ADVICE @ PETRA??? HELP!

[smohr]

  I have Petra's appt. at 3 pm and I got a call from my daughter that was bitten by Petra last night.  She knows an X policeman from D.C. who was in a shooting a few years ago.  She called him this morning about Petra and he recently lost his guard dog in a break-in.  He was really interested and excited about Petra.

This is his story.  He and his wife have no children and don't want any.  He was a police officer and was working w/gang unit when he was shot and partially disabled.  He has had threats on his life and moved a few times.  He has been attacked twice until he got a mastiff/amer. bulldog mix and his police buddies trained it to be a guard dog for him.  In early November an intruder broke into their appt. and the dog attacked the guy, but the dog was shot and had to be put to sleep from its injuries.   

He has been looking for another dog, preferrably an aggressive dog, that his police buddies that train attack dogs can train for him for protection.  He has had threats on his life and he NEEDS another dog for protection.  He has looked into shelters and cannot find one that is right yet. 

My daughter talked to him about Petra and he wants to give it a try with her and if the trainers cannot work with her then they will have her put to sleep.  My daughter is going to D.C. next weekend to visit friends and wants to take Petra with her for this guy.  Petra is spayed, crate and cage trained and this ex-police officer is willing to have these expert police trainers work with her. 

What can it hurt??  Do you all think this is ok?  He wants to give her ONE more chance and he wants an aggressive dog for protection.  If he has her trained by EXPERTS that work with aggressive dogs, and she works out that would be great and what he's looking for and if not, he can have her put to sleep.

My daughter says he was so good to his other dog and he wants another dog desparately.   He told her that he'd keep me informed of her progress or lack of and even let me know if she has to be put to sleep.

ADVICE?  Should I give Petra this LAST CHANCE or put her to sleep today?           

I know I'm wearing everyone out with this issue, but it's so hard for me to decide what to do and since I'm not so objective today, maybe you all could help.

Sherry

[Good Hope]

Please, Sherry, don't do that!!!

Dogs trained for protection work need a stable temperament, and Petra does not have that.  It would make her MUCH more dangerous.

So PLEASE do NOT give her to this policeman.

Sofia

[Icerotti]

I say give her the chance. She will be trained by experts. They can decide from there if she will be trainable and an asset to this ex officer. My husband is a cop and I know the precise and expertise training they provide for these dogs. He is aware of the aggression prob you are having it is not like you are trying to pull the wool over his eyes. Perhaps this will be Petras calling in life!
I think she needs the chance

No matter what you decide I will support you

[lins_saving_grace]

I would.  If I were in your shoes...I'd let Petra go with him. 

[lins_saving_grace]

you're not wearing us out with this...not at all.  It's a hard decision to make.

[smohr]

  I guess I know that; I was grasping at thin air.   

The officer probably is too; he lost a beloved pet and doesn't want to see a pet put down w/o giving her another chance. 

He's probably like me; thinks he can be the knight who saves the day and pulls out a miracle.   

Oh well....

Thanks.

Sherry

[newflvr]

Oh, Sofia, as much as I agree with you rationally, but, emotionally, if I was Sherry, I think I'd give it a try!  Maybe, just maybe it could work out....I just don't think anybody knows what's going on in Petra's head. If there are experts who specialize in working with aggressive dogs, maybe she could be molded to do good instead of letting her bad bits surface.  At the very least, maybe it could give some peace to the entire family that EVERYTHING was tried.....

I realize that this may be bad advice, but I will do anything to avoid guilt....and if wiser heads prevail and you decide to keep the appointment at 3:00, I completely understand!  You must do what is right for your family!  And I support you in whatever you choose!!!

[Moni]

They can decide from there if she will be trainable and an asset to this ex officer.

I agree.  They'll be able to tell with her background and testing if she'll qualify for the training.

But its also your decision Sherry, and I'm sure you'll be supported here no matter what.  Good luck!

[smohr]

I think she needs the chance

[/color]

Thanks for your advice too.  I think I'll give this guy a call myself.  I'll try to guage if he sounds sane.  Ha!   

