doing much work with Benji - it always seemed to be the other dog and I just felt that they had kinda glossed over it a bit too easily.

I personally think the dog should have been attempted to been rehomed in an adult only household or at least an attempt made - they just decided to get it put to sleep.

it was the fact that for people watching that who have as little much of a clue as those people that they think that would be the option.

How many of our rescue dogs potentially might have been put to sleep due to their "problems" perceived by their owners?? I know biting is different - but its the actual blase way that Vs appeared to deal with it that annoyeed me

Unfortunately it wasn't just the children that Benji had acted aggressively towards. He had bitten one of the children once before but would growl at the adults too if they were trying to enforce certain behaviours.

how awful. Didn't watch it was too busy bawling my eyes out at Holby City.
I'm surprised that the dog wasn't checked over before the programme was made...surely, before any behaviourist even sees the dog, it should have a full on head to toe health check...particularly if aggression is involved?
My concern here then is that the dog was not checked prior to the programme being made...especially if there was a possibility of neuro probs...getting a bad feeling that this wasn't done and the case was selected because it would make 'good tele'...in that case...totally appalling in my opinion if that is the case and channel 4 should be pulled up for NOT ensuring that dog was given a full health check by a vet (if it wasn't done).
As for the dog being PTS...sorry, if it attacked a little girl for no reason, then no rescue would take it on (or at least very few) and so yes, it should have been PTS. Even if rehomed with adults...how do you know it will never come into contact with a child?
Right decision in the scenario given...totally bad handling by VS and C4...IMO....(If no thorough vet check was done...which it should have been prior to filming IMO or at the very least immediately after VS first saw it.)

Yes the Doubt was always was there and it was bl**dy hard work to make sure he was never in position to feel threatened enough to bite but thank God he never seemed to even think about doing it.

At the time he bite someone he had a ear infection and someone grabbed his Head.

perry i have a cocker spaniel and she is bomb proof she is the most dosile dog i have seen i would have another cocker again. as you say the use the term cocker rage too freely it is the same with gsd's not all of them are agressive but its the bad press they get that some people are scared of and give them a bad name. we went to view a house once and we said we have a gsd we he heard that he told us he doesnt trust nor like them so we couldnt rent the house. i could have slapped him.

i agree with you,

but thats just it - in this kind of situation is their not a responsibility to show that - i would rather have seen them airing all the behind the scenes work than warching the dog be buried - it doesnt make sense - it implies thats all they did - and whilst I know they probably did try other things - they didnt show it and when you are talking about a dogs life - they should make sure its very clear what was and wasnt tried.

I don't think that was the intention.

I think it was more to do with warning people that non provoked aggressive dogs are not acceptable and if people do not take responsibility for their dogs, this is what could happen. Too many people think small aggressive dogs are 'harmless' because they are small and 'allow' them to be bad mannered, as this family did, and it's not acceptable to allow that. I think it was probably a way of saying look world, you are responsible for your dog's behaviour and if you don't control it, this is how it could end up !

but so did the other dog Bramble... - you watched him really growling at the man when he was trying to get him off the bed

Indeed-slightly digressing here but what the hey, with our old lady she was given a certain amount of 'allowance' due to her ill health and the pain she was going through etc-however if, under different circumstances, i was placed in the position of owning a dog that has bitten unprevoked and is like a time bomb waiting to explode, i would not question taking such an action-on the vets advice of course.
Back on topic again-it really was a moving episode, and so very powerful-i thought.

They did mention that the family's vet had also advised that Benji be put to sleep, so I do hope he was checked over for the neurological problems that VS mentioned.

I was surprised it showed so much, regarding the trip to the vet and burying the little guy, but hope that it makes people think twice about spoiling their dogs rotten until they rule the roost. JMO.