Total Disbelief!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Had a conversation with an individual today that still has me shaking my head!

We went to a town about an hour away that is a lot of antique and primitive shops that was also having an outdoor festival this week-end.  While walking around with Lucy and Sophie this lady asked us if they were Golden Doodles and we said yes.  She proceeded to tell me that her Sister had one, but they had to put it to sleep.   Obviously this peeked my interest so I politely asked her what happened, if it was sick or something and what she said floored me.  She told me that it was mean, that it bit her children, that no body could make it behave, that even the vet said it was beyond help.  I asked her how old it was and she said a year!  I said "what", you are kidding me.  That's just a puppy.  That's what puppies do.  It didn't need to be put to sleep, it needed a trainer.  She said well, my sister has 8 kids.  I'm getting ready to say that I understand her not wanting a dog that bites around little kids, when I realize that she is telling me the kids were terrorizing the dog (probably) and the dog was just defending itself.  So, not only was this a terrible owner, it really troubles me because somewhere out there there is a Vet that didn't realize this was a puppy and could have been helped!  It was incredibly sad. 

I'm thinking we need some sort of permit that is required to buy a dog like there is to purchase a gun.  A training class and a background check to be sure you aren't an idiot before you can buy a puppy!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

How sad! Your permit idea is a good one.

[Sarah and Joplin]

That is so heartbreaking to hear! I agree on the permit idea, I say the same thing that training and a permit should be required to have children!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I agree on the kid thing too!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Well, it sure would be nice to have better educated, understanding parents and pet owners!

[cheryl & oliver]

I agree, no one should be allowed to have children or own an animal unless they have passed several different tests, mental stability and at least 1/2 a brain, and then and only then should they be allowed to parent either human or 4 legged children....

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I had to go inside and put my lovely bowl of ice cream with a smashed up waffle cone on the counter to come back and answer this.
Could you just imagine our mutual friend's reaction if she had heard this story? OMG!!
These kind of people are the reason that so many are in kills shelters all over the country! Get a doodle or any other breed, without fist doing research and no training and they dump them or kill them because they are puppies! What idiot thinks that with 8 kids that they have the time for proper raising of a dog!
Holy Poop!! WTD!! I am livid!
The VET thinks there is no hope?? Did he get his license from a back of a book of matches?
I think I had better stop here - this is a family site! I am going to go kick the wall or something! TG the girls are sleeping.

[Camilla and Darwin]

This is such a sad story. and I wish there could be more regulation as well. I wish every dog owner would be required to complete at least two levels of obedience within... say... the first year of ownership. It seems like a big hassle... but it might make impulsive buyers think twice, and result in more well trained dogs...

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This is heartbreaking and infuriating at the same time. It's a horrible thing that this owner did, but what makes me the most upset is the Vet who did it. I can't even begin to imagine my Vet ever doing something like that. This is very disturbing on so many levels.

[Wendy and Eddie]

I wonder if the vet looked at the situation the dog was living in, with 8 kids etc., and decided it might be kinder to the dog. It could be the family wouldn't even consider giving the dog up to a rescue group.

[Ginny Nightingale]

I am also truly shocked and saddened by this story. I had a vet who had the opposite reaction when my Wheaten viciously attacked my sister-in-law. My vet tried to talk me into not putting him down, but I had an order from the police and my insurance company breathing down my neck....My sister-in-law filed a claim and won, which was fine with me. She had scars on her forehead and almost lost an eye. It is a very loooong story, but the dog was 11 and was starting to get really weird after years of being a paranoid dog. He was good with our family, but I had to keep him locked in his crate whenever anyone came into the house. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law never believed he was dangerous and did not wait for me to lock him up when she came into the kitchen that day....so sad.
I wish I had known what I since have learned about training. He would never have gotten so bad. But I learned my lesson and made it my business to be a more responsible dog owner when I got my doodles and they are both Therapy dogs now. I plan to work with dogs at the local no kill Humane Society to help them learn to behave. I am still feeling so guilty about what happened with my Wheaten that I am trying to make up for what happened to both him and my sister-in-law. I think that promoting good training is the way to go-- and I have noticed that we all do that here on DK. I know I do that whenever I run into people with puppies!

[The Berry Oaks Doodle Ranch]

I agree on permit idea too...and how sad to hear.

[Frannie & Callie]

That is an absolutely horrible story about horrible people. I too agree that people should have to be trained and licensed to raise any living being.