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You should feel really sick!!!!!!!!!! Because of you this poor dog is going to have to go through even more stress and trauma because you weren't able to handle him!!!!! It's not his fault you have no idea how to handle a challenging dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really dislike this type of guilt inducing talk. So over the top.
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To the O.P. -- I'm glad you were able to save the kitten. It's not unusual for a dog to go after a little kitten. I hope you are able to get the dog out of your house and find it a better place.
You have a cat that you know does not like other cats, adopted a dog that you know has some behavioral issues and needs serious training but despite those things you got a kitten and once you dump Hobbs you will be buying an 8 week old pure bred lab puppy.
Do you really think that you will have an easier time with, or do a better job of training a puppy than you have with Hobbs?
We had one of the most loving sheep dogs I have ever seen take a new kitten in our back yard with one swallow. I was horrified. My husband informed me that dogs and cats are natural enemies and the only way our dog was going to be nice to a kitten is if he sees us playing with it and realizes he is supposed to protect it.
So we ended up with another cat and let him know it was our friend and we loved it and him. I looked out one cold morning and the cat was sleeping in the middle of this dogs back in all that hair. He just had to be educated.
It may be very hard to find a rescue that will take in a dog that is cat-aggressive, has a bite history (with your husband, if a previous poster is correct), and is part pit bull. I would suggest getting an animal behaviorist involved if you can afford it, and try your best to keep him if you want him to stick around on this earth.
If you can find a rescue that takes in pit bulls with bite history without there being euthanasia involved somewhere down the road then more power to you, but I don't know if such a place exists. And you can't hide the details of his aggression from a rescue organization-- If they get the wrong info from you he may get placed in a family with cats or kids that may set him off, and....
This may be hard task, but maybe find or make a friend with aggressive dog experience that will fall in love with Hobbs and not be affected by his flaws.
You have got to be SO disappointed. I am so sorry to read this. It hurts me, too.
I did an online search, and didn't find anything specific to Labs, except BYBs.
Is there any chance at all that this could be resolved with more - different efforts? Not knowing the details, is there a way that somehow the dog felt threatened by the kitten? I know that sounds weird, but size doesn't equate to level of threat in a dogs mind, and if this one had an uncertain background, there might have been some "trigger" that you didn't understand?
If you are absolutely certain you cannot continue with the dog, perhaps you can contact the HS and determine if there are foster parents in your area?
Feeling inadequate, wishing I could help more than these paltry words....
I really dislike this type of guilt inducing talk. So over the top.
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To the O.P. -- I'm glad you were able to save the kitten. It's not unusual for a dog to go after a little kitten. I hope you are able to get the dog out of your house and find it a better place.
Good luck to you.
BLAH BLAH BLAH!!! This person should of been screened by the shelter before they let her get a lab/pit bull mix. I can't beleive she went out and bought a kitten even after her husband was bitten. What the hell did you htink was going to happen!!!!!
Please don't let this dog be around any babies or small children.
And if this dog did bite your husband, unprovoked, it isn't a dog that will adapt to a friendly family enviornment. It sounds like you will never be able to trust it.
Please don't let this dog be around any babies or small children.
And if this dog did bite your husband, unprovoked, it isn't a dog that will adapt to a friendly family enviornment. It sounds like you will never be able to trust it.
I agree and there is one rule in my house with dogs ,first bite is theirs the second bite they are going because the dog has shown you that it cannot be trusted in your house . What if this had been a child ?No this dog cannot be trusted around anything smaller than him . It is time to go .
Thank you for the positive posts, folks. Not surprised at the harsh ones, including private direct messages. This situation with Hobbs has me so upset I can't talk or think about it without crying. I want what's best for this poor dog. When you adopt a shelter dog, you have no idea what it's really like. My last dog was from a shelter but had only one issue which we were able to deal with. We are NOT going to rush out and adopt a puppy and maybe would never have another dog after this traumatic situation. I'm exploring all options right now related to trying to keep Hobbs. Please don't be too hard on me--I'm not a bad person.
Thank you for the positive posts, folks. Not surprised at the harsh ones, including private direct messages. This situation with Hobbs has me so upset I can't talk or think about it without crying. I want what's best for this poor dog. When you adopt a shelter dog, you have no idea what it's really like. My last dog was from a shelter but had only one issue which we were able to deal with. We are NOT going to rush out and adopt a puppy and maybe would never have another dog after this traumatic situation. I'm exploring all options right now related to trying to keep Hobbs. Please don't be too hard on me--I'm not a bad person.
Virtual Hugs to you! No, of course, you are not a bad person. Your doing what is right for you, your family, furfamily and Hobbs.
I take it, you most likely informed the shelter you adopted him from, you already had an existing cat? This would imply they knew he was cat friendly or at least, didn't think he would have issues with felines.
As for the poster who said you knew you had a cat who didn't like other cats... I've never met a cat who didn't growl, hiss, or yowl when a new cat/kitten came into the house. It takes times, and most likely will be buds before too long.
It may sound harsh...but there were reason he was in shelter in the first place, and these kind of aggressions may just be the reason. Do not beat yourself up over this. Have you contacted the shelter you got him from...that would be the first place to start.
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I've never met a cat who didn't growl, hiss, or yowl when a new cat/kitten came into the house. It takes times, and most likely will be buds before too long.