In a recent issue of a Minnesota Outdoor newspaper, Gary Clancy wrote about recently putting his hunting dog down. He's written essentially the same article before about past hunting dogs. Rather than the traditional trip to the vet though, he takes his buddies out in the field, somewhere with some meaning whether it be where they got their first bird together, had a memorable day afield or many other possibilities. He then sits down with them and a .22 round puts the dog down. I love the idea of it just being you and your dog, in a place that was special to you, a relaxed dog, without the fear of the vet or a cold exam table, BUT I could never live with myself if the shot didn't put the dog down immediately or the chance that nerves kick in and the dog starts thrashing. Could you do this? WOuld there be a "surefire" shot that would eliminate the above fears. Everytime he writes these articles it gets me thinking.
To my knowledge most the time with a gunshot wound there is going to be some unpleasant thrashing involved. I'm no expert but it seems the only way to have a "peaceful" death would be sedation. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That is my fathers preferred way of saying goodbye. It would be tough to do that where I live and my wife would never go for it.
We had the best of both worlds with my brothers dog. Brought him to our cabin and spent some time with him, then gave him an injection. Of course, my brother is a vet, so that part was easily accessible. Not sure if I could do the .22 thing or not...
Traumatic injury is always just that...traumatic. I don't know if I could do it to my dog or not, that's rough. My grandpa has dug multiple holes and put horses down the old fashioned way though. But he's old school. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
No way I could do it....I am welling up just thinking about it.... I am sure there is an injection you could purchase somewhere?
I've done it once with a beagle years ago. She was hit by a car and in pretty bad shape. I shot her in the head with a 22. It was not cool. Very messy. I just had my lab of 10 years put down in February. I've had this dog for 1/4 of my life. I hauled her all over the country hunting and she went everywhere with me. She was my buddy. She deserved more respect that being shot in the head with a 22. I took her to the vet and held her as she passed. Peacefully.
I couldn't shoot my dog. EDIT: Of course if it was suffering from an accident or something that's a different story. But putting it down, I couldn't.
At the risk of sounding too graphic here, if it was well-placed and close enough I think it would be fine. Although personally I don't think I could do it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As a young man growing up on the farm you did what you have to do some times,no way I could do it anymore the last memory I have of a loved one is not going to be me pulling the trigger.
Ive done it before. It was a quick death an exactly where my beagle loved to be. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
There's no way I would shoot my own dog. I'd ask my brother of a friend to do it. However, I could put someone elses dog down for them.
Couldn't do it. I've shot enough animals at close range to know it's rarely immediate. Growing up in a vet clinic I've also seen enough animals put down to know it's a lot less painless and traumatic by injection.
I've done it. My 15ish year old lab was starting to suffer bad from some sort of cancer. I stopped in at noon to check in on him and he couldn't get up anymore. It was time. I took him to a spot that him and I played in my teenage years and put a slug into his head. Instantly he was dead. Suffering over. It by far was the toughest thing for me to do. Honestly I waited too long. I have a hard time with someone putting my dog down thus why I didn't go to the vet to have it done. Not sure though if I can do it again. Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
Shop around for vets. In my area there are vets that will come to your home. I think this is the best of both worlds.
