# what to do with "unadoptable" GR?



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Why has this dog been deemed "unadoptable"?


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## RedWoofs (Apr 19, 2008)

he bit someone  so it is the label of "aggression" up against


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Dogs labeled aggressive can be rehomed. Was it a single incident?


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## maggie1951 (Apr 20, 2007)

My first rescue Golden was about to be PTS because she was very bad tempered she was 5 and 1/2 years old and called Charlie my Charlie i have now is called after her in her memory.
It took me a lot of patience and understanding and she bit me she bit my husband but she never bit my other dog she used to look after her so we knew there was good in her 2 years later she had changed and i could trust her with my life but she wasn't keen on men but never bit my Ray again.
I loved that dog it was a challange but well worth it to give her another chance in life.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

My Lucy also was labeled unadoptable because she failed her temperament test twice. I don't know the specifics, but she was to be euthanized the afternoon that the rescue got her. They decided to take their chances with her. As soon as she was out of the situation that made her feel threatened, she blossomed.

A customer of mine also adopted a "biter" from a rescue. This dog had bitten numerous times. My customer got bit, her husband also got bit. But with patience and a behaviourist they hired, you would never know her dog was ever anything but a loving affectionate pet. She comes in for grooming all the time and we have never had a issue with her, (unless you don't like getting kissed all the time :smooch. In fact, there are several dogs that come in my store, (we give discounts if you rescued your pet), that were biters, but have been worked with. Some are still very leery of new people, but they're manageable. 

I hope this dog can be worked with.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

These are great stories. They remind me of the principle that some dogs bite purely because they feel threatened, and in the absence of the threat, they're as gentle as can be. Sometimes it's simply an issue of helping the dog understand there's no threat anymore and that she's safe.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

RedWoofs, do you have this dog or is it with a rescue? Sometimes, the label is inaccurate because the people who claimed the dog "bit" didn't report an extenuating circumstance, such as a child jumping onto the dog while it was sleeping. Our rescue does a complete medical and behavioral evaluation on a "biter" and more often than not, the dog is happily adopted out with no further incidences.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Our rescue has taken in "unadoptable" dogs and unless they continued to be aggressive after therapy, we either keep them as fosters forever or they are adopted with of course all their info being shared.


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## RedWoofs (Apr 19, 2008)

Finns fann: No I do not have this dog. He is in the jurisdiction of a rescue. He was in foster care when the bite happened. Medical care in a hospital for the human was necessary. Yes there were extenuating circumstances. However there is some additional question as to prior to that that perhaps aggression may exist. 

I agree with all of you who posted that often dogs get mislabeled. And that is why I posted.
I am an indirect connection to this situation and hope to be of some help.
For all those dogs who get mislabeled, how do they make it "out" and into safety? 
Putting up for adoption a dog with a bite history has raised the issue of "liability"
And as of yet no "permanent foster home" has been found within the organisation.
I am heartsick that PTS is the answer being put forth. 

Any lawyers out there who know how to protect a rescue with a biter so they can adopt him out w/o liability issues?


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## RedWoofs (Apr 19, 2008)

Debles said:


> Our rescue has taken in "unadoptable" dogs and unless they continued to be aggressive after therapy, we either keep them as fosters forever or they are adopted with of course all their info being shared.


Debles: how are you able to adopt out and still protect the organisation? Please could you tell more?

this board fears that adopting out a biter puts them and the organisation at risk


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

We have had a few labeled Biters, we take in consideration what was going on when the bite happen. I can proudly say after working with a trainer etc all of them found homes!


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## damita (Jun 4, 2009)

I would suggest having a thyriod test done on the dog. I have a friend who was going to PTS her "aggressive" golden but at the last minute checked the thyroid - turns out she was "hypo" and once on medication things improved immensley.


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## maggie1951 (Apr 20, 2007)

tippykayak said:


> These are great stories. They remind me of the principle that some dogs bite purely because they feel threatened, and in the absence of the threat, they're as gentle as can be. Sometimes it's simply an issue of helping the dog understand there's no threat anymore and that she's safe.


That is so true what you said they need to feel safe my vet could not believe the difference in Charlie he thought she was another dog they just need to be understood.


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## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

My Pudden had never been aggressive toward humans, but she was very reactive toward other dogs for lack of socialization and had been in a number of dog fights. She'd never bite the other dog; she'd just brawl and make lots of noise, but it was disconcerting. She was adopted from the rescue before me but they brought her back because they couldn't deal with it.

After I got her, I socialized her as best I could and gradually she became less and less dog aggressive. Her problems were always during first encounters: she'd pretty much try to jump on top of the other dog's head and start a brawl. If I was able to micro-manage the first 10 seconds, she'd be fine and she and that dog would be able to get along just fine. She's actually very generous and kind with other dogs and puppies in particular; she just had this brawling habit during initial encounters. It's gotten much much better and now hardly ever happens again, except maybe with other dominant females. 

So yeah, my Pud was dang near un-adoptable, but I like to think that she was just mis-understood  and just needed some intense one-on -one attention. And she needed to be among other dogs so she learned not to fly off the handle just from seeing one. I think she'd been kept locked up and alone too much when she was young. 

When the rescue people see her now, they shake their heads and say, she looks like a different dog. But she isn't. She's the same old Pudden, only with the lacquer of hysteria and confusion stripped away to reveal the sweet soul underneath


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Pudden said:


> She's the same old Pudden, only with the lacquer of hysteria and confusion stripped away to reveal the sweet soul underneath


Beautifully said.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I don't know how old this link is or it's reliability, but it doesn't hurt to read it and maybe contact the person???

http://www.heroswaggintrain.com/aggressive_biting.htm


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