Should my dog have surgery or be put to sleep?!

Taz:
 
If you think akitas are tough, try living with and training a Pharaoh Hound.  I lived with a 135lb grouchy akita on steroids (prednisone for treating his sebaceous adenitis) he was easy compared to a 55lb normally adjusted healthy PH. 
 
Akitas are pretty direct about challenges, PHs are indirect, sneaky, and very sly about every challenge.  Akitas weren't bred to be independent, quite the opposite really they were bred to be fearless and loyal.  PHs are independent thinkers that are usually 2 or 3 steps ahead of their people. 
 
Back to topic:
 
I've met a bunch of Chis that are well socialized, have great people and great dog manners.  There's one I see every night "Paco" who comes to the dog park, on the large dog side, and never has any trouble at all.  He ignores all people for the first 15 minutes while he makes two rounds of the park reading the "pee-mail" that other dogs have left.  Then he turns into mr social butterfly.

Xerxes I honestly don't know anything about the Pahraoh hound but am going to read about them because I enjoy learning about other breeds especially other challenging breeds. I know there are other breeds out there that can be quite a challenge and I just know that with training and consistency any dog can be a great pet.
 
Socialization when any dog is young is extremly important.! A trained dog is a happy dog and the dogs you see at the dog park that cause no problems and are stereo typed the bully breeds or the bad breeds ( due to the people that own certain breeds that have no clue and they turn into ticking time bombs) but those well behaved dogs I can guarantee you are owned by people that have put in the effort to educate themselves about animals and have put out the consistent effort to train them and socialize them. Too many people are just lazy. They think it's so much work to train a dog but have nothing but complaints about how bad their dog is and it must be their genes. I get sick of hearing it is all.
 
It doesn't take a rocket scientist. All it takes is the understanding of how dogs think and consistency in training and reinforcing and excercise for the animal. Very simple.
 
[]

Your not understanding that there is a difference between dominating a dog into doing something and just projecting a confident attitude.

 
Actually, you are wrong, and if you have read many of my archived posts, you would know that.  And, I still disagree that NOOOOOO, even in a deep tone, is all that constructive.  It doesn't tell the dog what you would like him to do instead of the undesireable behavior.  Also, I have no reason to be defensive here.  I'm pretty much a known quantity to most of the people who have been here any length of time.  I do have strong opinions about communication with dogs.  I merely mentioned a point in the article you posted with which I disagreed.  To be honest, I didn't care for the title "Alpha Bootcamp", as it suggests some kind of military discipline - again adopting the idea of having to dominate the dog.  That would have been enough for me to avoid posting it.  I prefer to educate my dogs, and, although quite a bit of the information in the article was ok, the mindset of *domination*, IMO, has to go. 
But, you are correct that the OP is quite at fault here.

I don't know where you keep picking up this dominating dogs thing. You really don't understand dogs very well at all.And you obviously did not read the article.
 
If your daughter was to walk up to a hot stove and go to touch the burner would you say in a calm tone " Oh sweetie don't touch the stove" I know I wouldn't i would say in a very startling tone NOOOOOOOOO! I would do the same if my dog was bolting out a door and could possibly get hit by a car, I would do that if my dog was in the garbage can and could eat something that could poison them, I would do that if a my dog growled at me or tried to bite me how else is a dog to learn the difference between what you want and what you don't? Change of tone in your voice is how you teach dogs right from wrong you can't sit down and have a cup of Java and converse with them your philosophy.
 
I can't believe I even have responded this much to you. You obviously have a whole lot to learn but never will because you know it all. Good for you!
 
Oh and please don't tell people you have trained akitas. With your method of so called training ...an akita could turn into a very dangerous animal. Stick with the easy breeds they make out better with an owner that has no understanding of how dogs think. People don't actually pay you to train their dogs do they? Poor souls!
 
Well, I will let you go back to your baby talk or dressing your dog up like  clown or whatever you do.
 
