Just wanted to let y'all know

What kinda dog is that?

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughts & condolences.

I'm still trying to deal with this. I can't believe he's gone. I'm going nuts here in my house & looking at his empty kennel. Sometimes I truly hate dogs. They come into your life, steal your heart, then rip it out.

dog-man, Wrigley was a dog I rescued 5 years ago. It's a long story but to make it short, a man was busted for animal cruelty & neglect. The dogs consisted of Cane Corsos, some 'pit bull's, & a female Shar Pei, Wrigley's dam. All the dogs were PTS'd immediately for horrible agression issues but a friend (who happens to be a state trooper) convinced the head of the AC where I lived at the time to let him adopt the Shar Pei female & we convinced them to give the only remaining puppy a chance. So I brought Wrigley home with me when he turned 7 weeks old.

Sadly, Wrigley is proof that mutts are not always happy go lucky dogs that get the best from both worlds. He's an example of what happens when a pup gets the worst genes from the sire & dam (the stud was one of the Corsos). Not only did he have attitude issues, but he had many physical problems ranging from severe bilateral hip dysplasia to knee issues to horrible food & inhalent allergies.

From day one he exibited severe food aggression. Even as a little pup, he would cower over his food, raise his hackles, & growl menacingly at anyone who went near his food bowl. The same goes for treats and toys. And any type of negative reinforcement, even a stern "No!", would get provoke an extreme defensive response from him in which he would challenge you. I worked with this dog every single day on obedience training & on the guarding issues. I was pretty much a positive reinforcement only type of person until Wrigley bit me in the face when he was 8months old. I was just sitting in our kitchen floor talking to my roommates while Wrigley was eating several feet away. He turned & got me before I could even react. That day I beat the crap out of him & a new respect from him towards me was formed. Our relationship was changed.

He was very much my dog. He would cuddle on his own terms & would play on his own terms as well. But he always chose me. He wasn't a touchy-feely type of dog & preferred to be in the same room as me but not necessarily next to me...or anyone for that matter. He was a very dominant, alpha dog with an independent & aloof temperament. He was downright aggressive about food, treats, & toys, yet his defensive attitude towards corrections were even worse.

My husband was scared of him whether he admitted it or not. Although he loved Wrigley & Wrigley liked him, Wrigley saw himself above my husband & my husband wasn't about to go through a major fight with a dog like I chose to.

Every day was a new day in terms of training & me having to assert my dominance over this dog. He never backed down willingly nor ever gave up trying to overcome the only thing he saw dominant over him.....& that was me.

Despite all this, I loved the dog for much of the same reasons (minues the food aggression). All the time & work put into him created a bond like no other I've got with any of the other dogs combined. I would have given up every other dog I own just to keep this one.

But now it was too much. Ever since Cole was born, he was very standoffish with me & wanted nothing to do with Cole. Nevermind the fact that he has always enjoyed playing with all my nieces, my nephew, & any other kid willing to toss a ball or scratch his tush. He avoided Cole at all cost & this included leaving the room when Cole was in it. Also, Cole is now reaching the age where he will be crawling & walking soon. And I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that if both Cole & Wrigley spotted a stale chip on the floor & both went for it, Wrigley would've attacked him. Hell, it had gotten to the point where if anyone even walked into the same room as Wrigley while he was eating, he went ballistic & threatened you to leave now.

And 5 years of training with a former military K9 handler & trainer & talking strategies with knowledgable people all over the country & employing those techniques hardly made a dent in the problem areas. Not to mention that his hips were quickly deteriorating & he had horrible muscle atrophy on the left hind leg (the one we did the FHO on). IMO it was time. It probably was past time, but I wanted to give him once more chance....& then one more......& then one more........But you can only give so many before someone gets seriously injured, & at 100lbs, Wrigley had the size & the capability to kill someone.

This decision wasn't made likely. The truth is, he faced euthanasia at 8 months old but I decided to work with him. Had anyone else adopted this dog (he was actually to be put down as well during the whole scenario), I have no doubt that he would've bitten someone severely & be killed in a whole other fashion.

At least this way I let him go with some dignity intact. And that's the most I could offer him at this point..................

 

im so sorry to hear this Miakoda. I'm sure he appriciates everything you did for him, when many would look past him.

 

It was the kindest.

 

You can't save them all, but at least you tried. He was obviously beyond help. So sorry Mia. I know what you mean about being more deeply bonded with a dog like that, one you have to work so hard with to earn his trust, than say a pit bull who is very dependant and typically loves his owners without question.

 

Sorry for your loss Mia, may wrigley R.I.P and run free for all eternity!

 

I am very sorry that you had to put him down. I never new him or heard about him until now but if you treated him like you do us, ( and i'm sure you treated him with the best love in the world) then he was a very blessed dog and is sure to be in heaven waiting on you. My deepest regards to you and yours.

 

Sorry to hear that things didn't work out better. RIP.

 

I'm sorry Mia, your making me tear up and I've never met the old man. I knew how much you loved that dog, I was not aware his tempermant was such an issue. It was for the best, and there will be a time and place you meet again on a better foot. I respect your decision, for the person who commented they couldn't put one down they raised since puppyhood-then you have no right to own a dog. This was the right thing to do, although it hurts, it was for the best-but you already know that.

RIP Wrigley, and stay strong.

 

im sorry to hear that..

hes a real adorable doggy..

what was he?

 

Mia so sorry for your loss, but as someone has said before God sent him to you so he could have the best life possible before God called him home. There was a reason he was kept on this earth and that reason was you, probably no one else could have kept him and loved him and ultimately placed him back in God's hands at the right time.Loss is never easy...but he is happy where he is and he is smiling down at you and loving you thankfully from Rainbow Bridge, waiting patiently until he is able to see you again!

 

Damn, Sorry Mia. At least you tried, I would have too...

 

Sorry to hear this. You did what had to be done and was the right thing to do. RIP boy.

 

its always hard to deal with so i send hugs your way ...very sorry for you loss ...

 

So sorry for your loss, Mia. I know it was a difficult decision, but ultimately the right one. Sounds like you really loved him and I'm sure he knew that. Sometimes we just don't understand why things happen the way they do. Hang in there. RIP Wrigley

 

Mia , thanks for taking the time, to explain to me in great detail why you decided to put your dog down, i though he was just a bad aggressive HA dog, and you got tired of trying to train him, he was sick, and probably in pain cause of it, if any dog is suffering beyond repair, ill put it to sleep for ever myself, again thank for explaining and sorry for jumping the gun on you, R.I.P Wrigley.

 

I am so sorry for your loss. RIP

 

So sorry for your loss Mia. Just know that Wrigley is pain free now and you did the best you could for him. RIP Wrigley.

 

Dam, that's harsh, Im sorry for your loss.

 

I'm so very sorry for your loss!