Absolutely Gutted -

[Shakti]

Thanks very much for that Powerlegs - now everyone who wants to is very welcome to re-read that entire thread and see that I NEVER said I was going to get another dog, NEVER suggested rehoming Ben and was in fact just asking a question!

Yes Dogmad I did. That is where I got the pregnant cat I currently have from.

No - I would never get a protective breed with ALL these children.

Good grief! Do you guys really enjoy kicking someone whio is already feeling like shit - who came on here and asked for any constructive advice or suggestions to do the very best for her dog - and is now being accused of fostering kids for the money, of purchasing a second dog who is more protective and just blithely giving up her GSD as well as recklessly volunteering to save animals from Death Row in other cities?

I swear - I can see why some people prefer to simply give their dog away in the paper or have it PTS rather than face the judgemental, nasty, shit-stirring crap that some of you have dragged me through tonight. If this is how you treat people who care enough to buy a Registered purebred dog, have it microchipped, registered, wormed, flead, vaccinated, socialise it at Puppy School, attend a General Dog Obedience Clas, join their breed Club, attend seminars. training days and train for Competitive Obedience then God save the ordinary dog-owner from those of you who have just managed to make me regret that I was ever honest about the issues and my options in the first place!

Edited to apologise to all the people who have offered advice and genuinely tried to help. i am just so very sad about this whole situation and the nasty innuendo that some of the minority have tossed up in this thread has really broken my heart!

Edited March 24, 2010 by Brooke

[Beaglelover:)]

Thanks very much for that Powerlegs - now everyone who wants to is very welcome to re-read that entire thread and see that I NEVER said I was going to get another dog, NEVER suggested rehoming Ben and was in fact just asking a question!

Yes Dogmad I did. That is where I got the pregnant cat I currently have from.

No - I would never get a protective breed with ALL these children.

Good grief! Do you guys really enjoy kicking someone whio is already feeling like shit - who came on here and asked for any constructive advice or suggestions to do the very best for her dog - and is now being accused of fostering kids for the money, of purchasing a second dog who is more protective and just blithely giving up her GSD as well as recklessly volunteering to save animals from Death Row in other cities?

I swear - I can see why some people prefer to simply give their dog away in the paper or have it PTS rather than face the judgemental, nasty, shit-stirring crap that some of you have dragged me through tonight. If this is how you treat people who care enough to buy a Registered purebred dog, have it microchipped, registered, wormed, flead, vaccinated, socialise it at Puppy School, attend a General Dog Obedience Clas, join their breed Club, attend seminars. training days and train for Competitive Obedience then God save the ordinary dog-owner from those of you who have just managed to make me regret that I was ever honest about the issues and my options in the first place!

Brooke, all you can do is laugh at the high horse clan and whose who think they are gods gift to the dog world. It is truly sad that people can no longer get good advice without the thread turning sour! All the positive turns to one big negative thread. As a result any education at hope to help the situation goes down the toilet with it.

Sad...this site has such potential at making positive change for dog owners, however people are too scared to voice their issues.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Beaglelover:)

[Longcoat]

BigDaz - I wish it was that but he has snapped at a two year old toddler who had her back to him playing with bubble mixture as well as at a very gentle deaf fifteen year old girl who had been patting him just moments before. Plus with all the training he has had it is not acceptable for him to be making judgements as to people's character and snapping at them when I have told him *by word and action* that these people are part of our family.

Kamuzz I don't think i should say who his breeders are but they are well-known and I believe very reputable. I have contacted them about this situation and hope to hear from them soon. They have been very supportive and we only lost touch when we moved inter-state.

What training???............a few months ago Brooke, your dog was running away when someone was attacking you, now it's biting everyone. have you been ramping up the dog's suspicion levels and defense drives and now it's backfired???.

[all that glitters]

WTF do you suggest that she does with the teenage foster children she has??? Simply 'send them back'?? Where do you think these children will go? Or do you not care? Honestly, you people are stupid.

