We had to bring Turbo back :(
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
April 29, 2013 6:22pm CST
We are all miserable right now..
It started this morning with me noticing Turbo seemed sick. He has nasal discharge that is not a normal color and he's been sleeping a ton! So we made an appointment to see the vet.
The dog attacked the vet! I don't know why. Maybe it was over excited, or scared.. who knows.. but it attacked! The vet couldn't do the exam.. but she told me she thinks I need to seriously consider whether or not we should keep this dog.
Perhaps it had good reason to attack the vet.. for fear or whatever.. and in another home maybe that wouldn't be an issue.. but in my home I have small children to consider.
So I came home thinking about what had happened. Thinking about how playful the dog is.. a little too playful for our family. We were hoping to break him of his mouthing habit and get him some training. But he's sick and can't go to a training class because he's probably contagious.. and until he gets the training he is a danger to my kids.. although he's playing, it's too rough for them.
I seriously considered my options.. very very seriously. I did not want to give the dog back, and I have been in tears since we left the vet's office.
But shortly after being home my cat Eclipse went to sniff the dog.. and the dog pulled back his lips.. my 16 year old son was standing near by and put his foot between the cat and dog.. not to kick anyone, but to be in the middle.. and the dog lunged at my son's foot.
Yes, he's probably stressed from his day.. I get that.. but again.. is this okay with my kids?
So hubby and I decided we had to bring the dog back.. as now after what I've seen I can't trust it, and I won't get any peace. Since we've been back from the vet I've locked the kids in their room to keep them away from the dog, and after the dog growled at my cat I locked the cats upstairs.. and then eventually put the dog in his crate where he whimpered non-stop.. which he doesn't do at night... I was just trying to keep everyone safe.
So hubby was letting the kids say goodbye to the dog.. and for no reason the dog bit my youngest son.. when hubby pulled the dog off.. he bit hubby.
My son is okay.. so is hubby.
But obviously we can't have a dog with any sort of aggression problems.
I'm so upset by it all.. I feel awful. I didn't want to lose the dog.. but my kids and cats come first!
And I"m beyond mad at that darn shelter!!!
4 people like this
12 responses
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
30 Apr 13
A vet needs to put a muzzle on the dog and check him out. He could have a pain that is causing the aggression. I feel for the dog but I'm just glad the kids are okay.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
30 Apr 13
so sad, but too much of a risk. who knows what he will do next. You cannot have a dog that you donot trust around kids
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
30 Apr 13
So sorry to hear you have to take him back. I'd be mad at the shelter too! There must be something wrong with him to change so suddenly. I hope that the shelter does something to rectify the situation. I'm glad no one got hurt.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
Might be just that he's sick or scared from the vet or stressed.. dogs do get that way when they're stressed.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
30 Apr 13
I'm so sorry to hear that kats. I'd be mad at the shelter as well. Not only for adopting out a sick dog, but one that obviously has aggression problems too!
I was so hoping things would work out with Turbo. I don't blame you for taking him back though. You have your family and kitties to think about.
I hate to say it, but after having a bad experience with a shelter dog growing up, I'll never adopt one...not even an older puppy. Not purposely anyway. You just never know what their history is really like. I'm not about to risk it...not with kids in the house. When I adopt a pet I prefer to get it at 2 months (3 at the most) so that my husband and I can raise it the way we want pretty much from the start.
Anyway, I hope this doesn't deter you from getting another dog. I don't know if you'd want to get it from that shelter though. 
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
30 Apr 13
Right or wrong, it doesn't matter. With knowing what could happen, isn't it better not to take such a risk?
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
Honestly what could happen.. could happen with any dog.. that's what dogs do. He was hurt and in pain possibly.. and stressed. And each and every one of us is so heartbroken right now.. my children cried themselves to sleep last night.. as did hubby and I.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
We were hoping so too.. we have some very heartbroken children on our hands right now.. me and hubby are pretty heart broken too! We're still asking ourselves if we made the right decision, even though he could have hurt one of the kids or cats..
1 person likes this
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
30 Apr 13
I've read your later discussion now, so I know the next instalment.
I really feel for you. I've had a dog which attacked one of our others, and neither my partner or myself could stop it. We were in a similar situation to yourselves, wondering what the hell we were doing letting this dog near our kids.
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
30 Apr 13
Long story, but shortly after that he went after a trespasser on our land and bit him. Ever though he was on our land and the guy shouldn't have been, he was put down. Very sad, and unfair. He never hinted at hurting any one of the family, we were just scared that we wouldn't be able to stop him if he did and he was a big dog.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
I really wish Mylot let us delete discussions.. this one would be gone!
So what did you do about that dog?
Some dogs have dog aggression.. some have people aggression, dominance aggression, toy aggression.. there's all sorts of different kinds.
I'm not sure Turbo has any kind of aggression.. he just plays too rough really.. and it's impossible for me to tell the difference between play growls and mean growls and play bites and mean bites.. you know?
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
30 Apr 13
I think the shelter needs to foster that dog out and train it to not be aggressive. He might not be aggressive if he is in a home with no kids or other animals. If he can't be socialized better he might be put down. I feel bad for the dog and also glad everyone is okay.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
He's normally not aggressive.. that was the first thing we looked for when we met him. We didn't want aggression problems. When we first met him he had a toy and we kept taking it away from him to make sure he wouldn't try to hurt us, and he didn't. He just got more playful.
At home he was the sweetest dog.. just lying on the sofa curled up with someone.
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
30 Apr 13
You have to keep the people and cats safe. Turbo may be seriously ill and in pain. Did you make sure to wash the bites with warm running water and soap? Did he break the skin?
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
He didn't break the skin.. hubby was right there and got him before he made contact.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
30 Apr 13
As heart breaking as it is and no matter the reason, you had to do what you had to do and that's to take the dog back. However, I do believe the reason he bit and showed his teeth is because he's sick and when pets are ill, they tend to sleep a lot more than normal and if someone or something disturbs it it will show aggression of some sort but this dog took it too far. You have to protect your family at all cost. Hopefully the shelter will have him looked at in hopes to find out what is ailing him. Its really sad thouh because he may be a great dog otherwise. Bless you for giving a shelter dog a chance! Sorry it didn't work out!
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Apr 13
When I first started reading it, I thought "well gosh, maybe it's just that the dog's sick", and I thought perhaps you should give it time, but the more I read, I have to agree, you can't really take chances. :(
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
30 Apr 13
I was really hoping that too.. because really he seemed so sweet at first.. aside from the way he plays.
We are all completely heart broken right now.. every one of us is in tears.. even hubby!
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
30 Apr 13
That is so sad. I am so sorry for your family and for Turbo. It seemed as if you all got along so well. Perhaps he is snippish and biting because he feels so badly? I would be really upset with the shelter as well. Good luck with everything.
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
30 Apr 13
First of all I am sorry that you brought Turbo back, I know how hard that must have been. The fact is though like you said, our children have to come first! That is the way I feel with the dog I am about to re-home. It's hard because I do love her but with the way she attacks our other dog, one day our kids could get in the middle and get really hurt. Or one of my Childcare children could get hurt and I cannot take those kind of chances.
It's really unfair that the shelter did not tell you that Turbo was sick or aggressive! It makes it so difficult once you like a pet and start getting attached to them. I will be crying when we find Bella another home as well. It will break my heart, I know it already.
