It is with a sad and devastated heart that I announce that Mr. Lou will be put down today at 4:00 p.m. After extensive discussion with Lynn, with his rescue, Maryanne, and another Pyr expert, for the safety of all, it's our only option.
He has been extremely protective of us as time goes on or he has real fears. His behaviour has been suppressed for so long that as he becomes comfortable with us, it is changing for the worst and all issues are coming to the surface.
At first we thought it was just the mailman or that Ed was afraid of dogs but it has become any people of any size, gender or even those he already knows. It was suggested that he senses our underlying tension as we anticipate what might happen. However, as I see his behaviour changing, I don't think it has anything to do with us but rather Lou's fears. My instincts are pretty good. I know that now.
Another line of thought, MA suggested, is he is not pure. He may be mixed with another extremely protective/territorial dog such as a Maremma.
This early, quiet, sunny Sunday morning we had the dogs out. We stopped to wait for Trickster as he did his business. Our female neighbour came out and down the stairs. Loup looked, she made a comment about how much livelier Lou was compared to Clara. Lou sniffed her and leaped on her and then growled before I pulled him off. It all happened so quickly.
He then bit our friend, Renée, whom he has already met and spent an evening with doing tricks for her and she rubbed his belly and looked forward to looking after him if we went away. That all changed. She came over last evening, she rang the bell and I let her in. I thought a few times that I should put his leash on but thought he already knew her so it should be okay. I had him by the collar so he didn't go out. She let him sniff her as she greeted him and he bit her arm, without warning that I remember. Lynn H. suggested any number of reasons he might have bitten from different clothes, to associating the crate with her to not coming in with Ed. In the end, it doesn't matter.
It is also becoming increasingly difficult to get him to go outside. In the beginning, he was so happy to go out. He always came and sat for the leash to be put on. Then, I had to click to get him to come for the leash and treat him. Then, he would go to his bed, I would put the leash on, click to get him to get up. Then, this morning, he went to his bed and then upstairs. Clicking had no effect. I had to pull him to get him to get up.
I hate to think about the life he went through. I find it rather strange considering he is so well-trained (very unPyr-like but then so is aggression) and comes galloping to me when I click.
Dogs shouldn't be disposable and that's what mine are turning into. I am devastated about this. Mr. Lou pays the price for bad breeders/bad owners. This is becoming a reoccurring theme, one that I will do everything I can not to have happen again.
Lou was a good dog, at heart. He wanted to protect his home. Unfortunately, he was wired to protect to a devastating degree. The suggestion that he might be mixed with something more aggressive came from a pyr rescue person/breeder/vet. It makes sense.
ReplyDeleteIn my home, I think he was somewhat protected from his genes, for a time. It was not his home and he was not the sole protector - he had my girls. In time, he would have reacted the same. I am sure of that. I think the same was true of the pound. It wasn't his home, there was nothing of his to protect.
Today, I went with Donna for the sad but necessary task of releasing Lou from this world. He went into the yard, saw me in the drive and went ballistic. Had it not been for the (gorgeous new) fence, he would have attacked me. He lived in my home, played with my dogs, slept beside me, rolled on the floor with my daughter - and all he saw was an intruder.
The escalation of his behavior and what I saw today makes me certain that Donna and Don were likely to have been attacked at some point, and/or someone would have been seriously injured. This was not the same dog that I knew. And it broke my heart.
I was privileged to be with Donna, and Sue, when Lou passed out of this world. I wondered, for many hours, if I was insane to bring dogs of unknown origin into my home. Perhaps. But I have always had mixes, mutts, rejects and rescues. Ben and Lou have been exceptions, and I do not know why they ended up with Donna. That is a mystery that may never be known. I am sure there is a reason, a lesson. Surely I would not have known Donna without Ben, she would not have adopted Lou if she hadn't known me, ... perhaps - surely, I suspect - seeing Lou like this today has changed me so that I will make different choices and say "no" to dogs in the future. Maybe I will say no to dogs that could have been saved. But maybe I will say no to dogs that could seriously injure my family, pets and friends - and strangers.
I loved Lou. I do love him. I am heartbroken, sad, angry - but it was the right decision. Don and Donna deserve medals, stars of service, for their love and devotion. It was not their fault. Not my fault. Not Lou's fault.