Yeah right stupid are we!! I know people who do foster and they get paid for it. Its non taxable and does not effect a pension entitlement if one happen to receive one.

Ive even known of one person in my town who blatantly did it for the money,Some of the kids that this person has fostered have had many personal problems, maybe the gsd being an astute breed of dog has picked up on certain things.

Hopefully the dog can be re homed to a more suitable environment.

Thanks Powerlegs! By the way Brooke, did you find some local pounds you could rescue from, rather than bringing cats and dogs all the way down from Sydney?

And of course, you wouldn't be wanting a protective breed with all those children, it just wouldn't be safe.

FFS you people are sooo friggin rude!!!

[Jed]

BigDaz - I wish it was that but he has snapped at a two year old toddler who had her back to him playing with bubble mixture as well as at a very gentle deaf fifteen year old girl who had been patting him just moments before. Plus with all the training he has had it is not acceptable for him to be making judgements as to people's character and snapping at them when I have told him *by word and action* that these people are part of our family.

Kamuzz I don't think i should say who his breeders are but they are well-known and I believe very reputable. I have contacted them about this situation and hope to hear from them soon. They have been very supportive and we only lost touch when we moved inter-state.

What training???............a few months ago Brooke, your dog was running away when someone was attacking you, now it's biting everyone. have you been ramping up the dog's suspicion levels and defense drives and now it's backfired???.

I believe someone named you as "a tool", Longcoat. I'd like to second that.

[Okami]

Yes, this thread has become.... very sad.... And not what it was ever intended to be..... I hope Troy shuts it down....

[all that glitters]

Yes, this thread has become.... very sad.... And not what it was ever intended to be..... I hope Troy shuts it down....

There's alway the douches that have to come and be negative to cause a thread lockdown.. I would like to see them in other peoples shoes sometimes.

[Tara and Sam]

Wishing you well in finding him a home

such a sad decision to make when trying to protect all involved

I can understand him being overwhelemed , as my male dog as he gets older is starting to get overwhelemed with the kids and extra adults when they visit

my boy chose his safe haven after a hour or so of the kids , he walks up to the car and wants to get in the back seat

he quiet happily stays there until they leave or until he ready to get out

and the kids are told Leave him alone

( the kids are not allowed to be alone with the dogs at all )

[Okami]

Yes, this thread has become.... very sad.... And not what it was ever intended to be..... I hope Troy shuts it down....

There's alway the douches that have to come and be negative to cause a thread lockdown.. I would like to see them in other peoples shoes sometimes.

^ + 1

I don't know.... but if there are some personal issues.... which may have been very vaguely alluded to ... I think they should be kept where they belong.... in PM...

I'm not saying people are wrong.... because I don't know.... but I certainly can say some people have gone the wrong way about expressing themselves.

You don't make friends with Snarky!

x o x o

[Pheebs]

Brooke, wishing you and Ben all the best for a very positive outcome.

Sadly, there will always be the renegade DOL member that will seek to make you feel like utter crap when faced with a heart-wrenching decision.

[moosepup]

It's sad that I'm not really surprised by some of the things people have said in here.

Brooke, it's a fantastic thing you're doing for these children. It seems like some people here fail to realise that nearly all of these kids don't end up in these situations through any fault of their own. They are innocents that are neglected, abused and mistreated by their own families and you have taken them in to try and show them a better life. To just give that up I think would be terrible.

I hope things work out for Ben and he can be rehomed where the living situation is less stressful for him and he can be happy again. Best wishes.

[Jed]

I always think it would be much better if people addressed the topic. And didn't make assumptions in threads. Happens all the time.

[cavNrott]

Brooke I hope it all works out for you and I wish you all the best.

Now that the breeders are aware they will hopefully offer to assist.

[Patters]

Before this thread goes "poof", I would like to applaud Brooke, her OH and family for their open, generous hearts! Not many care enough to open their hearts and homes to troubled children in need. And to animals in need, as well, as evidenced by her offers to foster.

