I am posting here to show my experience of owning a reactive dog. Remember this is MY experience and not everyones.
I had a reactive large dog ( breed is not important but I am experienced with this breed as having owned 4 before her) and a smaller dog ( about 60 lbs) dog who had an alpha complex. I when we got the larger dog as a rescue from a family who was moving and couldnt take her with them. They also had another dog and children in their home. Meet and greet went very well.
All was peaceful until the large dog hit about 18 months. Then something in her flipped. the fights started. Neither dog would back down. It wound up being a blood bath and numerous trips to the vets for both dogs. Large dog put on Prozac and trazodone. Muzzle in use. Crates and gates throughout the house. She was also showing aggression towards strangers at our door. We were walking on eggshells. We totaled up the vets bills, over $4000.00.
Yet we dearly loved this dog. She was sweet and loving to us but not to other dogs. No taking her out of the house except to the vets. Yes, we discussed BE with the vet but we couldnt do it. Not yet.
We discussed rehoming her but realistically no rescue would take her knowing her history. Rehoming to a single couple without children and that doesnt want to take the dog out in public for safety reasons also not realistic. We endured. UNTIL....
Jan 24th. We had let all the dogs out in the backyard. ( yes, Large dog had her muzzle on). We had never ever had a problem with them outside, only in the house. The vibe changed immediately as they came through the door. The literal bloodbath was on. My husband was there grabbling large dog and somehow her muzzle slipped off as well as her collar.
I am going to shorten what happened. I have serious PTSD from the following. I was trying to subdue and hold the smaller dog who had already gotten a few got bites in., Large dog slipped from my husband. I was in the middle. Let just leave it I was mauled. My right arm wrist and hand were a bloody shredded mess. Also bitten on my left deltoid area. I remember screaming while my husband pulled her off. We got them separated, me crawling on the floor to block to smaller one who still wanted to fight while holding my mangled arm. My husband holding his hand were he had been bitten.
Got them separated. Lets just leave it at I left the house in an ambulance. Both dogs were euthanized after I left. I had surgery on my right wrist were both bones were broken. Now have plates and screws in my wrist. 3 months later I am still in physical therapy
The bill is well over $55,000. Thank goodness I had insurance. But I remain out of work.
So is it worth it? We LOVED both of these dogs. We delayed the inevitable. I paid the price for that both physically, emotionally and financially.
Now think.
Can you afford the bills and possible lawsuit from a reactive dog? Think hard if it were a child it happened to.
To state AGAIN: We loved these dogs. We miss them every single day. We did everything we could to prevent this. Trainers, behaviorists, gates, crates, muzzles, meds and vets.
Yet it happened.
Please be careful. I dont want anyone to go through what we have.