.png)
Five Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
Quick, practical dog training tips in under 5 minutes—because training your dog shouldn’t take all day.
New episodes drop every Monday.
With over 20 years of family dog training experience, this podcast delivers real-life advice you can actually use. From simple tips and clear explanations to common behavior scenarios, we’ll help you understand why your dog does what he does—and what to do about it.
Training really can be easy. Let us show you how.
Five Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
SUBS Only - Behavioral Euthanasia
This episode is only available to subscribers.
The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
Unlock exclusive case studies + deeper dog training insightsSend us a message - we can't reply but we are listening
🎙️ Have a topic you'd like us to cover?
Submit your suggestion at fiveminutedog.com using the contact form.
📚 Join our online training platform:
Dog training courses from Personable Pets
👩💻 Need one-on-one help?
Book a virtual session with a Family Dog expert: personablepets.com/virtual-sessions
📱Follow us for daily tips and updates:
TikTok | Facebook | Instagram
Welcome to the 5-Minute Dog, the mini-podcast that delivers practical training advice in less than 5 minutes. Hey there and welcome back, and thanks so much for being a subscriber. Your support really does keep the show going. Support really does keep the show going. Behavioral euthanasia is one of those topics that makes people uncomfortable just hearing the words, and I'm not here to tell you what you should think about it. I can only explain why I feel the way I do and maybe it'll give you something to think about.
Speaker 1:When I say behavioral euthanasia, I don't mean putting a dog down for medical reasons like old age or cancer. I mean euthanizing a dog specifically because of behavior Behavior that poses a serious danger to society. Behavior that poses a serious danger to society like repeated aggression, severe bites or risk that can't realistically be managed long term. So for me, the big sticking point is management. You know people will say we'll just keep the doors locked, we'll keep the gates closed. The doors locked, we'll keep the gates closed, we'll keep a muzzle on. But if you own a dog for five or ten years, at some point a door will get left open, a visitor will forget the rules or a child will run through the gate and all it takes is one moment in time If that dog is truly dangerous to society and the outcome of that one slip could be devastating, and that's why in those cases I lean towards supporting behavioral euthanasia.
Speaker 1:One dog I worked with really brought this home for me. He was a large mixed breed, adopted through a rescue. Before I even met him he had already sent two people to the hospital with multiple bites that needed stitches. But the first time I met him he seemed fine. He walked through the neighborhood, we practiced cues, we hung out in the kitchen, the backyard, no red flags at all. But thankfully, because of his history, we decided he'd wear a muzzle at our next session, and that's when I saw what was underneath. We recreated the scenario from one of his earlier bites. Everyone was sitting in the living room relaxing. I got up and walked through the space between the couch and his owner's chair and he sprang up and drove straight at me and his muzzle hit the back of my leg hard. But then he just left it there, breathing heavy, just waiting for me to move so he could try to bite again. Thankfully I froze in place until his owner got control of him. If he hadn't been muzzled and he'd been able to puncture my leg, I'm sure I would have moved, which would have caused even more punctures. No doubt in my mind, that moment told me everything I needed to know. He wasn't just a dog that would bite once and back away. He was a dog who would keep going and if management ever failed which it always does someone would pay the price. I told the rescue that I believed he was a danger to society and after another failed foster attempt, they agreed and euthanized him.
Speaker 1:For me, that case made clear that behavioral euthanasia isn't just about a dog that bites. It's about dogs who won't stop that bites. It's about dogs who won't stop, the ones who escalate. That's the risk that, in my view, outweighs everything else. And another thing I think about is honesty.
Speaker 1:A lot of people don't want to admit that their dog has a bite history. They're embarrassed or afraid or being judged. They're embarrassed or afraid, or being judged. So when they rehome or surrender they'll say something like we're moving or my kid is allergic. They hide the real risk. And then another family, maybe with kids or other pets, takes the dog in without the full story and it sets everyone up for failure, including the dog.
Speaker 1:I think that's one of the reasons I believe euthanasia should be a more acceptable option in some cases, because secrecy and stigma can lead to bigger tragedies down the road. Of course, there are steps that come before that point ruling out medical problems, consulting a veterinary, behaviorist, trying training plans, even medication. I'm not saying the decision should be easy or made quickly, but if all of that has been tried and the dog is still unsafe, I think euthanasia is sometimes the most reasonable choice. Now, I know not everyone will agree with me on this, and that's okay. This isn't a black and white subject. I just think it's worth talking about honestly instead of pretending the option doesn't even exist.