[Pitbull Palace]

Ok, Rocky, 11yr Old Amstaff, Brought him home @ 6 weeks (had to, i saved him from a bad home). Since the day we brought him home he Growled in the mirror and at his own shadows,Shyed away from confrontations,Trembles at anything, and is basiccaly a Mental MESS. He also will get up on you, or a bed but when you ask him or try to get him down he growles.
Now dont get me wrong, i love the Old man, but he is absolutlry Mentally Ill !! My Point is this, he has started to shake and be nervous 90% of the 24hr period, He wakes up and jumps on the kids Licking them in the morning, then 10 min Later and for the rest of the day he growls at them or me, and Now has tryed to grab the Puppy because she Licked him. Ive only been on this site a few days and Ive told everyone how much i love my Dogs, but i have to say this - I'm either TIRED of the constant Pain in the neck w/him and situations He causes HIMSELF or i'm a heartless SOB !!! I really am starting to feel that if there isnt anything i can do for him I might talk to a Vet and ask them if i should put him out of his Own Misery. He is Accually making himself crazy.He is Scared as Hell of nothing, Sounds or if he backs into the Wall He freaks !!!! He cant be happy, He Chewed threw are bedroom door when we were gone , so Now we putting him in a crate...It's gotten even Worse over the last 2 yrs w/ age I think. My Wife got mad at me a bit ago because i was Peting him and askin him why he's so Darn Nervous, i was telling him to relax in a nice voice and the Old Fart Growled at me... Maybe im a little UNTRUSTING to. I have to say i Dont trust him even though he has Never hurt us. Its kinda like dealing with a Unstable Person, you never know when It's gonna Fly , he has a FEAR in his Eyes that makes me uncomfortable more and more everyday.....Am i being Selfish or do i have a right to be Tired of the 11yrs of Crazy and unstable behavoir.

 

[Sadie]

I don't have time for mentally unstable dogs if they are deemed to be truly mentally unstable they need to be PTS. Too many mentally stable dog's out there to deal with an unstable dog. IMO They are a liability and need to go night night.

 

[aimee235]

I agree with Sadie.

I'd like to point out though. This breed is dog aggressive. So I wouldn't fault him for wanting to eat the puppy.

 

[Wingman]

I'm with the other two. Go to your vet, and see what he thinks. If he thinks the dog is unstable, then have him PTS. It's just an accident waiting to happen if he is unstable, and you mentioned kids. That's a front page story right there.

 

[Pitbull Palace]

TY for those Reply's. I feel Terrible Guilty because Ive dealt with it for 11 yrs and now am suddenly (OVER THE CRAZYNESS) But it's not that Im giving up, Its Gotten Worse. Ive gone threw the Med's before w/him for Anxioty etc...It's not like I havent done what I could and tryed to Cayter to him and help him. Like I said he has Never hurt anyone, My reasoning is basicaly that "HE CAN NOT BE HAPPY" feeling like this, and Neither can I. I have to justify it to myself, he has Been a Part of my Family BEFORE I had children, But when Taya was Alive she Kept him in Line somewhat!!! Now the Poor Sole Is Lost and affraid of himself. TY for the reply's, I'll talk to the Family maybe this weekend, It's a Hard Subject as everyone Knows.

 

[EckoMac]

Doggie Dementia hits around his age. My mom's dachshund had it. She turned into a monster. We were lucky she had no teeth, or we'd all be scarred. PTS is generally best as with that much fear and anxiety there is no quality of life.

 

[performanceknls]

If it is that bad then put him down. It can be dangerous for you and the kids and you should never put the kids at risk. I have a few mental dogs but they are safe and if they started to act like that I would put them down. One is just mental and OCD but still a nice working dog but sometimes her brain melts, not in a dangerous way just like spin, spin, spin, a million times bark, chews her crate, and stuff like that. The other one was a rescue too and fine till she was 11 months then got scared of everything and everyone. She is the sweetest dog in the world but she cannot leave my yard or she gets really scared and will lay down.

I drawn the line at any aggression, my bleeding heart to keep these nuts jobs stops at aggression. My son is first and the safety of others. I had one dog who's temperament went bad after 2 years. Again she was a rescue and we were just going to keep her because she was fine with us but then she started getting off the property any way she could. I put her down I could not put my neighbors at risk.

 

[Pitbull Palace]

If it is that bad then put him down. It can be dangerous for you and the kids and you should never put the kids at risk. I have a few mental dogs but they are safe and if they started to act like that I would put them down. One is just mental and OCD but still a nice working dog but sometimes her brain melts, not in a dangerous way just like spin, spin, spin, a million times bark, chews her crate, and stuff like that. The other one was a rescue too and fine till she was 11 months then got scared of everything and everyone. She is the sweetest dog in the world but she cannot leave my yard or she gets really scared and will lay down.

I drawn the line at any aggression, my bleeding heart to keep these nuts jobs stops at aggression. My son is first and the safety of others. I had one dog who's temperament went bad after 2 years. Again she was a rescue and we were just going to keep her because she was fine with us but then she started getting off the property any way she could. I put her down I could not put my neighbors at risk.

