Mans best friend - shooting vs euthanasia

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Hrmm a curious thought just hit my mind. What kinda life-span do you get from your guys "bird-dogs"?

Thought I had because my Rat Terrier made it 15yr. but I seem to recall that like for labs and stuff, it's more like 12-13yr right?

And man.. after my first baby passed.. I learned that Great Danes are only like 7-9yrs!? OMG that's just barely enough time for them to become an integral part of your life just before getting ripped back outta your heart again!

I think labs and goldens average around 11 as a general rule. However, it depends on lots of factors. Our first golden, Copper, wasn't a bird dog, and he made it to 11 before his hips went out. In comparison, Calvin hunted extremely hard (20-30 full days per season) for 9 seasons without any significant injuries before developing chronic arthritis in his front legs followed by hip problems the last couple years.

One thing I learned when buying my griff a couple years ago is that some vets are recommending not neutering male dogs until 2 years of age. Some studies have shown that waiting until dogs are fully sexually mature and can prevent musculoskeletal issues later in life like the arthritis our goldens both experienced. They were both neutered at 6 months or whatever the recommendation was back then. Oscar gets cut next month and he will be 2 years and a couple months. There are some griffs on the facebook groups that are 15-17 years old and still getting around very well. I'm hoping I get lucky with Oscar, because seeing them languish and deteriorate is too hard to happen every 10 years or so.

My brother has an english mastiff that weighs around 160 pounds. Large breeds like these and danes average around 8 years from what he's said.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I freaking hate this thread. I can't seem to ready hardly any posts without literally having tears roll down my face, it's embarrassing but that's the way I am. I didn't cry when my best friend died, but read about putting a dog down and I just lose my shit. I had to walk out on Marley & Me movie too, when he couldn't make it up the stairs I had flashbacks and couldn't see the theater screen anymore.

Hrmm a curious thought just hit my mind. What kinda life-span do you get from your guys "bird-dogs"?

Thought I had because my Rat Terrier made it 15yr. but I seem to recall that like for labs and stuff, it's more like 12-13yr right?

And man.. after my first baby passed.. I learned that Great Danes are only like 7-9yrs!? OMG that's just barely enough time for them to become an integral part of your life just before getting ripped back outta your heart again!

We've always had Labs. My last old girl made 13, one before that 15.5 but I probably should have ended it sooner just held on too long. Current one turns 11 in January but she's incredibly agile and healthy compared to the others, recovered from a rattlesnake bite last month. I may not make it through this next one, it's gonna be the worst of them for sure.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Most large breed dogs have a relatively short life span, 7-9 years.

 

[KurtR]

12.5 for my first lab and bone cancer got him. It was Christmas Eve never forget that morning and the way he looked at me. It was time even if I didn’t want it to be. My second one was 10 hunted all weekend healthy as you could tell from the out side went in on a Monday had cancer every where we went and guided that day longest ride home that evening. I think I can count on one hand seeing my dad cry and two of them were putting down our dogs as kids. They never live long enough

First dog was cut early till I learned better now unless there is a medical reason I won’t do it to any of my male dogs.

 

[BobbyMac]

I did it myself once...still have PTSD over it....never again!!

 

[WyoKid]

Great conversation. However, either way it is a difficult and traumatic way to say goodbye to a friend. I have done both and both are burned in my memory. One time, the Vet refused to let me be present. My dog knew as she was led away to the back room, giving me that look over her shoulders with fearful and sad eyes. The next time I saw her, the Vet had her in a garbage bag on the exam table and said let me check before you take her. He untwisted the top open and reached in to check her pulse, and said OK, you can take her. One of the worst memories of my life.

After that, I decided to take responsibility. I will spare you the details but that was just as unpleasant and traumatizing. Another memory I could do without.

I understand that Vets are much more compassionate now. Just make sure you get an explanation of the process from your Vet upfront before deciding to use that Vet. In my case, he was the only Vet in town and I was a naive 20 year old.

I would definitely use a Vet after interviewing a few about their process. I would want it to be peaceful and I would want to be present.

 

[Mojave]

My dad had the vet put down his Corgi last year. He held him in his arms when he took him to the vet. I felt like it was a good option.

Pets are pets not people, I do not have an emotional attachment to animals like they are people. I don't know that I would want to shoot one in the head.

I had to put a cow down once. There was an audience and I missed the brain with a rifle. You wouldn't want to shoot their nose off. Or something worse. She was dead on her feet from hydrostatic shock and just stood there for a few seconds until I shot her properly.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I had to put a cow down once. There was an audience and I missed the brain with a rifle.

I saw this happen with a huge bull bison a local was having butchered. Owner was an older fella and tried shooting it in the head at 20 feet with scoped .243. He missed the "T" on the skull and just shattered the nose and nasal area. That bison stomped and kicked dirt with blood flowing freely out of the entrance and his nose. Guy from the locker quickly grabbed his iron sighted .257 roberts and dropped him with one shot in the head. Brutal end for an enormous and magnificent animial.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Last Oct 5th at 3:33 PM. Our hearts being ripped from our chest. Big Boy Axl. god I miss him, as I do with all the other, Ginger, Brita, Gretel, Rommel, Ham, Bacon. All great friends.

 

[TheGDog]

Thank you sir and its tough for sure.

Understatement of the YEAR! They leave a big ol' hole in us.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you opt for DIY, get a buddy to do the deed. If you do it yourself, it will stay with you.

 

[bracer40]

I gave this a lot of serious thought last year and decided against doing it myself. I’d hoped to find a vet that could meet us in the field after some final planted bird finds but that wasnt possible. So we chose to have the vet come you our home and after a final steak meal we said goodbye in best way we knew how. Terribly heartbreaking, but peaceful and pain free for our pup.
Had to do it again six months later with our Griffon who suddenly showed massive cancerous tumors.

