Pet parents love their furbaby and can never think of surrendering them, but what if the situation goes out of control? If the dog behaves aggressively and cannot be controlled even after a lot of effort then you may consider surrendering them with a heavy heart.
Even if you consider surrendering your dog you may want to choose the best place for them. In this blog, “Where to surrender an aggressive dog UK?” we will try to provide you with all the best possible information.
What Is an Aggressive Dog and Why Do They Behave That Way?
A dog being aggressive is common. In dogs, aggression may be triggered by many things unpleasant to them. But if your dog is becoming aggressive more frequently then it’s a sign of worry.
If your dog is being extremely unfriendly, and destructive causing harm to himself as well as you and is always ready to charge up then this is a sign of extremely aggressive behaviour in dogs.
There can be many reasons behind a dog’s aggressive behaviour[1], here are some of those causes:
- Improper training, exposure to stress, and unfriendly surroundings can be the reason behind your dog’s aggressive behaviour.
- Genetic factors like poor breeding and inherited temperament can be the reasons responsible for aggression in dogs.
- Pain and discomfort due to neurological issues can be the reason for a dog’s sudden change in behaviour. A dog suffering from pain may not be able to express it like humans thus they show it through aggression.
- Your dog may even show aggression if he is infected by rabies. This virus reprograms the dog’s behaviour and makes him lose fear and become aggressive.
- A dog may even show aggression due to a territorial tendency. Dogs are extremely territorial regarding their people, place and food, so if they feel threat they show aggression.
- Fear too can make a dog aggressive. If a dog feels fear then their immediate reaction is to somehow protect themselves and they tend to do it by showing aggression.
- If a dog wants to chase an object or animal then their prey drive instinct can make them aggressive.
Signs of an Aggressive Dog
Here are some signs to look for in an aggressive dog:
- Barking
- Growling
- Biting
- Snarling
- Staring
- Erect ear and tail
How Do We Manage and Prevent Aggression in Dogs?
Though it is not an easy task to manage and prevent aggression in dogs, with little effort and help it is possible:
See a vet
If your dog is showing extremely aggressive behaviour then consult a vet. A dog suffering from pain and illness may choose aggression to express it. A vet will examine your dog and treat him in case any illness exists.
Contact a professional behaviourist
Professional behaviourists are experts in understanding dog’s behaviour. They will examine the dog’s aggressive behaviour and identify the reason and trigger responsible for it.
They not only help you identify the cause of a dog’s aggressive behaviour but also help in dealing with it. Behaviourists upon analysing your dog suggest the way to prevent it.
Keep your dog equipped
Keeping your dog equipped with physical and mental stimulation can help prevent aggressive behaviour in them. This activity will keep your dog engaged and distracted from the triggers.
Apart from this stimulation will make your dog physically as well as mentally retarded lessening the chance of aggression. In addition, it will boost your dog’s mental strength.
Train your dog
Appoint a trainer who can train your dog. Training makes dogs well-behaved and can help in controlling aggressive behaviour. According to studies, a well-trained dog shows a lot less aggression than one who is not trained.
Provide your dog toys
When your dog is showing aggression provide them a toy, it will help control it. On getting a toy your dog will remove the entire frustration on the toy decreasing the aggression.
Provide your dog with treats
Treats are the best way to handle dogs. If your dog is showing way too much aggression then make him calm down and give treat repeat this action every time he gets aggressive.
By doing so he will understand to not be aggressive to get the treat. Thus making him control his actions.
When To Consider Surrendering Your Dog?
Surrendering a dog may seem tough but when you are left with no choice you have to do it with a heavy heart. Here are the situations when you can consider surrendering your dog:
Financial burden
It is not easy to look after an aggressive dog. An aggressive dog requires a lot more care and resources. You may need to appoint a behaviourist and trainer for your dog to control his aggression.
If your dog harms anyone due to his aggression then you may even have to spend money on resolving those legal issues.
Life risk
A dog in his aggression may harm the people around. Keeping an aggressive dog can be dangerous as it may have potential life risks. A dog in his aggression can injure anyone seriously.
So keeping an aggressive dog is like risking the life of you and your family.
Problematic behaviour
An aggressive dog may have behavioural issues like excessive barking, house soiling and jumping around. This behaviour may not go well with you and the people living around you thus leading you to make decision regarding surrendering him.
