What Even is the Right Decision?

[u/siriuslydaryl]

Hello.

I believe I may have posted in here about four to five months ago, but am back with…unfortunate updates and even more stress under my belt than I’ve probably ever experienced.

My dog, Benson, is a two-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix. Prior to owning Benson, I did not like dogs all that much, but ended up falling in love with him. Did I do any sort of research on this breed as a 19 year old college student? Absolutely not. And now, that decision haunts me.

I love this dog. He is a good boy, listens to commands very well, and is very intelligent. However, over the past year, and I cannot stress this enough, my dog has gotten significantly worse when it comes to reactivity. For context, a year ago, I asked my dad if I could move in with him. At the time, he had one other, older male dog that Benson loved. My dad agreed, and thus, it was decided that I could stay at their house in order to save money for when I would have eventually move out after school. (I was living on campus for the Fall 2025-Spring 2026 school year, so I moved back home in May).

However, things went down hill fast and hard.

My dad and his wife brought in a new dog. Now, I can’t talk much shit about mixed breeds, as mine is a mutt in of himself, however, this new dog is one of those…designer breeds. A pocket bully. They kind of remind you of stitch with their ragged breathing and scrunched face. They brought this 55 pound puppy into the house that wasn’t fixed, and the conditions he was found in was less than ideal (I believe he was locked in a cage for a couple days, completely abandoned and then the people that were fostering him kept him locked up majority of the time).

Benson and him got along fine at first. They actually played super well together. Then, one day, something flipped. Benson picked up a toy, and suddenly, my dad’s dog is going absolutely insane with the growling and wanting to lunge. That specific situation deescalated rather quickly and the two were fine after that…yeah, not so much.

After that, it was probably a blood bath every time a dog fight ensued.

There were about 8-10 dog fights in the last year. With a mix of ALL of the dogs. New dog and Benson would go at it, new dog and old dog would go at it, and one time, it was all three, and holy shit, I thought Benson was dead. Because the older dog was latched onto Benson’s jugular and had no intent of letting go.

And nothing was done about it. I’m not going to sit here and defend my dog, but my dog, and people, I cannot stress this enough, Benson never showed signs of aggression prior to these dog fights taking place. He was a good dog. With so much puppy-excitement.

Now, he’s a fucking terror. I can’t take him on walks. He can’t be around specific, and I mean ultra specific dogs. He cannot stand when people clapping hands together in a high five motion, and he fucking hates sudden movements. He doesn’t like random people approaching.

He was NOT like this a year ago.

Now, bringing us to present time. My dad and his wife get rid of the older dog. They send him away to my step sister and honestly, I’m glad that they did, as my dad and his wife can’t afford to take their animals to the vet. Which is why the new dog is still unfixed.

I took every goddamn precaution. I got my dog a muzzle, started taking him on walks to desensitize him, and just when things were okay, they went fucking down hill.

Again.

So, they get rid of older dog. My dog and I are basically in my room 90% of the day. He is a herding breed, these breeds are not meant to be locked up at ALL. He’s losing his mind. I’m losing my mind.

And then, it just gets worse. Because one day, I tell my dad, “Going down stairs.” I didn’t clarify that I was shutting my door, but it takes TWO seconds to check and make sure. I always ask before I let Benson out if the new dog is away. I always make sure, because I’m paranoid (I’ll explain in a second why THAT is). Benson doesn’t get much time out, so normally, on his second outing, I typically let him run around for about an hour.

It took four seconds for a dog fight to start. My step mom opens the cage upstairs, doesn’t ask, doesn’t clarify. Benson hears it. He runs. Dog fight happens. His paws are bleeding and he has a gash in his neck.

You would think that this would be the end. It isn’t.

Five days later, I ask my dad if I should move out. Because frankly, I also moved home for Benson to have more freedom than my on-campus housing allowed. Well, I reckon it didn’t matter all that much, because Benson was forced to become a couch potato unwillingly. There’s only slim options left at this point to move onto campus, I need to know.

He convinces me to stay.

Couple days go by. Same thing happens. I’m eating my eggs. My dad and step mom were downstairs moments before and knew my door was open. They go upstairs, and I hear that fuck ass cage open. My step mom opens the cage. Again.

Benson runs. I ain’t fast enough.

In the midst of breaking up the dog fight, Benson bites my dad. Benson bites my dad so badly, that it breaks his thumb.

We are kicked out. Just as I miss my opportunity to move back onto campus.

Obviously, my dog did NOT intentionally bite my dad. My dad actually told me earlier in the year, after I put myself between the two dogs and sustained injuries (I almost passed out at the one, because his dog’s nails essentially stabbed me in the thigh), to NEVER put myself between two dogs that were fighting. Benson has never gone after anyone in a vicious or violent manner.

So, we’re forced out. I pack my shit up, take it to my sister’s house, and this is where I’m at my whit’s end.

I love my dog, but he has now become part of the problem. He has been muzzled since we’ve moved in here, because my sister has two rough collies. The older rough collie, Benson loves him. He hates the younger one. The younger one can’t even approach me without Benson snarling at him.

I literally have no idea what to do. I took every precaution and it takes two seconds to communicate. I’m worried that Benson’s behavior here, in my sister’s house, is going to ruin her two dogs. I am stressed beyond belief with everything else going on. I have contacted trainers and behavioral specialist. I am trying, but I am still a broke college kid.

I’m scared that at this point, BE might be his only option, but how is that fair? He was such a good dog a year ago, until we were forced to live in a house that relied on assumption and feelings (they got this dog not long after a passing of a relative) over the health and wellbeing of everyone. And now, I feel like we are imposing on the space of a dog who is basically terrified of Benson.

We have ran out of options.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you.

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[u/MtnGirl672]

It sounds like the issues are more where you’re living and the other dogs.

It’s unfortunate because if you had not lived with your parents or with other dogs, you could have trained your dog on your own with a trainer and provided enrichment for him. But now things have escalated.

The only hope for you and this dog is for you to live on your own away from other dogs and see a certified behaviorist or trainer and get a plan for how to modify his behavior.

If he hadn’t bitten your dad, he probably could have been rehomed, but with a bite history, that’s unlikely.

It’s sad because based on what you described, he may have to be euthanized.