Im Pulled because IDK if he acually is Dangerous, or if he just puts a Show on, Then again i dont like his GLARE, he Growls but at the same time is Looking to the side as though he might Trick me and Snap, IDK...When i Yell he takes off with his tail between his Legs...SO i doubt he would bite, But Im scared for my PUPPY. He would tear that little thing apart, and she Is a GOOD FAMILY Animal that i dont want Made Nasty from His Actions. I think he could make her turn, IDK...Anyway..I talked to my wife and she Changed her mind today. She said there is another Pup somewhere that needs a Good home and that we are refusing one the chance by Keeping Rocky around. Probably keeping him around for my OWN reasons, and not thinking whats best for him. There hasnt been any problems that have caused him to be Uncomfortable Physically etc...Maybe it's the best to NOT let him go downhill because things could Only get worse for him. thank you for all the Good feedback. I needed that.

 

[aimee235]

A scared dog is more dangerous then an outright aggressive dog. If he was scared and say your child cornered him maybe trying to make him feel better then he could bite. Find a behaviorist and have him evaluated so you can have a professional opinion.

Again though. These dogs ARE dog aggressive most of the time. When your little puppy grows up there is a high likely hood that she will be DA. Whether or not your other dog tries to eat her now or not.

 

[Pitbull Palace]

A scared dog is more dangerous then an outright aggressive dog. If he was scared and say your child cornered him maybe trying to make him feel better then he could bite. Find a behaviorist and have him evaluated so you can have a professional opinion.

Again though. These dogs ARE dog aggressive most of the time. When your little puppy grows up there is a high likely hood that she will be DA. Whether or not your other dog tries to eat her now or not.

Right, He grew up with Taya so thats why he was ok with her, SHE was the Boss, lol...

 

[performanceknls]

I would still PTS fear aggression is far worse. Have you ever corrected him for growling? if so what did he do? I do not mean yelling I mean a correction with a leash or his collar. BTW to me as a trainer from what you have said i would bet your dog would bite if giving the right chance.

 

[dixieland]

Good posts all!And let me add this to it.If you don't trust the dog,then don't have it around.That is no way for you or him to live.You're constantly worring if he's gonna snap and he in return can feel your worry.
If it were my dog I would PTS.I've done it before.You can't have an unstable dog or a dog you don't trust around your family.

 

[MY MIKADO]

I hate to say it but a mentally unstable dog really needs to be put down. If you didn't have children or if it was just you that would be hurt then I would say go ahead and keep him and work with him but it is not fair to the rest of the pit bull world to keep a dog that could add bad press. This is the main reason I put Chalice down. I could not handle the thought of her breaking a chain or getting out the door and harming a child that lives on my road. I was in constant fear that my son would call me at work and tell something bad happened.

 

[Pitbull Palace]

Yes Ive Corrected him, Corrected him for 11 yrs,lol.. I love him, But he is a Misrable Boy 90% of the Time now, 3 yrs ago he was 50/50 so I would of never considered putting him down. When i correct him he either Hangs his head LOW and growls again, or He tries to Run. Thats why I say he's all talk. There has been times When ive come home from workin 16 hrs in the Sun and he has growled at one of the Kids when i was standing right ther, Thats when ive Gotten UPSET, got down on the ground, and said " GO AHEAD ARE YOU GONNA BITE SOMEONE" lol, ofcourse i was Exhausted and Sick and tired of the behavoir, Thats not how i handle him normally, my point is Ive Givin him Every Opertunity to Bite me and he hasnt Yet. My Biggest Beef is that he Cant be happy anymore, i have to lock him up constantly because hes started Destoying door knobs and doors when where gone, and has accually Chewed a Hole in his own anckle when he was having a bad wk of Anxioty..So thats really My reasoning for feeling like PTS is the answer, To spare the poor Sole from his Own Mind ! Thank god theres a good forum for this, Because I felt Really Selfish and bad that i was thinking about PTS. I Apreciate all of you.

 

[Gimbler]

Putting aside the possible danger, it sounds like he's very unhappy. If that's the case I'd set him free from whatever demons are haunting him. You gave him 11 more years than he probably would have had - that's a long and full life and he doesn't sound like he's going to miss enjoying his "golden years".

 

[aus_staffy]

I'm with the other two. Go to your vet, and see what he thinks. If he thinks the dog is unstable, then have him PTS. It's just an accident waiting to happen if he is unstable, and you mentioned kids. That's a front page story right there.

^That right there is what you need to remember. You might be compromising your family's safety and possibly more bad press for the breed if you keep him around. I didn't see this thread before I commented with similar sentiments in your other thread.

 

[Pitbull Palace]

Putting aside the possible danger, it sounds like he's very unhappy. If that's the case I'd set him free from whatever demons are haunting him. You gave him 11 more years than he probably would have had - that's a long and full life and he doesn't sound like he's going to miss enjoying his "golden years".

Good Post, nicely Put !