Aggresive boston terrier

[Gabriela Sanchez]

Hi! I have a 2 year old Boston Terrier. When he was a puppy we used to take him to the dog park every Sunday and was very sociable with dogs and humans. About at 1 year of age he started presenting Grade 4 Patellar Luxation and we had to operate his knee. Unfortunately the operation was not successful and we had to operate him two more times...it was a total of 6 months in rehab (usually in a small cage). Now after 6 months of the last operation, he is well, he jumps and walks 5 km a day (Mon-Fri).

After the operation he became aggressive. He is very aggresive toward the people that come to my house, as well as to people and dogs that are outside (as long as we are walking he does not mind humans (he gets quite excited with other dogs, but I've never let him near them because he starts to growl and bite them). I'm really scared to take him back to the dog park because of his aggression, and he tends to growl at the big ones.

Monday of this week was the worst scenario, when we took him to my parents-in-law's house and a new visitor saw him tried to pet him. He started with a really excited introduction but in about 2 seconds he started growling and bit her hand (REALLY BAD), she had to get stitches and everything.

Thing is I just found out I'm pregnant and I really would like for him to rehabilitate, or my husband will give him away once the baby is born.

I've been taking him on long walks (he's very hyperactive), play tricks with him (sit, down, stay, roll over, etc), he's starting to sleep outside in his bed (not in mine)....I've even invited dog lovers to my home, with him on a leash and they give him lots of treats during the evening and he stays very calm, but when they start to leave and they try to pet him good bye, he starts growling and biting.....

PLEASE HELP!!

[MaxHollyNoah]

Hi Gabriela,

I am so sorry to hear that your dog had to go thru such hardship. It is really heartbreaking to learn that he developed distrust towards people and other dogs as a result of physical and mental hardship of the surgeries and isolation.

To be honest with you, I would like to recommend you and your husband find a new owner for your dog. He already broke skin of the visitor and he should be on a quarantine. He can be harmful to, or even dangerous to your baby. Once he injures your baby, he would have to be euthanized and that would be even more tragic than letting him go to a new family.

I think it will be a reasonable thing to do for him to eliminate the potential of his failure. I hope someone, who has experience of correcting this kind of behaviors, can provide him a new home with a strong and clear discipline.

I am sorry I can not give you advice you are looking for... Through my re-homing experience, I truly believe dogs can be happier when transferred to a family of a perfect match.