Time Sensitive Advice Needed!

Question
Hi There. My sister called me last night and she is completely beside herself bc her fiance told her "we just can't keep the dog". The dog is almost 2 years old and she was badly abused; they have had her for about 7 months now. She is sweet but she destroys everything in site. They took her to obedience school and it didn't work; they were told that she may not be able to be trained bc of her abuse, that there is probably no hope. We live in Northern Florida and I have done research online trying to find someone that specializes in training for abused dogs... but I can't find anything. There is no SPCA in N.FL so if they can't keep her she will be put down! Please, do you have any information that could help us find a specialized trainer for her ASAP???? Thank you!

Answer
In what situations does she destroy things? Is it when she's left alone? Is she left loose in the house? If so, it may be separation anxiety. A group obedience class is not going to be able to address very specific, severe behavior issues, and many people who teach these classes don't have the experience or education to deal with such issues. I would check to see if www.iaabc.org or www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com has anyone in the area, and consult with their vet about the availability of a veterinary behaviorist (who would also have a good working knowledge of anti-anxiety drugs and can prescribe)www.avsabonline.org If there is a university with a vet program, that could also be a good resource. If all that fails, the fact is, euthanasia may be kinder for a dog who is tormented by normal environment, than sending that dog from unhappy home to unhappy home. That said, I'd seriously be considering whether a fiance who gave me ultimatums like that was someone I wanted to spend my life with. Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com