 
 
 

You really don't understand dogs very well at all.

 
I guess that's why I became a trainer.
Guess I'm dumb, because instead of nooooooo, I teach my dogs to wait at doors, and I teach "leave it" and "drop", too.  Silly me.
 
OK, I won't tell you I have trained Akitas (hope Sterling, Chloe, Koko and the others aren't listening). And, I won't mention the other dogs I shouldn't be training, like the Pits, Rotts, AmStaffs, Staffy  Bulls, Bloodhounds, PBGV's, Dogos, Pharoah Hounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Shiloh Shepherds, Havanese, Brussels Griffons, Catahoula Leopard Dogs, Australian Cattle Dogs, Coonhounds, Leonbergers, American Bulldogs, Bull Terriers, Neapolitan Mastiffs, English Mastiffs, Bullmastiffs, Coton de Tulears...shall I go on?
I can't believe you have wasted your time either - when you have as many assertive, difficult, or rare breeds under your belt as I do under mine, come talk. [8|]  I'll expect to see you around 2025.

Tazcarm... as I'm sure you know, it's generally considered bad internet etiquette for a new member of a message board to attack the character of more established members without getting a feel for the board and the "regulars" first... it's just kind of a faux pas. Those of us who have been around a little longer know that spiritdogs is a professional trainer with a lot of good advice to offer, so your personal insults on this member aren't going to be very well received - however, I'm sure this is just a case of getting off on the wrong foot and perhaps it's better to start over. So, hello, welcome to the board, glad to have you, and the price of admission is some more pics of your cute pups! []

Good heavens!  Jones, you are nothing if not diplomatic.  Give that girl a platform!!
 
I just got home after a VERY difficult day and started scrolling through and literally spit my pretty bad coffee all over the danged monitor when I read some of these cracks.  Personal attacks are just flat out not allowed here on idog.
 
NO, in any way shape or form is a word I reserve for the absolute most dire emergency cuz I KNOW that's the one word that's going fall out of my mouth when I have one.  Such was the case when I watched, seemingly in slow motion, while the drag line wrapped itself around my ankle and dug it's way into my flesh.  Now understand, three of my german shepherds were in hot pursuit of a just thrown ball, all wanting to be the first to get said ball.  But, by golly THAT word has some impact because I haven't used it to death.  All three stopped on a dime and instead of loosing my foot, I only had a serious injury to a full half of the ankle.  I know myself...and I know that's the word that's going come out of my mouth when it counts.....and by gosh, NOT using it for everyday stuff saved my foot.  The ankle looks like crap and will even when fully healed, but at least I can still WALK.
 
I too teach sit and wait, leave it and drop it and unh uh.  My dogs don't bother the trash, except for the occassional foray into the used tissues in the bathroom basket, but if I had something potentially dangerous to my dog to discard, I sure wouldn't toss it out in the house....it'd go straight outside to the trash can and safely away from their reach.  As I recall, I raised three sons, and more than a few foster children and never had one get burned on the stove.  Even tiny ones understand "hot, don't touch".......and never did I shout those words, although I'm pretty sure my tone might have been a bit sterner.
 
Its a shame that you chose to use a direct personal attack on such a respected forum member because much of what you said was valid.......

Back to the original question:
I was just wondering why anyone hasnt asked where the dog was while she was running home to post this thread on the internet before she decided what to do? I think she probably already made her decision at the vet BEFORE she came home.I doubt many vets would say ok you just go home and think about it while your dog sits here with a broken leg and suffers.Im betting she had the dog put down and came home looking for someone else to tell her it was OK.

ORIGINAL: SmittyKel

He has the same opinion that I have - you don't save a biting dog. 

You don't save a biting dog???? What????  My dog bites me (has aggression issues) but I know that it is my fault and I am doing everything in my power to make it right again.  I take full responsibility and feel sick to my stomach that I have done him wrong.  My dog attacks me almost every day, but I would NEVER hurt him!  How can you break your dogs leg and then think about putting her down?!  Please, please don't put her down.  If you can't take the time and energy to help her through this than please find an owner that can. 

