My senior Golden Retriever bites. Vet says put her down. What to do?

Question

I have a female Golden Retriever (age 11), and has recently bitten 4 times. Three of these were to do with trying to take food off of her, which I know many other breeds would snap at. One of these times was also a child (family friend) who was playing too rough with her, which due to her old age she doesn't tend to put up with as much anymore. Visited the vet today and told to put her down due to the fact some Retrievers can form a genetic disorder which makes them aggressive....need advice! Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Female

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry for Lucy's troubles. As dogs age, they do seem to sometimes become more anxious with the world around them. Diminished senses, such as sight & hearing, & chronic pain from osteoarthritis would make anyone grumpy. Is she ready to be euthanized? If she is a danger to anyone, then yes, but with a little more care & considerations, she might be OK. Never leave her where unsupervised children will be, & put her up when non-family will be around. Make sure any underlying disease or osteoarthritis is addressed with the proper medications. Calming pheromone sprays can reduce anxiety ( Adaptil ). Any dog can develop aggression as they get older, but I do not see more retrievers with this any other breed. If you can take some precautions, then I would see how Lucy does, but if this is a severe change in her disposition, then there may indeed be something more serious going on. I hope this helps in your decision. Take care.

My senior Golden Retriever bites. Vet says put her down. What to do?

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