Behavioral Euthanasia the right move?
Hope you are well.
My girlfriend and I are looking for some honest advice about our 6 y/o pitbull, Ashton.
Ashton has had a rough history. He was adopted as a puppy, rehomed at around 1 year old, and then my girlfriend adopted him at 3. He’s always had some level of reactivity toward other dogs, but things escalated significantly after he was attacked by an off-leash pitbull about a year ago.
After that incident, he attempted to bite an elderly man (grabbed his shirt and tore it, no skin contact thankfully). We took that very seriously and put him through a 3-week board and train program about 8 months ago. We saw major improvements in obedience and overall behavior.
However, a few months later, our neighbor’s small dog (around 10 lbs) tried attacking him, and Ashton nearly killed it. Since then, we’ve doubled down on training and have put hundreds of hours into working with him.
Here’s where things stand now:
His obedience is excellent. He walks in a near-perfect heel and follows commands consistently.
But he is still highly reactive and will attempt to go after dogs, some people, and fast-moving stimuli.
I can manage him confidently, but my girlfriend is understandably nervous about the risk and liability.
We’re at a bit of a crossroads. We’re not in denial about the seriousness of this—he is a strong dog, and if something goes wrong, it could be very bad.
For those who have dealt with similar dogs, is this something that can realistically be managed long-term, or are we fighting a losing battle?
At what point do you consider quality of life vs safety for the dog and others?
We’re committed to doing the responsible thing here, whatever that ends up being. My girlfriend has already made up her mind to some degree—personally looking for honest input from people who have been in similar situations.
Thanks all