u/Nico-138741

Back in Nov 2025, I adopted a dog and learned a month later once she was more comfortable that she was highly reactive, unfortunately it meant she bit someone.

I learned all her triggers and notified the shelter of this situation. They weren't much help.

But I had asked them for paperwork and records. I wanted all her records about her past. And received only her medical record.

3 months ago, I just got her behavioral record, and turns out all triggers and signs I'd seen, and the shelter acted clueless to what I was reaching out them about, was listed down on the document.

I just put my doggy down because while she was okay physically, she was sick mentally. She was stuck in the house because she was dangerous to others. It wasn't fair to her.

Are there any trainers in Austin, TX, who is able to correct behavioral and cognitive r e a c t i v e n e s s. I have a 6 year old, 8lb chihuahua who spend every walk lurking for things to attack and bark at. She is willing to commit self-harm to lunge and attempt to hurt things.

She has so far bitten 2 people and badly attacked another animal, 2 out of 3 incidents took place while she was on sedatives.

I have called some trainers, but theyve quoted me.over $6000, but advise that she may be this way by nature so training may not stick. There's one who told me they wouldn't train her unless she's on her medication, but that defeats the whole purpose since she can barely stand on her meds.

Given her past, her vet gave me the option to do training and also said it may not stick, or to... put her down.

I'm heavily conflicted because this dog is sooo sweet, and has so much potential. She was an older rescue with heartworms, and I took her home so she could have fun and just live her life.

But she doesn't want to have fun like other dogs. She wants to search, attack and hurt things.

Im absolutely furious about what she did to that poor, and it's been so hard to pretend like it doesn't bother me.

I've tried my own methods, trainer videos, did consultations.

Are there any trainers in Austin, TX, who is able to correct behavioral and cognitive r e a c t i v e n e s s. I have a 6 year old, 8lb chihuahua who spend every walk lurking for things to attack and bark at. She is willing to commit self-harm to lunge and attempt to hurt things.

She has so far bitten 2 people and badly attacked another animal, 2 out of 3 incidents took place while she was on sedatives.

I have called some trainers, but theyve quoted me.over $6000, but advise that she may be this way by nature so training may not stick. There's one who told me they wouldn't train her unless she's on her medication, but that defeats the whole purpose since she can barely stand on her meds.

Given her past, her vet gave me the option to do training and also said it may not stick, or to... put her down.

I'm heavily conflicted because this dog is sooo sweet, and has so much potential. She was an older rescue with heartworms, and I took her home so she could have fun and just live her life.

But she doesn't want to have fun like other dogs. She wants to search, attack and hurt things.

Im absolutely furious about what she did to that poor, and it's been so hard to pretend like it doesn't bother me.

I've tried my own methods, trainer videos, did consultations.

My sister cut my mom off/blocked her because she hasn't officially cut our dad out her life. My dad is my older sister step-dad but he raised her.

Her feelings are valid, our parents relationship was heavily toxic, but they're in their 50s now. Theyve known each other since they were in single digits and they have this powerful soul tie that even while not together, no matter how mad they are at each other, they tend to find their way to each other. It's a strange toxic romance.

My mom has yet to properly apologize to my sister in person but has sent voicemails, which i have told my sister to listen to. She refuses to.

She wants my mom to get in contact with her through her husband, who has stated to me that he's not in it.

At the moment, my sister is sooooo mad at my mom for not trying to reach out to her.

I asked her, how is mamma supposed to contact you if she's blocked.

Im going to be transparent. My brother in law is cool, but the two dated for a couple weeks, 2 months at most, and then got married. This was 2 years ago. We are still building a relationship so it's a but awkward for all of us to speak on intimate personal matters. And the age gap... no offense... create this space where I feel it's have to be extra careful (he's in his late 40s, sister in mid 30s)

My mom doesn't want to speak to him to get to her.

Which leads to today, I found out my mom went to see her, and my sister left her in the living room for almost an hour by herself, and told her to wait until her husband got home.

Btw, my brother in law has said we're more than welcome to come over whenever. So I'm not pointing fingers at him.

But my sister is heavily upset my mom showed up without speaking to her husband first, that her showing up out of the blue is proof that all this time they haven't spoken it was possible for her to get in contact with her.

My sister had a baby 2 weeks ago, and my mom was supposed to be there for support but she wasnt even allowed to know she was in labor.

I live over a 100 miles away, and this is stressing me out.

I'm ready to go off on everybody.

My sister's biggest problem with my mom is that she feels as though my mom has chosen our dad in moments where it matters most and enables his behavior. And I FULLY AGREE WITH THAT.

However....

My frustration stems from my sister literally repeating the cycle she's cutting my mom off for. My sister made me promises that were cut after she got married in secret. Not only that, she says she cant do anything without the agreement from her husband.

Would I be the asshole for being upset with my sister more than my mom?

No even upset, but I feel a heavy need to feel bad for her. She has built a lot animosity towards and pride to the point she'd deny repeating the same things she's done.

Love makes people do things, and they don't see it while it's happening.