I totally understand that it is really, really hard.  Being a responsible dog owner is anything but easy.  I struggle everyday, but it is a learning process... a slow learning process.

I wish you luck, I hope that you make (or made) the right decision.

Woo.. ok this seems like a bit of a tough post to address, firstly its only right to fix the dogs leg, after all you did throw her to the ground, but one question here guys, are you telling me that if your dog was to grab your arm in such force that you wouldn't be forced to try and get it off you asap? You are in hindsight having your arm bitten?? Did anyone not consider that this lady actually does care about her pet? After all she had the balls to come on here and explain and ask for opinions on the subject? Just a thought, playing devils advocate here..
 
 

Oh come on...this is a tiny little dog that she decided to go CESAR on after letting it have its own way forever and wonders why the dog suddenly got a bit nippy?  And if you stick your hands into a dog fight, you kind of are asking to be bitten.  Thor got me.  The crazed cocker Misty would pick fights with the 90+ pound german shepherd who would back down for just so long, then carefully pin her to the floor.  HE was calm, Misty was still lunging and when I reached to hold her back and she broke free, he went to grab HER and instead broke two of MY fingers.  My own danged fault for getting in between them, and actually what I yelled was more than enough for him to leave go of my hand......he didn't WANT to bite me......but stuff happens when you stick your body parts in the way of a fight.

Caprice- Your dog attacks you almost every day?! Does the dog get away with it because it's a little breed? Now, I'm not trying to say anything against you personally, but I don't know that it's really a good thing to keep a dog around that would do that. JMO. One of my good friends had a dog ( my dog's sister) that had some agressions problems and eventually bit it's owner, unprovoked,  which the dog would never have done in its right mind. And they put it to sleep. It was terribly sad, but I do understand that. And I understand what Glenda said about Thor biting her, he wasn't biting HER, so it wasn't the dogs fault. But if the dog is attacking on purpose, more than once....I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your dog, I guess I just don't understand that.  I knew someone once that had a dog, (I didn't know the dog, but heard about it) that was real good, had no agression problems or anything. One day they were playing fetch with the dog, and one of the littler girls reached her hand back to throw the ball, and the dog leaped up to get the ball and accidentally got the side of the girl's face instead. And they put the dog down for that. I sure don't think that's what I would have done, but I guess it's hard to say if I wasn't there. Just my thoughts.

Oh, their reason for putting the dog to sleep was so that the dog didn't think it could get away with biting....[8|]

Perhaps the "throwing to the ground" was a knee jerk reaction to being bit and Chi's are small fragile dogs, so it probably wouldn't take much, unfortunately. 

She's always acted this way on the leash, and usually I walk her with either a Halti head harness or the Easy Walk harness - both of which she hated, but it was easier for me to control her.........I was so angry about her behavior and challenging my authority both times that I could have just snapped her neck, but I just put her in the room and didn't give her the reward treat.

I do agree that this person should not own the dog if she can't even control a Chi.  I baby sat for folks when I was a teen that had a Chi and it was the sweetest, cutest little dog.  After the kids were put to bed, the dog would snuggle with me on the couch.  No problems with that Chi.

I noticed when I first picked her up that she was really sensitive about that - maybe behind her front legs - and she turned and acted as if she might snap.

My experience with rescues is that they don't take in biters.  This dog may bite out of fear and/or pain.  The OP states when she got her, the dog didn't like to be picked up, that she seemed sensitive?  Too many people get little dogs and want to hold them all the time.  The dogs want to be dogs, IMO.

maybe a cat would suit you better

 
 
with the attitude a cat has any cat in her home would probably end up with a broken leg too, as for the thread starter, there's no excuse for breaking a dogs leg, get it fixed and find it a new home because you obviously have no idea how to care for a dog.
 
 
felicity