 

[Michael Rankin]

I’m not a super emotional person.

Don’t have pets, haven’t since I was a child.

I don’t think I would want to shoot a pet in the head.

I wouldn’t want my last memories to be pulling the trigger, watching it’s eyes pop out, and brains and blood pouring out of its head.

 

[WyoKid]

I shot some of our horses, a dog, and a couple cats when it was their time.
They pretty much went instantly.

Ive also had a vet come to my house and put down my dog while I held her. And that’s how I’ll do it every time from now on with a dog barring some extreme case where there isn’t time for a vet. Then I’ll do it myself.

For whatever Reason with a horse it just seems different. Give them some grain and end it. They die instantly enjoying some grain.

I agree....man's best friend earned a dignified death and not a bullet to the head unless there is no option.

 

[loganwayne]

Man this hits hard. My "first dog on my own" is 12 and really starting to show his age and slowing down. Plenty of Britts make it to 15-16 and God I hope he does. My wife met him when he was 1.5 and she gets choked up just talking about when he passes. It's gonna be a hard day and there is no way I could do it myself.

My parents had a jackrussel that all of a sudden got in rough shape they were going to take her to the vet the next morning to put her down. We went and saw her because she was "my" dog when I lived at home. We loved her up and had dinner with my parents with her in the living room when we went to leave she had passed. That was a tough day as well.

 

[Borofsky]

Shooting is tough that takes some grit.,.,I did my two with euthanasia I think they appreciated it. That’s a tough one. Good luck

 

[ThorM465]

I had to put down a beloved family member Sunday night of memorial day weekend. He was recovering from a biopsy of his liver and took a turn for the worse. I wasn't going to let him suffer any longer, so I dug a grave in his backyard and did what was my duty and responsibility. It would have been easier for me to have taken him to a vet, but this was what was best for him.

Honestly, as I prepped myself (prayed) to pull the trigger, I was terrified that something would go wrong and he would suffer more. Thank the lord, it was instantaneous due to the over pressure from 2 rounds of 5.56 behind the ear.

Given the option I'll opt to have a vet come to our home. However, I'd do it all over again long before I laid him on a cold table in an unfamiliar vet office.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I had to put down a beloved family member Sunday night of memorial day weekend. He was recovering from a biopsy of his liver and took a turn for the worse. I wasn't going to let him suffer any longer, so I dug a grave in his backyard and did what was my duty and responsibility. It would have been easier for me to have taken him to a vet, but this was what was best for him.

Honestly, as I prepped myself (prayed) to pull the trigger, I was terrified that something would go wrong and he would suffer more. Thank the lord, it was instantaneous due to the over pressure from 2 rounds of 5.56 behind the ear.

Given the option I'll opt to have a vet come to our home. However, I'd do it all over again long before I laid him on a cold table in an unfamiliar vet office.

All they want is for you to be there. Which I have always done.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Veterinarian here chiming in again.

About 15 years ago when I was doing farm calls, I went out on a late night call to a rancher on a down cow. She was flat out. He said she was older and wanted her euthanized.
I did the deed. He was going to bury her with his backhoe in the morning.
I carry surgical glue with me, and after I did the deed, I lightly glued her eyelids shut.
My husband was with me because this was a new place and late at night, and he didn’t want me going by myself. When I glued the eyelids shut, the rancher elbowed my husband and snarked “yeah, leave it to a woman vet to do something like that…”
When we got in the truck to leave, I saw the guy crying in my headlights off in the distance.

I bet he used to shoot his cows in the head in the past. I bet it went well most times. And other times it didn’t.
He chose to call me out and pay my bill. I knew when I arrived that he couldn’t do it himself. He didnt have it in him anymore. And I didn’t want him looking her in the eyes when he buried her.
Bad outcomes stick with you.
If you choose to do it, do it well.
It is just like dispatching any other animal, be it a chicken, a goat, a cow, or a dog…be good at it, or don’t do it.
Do your research on your anatomy.
Anatomy differs on breed of dog - Lab vs Collie vs English bulldog.
A .22 is great for a chihuahua, not for a lab.
A .357 is great for a lab, but not for a chihuahua.
(Well, it’s great for a chihuahua, but we’re not wanting abstract art)

Make good choices. If you are unsure of your anatomy, your caliber, and your mental health afterward, call someone else to do it.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

I think labs and goldens average around 11 as a general rule. However, it depends on lots of factors. Our first golden, Copper, wasn't a bird dog, and he made it to 11 before his hips went out. In comparison, Calvin hunted extremely hard (20-30 full days per season) for 9 seasons without any significant injuries before developing chronic arthritis in his front legs followed by hip problems the last couple years.

One thing I learned when buying my griff a couple years ago is that some vets are recommending not neutering male dogs until 2 years of age. Some studies have shown that waiting until dogs are fully sexually mature and can prevent musculoskeletal issues later in life like the arthritis our goldens both experienced. They were both neutered at 6 months or whatever the recommendation was back then. Oscar gets cut next month and he will be 2 years and a couple months. There are some griffs on the facebook groups that are 15-17 years old and still getting around very well. I'm hoping I get lucky with Oscar, because seeing them languish and deteriorate is too hard to happen every 10 years or so.

My brother has an english mastiff that weighs around 160 pounds. Large breeds like these and danes average around 8 years from what he's said.

I tend to see them for their last visit (euthanasia)
Labs - 14yrs
Bird dogs -15/16 yrs
Chihuahuas - 17yrs (cause evil refuses to die young)

Doesn’t seem to matter if neutered/spayed early, late, or not at all. I’ve noticed no correlation whatsoever.
(Veterinarian and owner of multiple labs, bird dogs, and chihuahuas)