Where To Surrender an Aggressive Dog UK?
If you live in the UK and are considering to surrender an aggressive dog then here are the places where you can do so:
Dog Trust
Dog Trust is a charity welfare organization located in the UK. With 20 rehoming centres, they provide facilities like veterinary care, behaviour support and rehoming services for the dogs.
They have a policy to accept dogs of all breeds, ages and behaviour. They work to provide surrendered dogs good life and proper care.
RSPCA
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)[2] is UK based charity welfare. They have around 150 branches and 17 animal centres working for animal welfare.
RSPCA accept dogs of all breeds, ages and behaviour. They provide veterinary care, behaviour advice and rehoming services. To surrender your dog here you need to either email or call them and fill out the surrender form.
Hope Rescue
Hope Rescue is a charity organization in South Wales. They mostly work for the welfare of stray and surrendered dogs. With a huge network of foster homes, they accept all kinds of dogs and provide all the required facilities for them.
Breeder
If you have got your dog from the responsible breeder then they may willingly take the dog back. Many ethical breeders have the policy to take the dog back. They not only take the dog back but make their rehoming arrangements.
Shelter Home
Another place where you can surrender your dog is shelter homes these shelter homes will look after your dog and take their proper care.
There are many shelter homes which will not accept aggressive dogs owing to the risk associated with them. So before leaving your dog there make sure you mention every detail about your dog’s behaviour.
As mentioned in petmd, "Most pet surrenders are due to aggression. If you are rehoming a dog or cat because of aggression, then you must disclose the behavioral history to anyone that you are relinquishing the pet to, Dr. Albright says. If you rehome the pet and the pet bites someone, you may be liable. If you take your pet to a shelter, unless it is a no-kill shelter, pets with a history of aggression are usually destroyed due to liability issues."
How To Prepare Your Dog for Surrender?
Before surrendering your dog you need to prepare him in the following ways:
- Make sure your dog is fully vaccinated and does not have a pre-existing illness.
- If you are considering to surrender your dogs then avoid unwanted pregnancies in them.
- Keep all the paperwork and medical records of your dog ready and submit them wherever you are surrendering them. This will make it easy to rehome the dog.
- Assure your dog that he will be safe at his new place and pack all his toys and treats to send with him.
FAQs
What can a vet do for an aggressive dog?
A vet will examine your dog to check if the aggression is due to any kind of discomfort, pain or injury. If any medical treatment is necessary or not and if no medical treatment is needed then the vet may suggest a behaviourist who will be a better choice to understand your dog’s aggressive behaviour.
Is there a cure for an aggressive dog?
No, there is no cure for an aggressive dog, but there are some ways to manage this aggression. You can appoint a trainer or behaviourist who can understand the dog’s behaviour better and identify its triggers. Training your dog can help lessen the aggression but cannot cure it fully.
Can you live with an aggressive dog?
Whether you can live with an aggressive dog or not depends on several factors the breed of the dog, the severity of the aggression and the resources available to you to deal with this aggression. It is not an easy task to manage an aggressive dog, you may need to provide him with proper training and be ready for some legal issues too.
Where to surrender an aggressive dog UK?
If you live in the UK and want to surrender your aggressive dog then you can either surrender them at the dog’s trust, RSPCA, or at Hope Rescue Charity based in Wales. These places are prominent in taking care of old, abandoned and even aggressive dogs.
What is an aggressive dog’s body language?
A dog’s body language tells a lot about their behaviour and through it, you can know whether they are happy, angry, or in the mood of aggression. An aggressive dog’s body language is the stiff body, tail above the horizon, teeth chattering, raised fur and forward-leaning stance.
Conclusion
We hope that through this blog, “Where to surrender an aggressive dog UK?” we have successfully provided all the information. Surrendering a dog may not be easy for you but for their as well as your betterment you need to do it anyway.
By choosing a good place to surrender your dog you can ensure that they will lead a good life in that new place. While choosing the best place to surrender your dog you can help them get a lifetime of love and care.
Moreover seeing them happy and safe will lessen your guilt of leaving them.
Reference:
- Aggression and dominance in dogs. (2021, November 10). Animal Health Topics / School of Veterinary Medicine.
- The largest animal welfare charity in the UK | RSPCA. (n.d.).