My sister cut my mom off/blocked her because she hasn't officially cut our dad out her life. My dad is my older sister step-dad but he raised her.

Her feelings are valid, our parents relationship was heavily toxic, but they're in their 50s now. Theyve known each other since they were in single digits and they have this powerful soul tie that even while not together, no matter how mad they are at each other, they tend to find their way to each other. It's a strange toxic romance.

My mom has yet to properly apologize to my sister in person but has sent voicemails, which i have told my sister to listen to. She refuses to.

She wants my mom to get in contact with her through her husband, who has stated to me that he's not in it.

At the moment, my sister is sooooo mad at my mom for not trying to reach out to her.

I asked her, how is mamma supposed to contact you if she's blocked.

Im going to be transparent. My brother in law is cool, but the two dated for a couple weeks, 2 months at most, and then got married. This was 2 years ago. We are still building a relationship so it's a but awkward for all of us to speak on intimate personal matters. And the age gap... no offense... create this space where I feel it's have to be extra careful (he's in his late 40s, sister in mid 30s)

My mom doesn't want to speak to him to get to her.

Which leads to today, I found out my mom went to see her, and my sister left her in the living room for almost an hour by herself, and told her to wait until her husband got home.

Btw, my brother in law has said we're more than welcome to come over whenever. So I'm not pointing fingers at him.

But my sister is heavily upset my mom showed up without speaking to her husband first, that her showing up out of the blue is proof that all this time they haven't spoken it was possible for her to get in contact with her.

My sister had a baby 2 weeks ago, and my mom was supposed to be there for support but she wasnt even allowed to know she was in labor.

I live over a 100 miles away, and this is stressing me out.

I'm ready to go off on everybody.

My sister's biggest problem with my mom is that she feels as though my mom has chosen our dad in moments where it matters most and enables his behavior. And I FULLY AGREE WITH THAT.

However....

My frustration stems from my sister literally repeating the cycle she's cutting my mom off for. My sister made me promises that were cut after she got married in secret. Not only that, she says she cant do anything without the agreement from her husband.

Would I be the asshole for being upset with my sister more than my mom?

No even upset, but I feel a heavy need to feel bad for her. She has built a lot animosity towards and pride to the point she'd deny repeating the same things she's done.

Love makes people do things, and they don't see it while it's happening.

So,

I think I've posted on here before about my reactive dog who was undergoing heartworm treatment.

She has been retested and results were negative.

Yay, and I'm so happy for her.

Now, here's why I'm here.

She was highly reactive while undergoing treatment which countered everything she needed to do while sick. Her vet had to prescribe anxiety and sedatives to keep her calm since she tended to act out over the smallest things.

Her prescriptions:

\\- prozac

\\- xanax

\\- acepromazine (only when situation calls for it)

\\- gabapentin

And even after testing negative, they have suggested keeping her on the anxiety meds.

We reached these four because she was constantly triggered to attack and kill things, and if she couldn't get to it, she was willing to commit self-harm/almost suicidd to break free from me.

I give her all 4 (in her proper dosages) for car rides as I have to buckle her down in her seat belt with a special collar that tightens when she tries to get out (Ive used other harnesses and collars, but never were escape proof so this is what I have to settle for).

If she's not on medication, she's barking all hours of travel, exhausting herself until she's fully panting, and lunging at my windows at full speed hurting herself.

So yes, she receives all 4 pills.

With that being said, we did a 3 hr car ride and arrived at our destination. She was woozy and just in the state she's supposed to be in.

This house we entered has a cat. They've met before but I never really let her chase him around because she never has good intentions.

This was the first time they've seen each other after she's been prescribed, and she attacked him greatly.

It was horrendous and the cat managed to scratch her up but the damage to the cat cant compare.

Ive reached out to the vet and theyve suggested two things.

\\- training, but as they know my dog, they say her prey drive and behavioral instincts may make this option pointless, and be a waste of money.

\\- Euthanize her because she had a history of being a danger towards people and other animals.

I know some people may read this and think the answer is obvious, and you may be right.

But I'm in denial.

She's been sick, locked in cages. She was adopted with heartworms, returned to the shelter with it. And I adopted her with heartworms, and got her the treatment for it. She should finally able to live her life.

I want her to be able to do that, but I cant even let her run around my yard, because she's only outside lurking rather than sniffing grass like most dogs do.

I've seemed training:

\\- One place said they wouldn't train her unless she's on all her medication (didn't stay because I want her to be corrected while she's fully focused, not wobbly and barely able to stay on her feet.)

\\- Quoted over $5000 pre training due to what I've filled out on application.

Are there any trainers who can help me? Any way I can train her myself?

I've tried ecollars, but like I said, she is willing to self-harm so she didn't react to it anymore once she was triggered, and I knew it was dangerous to keep it.

I've tried methods.

At this point, I might just need a vote. I don't know.

She's such a sweet, loving dog and has so much potential. I wish she could let world see it too.

Btw, this is 8lbs chihuahua mix.