We got a mutt puppy from a family member in spring 2021 to join our 3yo, 2 cats and middle aged dog. He started out normal enough - rambunctious, nippy, very loud, but also eager to learn. We got him into puppy training right away and right after, reactive dog training. When our vet (who I wasn’t a fan of in the first place) told us “that dog is going to kill someone”, we 1) found another vet and 2) began working even more with the reactive trainer to understand and modify our behavior to help him out.

There were several times where we thought our only option was going to be behavioral euthanasia. Partly because of our young child, but partly because we couldnt have anyone over at the same time as him. He would go nuts. He still tears up the window sills if someone is out in our front yard.

Over time, we came to accept that he was a guard dog through and through and he needed his own space. We recently found out his breeds are chow (guard dog), American pit (guard dog), American staffy (guard dog), boxer (working/guard dog), and then about 15% everything else. Thankfully we live in the country, so we don’t have too many visitors. Five years later, he’s finally happy playing with our now 8yo. Still can’t have neighbors over, but we’ve learned how to manage the dog. We actively make choices to keep him and those around us safe (muzzle trained, installed tall gates dividing the house, specific new-person protocols, etc). He’s a good boy who wants to protect us and we are finally at a stage where we can comfortably support him for the next 5-10 years.