Ben appears to be the odd one out in this family. He is the one who hasn't been able to adapt to the changes. And Brooke has tried, and is still trying, to help him. She has hired a trainer. She is prepared to further investigate possible health issues. She has come on here to ask for help. She has now contacted Ben's breeder (for their advice) as well. She IS acting responsibly, and with love, to try and find the best solution for Ben.

[Cuchulain]

Brooke, I cannot offer any advice but I admire you for what you are doing. Fostering kids is never an easy job and I, for one, wouldn't even contemplate it. I hope you manage to sort something out for Ben and that his problems are not health-related (although perhaps that might be a blessing in disguise?)

[Longcoat]

BigDaz - I wish it was that but he has snapped at a two year old toddler who had her back to him playing with bubble mixture as well as at a very gentle deaf fifteen year old girl who had been patting him just moments before. Plus with all the training he has had it is not acceptable for him to be making judgements as to people's character and snapping at them when I have told him *by word and action* that these people are part of our family.

Kamuzz I don't think i should say who his breeders are but they are well-known and I believe very reputable. I have contacted them about this situation and hope to hear from them soon. They have been very supportive and we only lost touch when we moved inter-state.

It seemed to me, from your post, that Ben was unhappy about the children, and would be better with no children - or at least, children coming or going. It seemed to me that he was giving constant warnings about his unhappiness.

Now that you have posted a bit more, I suggest you check him for neuro issues, and also have a thyroid test done. Thyroid problems can present like this.

I don't think a behaviourist can help.

Hopefully, the breeder can help, but I would not send him to any rescue. I think the people who take him as a new home need to speak to you. If he is fostered, that is one more unstable situation, where he is likely to do something wrong. He needs to go from your home to a new one - with no children, and people who are not only aware of his issues, but have seen them. A rescue could only relate the issues to someone else, and there is a big chance of misunderstandings which will end in grief all round.

Good luck.

It sounds more like a typical case of fear aggression and the dog becomes confident that lunging and snapping relieves his fear of the people in his environment that he believes don't belong. This behaviour is common in GSD's lacking nerve strength. A good behaviourist can help dramatically in this situation teaching the dog how to handle pressure.

[Parkeyre]

Before this thread goes "poof", I would like to applaud Brooke, her OH and family for their open, generous hearts! Not many care enough to open their hearts and homes to troubled children in need. And to animals in need, as well, as evidenced by her offers to foster.

Ben appears to be the odd one out in this family. He is the one who hasn't been able to adapt to the changes. And Brooke has tried, and is still trying, to help him. She has hired a trainer. She is prepared to further investigate possible health issues. She has come on here to ask for help. She has now contacted Ben's breeder (for their advice) as well. She IS acting responsibly, and with love, to try and find the best solution for Ben.

Brooke, I cannot offer any advice but I admire you for what you are doing. Fostering kids is never an easy job and I, for one, wouldn't even contemplate it. I hope you manage to sort something out for Ben and that his problems are not health-related (although perhaps that might be a blessing in disguise?)

I have jsut read the entire thread am am disgusted by what people have suggested, implied and said.

Everything I could want to say is in these two posts re: brooke. Hugs to you.

Sigh, some people are just cruel idiots who enjoy kicking people while they are down.

[Ravyk]

Before this thread goes "poof", I would like to applaud Brooke, her OH and family for their open, generous hearts! Not many care enough to open their hearts and homes to troubled children in need. And to animals in need, as well, as evidenced by her offers to foster.

Ben appears to be the odd one out in this family. He is the one who hasn't been able to adapt to the changes. And Brooke has tried, and is still trying, to help him. She has hired a trainer. She is prepared to further investigate possible health issues. She has come on here to ask for help. She has now contacted Ben's breeder (for their advice) as well. She IS acting responsibly, and with love, to try and find the best solution for Ben.

Brooke, I cannot offer any advice but I admire you for what you are doing. Fostering kids is never an easy job and I, for one, wouldn't even contemplate it. I hope you manage to sort something out for Ben and that his problems are not health-related (although perhaps that might be a blessing in disguise?)