[mastiffmommy]

Ohhhhh sherry, I can see how you desperately want to find a way to not having to put her to sleep.

I am by no means an expert in how dogs are trained when they become guard/protection dogs, but I think Good Hope is right, they need to be stable.

I can see how, if it works, it would give her one last chance. On the other hand, since it is required of her to be "aggressive" I wonder if she would feel at peace, or just feel unhappy and angry. I know I am no help at all, because I would probably sit and bang my head to the wall in your situation.

If I am to advice in any direction, I would have to only and ONLY see to what I would have done, and I would have let Petra go to sleep quietly and peacefully, and not having to go through yet another situation that could possibly make her even more aggressive and unhappy.

Life sucks hun, and I feel for you sooo badly. I would if I were you, want to talk to the people who train these dogs, see what they say, ask the methods they use, and what impact it has on the dogs, and why they want aggressive dogs, rather than stable dogs. Just to give myself peace of mind.

Please keep us updated on what you decide.

I will be thinking about you and Petra, and hope you can come to a conclusion and feel at peace with it.

Hugs

Marit

[nohesnotahorse]

I'll grasp along with you.  Call him and talk to him if you can.  Find out if this is truly professional guard training or something else.  Make sure that you get a guarantee that they will keep you up to date on the progress or lack of.  If a professional will evaluate and possibly train her for this, it could just be the chance that she needs.  Good luck, which ever way you decide to go, my thoughts are with you , your family and Petra.

[Rachel]

If I were you I think I would give her to the ex-police man BUT  I would put in writing that she is a dangerous dog and document her past behaviors so
1. he know fully what he is getting into
2. if she bites someone he can not blame you for not telling him she was dangerous and hold you responsible
You both should sign it and keep copies.  If he is willing to do this then I say go for it.   

better protect you own butt just in case....


edit: spelling fix 

[Good Hope]

They can decide from there if she will be trainable and an asset to this ex officer.

I agree.  They'll be able to tell with her background and testing if she'll qualify for the training.

But its also your decision Sherry, and I'm sure you'll be supported here no matter what.  Good luck!

I understand you don't want to put Petra down, but she has shown aggressiveness out of the blue so many times.  She is unstable.  You have worked with behaviorists, and it has continued.  I don't think it is wise.

I wouldn't want to put a dog down either, but I think you were doing the right thing in putting Petra down.  Mother and I would have done it long ago if we had a similar animal, but then four of my brothers and sisters are under 10.

The policeman may not realize that Petra is unstable, or he may think that such a dog is okay for protection work.  I don't know.  If you do decide to go ahead, please talk to him, and make sure he understands that a protection dog is not just supposed to be aggressive; they must be extremely obedient and be good with children, or they will hurt someone badly.

I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, especially yours Smohr, but I don't want to see Petra hurt anyone.  Please think about it carefully.

Sofia

[my3dogs]

I'd make the phone call and if things checked out after I'd asked all my questions and furnished all the information I have about her......I would give her another chance.
I'd want to know that I'd given her absolutely every chance. 
That's what I'd do.

However....I'm not in your shoes. 
You know her best. 
You are her friend. 
I have no doubt you will make the right choice for you and for Petra.

And I'm glad you come here to talk about her.   

-Wendy

[Scootergirl]

OK. First of all, you're NOT wearing us out with this topic - and you never will.

Second, I don't think Petra is a candidate for the type of dog he is looking for her. Her aggressiveness is unpredictable and that is NOT what he wants.

Three: I wasn't going to mention this in your "goodbye" post 'cause I didn't want to give you false hope, but if you are still looking for an alternative, please ask your vet about amitriptolyne (not sure if that is spelled right). It is kind of like pet prozac. My husband's ex-wife has a sheltie that had unpredictable aggression issues. She tried everything, too and finally the vet put the dog on this medication. The dog has to take it every day, but she said it has made all the difference in the world. The dog used to attack her husband every time he came home. Now, it's a mellow, loveable dog.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jeanne