I have jsut read the entire thread am am disgusted by what people have suggested, implied and said.

Everything I could want to say is in these two posts re: brooke. Hugs to you.

Sigh, some people are just cruel idiots who enjoy kicking people while they are down.

+1 Some of the comments here have been uncalled for. Why not try a simple little exercise. Get off your moral high horses and put yourself in Brooke's shoes and walk a mile [or 10] in them. Imagine that it is your dog who has started snapping at your children. My god! If anyone posted just that, there would be an outcry of people saying to have the dog PTS because it's HA. For some reason because it is snapping at foster kids, she should get rid of them instead. They are humans too, and have feelings just like you do and your children do. Good foster parents are held in my highest respect, they share their homes and lives with 'broken' children and help them find a good path in life.

She isn't taking the easy way out. She has explored options and is continuing to explore them. I have a feeling PTS is the LAST thing on her list. I pray that it doesn't come to that, but I believe if it does it with honestly be her last resort.

Some of the stuff said on this forum disgusts me. It shames me to be associated with it sometimes. People need to get over themselves and realise that there is actually a real person sitting on the other side of the screen who has feelings and hurts at some of the cruel words said. I hurt for what people have cruelly said to Brooke in this thread. I love dogs, but boy do I hate the politics that seem to come with owning/breeding/showing/rescuing/fostering the four legged furries.

[Parkeyre]

Before this thread goes "poof", I would like to applaud Brooke, her OH and family for their open, generous hearts! Not many care enough to open their hearts and homes to troubled children in need. And to animals in need, as well, as evidenced by her offers to foster.

Ben appears to be the odd one out in this family. He is the one who hasn't been able to adapt to the changes. And Brooke has tried, and is still trying, to help him. She has hired a trainer. She is prepared to further investigate possible health issues. She has come on here to ask for help. She has now contacted Ben's breeder (for their advice) as well. She IS acting responsibly, and with love, to try and find the best solution for Ben.

Brooke, I cannot offer any advice but I admire you for what you are doing. Fostering kids is never an easy job and I, for one, wouldn't even contemplate it. I hope you manage to sort something out for Ben and that his problems are not health-related (although perhaps that might be a blessing in disguise?)

I have jsut read the entire thread am am disgusted by what people have suggested, implied and said.

Everything I could want to say is in these two posts re: brooke. Hugs to you.

Sigh, some people are just cruel idiots who enjoy kicking people while they are down.

+1 Some of the comments here have been uncalled for. Why not try a simple little exercise. Get off your moral high horses and put yourself in Brooke's shoes and walk a mile [or 10] in them. Imagine that it is your dog who has started snapping at your children. My god! If anyone posted just that, there would be an outcry of people saying to have the dog PTS because it's HA. For some reason because it is snapping at foster kids, she should get rid of them instead. They are humans too, and have feelings just like you do and your children do. Good foster parents are held in my highest respect, they share their homes and lives with 'broken' children and help them find a good path in life.

She isn't taking the easy way out. She has explored options and is continuing to explore them. I have a feeling PTS is the LAST thing on her list. I pray that it doesn't come to that, but I believe if it does it with honestly be her last resort.

Some of the stuff said on this forum disgusts me. It shames me to be associated with it sometimes. People need to get over themselves and realise that there is actually a real person sitting on the other side of the screen who has feelings and hurts at some of the cruel words said. I hurt for what people have cruelly said to Brooke in this thread. I love dogs, but boy do I hate the politics that seem to come with owning/breeding/showing/rescuing/fostering the four legged furries.

Fantastic post about unfantastic posters.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Some of us have in rescue have known Brooke previously, not always a privilege on DOL - it's an internet forum, some of you are making assumptions too.

If you have an unreliable and/or vicious dog, especially a large one, do you expose it to lots of children, yours and other people's that you are taking care of? Do you stress it out by bringing lots of different animals into the environment (not necessarily the same room)?

I'm interested in sensible and ethical dog ownership and honesty.

Hopefully this particular dog can go back to the breeder.

Edited March 24, 2010 by dogmad